6.5 Creedmoor vs .308 Winchester as a SHTF Cartridge

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 12/15/2017 | J Hines

[Magnum44]

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.

[niteowl77]

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.

[yarddog]

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.

[Chuckster]

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.

[Chuckster]

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.

[Chode]

thank you...