Gunsmithing Short Barrel Caliber Decision Help

[FZJ80]

I'm at the planning stage of putting together a new lighter weight build using a factory 700 action. I'm leaning to 6.5 Creedmoor or 308 as i'm geared up to reload either but looking for suggestions as it'll be a shorter length barrel. Short action, 308 bolt face, donor Rem 700 receiver and mag fed are the known starting factors, suggestions welcome and appreciated.
Thanks

 

[ptm121]

How long are we talking?

What ranges are you ahooting?

6.5 is going to beat .308 ballistically at any barrel length. Unless energy is a factor, go 6.5.

 

[FZJ80]

Thanks, range will realistically rarely if ever exceed 800yrds. That’s the farthest I have acccess to on a semi-regular basis.

 

[FZJ80]

I should have mentioned, barrel will be 18” or less

 

[XLR308]

The 308win is pretty efficient in barrels as short as 16" if you don't mind the muzzle blast and noise. Might want to be careful shooting prone in dead grass to without a suppresor

 

[Bradu]

How long are we talking?

What ranges are you ahooting?

6.5 is going to beat .308 ballistically at any barrel length. Unless energy is a factor, go 6.5.

If you look at ballistic calculators, the 6.5 has more energy after 3-400 yards if I remember correctly.

I have a 17" 260 and a 16.5" 308. I like running the lighter bullets with a faster powder. I like the 155 scenar in the 308 and a 123 in the 260. I need to work on my 260 load to lower the sd's

 

[SLG]

I'm about to do the same type of thing. Most of my guns are short 308's, and I think its time to get a short 6.5 Creedmoor. Under 18", maybe as low as 16", but not sure. It will be shot mostly suppressed, so handiness is an issue. I have a 23" 6.5 and a 20" 6.5, and I do love my 16 and 17" 308's, so a 16" 6.5 should be pretty sweet.

 

[FZJ80]

Appreciate the feedback. This one will pretty much always be surpressed and likely a CF barrel just because. I have a 16" 308 PWS that likes 150 grain Hornady FMJs loaded hot and another 18" 308 that loves 168gr Bergers. I've had great luck w/ the 130gr hybrids so I'm tending to think 6.5 instead of another 308, and 17" seems like it'd be about perfect. Just throwing it out there to see if there might be something else worth considering.

 

[FZJ80]

I'm about to do the same type of thing. Most of my guns are short 308's, and I think its time to get a short 6.5 Creedmoor. Under 18", maybe as low as 16", but not sure. It will be shot mostly suppressed, so handiness is an issue. I have a 23" 6.5 and a 20" 6.5, and I do love my 16 and 17" 308's, so a 16" 6.5 should be pretty sweet.

We are thinking literally the exact same thing

 

[FZJ80]

When my short 308 is shot out I think I am going to 7mm-08.

Thats what I'm talking about, that could be interesting

 

[SLG]

Did a lot of shooting today with my 16" 308 Fix and my 18" 308 GAP. Probably a meaningless difference, but I'm leaning towards 18" for the 6.5. Only because I couldn't really tell a difference in handiness between the two, and 18" is likely closer to better for the 6.5.

 

[Bully]

16-18" 6BR. Since you're obviously not looking for a barrel to use all the available pressure, maybe something with a bunch less recoil in a small case will do you right.
Sounds like a cool project. Good luck with it.