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Posted: **Tue Jun 19, 2018 1:08 pm**

Triffid wrote:I shoot a Howa varmint in 308 and a Ruger Precision Rifle in 6.5cm. My normal ranges are 600 and 1000 yards at Bisley. The Howa wears a Fox scope and needs a 20MOA rail to get out to 1000x. The RPR has a Sightron SIII.

I don't currently reload for the 308 as the NRA sells GGG ammo with the 155gn SMK at £16/20 which is only marginally above my real cost to replicate - 43p for the bullet, 24p for the powder and 4p for the primer. The Howa 'likes' the GGG ammunition, so it's really not worth my time to reload for it . . . I could of course go with a cheaper bullet but I'm saving that up for when the NRA runs out of the GGG.

I do reload for the 6.5cm however. Cost per bang is about the same as the 308 but as you have found, factory ammo in 6.5cm is twice the price of the GGG 308, so there's a big saving for me.

Accuracy-wise I don't find much in it at 600x. However at 1000x I'm noticeably better with the 6.5. This probably relates to my shooting skills and wind reading more than the rifle/ammo. The 6.5 relies less on shooter skills as TJC points out.

Have you thought of 6.5x55? That could get you to the best of both worlds.

Triffid

I'll be shooting this rifle out to 500 yards regularly, reaching out to 1000 maybe 5 or 6 times a year. I think from what people have been saying, those who have a 6.5 and a .308 find themselves reaching for the 6.5 more often. I hadn't really thought about the 6.5x55, just because the rifle I want isn't offered in it. I suppose if I really think about it, if I'm buying a rifle that will cost me £3000 between the rifle, scope, rings and other bits, I might as well have it be as capable as possible. So what does your 6.5 ammo end up costing you when you reload? I've done some quick pricing up and not including brass cost its looking around the 80p a round mark. I might just have to try to push up my plans to start reloading!

Posted: **Tue Jun 19, 2018 2:21 pm**

Have you looked at Laurie Holland's review of the 6.5mm cartridges? Well worth a look if you are considering one. The 6.5x55 is probably equally as capable as any of the others, after all once it leaves the rifle, the bullet doesn't know what case it was fired from. I don't know about the Tikka you've decided on, but there are certainly T3's out there in 6.5x55. And lots of cheap ammunition to choose from. . . and once you start reloading you can significantly up the velocities to SKAN level in a modern rifle.

To me reloading costs are mostly dependent on the bullet. I've been using the 142gn SMK to date as I got 500 at a good price. But once they are gone, I'm moving to the 139gn Lapua Scenar, which are 35p each - 10p each cheaper than the SMK. Others are using the Nosler Custom Competition imported from Europe successfully. Powder like RS62 costs about 24-25p per bang depending on how much you stuff in the case. Add in a primer and you're up to nearly 70p.

Triffid

Posted: **Wed Jun 27, 2018 5:45 am**

If your just starting out at long range I wouldn't go for 6.5 at all, rounds cost a ton and need reloading really to reduce costs and the barrels wear out quickly in comparison to 308. In my view just buy factory 308 until your confident that your grouping your rounds out at 1000 then in a few years when your doing that maybe start reloading 308. Once your grouping your reloaded 308 rounds at a 1000, I would assume the group is now smaller than the factory loads, then maybe look at 6.5.

I went for a 6k rifle setup, including scope, in 308 and don't regret it at all, still learning the rifle / scope and trying to get consistent shooting. Had a 900 shoot a few weekends ago and was hitting 5's and v's with occasional 4's but had no real groupings due to still learning and tweaking my rifle.

P

The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Help me decide, .308 or 6.5CM?

Re: Help me decide, .308 or 6.5CM?

Re: Help me decide, .308 or 6.5CM?

Re: Help me decide, .308 or 6.5CM?