New hunter, what caliber rifle?

[Achilles-13 3]

Hi all,

 

I’m hoping to pass my hunting tests soon and since I have no hunters in the family or close friends I was wondering if anyone could chime  in on a caliber choice for my first rifle…

right now I’m looking at 308 and 6.5 creedmoor ( never shot 308 or 6.5 so no idea on the recoil, only ever shot the smaller calibers like 223 and 7.62x39 and most in semi-auto so no reference points there…)

game will mostly be smaller european wild boar max 2yo for population control (I don’t have my own permission yet so the owners want the big boar to themselves or it will cost you a lot of money…), hunted from a high seat, will not be doing driven hunts.

I like the 6.5 for reduced recoil and have done all the paper research I could (swedes hunting everything that walks with 6.5x55, paul childerley hunting driven boar with 6.5 creed, a couple of germans reviewing 6.5 creedmoor ammo and said it worked well on boar, articles about reduced blood trails inn whitetail deer with 6.5,…)

 

So… would the 6.5 with nontox rounds be “enough gun” for smaller wild boar with a well placed shot? (I’m a decent shot, shooting airguns all my life out to 8o yards.
Or should I be looking at a 308 with slightly lighter bullets (150 grain or something) for less recoil and still ethical killing?

 

thank you for your time!

 

kind regards

 

A.

[shovel leaner 7,648]

My choice would be the 700 Nitro express .

[Wolfdog91 6,231]

23 hours ago, Achilles-13 said:

Hi all,

 

I’m hoping to pass my hunting tests soon and since I have no hunters in the family or close friends I was wondering if anyone could chime  in on a caliber choice for my first rifle…

right now I’m looking at 308 and 6.5 creedmoor ( never shot 308 or 6.5 so no idea on the recoil, only ever shot the smaller calibers like 223 and 7.62x39 and most in semi-auto so no reference points there…)

game will mostly be smaller european wild boar max 2yo for population control (I don’t have my own permission yet so the owners want the big boar to themselves or it will cost you a lot of money…), hunted from a high seat, will not be doing driven hunts.

I like the 6.5 for reduced recoil and have done all the paper research I could (swedes hunting everything that walks with 6.5x55, paul childerley hunting driven boar with 6.5 creed, a couple of germans reviewing 6.5 creedmoor ammo and said it worked well on boar, articles about reduced blood trails inn whitetail deer with 6.5,…)

 

So… would the 6.5 with nontox rounds be “enough gun” for smaller wild boar with a well placed shot? (I’m a decent shot, shooting airguns all my life out to 8o yards.
Or should I be looking at a 308 with slightly lighter bullets (150 grain or something) for less recoil and still ethical killing?

 

thank you for your time!

 

kind regards

 

A.

Honestly man when it comes to hogs either of those two would be perfectly fine as long as your making good shots. On a running shot the .308 is just plain gonna beat better choice because you have more mass this more knock down power of you don't quite hit where you want. But honestly if you can make a good shot with any type of decent ammo either of them will plain lay out most hogs. Also their basically neck in neck on the energy charts so unless you start shooting past 300yd .... No real difference imo

Personally I'd look at which one you can get ammo easier and in the best variety.  I see your profile says your from Belgium so I'm not sure what ammo availability is like for you guys but I'd guess .308 has much more. Are you considering reloading? That could also be a factor.

But all in all either should be just fine for hogs don't think your hogs are much tougher then ours. .223 is actually one of th most popular hog cartridges in my area for guys doing control work. Me personally I prefer 7.62x39 out of my AR-15. Heck I've killed a lot in the 40-150 lbs range with a .22lr.

Anyhow as I was saying . Either of those calibers with a decently expanding bullet right here will but then down dead as a hammer

Works for me at least lol

 

[Sausagedog 7,381]

Personally for me...308 but both will do fine.

Its just that I don't want to grow a tactical sniper beard like you do with the creed!

 

 

 

[.357shooter 990]

sorry not got a 700 but this is a 600 nitro next to a 7.62x39 and a little .223

[KimE 487]

I have shot several mooses with both 6,5*55 156gr/10g cup and core and .308w 165gr/10.7g- 180gr/11,7g cup and core I havn`t noticed any difference in performance they worked just fine. Both cal. are popular for wildboar in Sweden normally a hunter who has both takes the rifle with the best low light scope. The normal weight of monometal bullets for the 6,5 are about 120gr and for biggame in Sweden 139gr are the minimum legal bullet weight so its used with jacketed lead bullets here.

[Sausagedog 7,381]

47 minutes ago, KimE said:

I have shot several mooses with both 6,5*55 156gr/10g cup and core and .308w 165gr/10.7g- 180gr/11,7g cup and core I havn`t noticed any difference in performance they worked just fine. Both cal. are popular for wildboar in Sweden normally a hunter who has both takes the rifle with the best low light scope. The normal weight of monometal bullets for the 6,5 are about 120gr and for biggame in Sweden 139gr are the minimum legal bullet weight so its used with jacketed lead bullets here.

Is no one getting their panties all knotted over banning lead bullets your way KimE?

[Achilles-13 3]

On 07/09/2022 at 09:57, Wolfdog91 said:

Honestly man when it comes to hogs either of those two would be perfectly fine as long as your making good shots. On a running shot the .308 is just plain gonna beat better choice because you have more mass this more knock down power of you don't quite hit where you want. But honestly if you can make a good shot with any type of decent ammo either of them will plain lay out most hogs. Also their basically neck in neck on the energy charts so unless you start shooting past 300yd .... No real difference imo

Personally I'd look at which one you can get ammo easier and in the best variety.  I see your profile says your from Belgium so I'm not sure what ammo availability is like for you guys but I'd guess .308 has much more. Are you considering reloading? That could also be a factor.

But all in all either should be just fine for hogs don't think your hogs are much tougher then ours. .223 is actually one of th most popular hog cartridges in my area for guys doing control work. Me personally I prefer 7.62x39 out of my AR-15. Heck I've killed a lot in the 40-150 lbs range with a .22lr.

Anyhow as I was saying . Either of those calibers with a decently expanding bullet right here will but then down dead as a hammer

Works for me at least lol

 

Nice! Ammo wise we don’t have a lot of choice either way… we don’t much of a hunting culture, wedged in between Germany and France where hunting is still quite commonplace it’s painfull to see all the choice they have... i’m guessing if I look hard and drive a good 70 miles I’ll find a store that has quality ammo for either… (hornady eldx when using lead, something barnes tipped when using copper). Out here we have a minimum required power of 1617 fpe at 100 yards from the muzzle to hunt boar… some hunting properties don’t even allow 6.5 for being too weak. I guess everybody here is either a masochist ór a horrible shot… I understand minimum requirements for driven hunts… but for tree stand hunting or stalking? I’ve seen cows drop in the spot from a good shot with subsonic .22lr

If at all possible I’d like a 7mm08 but have not found even one store that carries ammo for it. We’ll see once (if) I pass the test I guess…

I’ve always been wondering, those boar, do they have the grissle armor on the chest , deformed shoulder blade and a less pronounced angle to the skull too?

 

 

[Achilles-13 3]

On 07/09/2022 at 10:26, Sausagedog said:

Personally for me...308 but both will do fine.

Its just that I don't want to grow a tactical sniper beard like you do with the creed!

 

 

 

Already have the beard, so I guess I have to buy a 6.5 now?

[Sausagedog 7,381]

1 minute ago, Achilles-13 said:

Already have the beard, so I guess I have to buy a 6.5 now?

Ahhr but is it a tactical sniper beard?

[Achilles-13 3]

2 hours ago, KimE said:

I have shot several mooses with both 6,5*55 156gr/10g cup and core and .308w 165gr/10.7g- 180gr/11,7g cup and core I havn`t noticed any difference in performance they worked just fine. Both cal. are popular for wildboar in Sweden normally a hunter who has both takes the rifle with the best low light scope. The normal weight of monometal bullets for the 6,5 are about 120gr and for biggame in Sweden 139gr are the minimum legal bullet weight so its used with jacketed lead bullets here.

Thanks for the information! Is there a large difference between the recoil in the 150gr 308 compared to the 6.5x55 rounds you use? Do you hunt moose with dogs or more of a approach hunt ,…? I love how you have a minimum weight for big game but can hunt roe buck with buckshot… we are not the only ones with funny rules I guess 30-30 is not allowed on boar here either even though I saw a guy in france take down a big boar running full pelt with a single shot…  saw sauer still makes the 100 in 6.5x55 , will keep my options open! 
 

kind regards

 

A

[Achilles-13 3]

9 minutes ago, Sausagedog said:

Ahhr but is it a tactical sniper beard?

  Alas poor yorick, more of a slightly better manicured homeless-beard… maybe a catty and lurcher would suit me better

[Sausagedog 7,381]

If I may....I guarantee you will not notice any recoil when piggie shows up!

[KimE 487]

19 hours ago, Sausagedog said:

Is no one getting their panties all knotted over banning lead bullets your way KimE?

It was a drive for banning lead in rifle bullets a few years back its calm now but they might try it again. If lead are banned the whole caliber classification system must be remade 6,5 , 222r, 22wmr would have to be classed down with copper/tin/tombak. No 22lr for hunting anymore?

[KimE 487]

18 hours ago, Achilles-13 said:

Thanks for the information! Is there a large difference between the recoil in the 150gr 308 compared to the 6.5x55 rounds you use? Do you hunt moose with dogs or more of a approach hunt ,…? I love how you have a minimum weight for big game but can hunt roe buck with buckshot… we are not the only ones with funny rules I guess 30-30 is not allowed on boar here either even though I saw a guy in france take down a big boar running full pelt with a single shot…  saw sauer still makes the 100 in 6.5x55 , will keep my options open! 
 

kind regards

 

A

"Recoil relax and enjoy" (US col. Elmer Kieth)

 

A 150gr bullet in 790m/s has the same recoil as a 155gr bullet in 785m/s. The .308w can be downloaded to similar recoil as the 6,5*55/6,5cred. The 15% difference in recoil between 6,5 and .308w are barely felt, more important are do your closest store have ammunition for both? Do you find a rifle you like in that caliber? Does the stock fit you? A traditional lever action in 3030 with an old style of stock has more felt recoil than a modern .308w.

Edited September 9, 2022 by KimE