Keep Rem 700 in .308 or buy a Tikka T3x in 6.5 Creedmoor?

[SMTGWKD]

I currently own two bolt rifles (and want to keep it to two as I'll be taking advantage of the modularity of the Desert Tech in multiple calibers).

1. Remington 700 in .308 - my first long range platform that fills double duty as a hunting rifle in the factory stock and long range/beginning competition in an MDT Chassis. Shoots Hornady 178 ELD-X at 2500 fps accurately.
2. Desert Tech in 6.5 Creed - will be used in multiple calibers.

After great experience with the 6.5 caliber vs the .308 I'm at a crossroads - I think I want to consolidate my components to 6.5 and ditch the .308 entirely. This would require the purchase of another 6.5 Creed and the Tikka T3x 20" (likely in stainless config) is the frontrunner.

Basis

1. I run silenced 100% so I don't think I want the 24" version
2. .308 178 going 2500 fps vs 6.5 Creed 143 going 2600 fps results in the following
a. .308 has more energy to 500 yards
b. 6.5 matches energy at about 5-600 yards
c. At 500 yards 6.5 has .6 mils less drop and .4 mils less drift
d. At 1000 yards 6.5 has 2.2 mils less drop and .8 mils less drift
e. 6.5 components are slightly cheaper
f. I can load for both platforms using the same recipe (so long as the Tikka shoots reasonably well with the DTA loads)
g. 6.5 barrel has half the useful life of .308
h. Tikka changeover will likely cost about $3-400 more overall
I. 6.5 recoil quite a bit less with the two loads compared and would be better in that regard for my daughters/wife as they shoot with me.

Let me know what I'm missing and your insights in what you would do given this circumstance. The 700 .308 only has 396 rounds down the pipe so it has MANY years of service left to give.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[Beneviolence]

Just my thoughts, but I'd sell the MDT chassis, keep the 700 as strictly a hunting rifle, and just shoot more with your DTA. Especially if you've got a good 178 ELD-X load that's accurate and 308 components.

 

[SMTGWKD]

Just my thoughts, but I'd sell the MDT chassis, keep the 700 as strictly a hunting rifle, and just shoot more with your DTA. Especially if you've got a good 178 ELD-X load that's accurate and 308 components.

Thanks for the reply - not a bad idea - I rarely shoot the 700 myself anymore as I enjoy the DTA so much. My only issue is that my wife and kids often shoot at distance with me. I have two Silencerco Omegas so shooting with two rifles is a joy as we can spot each other's misses/hits and really learn together (as well as have some friendly competition )

That said, if you had to choose between the 700 and a T3x which would you do in this situation? Does the extra barrel life provide enough value to outweight the lighter recoil, better long range ballistics, aggregation of reloading components, etc? Perhaps rhetorical questions for myself, but I'm interested in how others would view this subject nonetheless.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Another option would be to have the 700 action blueprinted, install a new barrel and mount on a chassis such as an XLR. At that point you would have a true custom rifle.

 

[Beneviolence]

Thanks for the reply - not a bad idea - I rarely shoot the 700 myself anymore as I enjoy the DTA so much. My only issue is that my wife and kids often shoot at distance with me. I have two Silencerco Omegas so shooting with two rifles is a joy as we can spot each other's misses/hits and really learn together (as well as have some friendly competition )

That said, if you had to choose between the 700 and a T3x which would you do in this situation? Does the extra barrel life provide enough value to outweight the lighter recoil, better long range ballistics, aggregation of reloading components, etc? Perhaps rhetorical questions for myself, but I'm interested in how others would view this subject nonetheless.

Well, I'm going to biased towards the 6.5CM; I just switched from a T3 lite in 308 to a CTR 24" in 6.5CM for exactly the reasons you proposed. If you want the rifle to double as a family member's target rifle, then I'm sure the 6.5 is going to be better. My complaint with using my Omega on the thin barrel T3 308 (as opposed to CTR profile in 6.5) was a large POI shift (1.5-2 mils) and apparent barrel heating affects though I never really tested it well enough to quantify the effects of the heat. If you can swing it for the CTR 6.5CM 24" and muscle up enough for hunting (it's only ~3lbs more than the T3x lite), that's for sure what I would do.

 

[SMTGWKD]

Another option would be to have the 700 action blueprinted, install a new barrel and mount on a chassis such as an XLR. At that point you would have a true custom rifle.

I thought of that but have zero experience with re-barreling. As a side note the MDT Chassis I have is the ESS - you can see it in my thread here... https://www.snipershide.com/shootin...de-bolt-action-rifles/6364424-mdt-ess-chassis

 

[jcann]

You can increase the ballistics of the 6.5, 2600 fps is kind of slow for the 143gr eldx.

 

[SMTGWKD]

You can increase the ballistics of the 6.5, 2600 fps is kind of slow for the 143gr eldx.

Even from a 20" barrel? My DTA accuracy load runs then at about 2800 fps but it's a 26" barrel.

 

[SMTGWKD]

I should also clarify - I'm looking at the T3x CTR in 20" config.

 

[308220]

You can increase the ballistics of the 6.5, 2600 fps is kind of slow for the 143gr eldx.

He might be able to squeeze 2725-2750 out of a 20" barrel, with a stout load.

Id keep the 308. Save up some more money and buy a 6.5CM later on. A 308 suppressed/braked isnt much recoil. Probably about the same as a 243 shooting 105's. Even for girls. Youre only looking at 3 ft lbs or so recoil difference between the two (6.5CM/308). Especially shooting 140+ gr bullets at faster velocities (2700/2750) vs 178gr at 2600 in equal barrel lengths. Hope this helps.

 

[jcann]

I'm running 2887fps through a magnetospeed chronograph out of a 24" barrel.

 

[roggom]

The great thing about the 20" CTR is its a nice hybrid rifle. The barrel profile is light enough to carry in the mountains and heavy enough for steel shooting. I would scrape some money and add the CTR to the mix. Keep the 308, because when times get tough you can always find 308 brass and bullets.

 

[SMTGWKD]

The great thing about the 20" CTR is its a nice hybrid rifle. The barrel profile is light enough to carry in the mountains and heavy enough for steel shooting. I would scrape some money and add the CTR to the mix. Keep the 308, because when times get tough you can always find 308 brass and bullets.

The 20" CTR is actually the exact model I'm looking at for the reasons you mention here. I hate to keep a "duplicate" rifle that fills the same role as I'm the type of guy who won't keep a firearm I don't shoot somewhat regularly or at least enjoy looking at.

 

[SMTGWKD]

He might be able to squeeze 2725-2750 out of a 20" barrel, with a stout load.

Id keep the 308. Save up some more money and buy a 6.5CM later on. A 308 suppressed/braked isnt much recoil. Probably about the same as a 243 shooting 105's. Even for girls. Youre only looking at 3 ft lbs or so recoil difference between the two (6.5CM/308). Especially shooting 140+ gr bullets at faster velocities (2700/2750) vs 178gr at 2600 in equal barrel lengths. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the input - I'm lucky enough not to have a financial constraint - simply a self-imposed limit of two precision long guns (multiple calibers in the DTA) to complement the other 25 firearms I own.

Believe it or not, my .308 shooting hot 178 loads recoils quite a bit more than a Tikka T3x CTR shooting hot 143s - both using the identical ASR brake and Omega Silencer. This is from personal experience and really what got me thinking about swapping out the .308.

Beyond that, it's sooooo nice to have a smaller number of calibers that you can use with multiple rifle platforms. The Desert Tech is a stellar performer at distance and as a compact precision/tactical rifle, but it's a bit heavy for convenient hunting use (enter the CTR in 6.5 creed with 20" barrel).

I'm about 99% positive that if I purchase the 6.5 creedmoor CTR and kept the 700 .308 I wouldn't end up touching the .308 for a looooong time.

That said, if I wanted to move more into competition is there a reason to keep the .308 anyway? I've heard that some matches require the use of the .308?

 

[SMTGWKD]

He might be able to squeeze 2725-2750 out of a 20" barrel, with a stout load.

Id keep the 308. Save up some more money and buy a 6.5CM later on. A 308 suppressed/braked isnt much recoil. Probably about the same as a 243 shooting 105's. Even for girls. Youre only looking at 3 ft lbs or so recoil difference between the two (6.5CM/308). Especially shooting 140+ gr bullets at faster velocities (2700/2750) vs 178gr at 2600 in equal barrel lengths. Hope this helps.

Also - my "girls" are 5, 8 and 11 years old and tall/skinny.

 

[308220]

Thanks for the input - I'm lucky enough not to have a financial constraint - simply a self-imposed limit of two precision long guns (multiple calibers in the DTA) to complement the other 25 firearms I own.

Believe it or not, my .308 shooting hot 178 loads recoils quite a bit more than a Tikka T3x CTR shooting hot 143s - both using the identical ASR brake and Omega Silencer. This is from personal experience and really what got me thinking about swapping out the .308.

Beyond that, it's sooooo nice to have a smaller number of calibers that you can use with multiple rifle platforms. The Desert Tech is a stellar performer at distance and as a compact precision/tactical rifle, but it's a bit heavy for convenient hunting use (enter the CTR in 6.5 creed with 20" barrel).

I'm about 99% positive that if I purchase the 6.5 creedmoor CTR and kept the 700 .308 I wouldn't end up touching the .308 for a looooong time.

That said, if I wanted to move more into competition is there a reason to keep the .308 anyway? I've heard that some matches require the use of the .308?

What kind of stock is currently on your 308? It must suck at soaking up recoil. My 308, braked, with a B&C M40 stock works great. Just a touch more recoil than my 243. That said, I shoot my 308 more than my 243. Love the gun. If youre going to be hitting the PRS scene, Id suggest ditching the 6.5 and picking up a 6mm of some kind. Better ballistics, and less recoil. Something all your girls can enjoy shooting too. But if youre set on the CM, no real reason to use the 308 in a PRS style shoot. Unless you competed in a 308 only shoot.

 

[SMTGWKD]

What kind of stock is currently on your 308? It must suck at soaking up recoil. My 308, braked, with a B&C M40 stock works great. Just a touch more recoil than my 243. That said, I shoot my 308 more than my 243. Love the gun. If youre going to be hitting the PRS scene, Id suggest ditching the 6.5 and picking up a 6mm of some kind. Better ballistics, and less recoil. Something all your girls can enjoy shooting too. But if youre set on the CM, no real reason to use the 308 in a PRS style shoot. Unless you competed in a 308 only shoot.

Thanks for this input - helps quite a lot. I think I'll shoot through the rest of my .308 components (only about 100 rounds more) and switch to the 6.5. My comment regarding recoil of the .308 is relative to the 6.5. I don't mind shooting it at all, but am surprised that the difference is as large as it is between a 20" .308 shooting 178s suppressed and a 20" 6.5 shooting 143s suppressed. Similar weight in both rifles.

 

[bschneiderheinze]

Buy a Tikka and get rid of the 700 you will be way happier. I was a die hard 700 fan and still own three two stock identical tacticals 308 and 223 and a custom 300wsm. After buying a CTR in 6.5 and sticking it in a MDT chassis I'm thinking about dumbing the 700's. the Tikka is unbelieveable and even way smoother than my custom 700 with PTG bolt.