6.5CM vs .308 as it pertains to this forum

[Wulf202]

As it pertains to this forum?

The 308 is a no-brainier.

+1
6.5cm is not a stock item in most gun shops let alone pass the Wal-Mart test

[Jamnanc]

Great thread and I'm debating switching myself. I think I'll be able to sell my 308 barrels, ammo and reloading supplies for a 10/15% loss but it's not a big deal if I am getting a better caliber. If youre worried about bugging out and carrying weight in an ar10 platform, the 6.5 load out will weight considerable less and you will be able to carry a few more 20/25 rd mags for the same weight.

This is the first argument for 6.5 that has addressed the ops question. Nice job with the weight factor. I'd like both. But I'll be stuck in 308 unless I win the lotto.

[HoneyBadger]

This is the first argument for 6.5 that has addressed the ops question. Nice job with the weight factor. I'd like both. But I'll be stuck in 308 unless I win the lotto.

The "ops question" is why I would stick to 5.56 and/or .22LR. and 9mm

[Tim K]

The "ops question" is why I would stick to 5.56 and/or .22LR. and 9mm

Exactly. .223 ammo is almost exactly half the weight of .308.

Heavy precision rifles make no sense if you're concerned about bugging out on foot.

[Jamnanc]

I wasn't saying it was the right answer. I was saying that the weight is a factor in a survival situation.

Its an ar15 forum. Of course we should stack 223 and 22 deep. But... What if there is a precision rifle championship in the desert at teotwawki. You know, like in z-nation.

[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.

[Spdu4ia]

And Shawn was either drunk or bored but either way that pretty much ends the thread I think haha

[XC700116]

And Shawn was either drunk or bored but either way that pretty much ends the thread I think haha

Both actually hahahahaha

[HoneyBadger]

Heavy precision rifles make no sense if you're concerned about bugging out on foot.

BUT, if you're no going anywhere, OR you have a defensible area with good visibility, maybe that precision rifle is exactly the tool you need! Every situation is different. If the world was ending, I would love to be in a situation where I can enforce a standoff distance of 600+yds. I would also love to never have to point a gun at anyone, ever. Both of those things will likely be outside of my control.

[Irving]

Seems to me that if you're into long range precision, then hunting with lighter projectile should be a wash since presumably your skill level would be higher.