Long Range Shooting Rifle Options

At one time, I was considering the 6.5 but went with the 308. The main reason was that I "heard" that it was hard on barrels. The recoil is manageable. I'm also curious are the 6.5 rounds easier or harder to find on store shelves? I rarely buy factory ammo.

 

I’ve had no trouble finding it.

I’ve yet to shoot out a 6.5 barrel but I’m not doing competitions. I was shooting 40-80 rounds a trip to the range when i lived in nashville. If you reload, you have the skills to change a prefit barrel out if you got to that point.

I’ve got a 6.5 and 308 of the same gun and don’t touch the 308 bolt gun. Both shoot but the 6.5 is just easier in my opinion

 

I have 2 American's one in .350 Legend, and 1, in 6.5 Creedmoor. Both have the Magpul Hunter stocks on them. the 350 I bought and installed the stock, the creed came with the magpul stock, via a few different distributors (Sportsman's Warehouse for example). the Magpul stock is worth the upgrade to the Ruger American stock. Although I havent shot an animal with the .350, it shoots lights out at up to 200 yards. the Mcarbo trigger spring is a great update to their trigger pull as well, and anyone can install it, in minutes

I just popped the cherry on the creedmoor Friday night. 7 point whitetailed deer at 214 yards. the Hornady edlx 143 gr bullet was devastating to the vitals of the animal, took about four steps and collapsed. It wasnt the buck I wanted but, he stepped out limping and acting funny, really tall moderately wide but, needed a year or two for the truly WOW antlers, and maturity. Found an arrow hole in neck, came out opposite side, inside the lower leg/brisket area. it was several days old, and he was just starting to heal up top but, the lower was badly infected, huge congealed hematoma. Lost a bunch of meat, neck, both front shoulders but, he wont die a nasty death now. The pics look like the gun is pointed at me but, it is a poor angle pic. I am turned sideways, and the gun is pointed away from my hip area, in no way was aiming at me. I also took out the mag, and verified the chamber was empty. The pics were taken at home the morning after harvest, and were staged. I shot him about 10 minutes before legal shooting hours ended so, it was dark for pics onsite.

So impressed with the American/Hunter combo, in both calibers, especially the creedmoor. I just ranged the deer, dialed my dope, aimed, breathed, squeeze, BANG, dead deer, at the furthest I had ever attempted to shoot. Having practiced this range a bunch at the club range, really helped in having the confidence to make this type of shot, for me. Found a place within an hour of me who specializes in european mounts, dropped it off, 90 minutes later he called it was done. 145 bucks, and I didnt have to get dirty, boil anything, or clean up. www.skullsbysandy.com Also had my first meal, tenderloin & onion's with fried taters, placed on buttered bread, last night... Best way to eat venison in my mind. (Thank you dad!). Ski

 

I ordered the Bergara Crest in 6.5 PRC last week, along with pic rail, mounts, and Burris Signature HD 5x25x50 scope (same set up as my creed with more umph). I should have everything to build it, this week. For me, right now, 6.5 prc hornady's are cheaper than creedmoor. I think creedmoor gets a bad rap from the .308 crowd because, of how fast it took over the long range competition community, circa 2007 -08. some people just dont like rapid change. the creed is better in recoil, ballistics etc... But, there is nothing wrong with .308 either. When you think about it, a punched target, is a punched target, and a dead animal is dead, no matter what it is shot with. choose what you like. Ski

 

report back on the crest. That in 7mm prc also looks temping

 

It's what I hunt with. Bone stock, bought it lightly used and put a mediocre optic on it. Consistently bangs steel at 450yds.

 

Man, maybe I shoulda checked 7prc ammo pricing prior to ordering. Not as bad as it was. and either close to the same or, just a bit more than the 6.5 stuff. Ski

 

I wouldn’t regret the 6.5 prc for a second. The 7mm prc is just the newest flavor of the week. Both will do the same thing at the ranges 99% of us are shooting

 

My opinion is if you can afford to shoot a barrel to death, you can afford to buy another barrel. Nothing wrong with .308, but barrel life doesn't figure into the choice to me.
The American Rifle Hunter has the Magpul stock from the factory. Plus the heavy contour barrel and brake as mentioned.

 

Seeking thoughts on the 338 Win Mag.

Whatchu got?

 

Damn good point! I have been known to nickel & dime myself to death.

 

PS, it seems that 6.5 CM ammo is very easy to find. At least relative to everything else. As are rifles chambered in it. I think it's a safe bet that it's in the top 2 or 3 centerfires out there.
One negative if you give a shit is the haters. It's kinda like people bitching about crossfitters and vegans. There's far more people voicing their opinions about the obnoxious fanboys than actual obnoxious fanboys. They call it 6.5 Manbun.

 

This is my 6.5 cm 130 gr eldm out of a bergara ridge 18” barrel at 100 yards . 3 shot group . I’ll take this all day long out of a $750 rifle

the old grey beards can keep their 10k rounds of 308 and the m40 with pos 10x scope

 

How are FFP scopes for hunting? At low magnification, low light. I know illumination goes a long way for making the reticle visible on low power.

 

I'm not a fan of ffp for hunting, but if I were to(have), illuminated for sure. I like to run my Scopes on the lowest power if a close shot is likely. Doing so, that reticle is very small/fine. The illumination helps.

I dont even like graduated reticles for hunting. Leupold CDS and I just hold for wind.

 

For target shooting? I think 338 lapua or 338 norma are better. I think the 338 win mag is favored with like a 225 GR bullet at like 2700 fps. However a 300 norma is probably the best regular long action caliber I’ve taken to a mile. 230 grain Atips at 2950FPS out of a 30” barrel and consistent 10-12” groups at a mile is easy.

For hunting, no clue. Pretty confident regular old 308 will do the trick considering your not typically taking 800 yard shots.

 

The almost non existent reticle at low power would definitely be a problem. Depends on scopes too. My tangent thetas I can use at 5 power with no problem. Now a 500$ entry level FFP, probably wouldn’t use it. Probably won’t be able to see squat on the reticle until
You jump the zoom up.

 

Its a big hammer but it makes 7mm PRC and 300 PRC ammo seem inexpensive.

 

I ordered a Vortex Strike Eagle 3-18. I'll be hammering steel and coyotes until next deer season with it. If it turns out to be no bueno on 3X I'll pick up a cheaper SFP optic. Don't need ultimate precision to keel a deer from 30 feet to 300 yards anyway.

 

10-12” groups at a mile