6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

[uracowman]

I am just curious so I am going to start this thread to get some opinions.

As of right now, I shoot a TRG 22 in 308, but I am already thinking about fitting a different barrel onto the gun when the barrel wears out OR maybe building something in the future.

As far as caliber, I am trying to see what your opinions are when comparing the 6mm (243 etc...), 6.5mm (6.5x47, 6.5 creedmoor etc....) or 7mm options. I would want something with good barrel life, a high BC and can be economically reloaded. I'm currently limited to 600 yards at my current range, but I would want something that would easily stretch out to 1000+ if given the chance.

 

[Graham]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

It would help if you told us: For what purpose?

 

[Scorpion Sniper]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

I think that 7mm will do everything a 6mm or 6.5 will do and more and even better so long as you don't mind a little more recoil

 

[uracowman]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Graham</div><div class="ubbcode-body">It would help if you told us: For what purpose? </div></div>

Long range precision, mainly on steel

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Scorp</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I think that 7mm will do everything a 6mm or 6.5 will do and more and even better so long as you don't mind a little more recoil </div></div>

What 7mm rounds are available to where I can just switch out the barrel on trg22?

 

[bward]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

6.5mm. All the ballistics you need and still easy to spot your shots.

 

[Nortex]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uracowman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What 7mm rounds are available to where I can just switch out the barrel on trg22? </div></div>

7mm-08 or the 7mm Creedmoor which looks pretty promising.

 

[Graham]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

.284

 

[BlackWhiskey]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: nortex</div><div class="ubbcode-body">7mm-08 or the 7mm Creedmoor which looks pretty promising. </div></div>

I did a google search but didn't come up with anything on the 7mm Creedmoor. Do you have any links you could point me to about it?

 

[Nortex]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

Go a little ways down on the page M. Gordon of SAC post's one he built and may very well be the only one with a reamer at this point but I see it becoming very popular in the future.

http://snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1912535

 

[Swamplife]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

I'd go with one of the 7mm. I like the .284 also.

 

[uracowman]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: nortex</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: uracowman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">What 7mm rounds are available to where I can just switch out the barrel on trg22? </div></div>

7mm-08 or the 7mm Creedmoor which looks pretty promising. </div></div>
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Swamplife</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I'd go with one of the 7mm. I like the .284 also. </div></div>

like a 7mm-08?

I see this round mentioned a lot and it seems readily available, but there aren't many people using it. Why might this be the case?

 

[moots]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

go with the 6.5, and there is factory Hornady ammo that shoots very well

 

[Nortex]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

The main downfall to the 7mm stuff is there's no factory stuff readily available if one doesn't load the 6.5CM or plain ole 308Win are probably their best options.

 

[travis thomas]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

6.5cm thats what im going with. But i hunt with a 6mm

 

[uracowman]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: nortex</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The main downfall to the 7mm stuff is there's no factory stuff readily available if one doesn't load the 6.5CM or plain ole 308Win are probably their best options. </div></div>

I reload, so that won't be an issue.

I'm looking for something with good ballistics and is fairly economical to reload.

 

[Nortex]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

The 6's and 6.5's are gonna win in drop but the 7mm will have slightly less wind hold all are easy to load. My biggest pitch with the CM is you're held to just one brass manufacturer and their ability to make big enough lots to keep up with the demand.

 

[recarga]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

There is 120 years behind on the 6.5mm cal.

Now you want a good round easy on the barrel and superb precision.
6.5/55 Ackley improved.

I have 3 on the 6.5/55 SE and putting together an Ackley improved after many happy years with mines.

That 45 degree shoulder on the Ackley is a perfect candidate for the SE.

 

[turbo54]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

7mm, unless you are exceptionally recoil sensitive.

A 7-08 with 162s @ 2775 has a bit less drop than a 260/6.5CM with 142s or 139s @ 2850, and has a bit less wind. Even when/if you push the 6.5 to 2900, it will have a *slight* drop advantage, but the 7-08 will still have less wind. 7-08 barrel will last longer. 7-08 has a bit more recoil.

Boggles my mind everyone seems to choose a 6.5mm, and never give the 7-08 or 7-08AI a second look. HUGELY under rated cartridge!

284 offers more horsepower than 7-08 yet, and strikes a fine balance between "moderate" and magnum.

I'm currently working out the details of my short action 284. So far I've seen 2950fps with 162amax with RE17, 2825 with 162/H4350, and 2785 with 180SMK/H4350. H4831sc is next up - expecting to see 2850 with the 180smk.

Punch some numbers into a ballistics calculator: 2850fps, .650 G1 BC, and check out the results - pretty nice! A bit of recoil though... With a brake, no biggie at all.

 

[uracowman]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">7mm, unless you are exceptionally recoil sensitive.

A 7-08 with 162s @ 2775 has a bit less drop than a 260/6.5CM with 142s or 139s @ 2850, and has a bit less wind. Even when/if you push the 6.5 to 2900, it will have a *slight* drop advantage, but the 7-08 will still have less wind. 7-08 barrel will last longer. 7-08 has a bit more recoil.

Boggles my mind everyone seems to choose a 6.5mm, and never give the 7-08 or 7-08AI a second look. HUGELY under rated cartridge!

284 offers more horsepower than 7-08 yet, and strikes a fine balance between "moderate" and magnum.

I'm currently working out the details of my short action 284. So far I've seen 2950fps with 162amax with RE17, 2825 with 162/H4350, and 2785 with 180SMK/H4350. H4831sc is next up - expecting to see 2850 with the 180smk.

Punch some numbers into a ballistics calculator: 2850fps, .650 G1 BC, and check out the results - pretty nice! A bit of recoil though... With a brake, no biggie at all. </div></div>

how does the 7mm-08 compare to a .308 as far as recoil? I have a .308 suppressor that is currently pending, so that should alleviate some of the recoil issues if I do choose to chamber in something other than .308 when my barrel wears out.

Also, what about .260 rem in comparison?

 

[Niles Coyote]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

My 260 launching 140 weight bullets at 2800fps is noticeably lighter recoiling than any load I have run through my 308. I don’t have a 7mm-08 yet but bullet weight suggests it would have a lighter recoil as well until you run heavier bullets in the 7mm than in the 308.

There was a math formula that went something like bullet weight X powder weight / by firearm weight. I am not 100% sure that is right. Will look around.

 

[Niles Coyote]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

here is something better

http://www.handloads.com/calc/recoil.asp

 

[turbo54]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

7-08, with 162s @ 2775 is snappier than a 308 with 175s @ 2650, but the overall impulse is less. Kinda like a 40S&W vs a 45ACP... However, I hate the snap of 40SW, and love 45acp - but don't find 7-08s snap objectionable at all.

A 260 with 140ish bullets @ 2850 is notably lighter recoiling than a 7-08 or 308.

 

[WKR]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

+1 on the 6.5 creedmoor, light recoil, highly accurate factory ammo available and the two I have ( ruger 28" target model and custom 26" Criterion ( CBI ) super match 1-8 twist ) are very accurate with several different bullets I have tried, 120 gr amax, 123 gr amax, 120 smk, 140 gr amax, 140 gr nosler custom competition. They just shoot good with any load it seems like.

 

[Helmet]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

I just went through a similar decision while choosing a new barrel. The 6.5mm and 7mm ballistics are pretty comparable, but the 7mm has better barrel life so I chose a 7mm. I have a short action and I read many guys on the Hide mentioning that the 284 was too cramped in a short action. It really needs a long action to get the most out of it. Winchester doesn't make brass for the 7mm SAUM and the Winchester brass for the 7mm08 is cheap so I went with the 7mm08. At a very realistic MV of 2750fps the 162 Amax should still be going 1450fps at 1,000 yards. With Winchester brass and 162 Amax bullets it's tough to beat the 7mm08 for an economic round that meets your requirements.

 

[leadbullet]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

one of each for the different moods of the week.

 

[264win]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

I put a Benchmark 7-08 barrel on my AIAE and am very happy with it. Very accurate and I am able to shoot it more consistently in the wind than my 6, 6.5s. Another big plus for me is that the bigger bullets in the 7 move steel targets more [ or for me kicks up more dirt when I miss ] than the 6 or 6.5.

 

[raptor99]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

You won't be disappointed with any of the above. I have a 6BRX, 260, 6.5x55 and a 284. They all shoot great to a 1000yds. Recoil is more with the 284 but its a hammer at long range in the wind.

I love the 6.5s and will never be without one. YOu just can't pick a wrong caliber with any of the 6s or 6.5s or the 7MMs.

 

[Paladin2147]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

For games - 6XC.

 

[sticshooter]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

7mm08 rocks.

 

[JGorski]

Re: 6mm vs 6.5mm vs 7mm: What would you choose?

Im having a 6mm Creedmoor built.