new deer rifle

Been using the same Remington .270 for 30+ years. love it but l have been thinking about a new deer rifle. looking at either 6.5 creedmore or .308 in either a savage or a ruger American. I know lots of people that use the 308 but does anyone on here use the 6.5 creedmore. how do they like it?

Are you keeping the .270 and just wanting to switch it up with a new caliber? I don't know much about the 6.5 but they seem to be catching on with folks. Which model Savage are you looking at?

yes I am keeping the .270. the savage I think its maybe a 10T. kinda tactical looking

I bought the ss savage in 6.5 so far great. Honestly do not think either is a bad choice.

Is it the Trohpy Hunter XP? Reason I ask is you can get one in either caliber and comes with a decent Nikon for under $550.

The 6.5 Creedmoor is a great cartridge and the popularity is growing like wildfire. I can't say anything negative about it.

I think the 308 Win is almost perfect for deer hunting around the southeast though. I put together a new Remington 700 in 308 a few months ago and its shooting ragged hole groups with factory loads. Can't beat that for less than $600 in the whole package.

I know this goes against the current grain.....but for hunting purposes......I think the tried and true .270 is the better of the two.

Wider selection of hunting cartridges available and will deliver the goods at normal hunting distances.

The Creedmoors may be great at punching paper at super long distances, but I'll keep my trusted .270 Win for deer hunting.

Sad I didn't see this when it was posted.

I have a ruger precision rifle in 6.5. Its a great round. I enjoy the light recoil, and excellent ballistics. The RPR isn't a good gun to take on a hunt though, long and heavy.

Before last deer season, I bought a Ruger American predator in 308. I can not say enough great things about that rifle. I paid $400 out the door at the gun show in Savannah, and it performs extremely well for a $400 rifle. With a few small and free changes to the trigger, its set exactly how I like my hunting rifle triggers, and with Fusion 165gr ammo it will put three holes touching at 100yds. I put a Nikon prostaff 3-9x50 in warne rings on it, and set it up to be a hunting workhorse. Its great. Even though they offer the 6.5 in the american predator, I went with the 308 because of ammo availablilty. I've learned with shooting my RPR that it can sometimes be difficult to find ammo for it. The BP in savannah rarely has the Hornady ELD ammo I shoot in the 6.5, however any mom and pop sporting goods store in BFE America will have 308 on the shelf... meaning I can salvage my hunt if I forget the ammo or something happens and I need to buy some. If I was hunting past 500yds, the 6.5 would be a better choice IMO. But for the type of hunting I do(300yds or less), the 308 just plain works.

The modifications to the trigger are simple. You pull the action from the stock, which is how you access the trigger adjustment screw. Pull the screw, take out the stock trigger spring and replace it with one from a ballpoint pen. I used one of the thicker softer springs(happened to have a pen at the house with that type of spring) and it fit perfect. Reinstalled the adjustment screw and set to my liking.

My buddy also has the 308 predator. On his trigger we polished up where it connects to the sear, and did the pen spring mod. The trigger was so light we couldn't take up the blade safety without it dropping the sear(less than 1lb), so we went back to the stock spring and he set it how he wanted it.

A .270 launches 130gr bullets at 3200. Neither the .308 or the 6.5 creed will do that. A tried and true deer rifle for sure
Maybe a new .270???
That being said the .308 sure is versatile and when loaded down with H4895 is also a great light recoiling deer getter suitable for anyone from kids to old guys who don't care for as much recoil anymore.

I went from a Rem 270 to a 308. I like my 270 better

i went with the .308 simply because there are SOO many bullet options if you reload, because of the popularit of the 300mag and 30-06 bullet styles and weights are almos limitless... the 6.5 is a great caliper just not as versatile

It's hard to beat a .308 for all around versatility and availability of all types of ammo. My deer rifle is a Ruger American .308 with a Redfield scope and a Claw sling. It's super light for all day woods carry for an old fahrt like me with minute of deer accuracy using cheap WalMart Winchester 150 grain ammo.

I bet it is still a tack driver with 168 grain BTHP match ammo but I haven't tried that. (it is my meat rifle)

-Swamperdog

I am a huge .308 fan; the Creedmore is just too limited in bullet weight options. 6.5 Creedmore is made for long range target shooting and adapted for hunting.
Either is fine on deer but the .308 was born to be a medium game hunting round.

I have a 7400, Abolt, vanguard, Ruger American predator in .308 and a 6.5creedmoor in xbolt western hunter.

Ask yourself what type of woods you'll be hunting. .308 is a hammer accurate easy to get ammo for.

My creedmoor shoots, bullets in that rifle fly. If it's open hardwoods with some fields that provide distance I'd go creedmoor.

If it's thicker nasty no shots past 100yds the .308.

My farthest kill with a .308 is 250yds
My closest Is 6yds.

But the creedmoor I stretched it to 450yds far as Ive shot it this will be season one with it. Most likely only rifle I hunt this fall. It's extremely versatile in my opinion no matter the area it's a tack driver that can reach way out into distance and doesn't kick like a .308.

bighonkinjeep said:

A .270 launches 130gr bullets at 3200. Neither the .308 or the 6.5 creed will do that. A tried and true deer rifle for sure
Maybe a new .270???
That being said the .308 sure is versatile and when loaded down with H4895 is also a great light recoiling deer getter suitable for anyone from kids to old guys who don't care for as much recoil anymore.

Click to expand...

What load are you shooting that gets 3200 with a 130? That sounds like an extremely hot load to me and I don't see how that is feasible without getting pressure signs. Most factory loads are rated around 3060 and the ones I've chronographed were way less than that.

270 is a tried and true cartridge which I have killed deer with. Personally think .308 is better. SA, larger range of bullet weights, inherently accurate etc.

20" barrel with a durable 125 gr bullet 3050 fps with a larger hole is a cakewalk in 308. Taken many deer with that round. 165 gr or higher also available too.

Go for something different get either one you will like it. It is all about what you use and have had good luck with. I have shot many different calibers and had great luck. Some of the ones people love I wouldn't have them just because I have had bad luck with them or the bad reputation they have. I have had great luck and still do with 7 mag,270 short mag,3006 and going with the 6.5 Creedmore this year. If I ever buy another gun and probably will it will be 308.

furtaker said:

What load are you shooting that gets 3200 with a 130? That sounds like an extremely hot load to me and I don't see how that is feasible without getting pressure signs. Most factory loads are rated around 3060 and the ones I've chronographed were way less than that.

Click to expand...

I'd like to know as well.


All the calibers mentioned are great chioces for deer hunting. 308, 270, 30-06.... they all kill thousands of deer every year. Just comes down to preference. I'd rather carry a 6.5creed in the woods honestly, but should I go on a hunt somewhere and leave my ammo, I may not be able to find some and save my hunt. So, with that thinking I went with a 308. I know it will do what I need it to, just like a 6.5, 270, 7mm-08 ect would. I was smacking a 5in plate at 600yds with the 6.5 RPR the first time I ever shot it over 300yds. Went from 300, to 400 to 600. Dialed it in, and its a shooter. Probably more the rifle than the specific caliber though, but the 6.5 is a very "accurate" cartridge.

Before I bought this american predator, I hunted with my AR15. Its hard to believe the amount of people who gave me lip about it being "to small" and not enough to kill deer, yet plenty of deer fell to it, and not a single one got up after that neck shot, I never lost a deer with it either.

B-dog, don't get caught up on cartridge selection. They will all do the job if you do yours. With the 6.5, my only complaint is that it sometimes can be hard to find ammo on the shelf. Of the two rifles you mentioned though, I'd go with the American. I'm partial to the predator, and either 6.5 or 308 would be a good choice.

While I've been guilty of running the gamut of magnums, ultra magnums and such.......this upcoming deer season will see me using a pair of .270's.....and a couple new rifles in revolutionary new calibers that I'm not certain will be adequate for deer......






.45/70 & .30'06




"New" in the sense that until this year I've never owned a gun in either caliber. I'm really looking forward to getting some good hunting with some more tried & true calibers that I'm certain will tote the mail for me.

I have run 130gr TSX close to 3200 without pressure signs with H100V powder...It can be done successfully I think.

It is hard to beat the sectional density and BC of a 6.5 bullet no matter what it comes out of.