New Shooter trying to decide

[adamchappell]

So I am looking at SO MANY OPTIONS for rifles and I think I have narrowed down by budget and value to the Tikka T3 but now I think I need some help in deciding between .308 and 6.5CM...
I figure I will be putting about at least 6-10 hours at the range in every month (I need the practice!) and will be under 500 yards until I get better (might be a while!) so I am looking for advice on what I should start out with...

.308 or 6.5mm CM?

 

[BikePilot]

Both work great and there are probably a million threads on it. 308 barrels will last longer. 6.5 has a bit less recoil and will be less sensitive to wind and ranging. For hunting 308 probably hits harder at short range. I prefer 6.5.

 

[Tokay444]

.308 will force you to learn how to shoot well in order for it to shoot well, and I don’t think any gun collection should leave out the .308.
The 6.5CM is sort of an easy button. Without getting into all the other ballistic advantages of the cartridge over .308, it’s just very easy to shoot and shoot well.
If you practice with a .308 and begin shooting consistent sub .75moa group and then picked up an equivalent 6.5CM, it wouldn’t surprise me if your groups shrunk substantially.

 

[BLJ]

Not a tikka, but I recently went with .308. I think the good points of each make them close. Ultimately, I just wanted a .308.

 

[Charger442]

Learn how to manage the recoil of 308 and practice all the fundamentals with it, and get good at reading the wind with the 308. Will make you a better shooter, then you can drop down to the women's calibers of the 6-6.5mm varieties

 

[david8989]

Both work great and there are probably a million threads on it. 308 barrels will last longer. 6.5 has a bit less recoil and will be less sensitive to wind and ranging. For hunting 308 probably hits harder at short range. I prefer 6.5.

This is spot on, with you being a new shooter and wanting to spend entire days at the range the 308 should get 1500-2500 more rounds on that barrel than the 6.5cm. The 6.5 has better ballistics and is a better 1000yd cartridge but If you are truly only shooting 500yds max then that negates that argument. For me, I'd say go 308, shoot the shit out of that barrel and then re-barrel to a 6.5 once your ready to push out as far as you can. Have fun!

 

[Spatcher]

I was in your shoes about a year ago and went with 6.5 Creedmoor. At the time I had no plans to shoot beyond 400 yards but within a few months found myself shooting out to 1000 yards in matches. I have zero regrets going with the 6.5.

 

[Tokay444]

Just get both.

 

[Moose]

Just get both.You read my mind bro.

 

[want2learn]

I shot a lot of pistol and some revolver over the years but never liked shooting a 357 magnum, i could shoot it quite accurately but it wasn't fun at all and i found i rarely if ever took it to the range...... or if i did it was to shoot 38 specials.

I very much wanted to learn to shoot rifle and should have translated my dislike for higher powered rounds into consideration when purchasing a rifle.... not sure what i was thinking as i only shoot paper and steel for fun but i went out and purchased a nice .308 rifle....i set it up to fit me, read a couple of books on the topic and purchased some standard factory loads. Embarrassing to admit perhaps but the rifle in this caliber beat me up. I'd drive an hour to the range all excited, brought along 60 rounds (3 boxes). Got to shooting and realized very quickly that i really didn't enjoy shooting it after 10-15 rounds. I could shoot it but it wasn't enjoyable. I persisted, kept working with it over a year, hand loaded powder puff loads, added a muzzle brake and a recoil pad. Eventually I could tolerate the rifle much better but again, it wasn't a lot of fun.

Ultimately i purchased a 6.5 barrel for the rifle and it is so much better for my purposes. Perhaps if i hunted and shot fewer rounds a .308 would be perfect?

Many suggest starting out a shooter with a .22 rifle and working up from there....I guess that concept makes a lot of sense to me.....you can more easily work up to a stronger, heavier recoiling caliber after developing a facility with a more forgiving caliber. Honestly, the 6 and 6.5 calibers are pretty versatile

 

[Tokay444]

Or do what I a should have done and go 6BR or one of its variants and never look back.

 

[DocRDS]

6.5 is here to stay. Back in my day it was "308 308 308"

Those days are gone.

6.5CM To quote quite a few members around here (and our diminutive host): Barrels are like tires. They are a consumable like ammo/brass/powder.

6.5CM gets better performance long range. If you have to pick 1, 6.5CM will do more. Its what the 308 was to 30-06.

If you find a steal on a 308, get that--it gets the job done. 6.5 is just easier.

 

[308pirate]

I shot a lot of pistol and some revolver over the years but never liked shooting a 357 magnum, i could shoot it quite accurately but it wasn't fun at all and i found i rarely if ever took it to the range...... or if i did it was to shoot 38 specials.

I very much wanted to learn to shoot rifle and should have translated my dislike for higher powered rounds into consideration when purchasing a rifle.... not sure what i was thinking as i only shoot paper and steel for fun but i went out and purchased a nice .308 rifle....i set it up to fit me, read a couple of books on the topic and purchased some standard factory loads. Embarrassing to admit perhaps but the rifle in this caliber beat me up. I'd drive an hour to the range all excited, brought along 60 rounds (3 boxes). Got to shooting and realized very quickly that i really didn't enjoy shooting it after 10-15 rounds. I could shoot it but it wasn't enjoyable. I persisted, kept working with it over a year, hand loaded powder puff loads, added a muzzle brake and a recoil pad. Eventually I could tolerate the rifle much better but again, it wasn't a lot of fun.

Ultimately i purchased a 6.5 barrel for the rifle and it is so much better for my purposes. Perhaps if i hunted and shot fewer rounds a .308 would be perfect?

Many suggest starting out a shooter with a .22 rifle and working up from there....I guess that concept makes a lot of sense to me.....you can more easily work up to a stronger, heavier recoiling caliber after developing a facility with a more forgiving caliber. Honestly, the 6 and 6.5 calibers are pretty versatile

How much of your discomfort can be attributed to a poor body position behind the rifle?

That's the problem I ran into trying to teach myself to shoot from a bipod. I eventually overcame it but it would have been cheaper and faster if I had paid for some training.

Your assumption that you can "work up" to heavier recoiling rifles by starting with one that basically has zero recoil is flawed. A rifle with no recoil does not punish mistakes in body position like one with significant recoil does. Which means that bad habits learned and ingrained with the no-recoil rifle become a slap in the face when you step it up.

It's the same with handguns. I'm a serious USPSA competitor and have a significant understanding and mastery of how to grip a pistol to make it shoot flat and fast. 99% of the people who aren't competitors simply have no idea how to correctly grip a pistol and they think it takes superhuman strength and/or talent to shoot a normal pistol both fast and accurately. It takes maybe 15 minutes of basic instruction to show someone how to correctly grip a handgun and the look on their faces when they see the difference in recoil control is one of utter amazement.

Training > gear/caliber/gimmicks

 

[6.5SH]

Another practical factor to consider is what is the ammunition availability for each in your area. If you are in a state that allows shipping you have options of course. These are unusual times right now but it can affect your ability to practice as much as you'd like if you can't get ammo (or as much as you need).

 

[want2learn]

308pirate, great insight as always.

I have no doubt that proper fit and positioning are imperative and critical determinants with respect to controlling recoil characteristics and vectors as well as minimizing the effects of intrusive forces. Mr. Galli's book has a nice section on this very topic as well and i've tried to work on improving my physical relationship to the rifle.

That said, at least for myself....in addition to these deficiencies, the sequelae of a spinal injury lowers my threshold tolerance significantly. I admire those members of the forum and experts in the sport who are able to perform at the highest levels, excelling in this sport.

 

[308pirate]

308pirate, great insight as always.

I have no doubt that proper fit and positioning are imperative and critical determinants with respect to controlling recoil characteristics and vectors as well as minimizing the effects of intrusive forces. Mr. Galli's book has a nice section on this very topic as well and i've tried to work on improving my physical relationship to the rifle.

That said, at least for myself....in addition to these deficiencies, the sequelae of a spinal injury lowers my threshold tolerance significantly.

Yes of course any physical problems change the equation.

 

[steve123]

Adam, you should get a 223 and use heavy bullets for 500Y and in. So sweet to shoot and learn with, inexpensive ammo, low powder consumption, and long barrel life. Just make sure it has an 8 twist barrel for 75 grain bullets.

If you get into longer distances later on then buy a more appropriate long range cartridge.

 

[b2lee]

@want2learn Last weekend I shot over 400 rounds of .308 and 100 rounds of 300PRC. A good muzzle brake coupled with good form goes a long way. The only thing I'm sore at.....is now I have to reload all this stuff!!!!

So the debate is.....longer barrel life of the 308 so you can train more...because by the time you get better....you may have already changed the barrel on the 6.5cm once or twice.......or go with the 6.5CM and get better ballistics beyond 600 yards.

Hmm...the 308 will teach you more about wind......but at 500 yards and in....I don't really think it matters very much. Now a days on the reloading front....it is a wash....and on the retail ammo...it's a wash....so maybe go with the one you get a great deal on a rifle on.

Save the money there and buy the best glass you can afford...but don't cheap out on the glass.

 

[want2learn]

don't mean to redirect the thread but great point....the scope part of the equation is so important

....wish i had researched scopes a bit more prior to purchasing my first one but i was anxious to get going and it was on sale. Not that it's a bad scope by any means but in retrospect it wasn't well suited to my needs. i picked up an bdc reticle, second focal plane, variable magnification, and while the optical quality/glass is good I sure wish i would have spent a little more and better understood more suitable characteristics for my intended purpose. The reviews i perused were more oriented to hunting and i naively thought they would prove the same for long range shooting.

Ultimately i ended up favoring a FFP, mil/mil, variable power scope with improved optical quality.

To that end, my second scope was the first generation Sig Tango 6 which for myself worked out quite well....and most recently for my current rifle i purchased on closeout a first generation Athlon BTR...also decent for my current needs and skill level.

We're very fortunate on this forum to have several awesome optic sellers and experts who are always willing to help. I should have taken more advantage of their expertise. All part of the journey i guess.

OP, looking forward to seeing what you ultimately decide upon

 

[308pirate]

This is spot on, with you being a new shooter and wanting to spend entire days at the range the 308 should get 1500-2500 more rounds on that barrel than the 6.5cm.

Uh, no. Try 4000 - 6000 more than a 6.5 CM before a 308 barrel dies.

I have a Howa 1500 308 that is shooting sub MOA at just shy of the 5000 round mark. That's a 10 round group just over .25 mils including the clean cold bore shot (the one highest and farthest to the left). Without it it's just at the .2 mil mark center to center.

 

[b2lee]

I have over 4500 rounds on my 308...and I think it is shooting better now than it ever has...or maybe I got a little better. The best advice for 308 shooters is...if you got a good shooting barrel....don't buy a bore scope....just shoot the dang thing for a decade or more and be happy.

 

[Rio2019]

Actually, it's a great problem to have. It is for most of us a real trill to buy a rifle and scope. I shot 308 for years, all the way back to the M21. However, I have decided to enjoy a little less recoil in the 6.5., because as we age that demon recoil can shiver your timber. Have fun with this, for myself I like the 6.5.

 

[Billl223]

My first centerfire rifle was a Remington 700 LTR in .308. I had a lot of fun with it including some USPSA Manual Rifle comps, Shooting some sniper matches, and NRA F-Class. Generally, the recoil was enough to never actually see a hit and you had to find the target again for the next shot. I'm much older now and recently bought a Tikka Tac A1 in 6.5 Creedmoor. I can see the hits at 700 yards and the recoil is significantly less. Rarely shoot the .308 now.

 

[308pirate]

My first centerfire rifle was a Remington 700 LTR in .308. I had a lot of fun with it including some USPSA Manual Rifle comps, Shooting some sniper matches, and NRA F-Class. Generally, the recoil was enough to never actually see a hit and you had to find the target again for the next shot.

That's not a rifle problem. But whatever

 

[david8989]

Uh, no. Try 4000 - 6000 more than a 6.5 CM before a 308 barrel dies.

I have a Howa 1500 308 that is shooting sub MOA at just shy of the 5000 round mark. That's a 10 round group just over .25 mils including the clean cold bore shot (the one highest and farthest to the left). Without it it's just at the .2 mil mark center to center.

Come on now, you seem like a gun savvy gentlemen shooting groups like that. If you believe that every 308 barrel out there is gonna get 6500-8500 more rounds than a 6.5cm then you must be dealing with a pretty small sample size. Yes, you are absolutely correct, there are plenty of 308 barrels out there with 6k+ rounds on them and shooting great, but I have seen, and heard of firsthand just as many being changed out at 4-5k. It's all a matter of how the barrel was shot, the chamber pressure, and the quality of steel in that particular barrel. Just giving the op a picture of both sides of the coin.

 

[308pirate]

Come on now, you seem like a gun savvy gentlemen shooting groups like that. If you believe that every 308 barrel out there is gonna get 6500-8500 more rounds than a 6.5cm then you must be dealing with a pretty small sample size. Yes, you are absolutely correct, there are plenty of 308 barrels out there with 6k+ rounds on them and shooting great, but I have seen, and heard of firsthand just as many being changed out at 4-5k. It's all a matter of how the barrel was shot, the chamber pressure, and the quality of steel in that particular barrel. Just giving the op a picture of both sides of the coin.

A 6.5 CM dies in what, 2500 rounds?

And you might want to have your eyes checked. Nowhere did I say that a 308 would last 6500 - 8500 rounds more than a 6.5. You're off by 2500 on the high side.

 

[david8989]

A 6.5 CM dies in what, 2500 rounds?

And you might want to have your eyes checked. Nowhere did I say that a 308 would last 6500 - 8500 rounds more than a 6.5. You're off by 2500 on the high side.

Yeah, I mis-typed, my bad. Lol! I meant to use your numbers of 4000-6000rds. But my point is still true, making a blanket statement on the high end of barrel life for a 308 is misleading. I have competition buddies that have run up to 3600rds on their 6.5cm barrels before pulling, but that's not the norm and could be misleading for someone who doesn't know any better. Just making sure the op has the full story, a 6.5cm barrel can get between 2000-3500rds before pulling and a 308 should get between 4-8000rds ;-)

 

[dluquette]

I am new to shooting long distance as well, in fact this is my first post, and my wife decided to get in on the fun also. We bought her an RPR in 6.5CM and me an MRAD in 300PRC. I already had a NF ATACR 7-35 from another rifle. We got her a zeiss v4 4-24. We took an LRS course over two days. The first day we learned about ballistics and did some shooting, my wife was ringing steel at just under 1000 yards on the first day. The thing the instructors kept remarking about was equipment. We weren’t distracted by equipment issues we could just focus on shooting. They especially liked our glass choices. I am sure that there are many opinions on specific glass choices but these worked for us and weren’t a distraction to what we were there for. Bottom line, as I’ve read in this thread, buy quality glass. You can always transfer it to a better rifle as the budget allows. We are so new and have so much learn, but the beginning of the journey has been fun.

 

[superde]

6.5 Creed all day long If you want to enjoy yourself, and want to use the gun for a while (not upgrade quickly). Every person who is new and comes out to a club match shooting 308, gets a new barrel or gun within 3 matches. I've been doing this a long time, and while I still own a 308 for the supposed SHTF, It sits in the safe 99% of the time. 6.5 creed barrels last around 3k-3500 rounds. And I agree that glass is probably the best place to spend the biggest chunk of money to start with.

 

[Travelor]

My recommendation is to get a quality 22LR to learn the fundamentals as well as not brake the bank on ammo cost. The 22LR has a relatively long barrel time requiring you to follow through on each shot. You can also shoot out t 200 yards and learn wind.

 

[Lost_Phil]

So I am looking at SO MANY OPTIONS for rifles and I think I have narrowed down by budget and value to the Tikka T3 but now I think I need some help in deciding between .308 and 6.5CM...
I figure I will be putting about at least 6-10 hours at the range in every month (I need the practice!) and will be under 500 yards until I get better (might be a while!) so I am looking for advice on what I should start out with...

.308 or 6.5mm CM?

The Tikka T3 CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor would be a good starting rifle. Phillip Velayo just did a short budget build series on YouTube with the the Tikka CTR and a Nightforce SHV 4-14x50 FFP scope.

I would also look at some of the training videos that the Snipers Hide has on YouTube as well and see if there is some one at the range you shoot at that is willing to train/show you the fundamentals need for precision shooting. I would also see what NRL/PRS matches are close in your area and take a day or two and go spectate them and talk to the shooters and sponsors.

I should also add, see if your range does the CMP shoots, they now allow any type of rifle with a scope that has 4x magnification. It would be a good slow way for you to at least get started in precision shooting.

 

[Vamike9]

So I am looking at SO MANY OPTIONS for rifles and I think I have narrowed down by budget and value to the Tikka T3 but now I think I need some help in deciding between .308 and 6.5CM...
I figure I will be putting about at least 6-10 hours at the range in every month (I need the practice!) and will be under 500 yards until I get better (might be a while!) so I am looking for advice on what I should start out with...

.308 or 6.5mm CM?

I like both, however, the advantages with 6.5CM are undeniable.
The 308 hits harder in most circumstances up to about 300yds...
However, the 6.5CM has better long range capabilities and a higher ballistic coefficient.
Plenty of ammo choices with both, so whatever you choose, practice calling wind with it a lot.
Take care

 

[theLBC]

i am also a relatively new LR shooter after 30 years behind da/sa p-series sigs.
i also started with .308 (gas gun) despite the trend toward the easier to shoot smaller calibers.
like others, i feel this will give me a better foundation for both recoil management and reading wind.
i don't want to make it easy, and i don't use girl's basketballs to practice free throws either.

i'm no tough guy either. 4 shots out of my winchester model 88 lever gun is quite enough for me.

 

[Southern Custom]

All this talk about putting a beginner a heavier recoiling rifle to prepare you for shooting a milder rifle baffles me. Obviously one can learn to control recoil on a .308 and shoot better with a 6.5. It there’s no reason you can’t learn the same fundamentals on a softer shooting gun. The fundamentals are the fundamentals. I learned to shoot with a Feinwerkbau pellet rifle in JROTC in high school and every lesson learned there transferred over to centerfire. Obviously learning to control recoil is a whole other animal but the one thing I know from pistol shooting is to never hand a beginner a heavy recoiling pistol first thinking they’ll be better with the softer shooting gun later. Put a beginner on a heavy recoiling rifle or pistol with no instruction and you have a potential for developing some bad habits.
However, Without more information from the OP , it’s impossible to say which gun is better for his situation.
If you are truly shooting inside of 500 yards and really just want to have fun, learn to shoot, and enjoy your time on the range then I would suggest a .223 bolt gun. Cheap to run, fun to shoot and in a brand like Tikka, plenty accurate with quality ammo. But .223 wasn’t on your list.
If you have more experience but haven’t had much instruction, and you plan to shoot longer distances, then the 6.5 is a perfect gun for the job. Easier to spot misses and correct for it. Plus it’s a fine long range caliber.
If you have plenty of experience with centerfire rifles and only plan to buy one gun for long range for the rest of your life and know the basics of managing recoil and FOM then by all means the .308 is a perfect caliber for the job.
Without more information though, you are just getting the opinions of guys based on their own experience. And they’re experience doesn’t necessarily apply to you and your goals.
I’ll offer my little bit of advice based on the title of your post. If you are truly a new shooter with no experience, and you don’t have a mentor or any kind of real instruction lined up, then of your two choices I’d recommend the 6.5. Yes you can learn all the nuance of how to better manage recoil with a heavier hitting rifle like the .308, But without an experienced shooter to help guide you, you might just find yourself getting beat up and not understanding why. Worse is the potential to develop a flinch or other bad habits that might be hard to get rid of down the road.
Just my two cents and that ain’t worth much. Have fun, be safe and welcome to the rabbit hole of high power rifles.

 

[308pirate]

6.5 Creed all day long If you want to enjoy yourself, and want to use the gun for a while (not upgrade quickly). Every person who is new and comes out to a club match shooting 308, gets a new barrel or gun within 3 matches.

Gotta love the instant gratification generation.

 

[308pirate]

I should also add, see if your range does the CMP shoots, they now allow any type of rifle with a scope that has 4x magnification. It would be a good slow way for you to at least get started in precision shooting.

That style of shooting and what most people here think of precision rifle shooting are so incompatible they may as well be in two different planets.

Worst recommendation ever.

 

[want2learn]

A few years back i was discussing this vey issue, the efficient translation of skills, with a good friend who was also at that time a well known competitor and shooting team manager for one of the leading manufacturers.

He recounted the experience of a Japanese gentleman who while not allowed access to firearms, trained with airsoft. The gentleman then came over to the States and after only a very short time period quickly adapted to conventional pistols and ammunition. He went on in short order to win several high level competitions.

I do think that many skills and techniques can effectively and even efficiently be learned and developed incorporating lesser recoiling modalities. Perhaps there is no single best way to learn and train. I guess as with so many things an individualized approach may help further optimize well established practices and procedures.

 

[theLBC]

All this talk about putting a beginner a heavier recoiling rifle to prepare you for shooting a milder rifle baffles me. Obviously one can learn to control recoil on a .308 and shoot better with a 6.5. It there’s no reason you can’t learn the same fundamentals on a softer shooting gun. The fundamentals are the fundamentals. I learned to shoot with a Feinwerkbau pellet rifle in JROTC in high school and every lesson learned there transferred over to centerfire. Obviously learning to control recoil is a whole other animal but the one thing I know from pistol shooting is to never hand a beginner a heavy recoiling pistol first thinking they’ll be better with the softer shooting gun later. Put a beginner on a heavy recoiling rifle or pistol with no instruction and you have a potential for developing some bad habits.
However, Without more information from the OP , it’s impossible to say which gun is better for his situation.
If you are truly shooting inside of 500 yards and really just want to have fun, learn to shoot, and enjoy your time on the range then I would suggest a .223 bolt gun. Cheap to run, fun to shoot and in a brand like Tikka, plenty accurate with quality ammo. But .223 wasn’t on your list.
If you have more experience but haven’t had much instruction, and you plan to shoot longer distances, then the 6.5 is a perfect gun for the job. Easier to spot misses and correct for it. Plus it’s a fine long range caliber.
If you have plenty of experience with centerfire rifles and only plan to buy one gun for long range for the rest of your life and know the basics of managing recoil and FOM then by all means the .308 is a perfect caliber for the job.
Without more information though, you are just getting the opinions of guys based on their own experience. And they’re experience doesn’t necessarily apply to you and your goals.
I’ll offer my little bit of advice based on the title of your post. If you are truly a new shooter with no experience, and you don’t have a mentor or any kind of real instruction lined up, then of your two choices I’d recommend the 6.5. Yes you can learn all the nuance of how to better manage recoil with a heavier hitting rifle like the .308, But without an experienced shooter to help guide you, you might just find yourself getting beat up and not understanding why. Worse is the potential to develop a flinch or other bad habits that might be hard to get rid of down the road.
Just my two cents and that ain’t worth much. Have fun, be safe and welcome to the rabbit hole of high power rifles.

i think you made great points and i have to agree with most of it (even though it is contrary to my own post above it).
in particular, having shot mostly handguns for 30 years, your point about starting out a beginner with something like a .22lr so they understand the basics before having to deal with recoil is very helpful. it has not been my experience that being competent with a .22lr will carry over to a larger caliber - because everybody's mind can react and try to compensate for recoil differently. hand a newb a 9mm for the first time and the first couple shots tend to be pretty decent, but after that their heads get in the way and they almost always start anticipating that recoil and reacting before it happens.
shooting handguns is much more difficult for most than shooting a long gun well.

now i'd like to make a defense for .308.
1. every patriot should own a .308 rifle. (this has been discussed and we can agree to disagree).
2. .308 is not a savagely recoiling platform if you run a brake. it just isn't, not that some don't have problems due to a particular physical ailment.
3. as a trainer intended to be shot a lot, the .308 is probably going to last longer and take more abusive treatment before it goes south.

to me it comes down to a basic question.
do you want to obtain skills for precision shooting of a rifle and precise reading of wind and environmental conditions, becoming a skilled marksman?
or do you want a rifle that will hit your target no matter how good (or bad) you are at basic marksmanship or reading the environment?
will reading wind be important with a 6.5CM if most if the shooting is under <500 yards?

 

[steve123]

All this talk about putting a beginner a heavier recoiling rifle to prepare you for shooting a milder rifle baffles me. Obviously one can learn to control recoil on a .308 and shoot better with a 6.5. It there’s no reason you can’t learn the same fundamentals on a softer shooting gun. The fundamentals are the fundamentals. I learned to shoot with a Feinwerkbau pellet rifle in JROTC in high school and every lesson learned there transferred over to centerfire. Obviously learning to control recoil is a whole other animal but the one thing I know from pistol shooting is to never hand a beginner a heavy recoiling pistol first thinking they’ll be better with the softer shooting gun later. Put a beginner on a heavy recoiling rifle or pistol with no instruction and you have a potential for developing some bad habits.
However, Without more information from the OP , it’s impossible to say which gun is better for his situation.
If you are truly shooting inside of 500 yards and really just want to have fun, learn to shoot, and enjoy your time on the range then I would suggest a .223 bolt gun. Cheap to run, fun to shoot and in a brand like Tikka, plenty accurate with quality ammo. But .223 wasn’t on your list.
If you have more experience but haven’t had much instruction, and you plan to shoot longer distances, then the 6.5 is a perfect gun for the job. Easier to spot misses and correct for it. Plus it’s a fine long range caliber.
If you have plenty of experience with centerfire rifles and only plan to buy one gun for long range for the rest of your life and know the basics of managing recoil and FOM then by all means the .308 is a perfect caliber for the job.
Without more information though, you are just getting the opinions of guys based on their own experience. And they’re experience doesn’t necessarily apply to you and your goals.
I’ll offer my little bit of advice based on the title of your post. If you are truly a new shooter with no experience, and you don’t have a mentor or any kind of real instruction lined up, then of your two choices I’d recommend the 6.5. Yes you can learn all the nuance of how to better manage recoil with a heavier hitting rifle like the .308, But without an experienced shooter to help guide you, you might just find yourself getting beat up and not understanding why. Worse is the potential to develop a flinch or other bad habits that might be hard to get rid of down the road.
Just my two cents and that ain’t worth much. Have fun, be safe and welcome to the rabbit hole of high power rifles.

Hey I also learned my fundamentals with high quality air rifles, PCP "Field Target" air rifles in my case, in which the game requires astute wind reading skills and impeccable follow through. All of that, except recoil control, helped me to win long range championships with tactical rifles in Field Course style steel matches.

I just sold my 2nd to last 308, I'd sell the other one too but it's a family heirloom.

I trained my boys, my girl, and my wife how to shoot with airguns. They are all above average shooters. I have lots of stories about this subject I could share but the most recent one is this:
My 31 years old son got completely out of guns for the last 18 years. I got him shooting airguns then 22's when he was a young boy. By the time he was 13 years old I was the only person he struggled to beat in steel matches using his 9mm pistol. He just bought his first firearm a few months ago, a G19, man that guy can still shoot crazy good, it's like he never quit!!! The fundamentals were still there.

I can't stop, lol.
My 36 year old daughter has amazing natural talent with a gun, she's 4'11"/100lbs. Same thing, I started her off with pellet guns, then 22's. Exploits in the last few years - she was hitting a 5" rock at 700 yards with my 6x47L bolt rifle last year and hit all the steel present on the first shot, I was shaking my head because that was the first time she had shot long range??!! She's won almost every Field Target air rifle match she's shot in, beating a "world champion" female FT shooter, even winning a sponsorship??!! And during a trip to the range she absolutely humiliated the police training there next to us with my wifes friggen Glock 42 in 380??!! 3" group of 12 shots at 15Y in the 10 ring. They had trouble keeping all the shots on paper - ouch, I felt sorry for them. You should have seen the look on their faces!!!
And get this, she doesn't shoot guns unless she's visiting me??!!

Sorry, I just had to share.

 

[264win]

In a tikka t3 a 308 will have pretty sharp recoil, the 6.5 less so but still more than I would enjoy for a range day. Of the two listed, I would go with the 6.5.

But for the stated purpose, I would recommend a 223.

 

[Southern Custom]

In a tikka t3 a 308 will have pretty sharp recoil, the 6.5 less so but still more than I would enjoy for a range day. Of the two listed, I would go with the 6.5.

But for the stated purpose, I would recommend a 223.

And this brings up a good point. A .308 can be set up with minimal recoil. But with a lightweight gun like a polymer stocked Tikka it will likely be more than the new shooter is expecting. That being said, does the new shooter know how to set up a rifle and is he willing to restock or switch to a heavier chassis, add weight, install a muzzle brake etc. I’m guessing we are talking about a “buy a bone stock Tikka, scope it and shoot it for fun” kinda deal. In which case I would always recommend a lighter recoiling gun. Anyone can have fun shooting a lighter recoiling gun. It takes a special kind of wacko to do what it takes to tame heavier calibers. I’m happy shooting anything I’m put behind but I’m that special kind of wacko. That being said I still prefer my 6mms. Just plain fun to shoot.

 

[308pirate]

In a tikka t3 a 308 will have pretty sharp recoil, the 6.5 less so but still more than I would enjoy for a range day. Of the two listed, I would go with the 6.5.

But for the stated purpose, I would recommend a 223.

The problem isn't one of caliber choice. It's one of rifle configuration choice.

New shooters aren't served well when they're recommended they buy a lightweight (meaning less than 8 lbs w/o optics) rifle to be a range toy. Those rifles are meant to be carried a lot and shot a little. Rifles like that are going to smash the shit out of noobs (and even experienced shooters) after about 15 - 20 rounds, if the shooter even lasts that long, with very few exceptions for caliber.

Get a heavy rifle in any standard short action caliber, with a heavy barrel and a stock that can be adjusted to the shooter, put a muzzle brake on it, and then you can enjoy yourself

 

[cobus13]

I would go with 6.5, especially since it is more forgiving than 308. Then once you get comfortable you can make the choice to stay with 6.5 or go to 308. this is just my recommendation.

 

[PAYDIRT]

Another vote for 223, not much disadvantage with a 223 shooting 75's at most square range matches. The meat and tators are 400-700 so it not like your gonna leave much on the table. Easy to load for, lots of barrel life, you still have to drive it, CHEAP ammo, etc etc.

 

[Shootin Stuff]

If you are a vegan, drink soy milk, drive a prius and like dicks up your ass then feel free to get a 6.5.

If you want to learn how to shoot and not use a bandaid to cover up poor fundamentals then get a .308win.

But seriously, get a .308. It will expose bad fundamentals, is less tolerant of poor form and will make you work for your wind calls (exactly what you want in a training tool), excellent barrel life and ultimately make you a better shooter.

 

[Maedho12]

Lots of great info here. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this discussion.

 

[walt willis]

So I am looking at SO MANY OPTIONS for rifles and I think I have narrowed down by budget and value to the Tikka T3 but now I think I need some help in deciding between .308 and 6.5CM...
I figure I will be putting about at least 6-10 hours at the range in every month (I need the practice!) and will be under 500 yards until I get better (might be a while!) so I am looking for advice on what I should start out with...

.308 or 6.5mm CM?

Both are very good. The question may be: Is it for competition or hunting or combat? A 6.5 will not have enough energy as the .308 long range.
The BC should also be considered. If you have a can you'll need a heavy bullet to make up for the subsonic FPS drop.
I have and like both.

 

[theLBC]

Lots of great info here. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this discussion.

i think whichever you choose, it is going to be easier to ring steel under 600 yards than you might think if you have the right gear setup properly.
i suppose the best advice might be to find your way to a range with whatever you got and maybe get behind a few rifles. not sure if there are local forums there, or hide people in your area. i'd certainly let (and have) anyone take a few shots on my rifle, just because it isn't very common.

 

[rottenruger]

So I am looking at SO MANY OPTIONS for rifles and I think I have narrowed down by budget and value to the Tikka T3 but now I think I need some help in deciding between .308 and 6.5CM...
I figure I will be putting about at least 6-10 hours at the range in every month (I need the practice!) and will be under 500 yards until I get better (might be a while!) so I am looking for advice on what I should start out with...

.308 or 6.5mm CM?

Can't help you with the 308 other to say that it's a WELL respected caliber.

I started distance with the Savage 6.5 CM and had so much fun I moved on to the Ruger Precision 6.5, and fell totally in love.

Everyone knows the 6.5 CM is trendy as hell right now, deservedly so. But I seem to see the 308 falling in popularity, which is certainly UNdeserving.

Remember your scope should set you back about as much as your rifle.

Good luck, and most of all have fun.

 

[Moe Ron]

.308 recoil. I like the Hornady Custom Lite. Reduced recoil. Very comfy.