Want a Tikka Arctic but cannot make a decision between 308 and 6.5 Creed

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Ah Gay as in Delightful accuracy ,from a Hunting bullet no less . I'll leave the secret trouser trout handshake too the rest of you ;)
That's #20 into .404 under 2 minutes .
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I own 2 6.5 CM rifles and there is no way I'd never choose the 6.5 CM bover the 308 as a general working rifle.
The 308 is much more versatile, 100 gr to 250 gr.
Military ammo and speciality bullets are available, like armor piercing rds. Or battle field ammo. Light loads, sub loads, heavy hand loads.
Loading some Berger 215 gr and 208 gr.
just arrived today.
I use 9 and 8 twist barrels these days to take advantage of the new high BC bullets.
22" barrel 308 Win 200.2 gr Berger 2700 fps, 2740 fpswith SMK 2940 fps 168 gr Berger, 2576 fps with 225 gr eldm. 2550 230 gr SMK. 250 gr Atip 2319 fps, 155 gr 3100 fps...all from 22" 308 barrel.
Energy levels delivered way beyond any 6.5 CM, through 1000 yds and beyond.
The 30" barreled long action has reached 4000 ft lbs of muzzle energy with hybrid cases.
Normal 308 Win loads with this rifle are brass LR Lapua cases 200 gr SMK 715 BC at 2856 fps and over 3600 ft/lbs of energy, feeding out of the mag.
Plus long barrel life and less velocity loss in shorter barrels.
Example 16" 6 lb ultra light AR 10 168 gr ELDM 2756 fps, 208 gr ELDM 2442 fps ave. With excellent accuracy.
The 308 is the better choice all purpose cartridge, by far, if especially, including the new high BC heavy bullets
The 6.5 CM is good for target and deer.
 

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Yes ; Accurate speed typing isn't on my agenda . Aero as in Precision platform AR , is holding it's own in the arsenal .

#26 years in Aerospace and failed to spell it . :rolleyes:Thankfully I was the Materials Processing Engineer and the composites lamination schedule design Engineer . I just had to ensure they held together and flew . White Knight & Space Ship 1 along with a number of Honda Business jets among other classified builds proved successful or I'd have been poor :eek:

Powder Evaluation has proved VV 560 & 540 are MY Best Choice

Target powder evaluation 6 5 Creedmoor.jpg
 
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Nothing wrong with .308 aka 7.62X51 I've got a few . However for a fear factor and range .338 LM will instill Fear within your enemies inside 2 miles .
I enjoy shooting M1 Garands also as well as M14's , having more than a couple along with a few in AR 10 platform 's in 7.62X51 also enjoy them .
Hell got Bolt guns as well ,everything has a place and purpose ,just depends upon task at hand .

The most impressive thing too ME ,in Aero Platform 6.5 CM ,is it's ability to maintain POA & POI slow or rapidly fired ,NO heat drifting .

Bought Quality Glass for a AR .308 and walked shot placement ,as I had loaded up some older IMR 4895 with 150 Gr.
First 20 Aero Precision AR10 308 06222022.jpg

To be perfectly honest ,sometimes you don't even need a Rifle ,an old Wheel gun will get er done ,provided you have glass on it .

44 Mag targets with shooting glasses.jpg
 

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I own 2 6.5 CM rifles and there is no way I'd never choose the 6.5 CM bover the 308 as a general working rifle.
The 308 is much more versatile, 100 gr to 250 gr.
Military ammo and speciality bullets are available, like armor piercing rds. Or battle field ammo. Light loads, sub loads, heavy hand loads.
Loading some Berger 215 gr and 208 gr.
just arrived today.
I use 9 and 8 twist barrels these days to take advantage of the new high BC bullets.
22" barrel 308 Win 200.2 gr Berger 2700 fps, 2740 fpswith SMK 2940 fps 168 gr Berger, 2576 fps with 225 gr eldm. 2550 230 gr SMK. 250 gr Atip 2319 fps, 155 gr 3100 fps...all from 22" 308 barrel.
Energy levels delivered way beyond any 6.5 CM, through 1000 yds and beyond.
The 30" barreled long action has reached 4000 ft lbs of muzzle energy with hybrid cases.
Normal 308 Win loads with this rifle are brass LR Lapua cases 200 gr SMK 715 BC at 2856 fps and over 3600 ft/lbs of energy, feeding out of the mag.
Plus long barrel life and less velocity loss in shorter barrels.
Example 16" 6 lb ultra light AR 10 168 gr ELDM 2756 fps, 208 gr ELDM 2442 fps ave. With excellent accuracy.
The 308 is the better choice all purpose cartridge, by far, if especially, including the new high BC heavy bullets
The 6.5 CM is good for target and deer.

Your not wrong about the 308 Win. It's a magnificent cartridge. And if was the choice between having only one rifle in chambered in 308 vs having only one rifle chambered in 6.5 Creed, the 308 is the right choice every time.

However, the only thing you may be wrong about is the composition of OP's arsenal: He states he has several 308's but nary a 6.5 Creedmoor. The 308 is great, but he really doesn't need 3 or 4 of them, does he??

Great is great as in 308, but he already has some, and diversity in calibers and usage does hold some merit.

Think about it from that perspective....
 
Your not wrong about the 308 Win. It's a magnificent cartridge. And if was the choice between having only one rifle in chambered in 308 vs having only one rifle chambered in 6.5 Creed, the 308 is the right choice every time.

However, the only thing you may be wrong about is the composition of OP's arsenal: He states he has several 308's but nary a 6.5 Creedmoor. The 308 is great, but he really doesn't need 3 or 4 of them, does he??

Great is great as in 308, but he already has some, and diversity in calibers and usage does hold some merit.

Think about it from that perspective....
I have 8 308s, so yes,... he needs another 308.
Mine cover 16 to 30 inch barrels, 12 to 8 twist, long action, short action, and autos 6 lbs to 16 lbs decked out.
I own rifles from 17 rem to 50BMG in every caliber I desire. 300WM, 300 Rum, 2, 6.5 CM s. Plus a host of others.
I prefer the 6 dasher over my 6.5 CM for 1000 yd target work, it's just better for that purpose, but don't plan on using on anything but target and varmints.
The 6.5 CM would serve better as a deer cartridge for me, over the 6 dasher...both would do the job.
I will chamber another barrel for the 6 dasher.
But I will most likely not chamber another rifle for the 6.5 CM, as I already have a 6.5 Bartlein ready.
I like the cartridge but mostly with Hybrid cases and RL 26 to get some decent performance out of it...is my only reason for staying with it. But that means very limited barrel life.

But I have no plans to hunt anything with the 6.5 CM , one was purchased, and one built for target only.
The only contender with the amount of shots fired is 9mm and it may catch up one day to the number of 308s fired.
The box of 1000 primed and ready to load 308s has already been fired.
 

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What I found over the yrs of shooting big game deer and elk.
Around 60 to 120 yds where most everything was killed, the 7mm mauser and 7 mm mag killed about the same,.. probably same as a 28 nosler at 100 yds...lol

Same for the 30-06, 308, and even the 30-30, when up close.
Went to the 338 mag for deer and it killed noticeably much better, than the lesser calibers.
With cheap cup and core lead bullets 250 to 275 grs made huge exit wounds, football sized. It became the killing tool, later added the 350 mag 250 gr at 2626 fps from 20" model 7.
That was my choice, Not needed for deer and a 308 will do a good job, just adjust the bullet weight / construction to the game, and hunt anything in North America, with "effective killing" power at normal ranges.
Get the 308...
 
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WTF ?? When hunting the object should be to DOWN the animal killing it quickly and humanely ,without sending the carcass into the next zip code .

I've hunted near everything on #5 continents and the Two times I didn't use a 7 Rem Mag. was specifically because it was prohibited for undersized caliber . A 160-175 grain Quality Bullet is gonna do the dirty to 98% of all animals on this Green Earth ,without excessive Meat damage ,IMO . Velocity + weight = Energy ,bullet choice is paramount retaining that weight . At 400 yd. Fps 2400 and energy is 2024 ft lb. Not a deer or Elk alive gonna survive that ,provided Shot placement is within parameters .

Dangerous game heavy caliber bullet , such as .338 Win Mag or .338 LM .225-285 Gr. will handle 90% of those .

Fact more Elephants have been shot with 7mm Mauser than with large caliber rifles . Differences being DISTANCE shot .
 
Yes, I’ve read the Arctic is too expensive, a rip-off, and too heavy, etc. but I want one nonetheless. Uncle Sam has given me some of my money back and I’m going to use it to scratch this itch. My dilemma after finally admitting this problem is I cannot decide between 308 and 6.5 Creedmore as it pertains to this particular rifle. I have several other rifles in. 308 and like them but no rifles chambered for the 6.5. The better accuracy and less recoil appeals to me. However, the Canadian Rangers version is in 308 making that combination a classic. Does anyone with an arctic in 308 regret not getting the 6.5, or vice versa? Thank you for your time.
Are you sure you can even get it in 6.5CM?

Only shows 308 on Tikkas website.

Looks like Cabela's Canada has it and Eurooptic shows it being discontinued.

Good Luck!
 
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I've been using the 156 Norma Oryx out of a 16" 260Rem with very good results if you are looking for a deep penetrating bullet for the fagmaster.
308 is probably the way to go if you're looking to smoke the pale bruin though.
 
I've been using the 156 Norma Oryx out of a 16" 260Rem with very good results if you are looking for a deep penetrating bullet for the fagmaster.
308 is probably the way to go if you're looking to smoke the pale bruin though.
You would have to shoot a 215gr 308 to get the same SD as the bullet you are using.