I have a 6.5 Creedmoor with a very nice 18" barrel. I am most definitely in love with the small, compact rifle and the caliber for hunting in Texas. I originally chose 6.5 Creedmoor because Hornady 140 A-max was cheap, and readily available. However, as far as I can tell, that is no longer the case. Seems like everybody and their dog owns a Creedmoor now, and you can't find the cheap ($23/box) ammo anywhere, and the replacement to the A-max is closer to $30/box.

this lead me to the decision to begin the process of reloading. I know I probably won't be able to improve on factory ammo all that much (my gun shoot any Hornady factory ammo at 1/2moa,) but I'd like to be able to control my supply a little better and not depend on the fickle market. It looks like H4350 is pretty much the default powder of choice. I cannot find it ANYWHERE. And I am a bit limited on brass choices as well.

Is there another short action that is a better choice if I'm worried about powder and other component availability? Is 308 still the better choice with that criteria in mind? I'd still like to stick with 6.5mm bullets if at all possible.

https://reloadingunlimited.com/product/hodgdon-h4350/ Claims it's in stock.

You are correct on the popularity.. and in fact my dog has two Creedmoor's and growls at me if i get close to them.
Brass while not readily available at every outlet has been fairly steady on supply if you just watch for it.
Now Powder choice is another matter. If you are just stuck on H4350 then yea be ready to buy big when you find it. I personally looked to other powders such as AR Comp/Varget/IMR 4007/Reloder 17 and right now Reloder 16 if you can find it looks very promising.

Is the 308 a better choice with availability in mind...probably so. So many powders work well you can always find something.

Might look to the 260 Rem. as an alternative. Brass can be made from 243, 7mm-08 or 308 cases if need be. You can still use your A-max or the new ELD-X bullets or any of more than a dozen different makes out there. H4350 is a good one but as you've found out, may be a tad difficult to find when you do find it. Keep you eye out on some of the online folks like Graf's or Midway or several others and when you DO find some, snag an 8 lb container or two, of it.
Failing finding that, you might also look at AA4350 or IMR4350 and try some of that.

I'm sure some others will chime in with other powder suggestions.

I shoot a 260, and my first rifle had a short barrel. I got very good results using IMR 4064. These days I use 4064 with 100 grain bullets and R17 for 120 grain bullets.

From a standpoint of ballistic performance, availability of components, ease of loading, choices in bullet weight, choices in powders, and availability of brass the absolute answer to the question is 7mm-08.

I made 7-08 out of .308 brass last week by just running .308 brass through the 7-08 die.

6.5 SLR

http://www.6mmar.com/site/mobile?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.6mmar.com%2F65_SuperLR.php#3018

243 or 7MM-08 is what id recommend for nothing else but reloading material availability. Even in the during the bad times of a few years ago, i always could find 243,7mm bullets and the powder and primers to push them.

Agreed ^^^^^^^^^ But I do love my Creedmoor and have zero intent of parting with it or replacing it.

As for the Creedmoor, I have a great supply of stuff. MidwayUSA has Hornady brass in stock most of the time. Bullets are plentiful from several online places like Midway and Bullets.com

As for powder choices, I have worked up great loads for 120 grain bullets with IMR4064. For 130 and 140 grain bullets H4350 is indeed the powder of choice, but I have seen just as good results with IMR4451 and it is usually easier to find. It is also much cleaner than H4350.

HTH.

Love my 6.5 Creedmoor as well. If a guy came to me with the objective one, and only one short action cartridge to do EVERYTHING, meaning varmint hunt, medium game hunt, even large game hunt, target shoot long range, and compete long range I would pick the straight up, original 7mm-08 and it would have a 24" to 26" barrel.

Forgot to list all the brass that has different head stamps labeling, that will work, and I have used to make 7-08 ammo.

243, 260 Rem, 7-08, .308, and I may have forgotten some.

One alternative on brass is to buy a few boxes of whatever ammo you can find that your comfortable shooting and keep the brass. I've built up a pretty good collection of brass that way. The Precision Hunter 143gr hit the same hole as my reloads and when I've shot them, I'll chunk my older brass for the once fired brass.

H4350 can be difficult to find...may have to play with some other powders in the near future.