16-18” barrel bolt gun, .308 or 6.5 ?

Im enjoying the recent threads on short 7mm-08 rifles, and now I’m thinking on starting my own short, suppressed bolt gun. For hunting and general fun shooting.

I would most likely use a Tikka CTR as this will be most affordable way to get a barreled action that’s almost guaranteed to shoot. This limits my choices to 6.5 creed or 308. I have one in 6.5 cm already with a 20” barrel, but I think I still want a shorter one.

So for a handy 17” bolt gun, 308 or 6.5 ?

6.5 Creedmoor.

Do you hand load?

Bullets matter wayyyyyyyyy more than headstamps and nothing .308",will hang with a .264" 147 ELD...when talking like-ish powder capacity. Hell,an '06 won't hang with a Kreedmire,due the projectile mass incurred to equate a like BC.

'Course,I hate 308's and am cursed with a herd of 'em................

Yessir, I do



Ok, y’all convinced me. Kreedmire it is then...

I’ll just need to decide whether 17” is enough of an improvement in handiness over my current 20” to warrant another rifle. I’ll be running a TBAC ultra 7, or an SAS Barricade.

17" all the way.

Who gives a [censored] about another click or two on the erector,at the 1000yd line or beyond.............

for a shortie, I think a 308 is a better choice..
I am taking a CTR in 308 to 16"
my long range gun is a custom 6.5 Creedmoor and I am definitely a fan but I think for a shortie 308 makes better since. You might have seen my post about a 7mm08 17" project that I am very happy with.

I have seen your recent posts Charles, as well as JGs. Both of these 7mm-08 builds look great and have me thinking along the same lines.

I’ll be looking forward to seeing what you do with your tikka 308

Nothing wrong with a 16" .308. By the way, if you're chopping one, go as short as you can without SBR paperwork, which is 16". I wanted mine 16", but my Smith's lathe won't let him cut one that short. I have a 6" .308 but in an AR platform. When you lose barrel, you lose velocity, so I went with a 155 gr bullet, instead of my usual 178 gr in a .308 Win. It'll get the job done.

All of my bolt action hunting rifles are 16.25". Makes for a handy package especially with a can. Unless you are hunting at extreme distances you won't miss the inches.

At like barrel lengths,the 308 can never begin to hang with a Kreedmire..............

147 ELD's absolutely DESTROY both of those .308" projectiles.

I love Skinners and shoot 'em a "smidge".(grin)



But there is no way to make a 308Win hang in the same Universe,as a Kreedmire.

None...............

Well, you are wrong, with your "none".

Swing for the fence,it will be funny...............

First of all, you are not the only one around here that knows a thing or two, new guy. And it is alredy showing, you will not be here long. You, like some before you, are temporary, and won't even be a bad memory.

"hint...."

The .308 can deliver more energy than the 6.5 Creedmoor from the muzzle to 500 yards, depending on how both are loaded. Only after 500, does the 6.5 Creedmoor deliver more energy. And most people around here do not care about energy delivey past the quarter mile mark, because they won't be taking a shot that far anyway.

If I were going the short barrel route think I would look at the 300 RCM... just to stir a little more.

Tell yourself what you must.

"Energy" is a fictitious "indicator",because it measures everything that does NOT matter and NOTHING that does. I'd liken it akin to SD,which a Fable of like proportion(s). In FACT,all projectiles of like diameter and mass,arriving the scene at like speeds,will generate IDENTICAL "energy",while also happening to share IDENTICAL SD values,though their integrity/terminal effects more than run the gamut in a broad spectrum. Hint. You'll wanna read that again. Re-hint.

You were going to "tell" me how a 308 was gonna "outperform" a Kreedmire and I mentioned in passing,that it was gonna get funny,if only because Facts and Physics preclude that Delusion,to be Reality.

Hint.

Bullets matter more than headstamps and it is never not amazing,how very few can understand that simplistic constant.

Hint............

When ballistic calculators can predict velocity decay, time of flight, wind drift, elevation correction needed, AND ft/lbs of energy, I am inclined to believe that column as well.

And I've personally seen ft/lbs in real life on my range, from name the cartridge. .308s have ripped steel off hangers at the closer ranges. Never has a 6.5 Creedmoorripped on off.

So back to my original statement, you are wrong.

I needn't a "calculator",I've simply got it all and am afforded the luxury,of not being forced to guess.

Hint...............

just because you have been on here for a long time does not mean you are always correct and this is one of those situations that you are incorrect if all things are equal the 308 only carries 25 more pounds of energy at 400 yards shooting a larger bullet that's barely enough to coldcock a cockroachand ,if you shoot a bullet close to the same size as the Creed wins again! I can back this up with all the particulars because I have both calibers in short barrels but I am not going to do that much typing. Just because somebody is new on this site does not mean that they do not know as much as you or even more.

It's never been tough to cypher,who shoots and who don't................(grin)

I have both. I was totally out of the .308 business for 3 years. And then, and now if I had to live with a 6.5 Creedmoor OR a .308 forever, I would pick the 6.5

Simple fact of the matter is, the .308 does in fact hit harder, when comparing equal barrel lengths.

Hint.....Jes sayin'

(I didn't have anything more valuable to add, but really enjoying all the hinting)

Cite the 308 Load that your Delusion(s) are predicated upon.

It will be funny.

Hint...............

Many folks cain't take a hint.

Hint..............

Facts and Physics are often rather upsetting,for them who "do" and "know" the least.

Hint.................

Let's not forget about throwing stuff off of cliffs.

.30 cal 178 gr ELD-X, 24" barrel, 2700 fps MV

6.5mm 143 gr ELD-X, 24" barrel, 2800 fps MV.

.308 delivers more energy to 500 yards. Yes, I have loaded both.

You are at the mercy,of your being forced to use you,as a "barometer" of "evaluation".

Hint................

Few can begin to fathom the magnitude.

1000 Words RINK

Hint..............

I believe this debate was on short barrels, of course if you want to change it to make yourself correct go right ahead , because we know you're not wrong.

I enjoy her trying sooooooooo hard.

Hint..............

I have a Creedmoor shooting an 18 inch barrel and a 308 shooting a 20 inch barrel their bullets are 8 grains apart and the Creedmoor is winning.

All of this was in resonse to this statement:


"But there is no way to make a 308Win hang in the same Universe,as a Kreedmire.

None..........."

And, no refuting data has been provided. Nothing more than opinion, and banter.

Sweetheart...you are in wayyyyyyyyyyy over your head.

Pardon that Facts and Physics do not support your Delusion(s). Hint.

A 24" Kreedmire can/will/do squirt a 147ELD at 2750fps. As extrapolated to your "vaunted" 308 Energy Load with a 178 ELD at the 500yd line and both zero'd at like distance and like atmosphere...the follwing FACTS transpire,due to Physics.

The 147 drops 7-inches less.
The 147 drifts 8-inches less(I'll save percentages for later,so as to not scare you away)
The 147 impacts 286ps faster
The 147 makes 138 ft lbs more "energy"

PLEASE try again...it's FUNNY!

Hint...............

Cute you are talking about drop in inches, instead of Mil or MOA.

Must not really know what you want to look like you know.

Grasping......

Inches are a unit of measure,which can be applied to multiple mechanisms,that'll corroborate POA/POI intersection. I musta missed it,where a particular sighting device was cited by you,to harbor your Delusional Energy Loads. Do tell...it'll be funny.

Hint.............

308 shooting 130 grain TSX going 2920 ft per second at 400 yards produces 1098 foot pounds of energy. the 6.5 Creedmoor shooting 130 grain Berger hunting bullet at 2780 feet per second at 400 yards produces 1344 foot-pounds of energy. those are my two rifles. I know it's hard for you to believe you do not know everything but that's the truth. you are extremely knowledgeable in a lot of things just not everything.

I don't have a dog in the fight, but I relate better to inches.
I was able to understand all of the data at a glance.

In fairness...the 130JLK is an absolute BEAST in a Kreedmire and absolutely destroys a Three-Oh-Not-So-Great.

In inches,feet per second and "energy".................(grin)

Don't go spookin' the hole...she's on a roll and gonna "tell" me "more"..............(grin)

REALLY ,is that where you're going to go

Facts and Physics,reliably tend to get 'em stuttering.

Hint...............(grin)

Never said I know everything. And your numbers are your numbers. I have no desire to plug them in, and verify, I have the ability to take your word for it.

However, for my uses, I would NEVER load that bullet in a .308, it's just not my cup of tea. But if it works for you, and you are happy with it, then that is all that matters.

You are comparing a pretty good BC 6.5mm at a decent velocity, to a poor BC .308 at a high velocity (especially for a .308) It's not an apples to apples comparison, in your two examples.

And go back to my very first recommendation on this thread, the 6.5 Creedmoor. It is a fine cartridge, that I've shot for several years. But stating mis-information about the other option, helps no one.

You are the ONLY one who is fabricating yarns,to "support" Delusion(s).

Hint..................

Hear that pin drop?!?

Me too.

Hint.............(grin)

that bullet in my 308 will shoot a 3 inch group at 500 yards with a 10 Power Scope I have taken an antelope with that bullet at 554 yards one shot in the heart. With excellent performance through and through.

sorry if that's not up to your standards

I suppose this was an apples-to-apples comparison though

You gotta neck the suck outta a 308,to get any traction...............(grin)

Holy crap, dude. Did you not read the whole post?

Same bullet maker, same bullet model, same barrel length. How else would one compare?

Yall carry on.

This has become a waste of time, feeding trolls.

Reverse was the ONLY direction you could go.

Hint.............

Btt

This thread reminds me of a gag a college buddy and I would pull at bars many, many moons ago.....we'd be sitting there when one of us would look over and say to the other:

#1 - You know mine is longer....
#2 - No its not....

#1 - Sure it is....
#2 - You're delusional...

#1 - You know mine is longer!
#2 - Nope, mine is!

Standing up...
#1 - YOU KNOW MINE IS LONGER!
#2 - NO, MINE IS!

Then reaching for our belt buckles we would unbuckle them, yank off our belts and hold them up to see whose was longer....

Then the "winner" would say, "Told ya so!" ....and we'd put our belts back on.....

Facts is the most unsettling,to them with the least.

Reverse is the ONLY direction they can travel.

Mighta' mentioned it were gonna get funny.

Hint................(grin)

very good story except some of us aren't always telling everybody ours is longer. but yes point is taken and I digress

Busheler was, on another forum and using several other names, reduced to just a post or two per day, after a long period of doing just what he’s doing here. Redmist1 is just a running buddy of his.

Busheler is actually quite knowledgeable, but that won’t compensate for his manner. If I remember correctly, there was one thread where he made 75or more comments, none of which were at all helpful or even consistent with the topic. If this forum has a flush button, push it now.

You reserve the right to find me "mistaken"...but not the "knowledge","experience" or "results",which is an unsettling FACT for you.

Hint...............

So many hurt feelers...

Rest assured,she KNOWS better than to do anything other than Whine.

Hint...............(grin)

While that may be the case.....the manor and tact is tasteless, snarky, and immature.....

And that is coming from the most tasteless, snarky, and immature person I know....me!

Adios Troll.....

Facts ain't for everyone. Congratulations?!?

Hint...........

Yup....you chose to ignore my facts......

If you are waiting for me,to fret your VERY Tender Feelers...it's gonna be a looooonnnnnggggggggg wait.

As an aside,Imitation is THE most Sincere form of Flattery.

Bless your heart..............

6.5Creedmore 147
308 208 amax

You're comparing two cases with approximately the same capacity. It just depends on what trade-offs you can live with.

What didja' factor,as starting velocities?

I've never even heard of a 208? thanks for that info.



Laughing!..............

2695 for the creedmoore and 2500 for the 308.

Kreedmire...spell it write. Laughing!

Ain't it a hoot,that in a bigger case,with greater diameter,you gotta only add 61grs of mass,to "win" The GREAT Energy Debacle and "only" haveta give up drop,drift,impact velocity,recoil and COAL?

In fairness,the 225 ELD's are purty greasy. I'll try to find a pic or two.

Hint.................(grin)

Like i said its a trade-off. It just depends on what is more important to you. Long range 6.5 creedmoore. Short range flip a coin.

sorry but I am not a running buddy of his or do I personally know him so please do not refer to me as that.

I shoot 'em all and then some. The only instance where the 308 would have an "advantage",is if one lost a bet big enough,to be forced to suffer a buncha free ammo to whistle through one...or had to bust barriers or sumptin' of the ilk.

For Hunting/Killing,the Kreedmire is the meeow,if only for the benefits that recoil reduction has upon folks. Adding recoil,increasing drop,adding drift and losing impact velocity,is not what bolsters Terminal Effects.

Hint.............

Facts ain't for everyone,but I rather enjoy her Imagination and Pretend.............(grin)

please do not refer to me anymore or use me in any of your posts any further your point has been made let it go now you are defeating yourself.

Shhhhhhhhhhsh...you're spookin' the hole.

Hint..............

"Hint...."

Try taking a hundred hints yourself, tool. Plenty of people here have properly diagnosed you are mentally ill, as well as a professional troll.


Hint....

Tough to beat a Hissy Fit...you're on fire!

Hint..........

There you went again.

Unable to take a hint yourself.

You could make it your sig line so you didnt have to type it on every single post you make. But my bet is you did not read the rules of this place, or learned how to make a sig line. After all you do know everything there is to know about everything.

Perhaps consider holding your breath,for maximum effect?!?

Hint..............

Keep going, you're tying your own noose.

Wipe the streaming mascara from your quivering lips...it's unbecoming.

Hint..............

Did Garvey make a second username so he could argue with himself or something? I’m so confused

Cite any/all words that were "too big" for you,or "too Technical".

Hint................

WTF is going on in here???

I posted a video of a guy throwing a rifle with a SWFA scope on it, picking it up and shooting 400 yards and 900 yards showing it hold zero. Some people called him a moron and some publicly invited him to join the forum. Apparently he knows some people on the forum, heard about it and joined. Basically, I summoned BeetleJuice.

Some folks shoot and others think they do.

Never been tough to cypher.............

225ELD far right.



Hint.................

I'm in the group that thinks they can maybe kinda sorta shoot. Really not much at all. However, I know a lot of guys on her that you're degrading shoot very regularly. We're all sportsman here, there is no reason to get any panties in a wad.

6.5 creed at 16"......thinking on the 120 class of bullets for speed and 100% powder burn in the short tube. Will be suppressed 100% of the time.
Any reason not to shoot the lighter bullets and do the 143 or 147?
No plans to pushing past 500 on this rifle.

I can't degrade anyone,better than they can,by opening their yaps.

Hell...I wouldn't,even if I could,because it's MUCH funnier to let 'em talk...............(grin)

BC is BC and it doesn't take huge amounts of velocity,for it to shine and reign supreme.

I chop lotsa barrels and The Chop has never aspooked me.

Distance correction is Physics,wind drift is Voodoo and upper echelon BC's slip through the atmosphere far easier,than Ping Pong Balls. If forced to deviate from a 147...it'd be 130 JLK's and nothing but. Downside being lead time and lapses in the supply,are a common theme. 147's are everywhere,superbly uniform in their consistency and are simply Sledge Hammers.

ES/SD and GOOD dope upon glass that repeats and wears a windshield that'll steer same,is farrrrrrrrrrr more important than a coupla feet per second or an unburned kernel of corn.(grin)

Keep the horse in front of the cart.

Hint.................

I have a pile of 130 Bergers at the moment and will sample those as well as the 140 class Hornys.

I'm not a Booger Guy,as they are farrrrr too zooky,for my tastes. The 105gr .243" High Bird,is their best offering,but Skinners and Hornies are more ruggedly reliable.

It's about connectin' as many dots as possible,as consistently as possible and Terminal Effects always rate a consideration on my behalf...mainly because I've splashed too many WELL placed projectiles over the years.

Though I've had lotsa them pencil too and I've zero love for Sugars,though they tend to shoot well...............

inside of 400 yards, high BC doesn't mean jack for killing [censored]..

Used to have that argument with a friend all the time.. all he cared about was high BC cause all he wanted to do was shoot at 1k. He hated the 6.8 SPC which I am a fan of because it works great in a lightweight AR for hunting deer and pigs inside a few hundred yards. 99% of the hunters I have seen really have no business shooting much past 150!

I couldn't care less how efficient a bullet is if you aren't using the gun for that.

Use case is what matters.. and I have a few 6.8s. 308s. 6.5 Creedmoor, 22-250, etc..

This same dude would rave about for deer hunting all he needed was his 270 and I would jack with him telling him only a moron would run that caliber when the 280 is essentially the same thing but with much better ballistics.. and at the time I ran a 280AI and told him if was serious that is what he needed. His response was he didn't need it because the 270 works and he never hunts past like 200 yards. Still couldn't wrap his head around the fact that that is exactly why I liked the 6.8, for the intended use, it simply worked.

Getting all spun up over "caliber wars" is dumb.

File it under "zero Fs given"

Bullets matter more than a smidge and I enjoy those who "think" otherwise.

I shoot in the RERAL World and there's a little sumptin' called "weather" and BC is best at defeating same,though many cannot begin to connect such simplistic dots.

Joe Average ain't very bright and will go wayyyyyyyyyyy outta his way,to obliviously prove same.

Hint................

(Hint)

I'll break trail...you be sure to TRY and follow along.

Hint.............

you appear to suffer from a lack of basic reading comprehension....

Let me me clear: For 99% of the guys out there hunting well inside of 300 yards, high BC doesn't really matter, most guys are shooting at deer at a feeder a hundred yards away.

I LOVE my 6.5 Creedmoor, but it sure as hell isn't remotely "needed" for killing deer and pigs inside for a few hundred yards.

For 100% of everyone,whether cognizant or not..BC 100% has an affect well within the 300yd line.

6.5 Kreedmire is a chambering,not a bullet and bullets matter wayyyyyyyyyyyy more than headstamps.

Hint.............

Me tooooo

I shoot a "few" chamberings,in a "few" twist rates,with a "few" bullets and I get it...that nobody gets it,though they "THINK" they do.

Now as Terminal Effects go and when speaking cup/core projectiles,a BC increase does more than a coupla favors,that most have less than zero inkling about. In broad brushstrokes and with but few exceptions,as BC increases in a given diameter,so does a projectile's mass. With the increased mass,comes the buffer that initial velocity will not be as great,which is a Safety Net of sorts for any/all bullets. Increased velocity impacts,task a projectile far greater,than sedate velocities do and to be clear,I'm talking like twist rates. So while upper echelon BC's greedily cling to starting velocity,in far greater fashion than Ping Pong Balls,they simply do not(ecause they can not) start out as fast. That buffers their integrity and tends to bolster terminal Effects. Hint.

That's what we in da' bidness,call "win/win".

Hint/hint.................

How old are you? (Hint)

I'm happy to be whatever you need me to be,to best salve your Realities.

Hint..............

Sounds like a hooker to me!!!

Weren't my intent to horn you up and that you need to cut checks,to connect dots...do not "surprise" me.

Hint..............

Are you mentally ill?

Or are you just old? Old dudes have a "different" since of humor so half the stuff you're saying isn't legit it's your attempt at humor. (Hint)

It's your Imagination,pretend with it as you MUST.

I'm happy to be,whatever you require,but that obviously will not include being "mistaken".

Hint..............

Still sounds like a hooker to me.

I'd not wish to slight you any of your Delusions,if only due the FACT,of how very badly you need them.

Very GOOD call to refrain any/all things The Rifle.

Hint.............

It appears that our new friend busheler has finally been ejected from the other forum.

Oh my.

Laughing!..............

And this one.

too bad, I was really enjoying Busheler's style and knowledge. It livened up this Forum to say the least.

I agree with you completely. It was an entertaining 48 hours.

Wow, didn't expect my thread to become a 9 pager...

I've also found Busheler's (aka Bigstick, Boxer) posts here and of course on 24hourcampfire to be entertaining ( at least some of them). He posts great pics and has apparently spent a ton of time (and money) putting rifles together, hunting, shooting and handloading. He's a wealth of knowledge if you care to sift through his posts.

But as we've seen here, he goes on manic posting binges and blankets entire forums to the point normal discussion is disrupted. Then he fueds with anyone who disagrees, and his posts devolve from informative to swapping insults with whoever has decided to argue with him until he's finally banned. I guess he enjoys it because he's done it at least a few times that I've seen.

Creating an unproductive situation.

No. He's not on the wall.

Hopefully he figures out the communication gap and us as well. I could be wrong, but I don't think the "hint......." is meant as an insult. He could be a positive to this forum IMO.

I would like to know where he lives. Beautiful place.

Gotta be a classic

Marc,

With all due respect, it is more than a communication gap. Instant personal attacks delivered with a rude and condescending approach are a personality trait.

Most of us (including you and I)communicate here as we would in person. We don't hide behind an online persona and immediately belittle people who try to offer and opposing view for open discussion.

Respectfully,

Marc Kurth
Bastrop County Texas

Good point that I wouldn't begin to try to dispute or defend.

garvey is not guilty free in this whole Fiasco he did egg him on in the beginning, and does have a propensity to talk down to you.

Agree 100%.....he could be a very valuable contributor with a wealth of knowledge to share.....but he instead chooses to be a arrogant AH instead of a productive contributor.....sad really.....

So, back to the OP's question, .308 or 6.5(CM) in 17". Which one?

I'll take the lightest weight, lightest recoil, and shortest barrel(w/o paperwork hassle) at lowest cost that's still dependable and accurate.
I have a Tikka, love the action/accuracy, but also have a Ruger or two that get the job done at much lower cost.

I think I would go with Ruger American Predator in 6.5 and 16 1/8 bbl for hunting deer/hog/predators.

Does anyone make a 16" bolt action in 6.5?

I am nice to nice people. I can get just as rude to rude people. That is all.

I try real hard to not hurt feelings, but I am blunt, often.

Couple good ideas right there^^

Plenty of lathes out there to cut and thread a barrel.

Who is write?

......hint

I just read all 137 pages (in dog years) of this thread. CLASSIC!

What I gained is additional enforcement of the old adage that nobody knows everything about any subject.

And changes in latitudes does mean changes in attitudes.

I have a 20" 308 and a 16.5" 6.5CM. The Creedmor was specifically built for suppressed hunting. I went cheap and cut down a American Predator and threw it into a Boyd's stock. It's "good enough" for now but I need to bed it, the Boyd's fitment is pretty bad. I need to shoot it in the factory stock and compare groups.
It's handy without the suppressor.

The one topic he would have to have been an expert on was what to use on weapons to prevent rust.

True and I did not see that shared in any of the posts

the only time I saw he mentioned rust was showing how Gisele triggers would rust in his environment.

Krylon and electric tape, as far as I could tell.

Update: Took my Tikka T3x CTR Kreedmire to the gunsmith today, he'll be chopping it down to 17" and re threading. I'll run it suppressed exclusively, with my TBAC Ultra 7 for a 24" overall barrel length. I'm thinking it's gonna be the bees knees...

I like that RAP in 6.5cm with the forest camo Boyd’s. Doesn’t surprise me it needs some fitting though. Let us know how it shoots after you get it straightened out..

I’ve thought of trying an RAP in 6 or 6.5 creed a few times lately, the stock options are what has kept me from it. It’s either Boyds or an MDT LSS as far as I can tell

awesome.. that is precisely how I look at it

Here it is guys, chopped and threaded at 17" with a TBAC Ultra 7, recently dropped into a McMillan Game Hunter stock inlet for the factory bottom metal. I really like it..

Yeah, they are handy!

I'm currently agonizing trying to decide between having my .308 rebarreled into a 17" CM or building an 18" CM gas gun. I've wanted a bolt gun like TexFlips since I first laid eyes on it. It will cost about the same either way so I suppose I just need to flip a coin and go for it.

.

I think short bolt actions shine. A gas gun will NEVER shoot as tight, and consistent as a bolt action. And a bolt action will shoot the same bullet faster.

However, one of my best victories is my "sounder rifle", an LR-308 16", with a hand load of 155 gr TMKs, and suppressor. When I see the large sounder of hogs, it does its' job well, which is lay down lots of fire, very quick. But if I had to pick what to carry 365 days a year, it's gonna be a bolt action, 100% sure.

I wish more people bought Magnetospeeds and figured out how easy it is to work a free ballistics calculator. There would be so much more meaningful, data driven discussion about things like this.

I’ve got a Creedmoor with a 21” barrel. Been shooting 120’s at 2900fps. Shot some 140’s yesterday. Lost 250fps with the heavier bullets. Even so, it catches up to the 120 at 400 yards, and it saves me .5 mil of wind hold at 600 yards.

BC is the king, and trumps muzzle velocity in the end. If you are going to have a short barrel with low velocity range: pick one that shoots the highest BC pills. If you are only hunting and never shoot past 300 yards to begin with.... it doesn’t make a sh!t which you pick. Dance with who brung ya, and break out the hacksaw.

Shorty bolt guns sure are handy and fun to shoot. I've got all my short action bolt guns cut down to 16.25".

For the love of god Busheler learn to spell its a 6.5 Creedmoor not a 6.5 Kreedmire.

I love my 17" 7mm08, shot a hog the other morning with it..
My t3X 308 CTR is getting chopped by Morgan and dropped into a McMillan carbon stock

He can't hear you. Hint.

Yup. He was very knowledgeable. I miss him too.

I miss some of his pictures...

How much does it typically cost to chop a barrel down to 16” and can it be done to any rifle?

Most will. If you are in the Dfw area look at class 3 machining

To simply cut and recrown, a gunsmith doing it maybe $50.
You can cut any rifle barrel down to 16" as long as it's over that to begin with.

How much does it affect performance?

You'll lose about 25-30fps an inch.

You lose a little velocity, in general, the bigger the caliber the less effect it has (a 308 would lose less velocity per inch than say a 22-250)
Accuracy won't suffer, a lot of times it will even improve as it is stiffer.

A rifle with a thin "sporter" barrel may need to be threaded to 22 cal specs and and adapter screwed on to accept a 30 cal silencer.

The Berger Bullets reloading manual shows velocity loss (or gain) per inch of barrel for each cartridge listed.

For the 308 WIN they show 20 fps per inch.
For the 6.5 Creedmoor it's 25 fps per inch.

I’ve been shooting 16” , .308’s for the last 8 yrs. They are so handy to hunt with suppresssed. I get 2655 out of 16” Proof Carbon bbl suppressed with Hornady Superformance 165 Sst’s. I can’t duplicate that velocity with any hand load I’ve put together. That load has drt’d any animal that has took one, furthest being 440 yds. I just don’t see myself going back to 24-26” rifles. .308 just doesn’t suffer velocity loss in short bbl’s as drastically as 6,6.5,and 7mm’s. As stated in this thread most people that want a short one, want one to hunt with suppressed at shorter ranges where the trajectory benefits of a Creedmoor isn’t going to matter. I like the Creed and see the advantages of the much higher bc projectiles at greater distances, but at relatively short distance, inside 3-400, take your pick.

yep
Just built a 16" 308 bolt gun for this reason
Had one, got rid of out as I had an 18" AR10 but I missed a lightweight/compact bolt 308

Of course, my 16" 6.8spc pretty much will handle anything inside most of my hunts which are 200 and under.

I read this entire thread but it seemed to have strayed pretty far. Looking at chopping down my Ruger American Predator 6.5cm since I'm shooting it suppressed 100% of the time. That thing looks like a punt gun when I'm trying to get it out the blind window. Sounds like 16 or 16.5 inches is doable and should be fine for velocity and accuracy? Not shooting more than 300 yrds with it, ever.