6.5CM vs .308 as it pertains to this forum

[muddywings]

So, I'll be looking to get a precision rifle in the next year as I am lacking in that department. Mostly a steel plinker, maybe a random hunting rifle with some buddies (don't tell the wife) and maybe a PR match here or there just for giggles (probably more the wife than me).
So the question comes up-which caliber?
While it looks like 6.5CM is superior in most ways over .308, I'm wondering which is the better option as it pertains to this forum.
Throw me the pros/cons for 6.5CM vs .308

Additional factors:
I am a novice reloader but with a nice setup in both 9 and 223. I would like to reload the rounds for cheap(er)
The next gun for the stable will be an AR-10 and probably want them chambered the same for ease of dealing with ammo
I will be getting a suppressor, as I haven't done and stamp collecting in a while, that would go between the AR-10 and the PR platform.
Lastly-life keeps getting in the way of fun toys so I'm looking at a solid year to slowly save/buy the rifle and scope with another few months for the suppressor.

[Zombie Steve]

As it pertains to S&P I think sheer availability of 30 caliber components and 308 brass would make it easier to buy cheap(er) and stack deep. That, and the selection of tough construction hunting bullets in 6.5 is limited in comparison, but not prohibitively so.

If you're loading your own, either one is fair game. As I stated in another thread, I prefer a heavier bullet for hunting, but it sounds like the majority of your use would be target, so I'd think the 6.5 would have an edge.

Pick the one you think is cooler - you'll shoot it more.

[HoneyBadger]

I would go .308 for for availability of parts, ammo, reloading components, etc. It is readily available for a decent price (which will allow and encourage you to shoot more and store more). Especially when you consider S & P, many other folks will have .308 guns but I doubt many, if any, will have 6.5CM guns. Choosing 6.5CM for a survival situation would severely limit your ammo scrounging potential

[rbeau30]

My vote is .308. Availability of scavengable components.

#1 reason why I standardized all of the family's carry and SHTF "duty" cartridges.

.308 isn't in my plan, but if I had a plan for long range targets other than escape-and-evade that would be my choice.

[Jamnanc]

Preparedness wise, or for those of us on a tight budget, 308 all the way.

[Delfuego]

Shoot a 6.5 and you'll never want another 308 again Better in every way...

[Tim K]

I wonder the same things, but have a 6.5 and no .308. I can't think of many practical uses for a heavy precision rifle, so I figure I'm good to go at any time with components and loaded ammo I have on hand.

Ammo that shoots great in a bolt gun is unlikely to shoot well in an AR and vice versa. Hoping for common ammo is likely too much to ask unless you're willing to settle for marginal performance from one gun or the other.

[Great-Kazoo]

One should buy what one can afford. Right down to components and or enough ammo to have 1-5K. Depending if you're going to get in to LD / Precision , or have enough of what one feels comfortable with.

IMO any firearm (for personal use, PD, etc) should have a minimum of 1K per. You LD / Precision folks 1K is what , a good start

Also for the OP, remember what ever caliber you pick, it's only as good as the glass you put on it.

[muddywings]

Pick the one you think is cooler - you'll shoot it more.

excellent point!

oh, so conflicted...Harvey Dent where are you!?

[XC700116]

IMO any firearm (for personal use, PD, etc) should have a minimum of 1K per. You LD / Precision folks 1K is what , a good start

Pretty much, I ran 3300 rounds through my 260 in just over a year and had to put the new barrel on it. I'm slowly but surely building up my components stock to coincide with barrel life. For instance I like to have enough bullets, powder and primers for a given LR rifle to last the life of the barrel I have on it. I also buy at least 2 barrels at a time for them so that the smith can spin up both at the same time and I have a spare in the safe ready to go when one heads south. This is geared toward my competition schedule and never being without a broken in and ready to shoot rifle.

But for a SHTF scenario, the same mindset applies in reality. If you have enough ammo/components to last the life of the barrel on your rifle, you don't really have to worry about ammo after that because chances are you aren't going to be wasting ammo, nor rebarreling your rifle in such a scenario.

Depending on your setup, scenario, and whatnot, the LR rifle really falls into a nice to have category vs a need to have category. In all honesty, a GOOD precision oriented AR with plenty of good LR ammo is a much more versatile weapon. The barrel lasts FAR longer, the ammo is cheaper, lighter, and easier to stockpile and carry, and if things go south you can shoot any old 55 gr FMJ's through it. I've shot plenty of 10 and 12" steel at ranges beyond 700 yds with my 223 wylde chambered home built AR15 with good handloads and after being around a couple JP AR's I've found they are more than capable of both run and gun shooting and LR precision shooting if the guy behind it does his part.

I have a LOT of $$ tied up in my LR rigs but it's the class of shooting sports I compete in. That said all my SHTF stock is 223 AR stuff, pistol, and shotgun, put food on the table and defend yourself. Playing sniper is pretty low on the list of priority in the big picture. The one BIG benefit to it is proficiency and putting food on the table when needed without needing to get close to game or putting more than 1 round in an animal to put it down.

That said, to the OP's question, if you stock up enough ammo to last the life of the barrel (figure 3000-3500 on 6.5 CM and 5-6000 for the 308) pick your poison I can tell you that in bulk the 6.5 CM match quality ammo is going to be slightly cheaper than comparable 308 ammo by about $2/box of 20 the 6.5 is far cheaper over the life of a single barrel. However the reality of putting anything more than a couple hundred down the barrel of a precision rifle in a survival situation is pretty slim, so I'd say if your other stuff is already in good stock, go 6.5 CM simply because it does most everything long range better than a 308 does it.

As to hunting, I'll take a good shooting 6.5 over a 308 any day of the week for putting food on the table. When it comes to that I'm not out looking for a Grizzly bear (and if I was hunting one of them it sure as hell won't be with a 308), and I'll take the ballistic advantages and precision I get from a 6.5 for putting down any game animals in CONUS over a 308 any day (it's far more about placement than horsepower and the 6.5 makes that easier). That said my primary hunting rifle is a 7mm WSM and that will get it done on ANY game animal I'll ever encounter, especially one that I want to eat.