6.5cm or 7-08

[Jono 4]

At the moment I have a second .243 which I hardly use, maybe once in the last 12 months, I used to have a 7-08 but sold it when I bought the 30-06, I’m thinking about having the 243 rebarrelled to another calibre, I’m contemplating having another 7-08 or 6.5cm, it’s a sako 75 action. Currently have, 2x 243, 6.5x55, 30-06 along with .375. I’m not really into plinking, maybe once or twice mostly deer control, from muntjac to lowland reds. At the moment really undecided to go for either another 7-08 or a 6.5cm, at the moment I’m leaning towards the 6.5 due to the availability of factory ammo, as although I do homeload I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it, just looking for pros and cons.

 

[suburban bushwacker]

I have both, the 7mm08 can do more, but unless you live in Edinburgh the availability of factory ammo is woeful.

 

[Kernow_Stalker]

I've also had both. You'd be hard pushed to tell any difference between them in terms of terminal ballistics on quarry. The creed is nicer to shoot, and has more availability of consumables and factory ammo so personally I'd go for that

 

[NullMac]

Either.

In practical terms there is no difference between any of the medium cartridges at stalking distances. Shooters are sweating minute differences on paper that are not apparent in the real world as these differences are swamped by other factors.

 

[tim@tcs]

.280/30 its a 7mm08 in its purest form. Handloads only as the factory ammo is collectable and not sp. 7mm08 was a development from this round that was known as 7mm optimum.
Dies are available and brass is easy to convert from 300 savage brass, it will take up to 150 grain bullets and hopefully soon 158 grain Grom from Privi.


There you go my sales pitch is complete @suburban bushwacker

 

[Bowland blades]

If you are not keen on the reloading 6.5 creed all the way . I had a 7-08 a good while ago , i bought it when tikka was launching the T3 and it was one of the last tikka 595 stainless with laminate stocked . Was very good on deer but very little choice in factory ammo then and most 7 mm bullets seemed to be for rem mags. Brass was remmington or converting 243 or 308 . Just consider as good as it was a pain to get factory or the range of bullets . My Point is its not fantasticly better now and yet the creed ammo , brass etc is in every gunshop worth visiting !
Imagine if you travelled out for a few days stalking and you had forgotten to bring your ammo ... Could you sort it in half a day ?
Even today i would buy a 308 over 7-08 because the range of bullets are vast and very available , most of us cannot notice the better BC of the 7-08 . while shooting deer . 6.5 creed now is now in stock in every gun shop of course
if a stalker shoots to say 300 yards , any all uk species deer cartridge class and it will get the job done

 

[GWP]

why a creedmore when you have a 6.5x55 go 7-08

 

[DavyG]

At the moment I have a second .243 which I hardly use, maybe once in the last 12 months, I used to have a 7-08 but sold it when I bought the 30-06, I’m thinking about having the 243 rebarrelled to another calibre, I’m contemplating having another 7-08 or 6.5cm, it’s a sako 75 action. Currently have, 2x 243, 6.5x55, 30-06 along with .375. I’m not really into plinking, maybe once or twice mostly deer control, from muntjac to lowland reds. At the moment really undecided to go for either another 7-08 or a 6.5cm, at the moment I’m leaning towards the 6.5 due to the availability of factory ammo, as although I do homeload I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it, just looking for pros and cons.

You’ve got too many tools that will do the same job.
DG

 

[JockStalk]

You’ve got too many tools that will do the same job.
DG

 

[tackb]

what about a nice 338federal ? 300gr bullets (subsonic if you want) short handy woodland thumper ?

 

[jammiedodger]

what about a nice 338federal ? 300gr bullets (subsonic if you want) short handy woodland thumper ?

I looked at this myself I'm in exactly the same boat as the OP.

Sako 75 going for a re-barrel....ended up going 7mm08 as its an itch I need to scratch, but the .338 did make me wonder

 

[jthyttin]

Rather 358Win than 338Fed. A plethora of affordable bullets, designed to open up at subsonic or mid velocity. For full house loads, both of them require careful choice to find a bullet that expands at the lower velocities.

I think both are equally bad choices, given that OP doesn't enjoy home loading...

 

[WeatherbyUK]

There’s a decent amount of 7-08 ammo if you look around - macleods of tain and Dauntsey guns both carry it… it’s by no means a typical gun shop caliber though sadly.

7mm had the advantage of being plains game legal, and most boar shoots will ask for 7mm as a minimum - so if either are on the cards then 7-08 makes sense.

7-08 is a very popular caliber in other parts of the world for good reason, and arguably ballistically superior to the 6.5cm at typical hunting ranges (sub 300m).

 

[Mungo]

At the moment I have a second .243 which I hardly use, maybe once in the last 12 months, I used to have a 7-08 but sold it when I bought the 30-06, I’m thinking about having the 243 rebarrelled to another calibre, I’m contemplating having another 7-08 or 6.5cm, it’s a sako 75 action. Currently have, 2x 243, 6.5x55, 30-06 along with .375. I’m not really into plinking, maybe once or twice mostly deer control, from muntjac to lowland reds. At the moment really undecided to go for either another 7-08 or a 6.5cm, at the moment I’m leaning towards the 6.5 due to the availability of factory ammo, as although I do homeload I wouldn’t say I enjoyed it, just looking for pros and cons.

Neither 7-08 nor 6.5CM will do anything noticeably different to what you already have.

 

[pete evans]

Looks like you’re looking for a solution to a problem that doesn’t exist. I also have “overlap” between calibres for what I do and sometimes think it would be preferable just to stick to one deer legal calibre that will handle anything to 300m.

 

[243varmint]

Mate. You got all bases covered so why don't you go for something you haven't had before.

Try the 6.5CM or what about a 6.5PRC.
You know you can get good long range bullets for homeloading from Richard.

Just go and scratch that itch mate....

 

[Mungo]

Mate. You got all bases covered so why don't you go for something you haven't had before.

Try the 6.5CM or what about a 6.5PRC.
You know you can get good long range bullets for homeloading from Richard.

Just go and scratch that itch mate....

6.5 PRC is different enough to what he has to be worth exploring!

I love mine. But I’m not totally sure it would go into a Sako 75 .243 action?

 

[Wmjas]

Mate. You got all bases covered so why don't you go for something you haven't had before.

Try the 6.5CM or what about a 6.5PRC.
You know you can get good long range bullets for homeloading from Richard.

Just go and scratch that itch mate....

6.5CM is just 6.5x55 dress up in modern clothes though, hardly wildly different…

If it were me I’d go 7mm-08, fits nicely between 6.5x55 and 30-06 so it’s not doubling up and as you already have .243 you can resize to 7mm-08 or use .308 brass for both.

As some mentioned it’s quite often the minimum cut off for species so useful if you wanted to keep .308 as a deer rifle and set this up for driven boar or visa versa.

 

[Jono 4]

6.5 PRC is different enough to what he has to be worth exploring!

I love mine. But I’m not totally sure it would go into a Sako 75 .243 action?

I’ll ask the gunsmith but I’m not sure it will fit.

 

[Twodogs]

The 6.5 PRC should fit in a short action, however it will be a close thing, the dimensions/tolerances the action was cut to could make a difference. If thinking of using long ELD type bullets/copper it will probably be to much for a short action.
Also consider that you will need a magnum bolt face.