Ok.. so there seems to be a decent amount of 6.5 Creedmoor rifles out there in the Hells Canyon. So if one of those became available, is it worth it to go to that cartridge for the same hunting scenarios I listed out above... comparing to 308, 270 and 7mm-08?

I love the looks of the Browning, I have the Tikka T3X Lite along with .270, 25-06 & .243. I bought the T3X Lite (SS) last year on sale at a very good price. I read a bunch about the 6.5 Creedmoor and drank the kool-aid. The stock does look and feel cheap, it also has Nylon (plastic) bottom. I ended up buying a B&C stock and real bottom metal for it. I like the looks more now and it shoots "gooder". They make the Hells canyon in the 6.5 CM and the PRC. I figure that what I now have tied up in the Tikka, may be close to the price of the Browning. I love the Creedmoor but am interested in the PRC myself. The newer bullets and cartridges are just awesome and seem to shoot well in all guns. The PRC does give you about 200 F/Sec more than the creed and both have mild recoil. Good luck.

The best hand load in a 6.5 Creedmoor and a 7mm-08 will wind drift exactly the same amount. The .308 is the winner in energy delivery up to 300 yards. Then the 7mm-08 is the winner in energy delivery 400 to 1000 yards, over both the 6.5mm and the .308 Win. .270 would probably hit harder than all three to 300 yards, but I have not ran numbers on it.

Thx Fireman...
So I have found the Hells Canyon in the camo pattern (TD-X) that works better for where we hunt, but it's not available in 7-08 and is in 308 and 6.5. Since I already have 308 for an M1A, I'm thinking if that is the pattern I prefer, I'll go with the 308.

I'll still be open to what may come up if I find something second hand. Nothing we have talked about is a bad combination.

So still doing some research. The HC speed in 308 (no 7-08 in current camo pattern) has a twist rate of 1:12. Is that going to be effective on bullets with higher than 150 grain (168, etc)? I know I have several boxes of 308 180 grain Remington loads if I remember... that heavy bullet just got me thinking. I also saw a note on the Barnes website that they recommend a twist rate of 1:11 or faster for their 168 grain bullet.

Personally I wouldn’t limit myself with a 1:12 on a .308. In my opinion the 178-180 class bullet is optimum for the .308. I would hate to eliminate them from what I can shoot. The 1:12 will do it with enough elevation, if you can push it hard enough, and hold your mouth right. The 1:11 will do it perfectly with plenty of Varget and will do it anywhere except under water.

Agreed.

A 1:11 twist is the least agressive I would accept in a .308 Win.

Long Range, Its got plenty of barrel !! Great gun with an aftermarket trigger added. IMO, it would get a little heavy if hiking with it. The 26" barrel just goes fast.

I'm shying away from the Long Range version of the HC due to overall length (one of the reasons I'm moving away from the Sendero). The Speed version has an OAL of 42" for SA and 42-3/4" for the LA. Going to the Long Range adds another 4 or so inches.

On the twist rates... that's all the 308 comes with in the Hells Canyon Speed (not available in the LR), 22" barrel and a 1:12 twist rate. For that matter... the 30-06 offering has a 1:10 twist rate in same barrel length. Is that the assumption that most folks are going with a lighter bullet on a 308?

So I guess my question is the 1:12 twist rate enough for me to abandon that 308 offering? Will I notice much difference within 300 yards... or when does it start to hurt performance? When will I start to suffer with a 168 grain?

Both of these twist rate charts suggest the 1:12 will stabilize a 168 gr.


http://riflebarrels.com/calibers-and-twist-rates/

http://www.shilen.com/calibersAndTwists.html

Because of a relaxed twist compared to the 1:10 I'm used to, I would plan on loading it pretty stout with H-Varget. It will make a bit more speed anyway, but you might need the fuel to make damn sure it is spinning hard enough. BC on some .30 cal 168's have really come up in the last few years. Point being, if you did want to play at long range, I would bet on it, not against it.

I agree that the 168s will be ok in the 1:12. My issue is with spending $800-1000 on a rifle knowing I can’t shoot certain bullets. You say you intend to shoot up to 300 yards with it, what happens when you become very happy with your abilities at 300? Will you be content with your 300 yard gun? Or will you say, wonder if I can go to 400? I don’t know where the handicap comes in with the 168s but I’m sure it’s at a shorter distance than with the 178s. This may be only me but I want to push to the limit of the caliber not the rifle. I will likely never hunt at those limits but I did take a doe at 505 with my 6.5x55 Swede this past season. Glad I had the right bullet and didn’t limit myself.

Edit: not intending to push you on your decisions, I just don’t want you regretting them down the road.

My M70 .308 varmint, cut to 20”, has gone all the way to the end of Jason’s range with 178 factory ammo (800 yds). I wouldn’t bet it’s faster than 1:12.

Realistically, I will have no shots over 250 yards where we currently hunt. 300 would be something unique. As I mentioned early in the beginning of the post... I'm moving away from my 300 Win mag Sendero b/c it's just not practical for what my needs are. I don't plan to reload anytime soon so I'll be using off the shelf or something Chad can work up for me. I mentioned the 180 grain ammo b/c somehow about 15 years ago I picked up four boxes (I probably didn't know any better). Most of what I have is 150 or 162 / 168 grain.

Based on the charts that Jason sent, looks like the 1:12 will work the majority of the time. Maybe Chad can work up something that will perform in that twist rate for the heavier bullets.

Again... really not wanting to go into another cartridge other than 7-08, 308 or 270. My boys hunt with the 708 and 270 so this would be for me.

I think you’re right about the 1:12 on that rifle. Definitely not 5000’ elevation I mentioned earlier either. How did your primers look? My 20” shot best near max with 178s. Slap flattened soft 9 1/2 Remington primers.

So if it came down to the 6.5 creedmoor vs the 308 in a 22" barrel... and usage will be the same whitetail, then mule deer, then ?? with majority falling to whitetail...

Am I correct in thinking the 6.5 will get the job done? Again... I'm really leading towards the 308, but wondering about the 6.5 and if I'm missing the boat. The Hells Canyon Speed still has a muzzle brake so thinking the recoil won't be too bad for the 308 in heavier loads (162 gr plus).

Looking for some last thoughts before I commit to the 308.

Will both work? Absolutely.

The .308 delivers more energy inside 400 yards.

Past that, the 6.5 Creedmoor has the edge. So most likely the .308 is your pick.

Just because...

I picked up a Remington 870 in a pinch last year, brand new. Kinda needed an extra gun for dove season deal

$225 OTD deal, clearance...whatever it was. Brand spanking new

I’d heard Remington had gone to crap

Oh my, they have. I wouldn’t buy anything Remington right now

New to the forum. Most of my boys and wife shoot Tikka's now. Out at the ranch I have a buddies X-bolt 6.5 Creedmoor. It's a fine shooting rifle though I find the action anything less than smooth. More and more of my friends and family are shooting Tikka's now after shooting ours. They're just hard to beat for function and accuracy right out of the box and they make an outstanding action for a custom rifle.

A few years back I went on a quest to have a custom .243 win built. I tried most of the major custom action out there. Nothing was as slick and smooth as my LH Tikka T3. I decided to go with the Tikka action as the base build. I had recess on the front end of the action milled flat and an octagon Rem 700 type tomb stone recoil lug cut that matched the outside of the Tikka action. I replaced the plastic bolt shroud with an aluminium bolt shroud. It sits in a McMillan Hunter stock, 22" KP SS match barrel with a Leupold VX6 1-6 scope with Warne quick detachable rings. It's the finest most accurate rifle I've ever owned. It's currently being re-barreled for 6.5 CM which I should have back in a week or so.

Jeff... agree about the Tikka's. I have a T3X lite in 7-08 and my oldest son loves it. I just really like the features of the x-bolt and the ones I handled felt smooth as well.

Good luck on the 6.5.

I like the way you roll.

Not sure about the others but recently setup a 28 nosler hells canyon for a customer and loaded some ammo for him and I was pretty impressed, out to 600yds still holding .75MOA with out trying to hard.

This one - does everything the Tikka does without the sloppy bolt or cheap feel, shoots lights out , just like the Tikka trust me!

https://www.eurooptic.com/sako-synthetic-black.aspx

Tikka has a sloppy bolt? I hadn't noticed.

Oh yes, depending on who you talk to, I was recently informed it was junk compared to a Cooper and more expensive rifles. Who would have thought.