308W or 6.5PRC

[Over The Hill]

Ok so im looking to buy a Sako S20 Precision for range target use up to 500M and tossing between a 308W and 6.5
PRC

The 6.5 has better ballistics and I like that its not as common but is it worth adopting another caliber as I already have a 308 hunting rifle for which I am set up to and have significant amount of good brass, projectiles & powder as well as factory ammo.

If I go with 6.6PRS then in addition to the rifle cost im also up for:
New Dies
New Brass
Projectiles
Different Powder

This adds significant cost to the PRS option and also some of these components can be hard to get readily in WA.

Not looking to compete with the benchrest guys running 6BR & 6PPC but am wanting decent accuracy out to 500 which both the 308 & 6.5PRS can deliver.

Seems both have similar recoil & shootability
Not into PRS so no need to see impacts or have quick follow up shots
Not interested in any other caliber

So for what I want it for is there any advantage in going for the 6.5 or should I stick with 308

[deye243]

Nope as the 308 will have more than 4000+ accurate round barrel life were as the 6.5PRC will have around 1000 to 1300 rounds and the 30 has a huge pill selection.
And for short range like 500y the balistic difference will be negligible.

[gunderson]

]My thoughts would be unless you have some special need to shoot extra accurately etc... the 308 will do fine.

but compare some numbers:

Wind Drift 6.5 vs 308

wind drift.png (56.51 KiB) Viewed 2018 times

Trajectory

Screenshot_10.png (55.91 KiB) Viewed 2018 times

the 6.5 is no doubt the winner, whilst federal didn't have a PRC listing I poached this pic of a 6.5 CM vs PRC

CM vs PRC

65-cm-vs-65-prc-012-1200x451.jpg (73.18 KiB) Viewed 2018 times

The PRC therefore shoots one heck of a lot flatter than the 308, which is no surprise given the 308 is a lobber/not a magnum etc.

Cost effectiveness? no idea what the PRC costs vs the 308 but I'd be willing to bet you will be hand loading anyway if serious about accuracy, so Id consider it negligible at best in the reload cost difference.

[in2anity]

If you handload it’s a no brainer. If not, 6.5 will bankrupt you, comparatively.

[Larry]

Dont get the 6.5 there is no practical difference in the ballistics. I would say this even if you did have aspirations of competing as the two are in different classes and the 6.5 would be competing against many other target based calibers and lots of other expensive target accessories. The 308 competes in a class of its own against other 308s and normally using the same weight projectiles a much more even field.

Even when hunting the difference of several inchs of drop difference between the two is not an issue as the difference compared with the overall drop. Well you have to adjust your sights for the overall drop so adjust them accurately for the precise drop.

[gunderson]

I mean... Every F class shooter I know that used to push 7.62 pills out of the 308 is either pushing 338 or 308 out of magnums now or is pushing 6 and 6.5 rounds downrange. I only know one that is still using a 308 on the range, the guns are just as much money, and wank, as the open class calibers, and well he hunts with a 30-06.

I'm not entirely s**ting on the 308, but when it comes to long range, there are literally heaps of better calibers. Depending on how recoil sensitive you are.

[Larry]

I mean... Every F class shooter I know that used to push 7.62 pills out of the 308 is either pushing 338 or 308 out of magnums now or is pushing 6 and 6.5 rounds downrange. I only know one that is still using a 308 on the range, the guns are just as much money, and wank, as the open class calibers, and well he hunts with a 30-06.

I'm not entirely s**ting on the 308, but when it comes to long range, there are literally heaps of better calibers. Depending on how recoil sensitive you are.

I am sorry that is just not true. The 308 classes are just as popular as the open class and not many people actually change classes at all.

[gunderson]

I mean... Every F class shooter I know that used to push 7.62 pills out of the 308 is either pushing 338 or 308 out of magnums now or is pushing 6 and 6.5 rounds downrange. I only know one that is still using a 308 on the range, the guns are just as much money, and wank, as the open class calibers, and well he hunts with a 30-06.

I'm not entirely s**ting on the 308, but when it comes to long range, there are literally heaps of better calibers. Depending on how recoil sensitive you are.

I am sorry that is just not true. The 308 classes are just as popular as the open class and not many people actually change classes at all.

read again, is that what I said? MY experience is that EVERYONE I know bar one...

some people dont change class, but lots have, to say otherwise is disingenuous. Thats like saying no one progresses from shooting air pistol, or no one changes from rimfire benchrest to centerfire.

[in2anity]

I feel the sudden urge to bring fact into this discussion rather than annecdotes. "I know. Crazy RIGHT?"

In the most recent NRA Kings state champ event (at the time of writing this, happened to be the NSWRA 2024 Kings), there were:

- x40 F Open shooters
- x17 F/TR shooters
- x27 F/STD shooters
- x75 TR shooters
- x15 Sporter/Hunter shooters.

As a ratio of 308 to(not)308, that stands at:
119:55
Or
68.3% 308w to 31.7% (NOT)308w.

Will the F-Open or cutting edge Sporter calibers shoot through those wind switches better? Abso-f-king lutely. Ain't nobody arguing against that. Shoot 6.5PRC for better bragging rights, for sure.

Hope this clears things up.

[Larry]

Thats is being generous even assuming that none of the sporter shooters are using a 308. How many will change class to F Open? very few in my experience.

[in2anity]

Thats is being generous even assuming that none of the sporter shooters are using a 308.

haha you don't miss a trick do yu Larry. I did consider this, but decided to keep it simple.... Having competed a couple of times in past SH events with a 308, up against the likes of 6.5PRC, you do realise you are indeed making it a bit harder for yourself. All depends on what sort of wind the gods serve up come the day(s). They are basically all on 6.5 nowadays.

I've told this story before; a bloke bought $800 worth of factory 6.5CM to shoot a Queens. He lost aggregate on the final stage of the final day because the wind changed, after being insanely constant for the first two days. The bloke who won it did so on an AI 308 with old 155gr palma bullets cobbled together from the bottom his reloading chest. A bloke who's been competatively shooting for nearly 40yrs, dating back back to well pre-howard.

308w is still a good proposition for those genuinely interested in the shooting part, as opposed to the gear race part. If only for the savings in mainstream 7.62 equipment.

[Larry]

Ok lets use that 2024 Kings. the 308 after 5 days of shooting was 11 points in 1000 behind a F Open shooter. He would have placed 3rd in the F open class using his gear. Which was off a bipod rather than a bloody heavy SEB rest.

[gunderson]

I feel this has gotten a fair way down the strawman lane..... But I tell ya, paper punching ain't my thing, been there, done that, I prefer removing the life essence from the living varmints far more; and frankly don't have time for the range or the politics that it entails.

However numbers don't lie, and if I was pushing out past 500m I would be using a heavy hitting 6.5 or 6mm over a 308 all day long. The reason is simple, the cost of a custom built 308 and a custom built PRC etc is roughly the same. reloading wise, much the same, and nowadays data on loads, trajectory, BC etc etc is all readily available from the manufacturers.

does this disqualify the 308? no... but one is genuinely flatter and better at dealing with wind, so that would be my choice.

[in2anity]

I feel this has gotten a fair way down the strawman lane..... But I tell ya, paper punching ain't my thing, been there, done that, I prefer removing the life essence from the living varmints far more; and frankly don't have time for the range or the politics that it entails.

Then just get the 308 then

[gunderson]

I feel this has gotten a fair way down the strawman lane..... But I tell ya, paper punching ain't my thing, been there, done that, I prefer removing the life essence from the living varmints far more; and frankly don't have time for the range or the politics that it entails.

Then just get the 308 then

Its not me asking or deciding lol

[deye243]

I feel this has gotten a fair way down the strawman lane..... But I tell ya, paper punching ain't my thing, been there, done that, I prefer removing the life essence from the living varmints far more; and frankly don't have time for the range or the politics that it entails.

However numbers don't lie, and if I was pushing out past 500m I would be using a heavy hitting 6.5 or 6mm over a 308 all day long. The reason is simple, the cost of a custom built 308 and a custom built PRC etc is roughly the same. reloading wise, much the same, and nowadays data on loads, trajectory, BC etc etc is all readily available from the manufacturers.

does this disqualify the 308? no... but one is genuinely flatter and better at dealing with wind, so that would be my choice.

You obviously have no idea about barrel life not everyone can afford a new barrel every 12 months .

[deye243]

I feel this has gotten a fair way down the strawman lane..... But I tell ya, paper punching ain't my thing, been there, done that, I prefer removing the life essence from the living varmints far more; and frankly don't have time for the range or the politics that it entails.

Then just get the 308 then

He's not the op

[gunderson]

You obviously have no idea about barrel life not everyone can afford a new barrel every 12 months .

I didn't know barrel life was an issue that OP was concerned with, few of my mates who used to shoot 308 F class all claimed a 1500 round ceiling on their barrels, so if you're shooting on the regular, that's a new barrel pretty often either way. And I am not in any way attacking someone's knowledge or credibility, but if blokes I know in the flesh tell me that, and I see them doing so, I am gonna take their word over an internet person all day long.

[deye243]

You obviously have no idea about barrel life not everyone can afford a new barrel every 12 months .

I didn't know barrel life was an issue that OP was concerned with, few of my mates who used to shoot 308 F class all claimed a 1500 round ceiling on their barrels, so if you're shooting on the regular, that's a new barrel pretty often either way. And I am not in any way attacking someone's knowledge or credibility, but if blokes I know in the flesh tell me that, and I see them doing so, I am gonna take their word over an internet person all day long.

They must be loading better than hot .
I used to get between 900 and 1100 on a 7mm mag and I know quite a few that get 3000 to 4000 accurate rounds in a 308W

[Gun-nut]

If you're only shooting at 500m then 308 for sure imo. The difference in trajectory is negligible. If you were planning on pushing past 800 then I'd start looking at 6.5 cartridges.

[SCJ429]

Depends what floats your boat, go with the sensible boring option or go with something that you are passionate about. Do you drive a Toyota Corolla or a Toyota 86?

[Billo]

Depends what floats your boat, go with the sensible boring option or go with something that you are passionate about. Do you drive a Toyota Corolla or a Toyota 86?

Is that Corolla a GR turbo 4wd ??