6.5 Creedmoor vs .308 Winchester as a SHTF Cartridge

Many have hunters, survivalist have talked about why some people would pick 223 and why some would pick .308 for their specific situation for a Shit-hit-the-fan primary rifle.

Well the 6.5 Creedmoor you would pick for the same reasons you would pick the .308. They would fill the same niche. You want a full-powered rifle round. Alright, full-powered rifle round. Obviously knowing it’s going to be heavier, more expensive, all of that. You’re going to be carrying less ammo if you have to go on foot.

the 6.5 Creedmoor is becoming a very very popular alternative to the .308 in a number of different areas. A number of areas in hunting and precision shooting long distance. We need to understand those differences though between these cartridges when we talk about why someone might want to think about placing something as versatile as the .308, and I’ll let you guys decide for yourself what you want to do personally.

Let’s discuss the facts
As a hunting cartridge, they’re completely equal. Don’t let anyone convince you that there’s a significant difference between them. .308’s going to be a little heavier, 6.5 Creedmoor is going to be a lighter bullet. Smaller starting diameter, the better sectional density. Pretty similar energy with the energy going slightly in favor of the .308 due to the bullet weights, but that sectional density is very important for penetration. So I think honestly using similar shot placements, similar bullet styles, you’re going to see very similar -if not virtually identical- wound tracks through an animal.

Target shooting, the 6.5 is becoming more popular, it’s replacing the .308, when it comes to purely punching paper out at long distance.
If your goal is ballistics, you don’t care about money spent, you care about producing the most accurate round you can make to hit targets out at around 800, 900, 1000 yards. You’re going to -in the hands of a similar skilled shooter, the same shooter you’re going to be more consistent with the 6.5.
It’s better. And I hate to say that about my .308 because I love my .308. So how does that translate to the real world? Well, that does matter for shit-hit-the-fan, because if you are going to take shots out at that distance, the 6.5 is gonna be better, it’s gonna be more consistent.
And you start talking about Shit Hit the Fan, if you really need the shots that long -and I can assure you guys at any ROL scenario, the odds that most of you are ever, ever gonna be in a situation where you need to make an 800-1000 yard shot probably wouldn’t happen even if we do have a Shit Hit The Fan scenario. Read the rest of the 6.5 Creedmoor vs .308 win SHTF story here.

If your just throwing lead, there’s plenty on mil grade 308 around for much less than the cost of Creedmore. And under 300 yards you wont know the difference if you are precision shooting. Probably wont see much difference even at 1000 yards, just a slightly flatter trajectory. You are still going to have to elevate for distance and wind corrections at the longer distances are going to overwhelm and differences in calm air trajectories.

If you need more than 308, then its time to step up to 300 Win Mag or bigger.

All that said, at some point I will probably at the 6.5 to my inventory some day.

When I was my mid-50's, I could still tote all my 72-hour ES gear and a bit extra, but I could not do it now without problems. The thought of doing it along with a heavy long arm and a couple hundred rounds of either full-power rifle rounds or 12 gauge buckshot loads is not appealing.

I'm to the point where I don't really enjoy carrying or shooting a long, heavy rifle firing a full-power cartridge... even under ideal conditions. I've never been a big fan of AR-based rifles/carbines, but now that I'm a senior citizen, I do appreciate them more than I used to.

I am 71 and not in the best of health. I also live way out in the country. I have no intention of leaving my home even in the event that some ferals make it this far out.

Now if I were warned beforehand, I would certainly think about sitting in the woods and keep a watch on the house but only for short periods. At night I would depend on my mutt giving warning.

I live in bear country. The most common walk in the woods bear guns I see are .45-70 lever action carbines or 12 gage pump guns. Major caliber rifles for subsistence and sport hunting - moose, deer, bear, sheep. .22 LR for small game. Bear protection is another matter. Shots are always at very short range and there will almost never be time for a second shot.

My “One gun” is a Mossberg 500 Mariner 12 gage; Bird shot, buck shot, bear slugs. I won’t be doing any sporty long shots in a SHTF situation nor will I be engaging in any protracted firefights. I will be doing everything possible to get away from other people. I will need to feed myself and my family and protect us from predators while traveling as far and as fast as possible, probably on foot. For me there is no danger from marauding urban ferals. The danger is from having food supplies cut off or running into a mama grizz on short notice.

I hear ya. I’m almost 70 myself and a mere shadow of who I was at 50.

I don’t just live way out in the country though. I live on an island in SE Alaska. While my fantastical imagination can conjure up a scenario wherein evil “Smokers” from Seattle attack the island on soot belching jet skis or Nork Commandos parachute in to secure the strategic salmon hatchery nearby and I’ll need fully automatic crew served weapons (Which I will fire from the hip, John Wayne style) to repel the invasion, it’s really not likely.

What I will need a gun for is hunting for the pot and bear defense. If it will do that it will be adequate in the unlikely event that two legged predators have to be dealt with. I’m fine with an 18”bbl, 12 gage pump gun in just about any situation for which I might need a fire arm.

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