.300 Win Mag vs 6.5 Creedmoor

[BucksnDucks]

I kind of think the defination of mountain rifle mostly depends on who's giving the defination!

Thanks Don! From now on I will ignore definations of the likes of chuck Hawks and others, leaving it up to the rifle owner. To each their own, my mistake for reading the original post and thinking the OP was asking for opinions.

 

[Don Fischer]

Pretty much this^^^^^^
and I believe the CM Mesa is much more an all-around rifle not really meeting the definition of mountain rifle.

I think it is pretty much an all around cartridge but in the right rifle a good mountain rifle also. Best thing I had to a good mountain rifle was actually a 660 Rem that my son has now. it was in 308 w/20" barrel, 2 3/4x fixed scope and balanced really well between my hands. had a mod 7 when they first came out that didn't shoot well at akk. But the size of the stock and if it had had a heavier barrel it would have been great to haul around. Yet I still think a good mountain rifle depends on the user and his abilitry to carry weight. To some a 7 1/2# rifle is nothing and others aren't bothered by a 28" barrel. In the end a good mountain rifle to one guy may not be to another.

 

[Don Fischer]

Thanks Don! From now on I will ignore definations of the likes of chuck Hawks and others, leaving it up to the rifle owner. To each their own, my mistake for reading the original post and thinking the OP was asking for opinions.

Well guess I should go back and look. I thoiugh he was!

 

[Don Fischer]

Thanks Don! From now on I will ignore definations of the likes of chuck Hawks and others, leaving it up to the rifle owner. To each their own, my mistake for reading the original post and thinking the OP was asking for opinions.

Well I went back and read it again and to me, "was wanting to know" sounds like asking for an opinion! And his opinion asks for either the 300 mag or 6.5 CM those are cartridgrs either of which might be in someones mountain rifle. As for mountain rifle, that is not a cartridge, it's a rifle and could be in a number of different cartridges depending on the shooter. sorry to have confused you!

 

[ImBillT]

I think it is pretty much an all around cartridge but in the right rifle a good mountain rifle also. Best thing I had to a good mountain rifle was actually a 660 Rem that my son has now. it was in 308 w/20" barrel, 2 3/4x fixed scope and balanced really well between my hands. had a mod 7 when they first came out that didn't shoot well at akk. But the size of the stock and if it had had a heavier barrel it would have been great to haul around. Yet I still think a good mountain rifle depends on the user and his abilitry to carry weight. To some a 7 1/2# rifle is nothing and others aren't bothered by a 28" barrel. In the end a good mountain rifle to one guy may not be to another.

^^^completely and totally agree with the bold section.

This year I carried a 27” barreled rifle that weighed 8.25lbs, and A) considered it a pleasure to carry, but B) wished it weighed .75-1lb more for stability purposes. Having never been bothered by carrying a 10lb rifle, I don’t think 9lbs would have bothered me at all, but I could probably have shot a 9lb rifle better from sticks.

 

[nards444]

the 6.5 is the hip thing. Its nice low recoil and shoots flat. But the 300 is going to hit harder at just about any range. The 300 also means very little if any compensation for drop until after 300 yards

 

[ImBillT]

the 6.5 is the hip thing. Its nice low recoil and shoots flat. But the 300 is going to hit harder at just about any range. The 300 also means very little if any compensation for drop until after 300 yards

Oooooh that’s what the “300” means. I never caught that.

 

[88man]

flip a coin> it comes down to if you are a real rifleman and cool hand Luke shooter. Either will kill at the same ranges with a well placed shot. Its really all up to the shooter how good he is and how confident in waiting for the right shot.

rifle size/weight/length matters most in steadiness and shootability
Bullet type matters most of the time

 

[Doublegunner]

I’ve killed 3 elk with a Creedmoor, and done 1 other recovery. Never again will I recommend it, None were quick deaths and there are better cartridges out there. Lots and lots of better cartridges.

I don't want to steal this thread but I am curious, what were the circumstances that soured you on the Creedmoor for elk? Things I'm curious about are shot placement, bullet used, distance shot, angle of animal when shot? IMO the Creedmoor is a great round but not necessarily a great elk round. I personally have never used my Creedmoor rifles for elk but have thought about it. I am generally of the opinion shot placement and using a good bullet are the most important aspects of a clean and ethical kill rather than cartridge power. If a person can shoot their Creedmoor accurately versus a .300 that they can't shoot I would say go with the Creedmoor. Just keep distances reasonable and use a good bullet. This information may help the OP decide between the two. Thanks.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

Buy a 300.

 

[shannerdrake]

I love threads like these!

I realize this has been beat to death, but I'm not sure why the 6.5 Creed and the 300 Win end up the same conversation. The two rounds are so different that I am not sure why they even get compared? Do you want to shoot bigger/heavier bullets fast or do you want to shoot smaller longer bullets not as fast? Can you handle recoil or not? Do you plan to shoot a lot? Do you want short or long action? What is your primary target?

 

[Addicting]

I don't want to steal this thread but I am curious, what were the circumstances that soured you on the Creedmoor for elk? Things I'm curious about are shot placement, bullet used, distance shot, angle of animal when shot? IMO the Creedmoor is a great round but not necessarily a great elk round. I personally have never used my Creedmoor rifles for elk but have thought about it. I am generally of the opinion shot placement and using a good bullet are the most important aspects of a clean and ethical kill rather than cartridge power. If a person can shoot their Creedmoor accurately versus a .300 that they can't shoot I would say go with the Creedmoor. Just keep distances reasonable and use a good bullet. This information may help the OP decide between the two. Thanks.

I’m not in to dissecting shots. They never turn out well due to the Monday morning quarterbacking. It just wasn’t enough gun for me.

 

[shannerdrake]

I’m not in to dissecting shots. They never turn out well due to the Monday morning quarterbacking. It just wasn’t enough gun for me.

Good call. Things happen and I too like to have more gun for when they do. I've shot four elk and been part of three other kills. None of them were too dead despite being shot well with a 300 Win or 50 caliber. The one elk I have been a part of that was not recovered was shot with a 6.5 Creed. Yes, my buddy hit the elk in the shoulder and it just didn't get it done. So technically it wasn't the Creed's fault.

I also hit a bull elk in the shoulder accidently once with my 300 Win and it broke both shoulders and I cut the slug out from under the hide on the opposite shoulder. The bull fell in his tracks.

One set of observations is far from science and I think hunters are fooled too often by their experiences. However, scientifically speaking, my 300 Win would do everything my 6.5 Creed would do and then some, but my 6.5 couldn't do everything that my 300 could do so I sold the Creed and do all of my hunting with one 300 Win that I like and happen to shoot well.

I guess I should also add that I don't shoot animals past 400 yards so I don't care what advantages a Creed develops after 750 yards or whatever it is. I should also add that the 300 Win is about at the edge of what I want for recoil so for me that's where I draw the line in the "bigger is better" sand.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I’m not in to dissecting shots. They never turn out well due to the Monday morning quarterbacking. It just wasn’t enough gun for me.

I've actually heard some version of this more than once in the past year.

Any way, I've sorta lurked on this thread but haven't chimed in until now. I actually think it's a weird comparison - in the world of center-fire rifles, it's hard to get more apples to oranges than the original question.

I guess for my 2 cents, I consider my Tikka T3X in .308 as my "mountain rifle". I think it weighs about 7lbs and it's ridden about 1000 miles strapped to my pack. It's a good balance of light weight with enough umph to take down anything I've ever hunted. As to the 6.5CM - no comment, I've never owned one, shot a friend's, but just don't find it all that interesting. I did haul a heavy old 300wm around for a while, but never really enjoyed anything about it. Didn't like shooting it, it hurt and killed my ears; killed the hell out of game though, I'll admit. Ive recently been working on a load for a 30-06AI that weighs about 8lbs scoped. That's probably about as close to a magnum as I care to mess with anymore. My brother uses a T3X in 300wm. That is one miserable gun to shoot.

 

[woods89]

I’m not in to dissecting shots. They never turn out well due to the Monday morning quarterbacking. It just wasn’t enough gun for me.

I'd love to know what bullet, but I also get it, those discussions have a way of devolving.

I will say, if I felt I needed to shoot monos or a really hard jacketed bullet I would choose something with more velocity than a Creedmoor. I don't like small wound channels. My good luck with one has been with Bergers and Sierra TMK. From the terminal results I've seen I would probably break a shoulder with either inside of 400 yds, if I had to.

Just a forum idiots opinion, and worth what it cost you.......

 

[VAhunter2014]

I am looking at buying a mountain rifle for all of my out west hunts. I am probably going to buy a Christensen Arms Mesa. But, I was wanting to know should I buy it in .300 Win Mag or 6.5 Creedmoor? Thank you for all knowledge and wisdom!

Another vote for the .300 WM. I just got a Browning X-bolt this past year, sorry HOWA, and its shooting 3/4" groups without a load development process. I hope to get it down below 1/2", but would have no issues taking it for a 500 yard shot.

6.5 is a good round, but not as versatile in my opinion.

 

[shrapnel]

All the talk of guns and accuracy is mind boggling. When it comes to accuracy, I do have a few. I have a couple 6mm PPC's and some very accurate Cooper heavy barrel rifles, but I don't waste my time trying to get teensy groups. I get what I can live with and still hit a prairie dog to 400 yards and that is my standard for accuracy.

Besides that, I don't seem to get any of the good stuff everyone else gets, my guns shoot to around an inch, my truck gets about 14 miles to the gallon and my reloaders will all screw up once in awhile. How do i manage to always get the junk that no one else does?

 

[Mountain Man]

300 but 338 win mag is still the best elk gun lol

I prefer the 340 Weatherby myself, but I’m sure the 338 win mag is okay too. I honestly can’t believe people seriously consider 6.5 to hunt elk.

 

[bullbugle]

To me, mountain rifle equals light rifle. Light rifle and 300 win mag don't go together for me.

I had one. I could shoot one good 3 shot group at the range, and after that, I was all over the place and flinching like crazy. I never had a flinching problem before that, and it took a lot of 22 practice to get it out of my system.

I've shot an elk with my wife's 6.5. It died, and I got a complete pass through. Pick the right bullet and hit it where your supposed to and they die. I don't care what you shoot, if you don't hit em right and you don't pick the right bullet it could be bad news. I've seen multiple rodeos with a 300 win mag due to piss poor shooting. The problem I see with the "more gun in case you screw up" argument is that it leads a lot of people think "I can take that shot, I'm shooting a 300 win mag."

 

[mtmuley]

I've seen multiple rodeos with a 300 win mag due to piss poor shooting.

Shooter problem, not cartridge. mtmuley