Posted: 11/24/2025 6:47:44 AM EDT
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I've kind of landed on one of these two to give as a gift to a fledgling hunter? I doubt anything else will be hunted with the rifle and so I'm looking for something that comfortable to shoot and handle. Which would you choose? btw, I hunt with a 30-06 since I already own it but probably would have made a different choice years ago when I bought it. |
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Originally Posted By ALASKANFIRE: Can I ask why you narrowed it to those two? It’s a fairly big gap. I wouldn’t burden the recipient with either of those cartridges. Not knowing anything else about your decision, 308 or even 6.5CM would be a far better choice than either. This coming from a guy who used to love the 270. |
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Depends on your specific terrain and the skill of the shooter. I've used both. Every deer I shot with a 6.5G SST round left little to no blood. If your shooter is new and not completely sure about shot placement, this could be a problem. A .270 is a traditional hunting cartridge, something that your hunter can grow into and keep for a long time. It would be suitable for any range or game around. |
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Originally Posted By fortydelta: Depends on your specific terrain and the skill of the shooter. I've used both. Every deer I shot with a 6.5G SST round left little to no blood. If your shooter is new and not completely sure about shot placement, this could be a problem. A .270 is a traditional hunting cartridge, something that your hunter can grow into and keep for a long time. It would be suitable for any range or game around. I shot one yesterday and it must have hit the other shoulder and there was no exit. No blood trail whatsoever. Luckily he didn't run too far and was able to find him. Other times I've done a high shoulder shot with the grendel and they've dropped right there. I would personally go with the .270. |
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I doubt the deer will know the difference and I doubt you will either. It really comes down to cost/availability and if you can find a decent gun for the caliber. Myself, I'd spend more effort finding quality glass. Personally, I don't take shots over 200 yds and the .270 has been working for me since I started hunting with it at age 16. It's really overkill for whitetail but I use it for other things. |
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If you want to carry an AR15 then grendel packs a lot of punch in the AR platform or if you want a smaller bolt action (270 is a long action). People commenting about blood trails probably need to look at the ammo that they used and pick a different bullet design. If you want easy to find ammunition then 270. |
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To me, it’s not a cartridge question as much as a platform question. I assume you’re thinking bolt action if you go with .270. If you go with 6.5 Gr, are you going bolt or AR? Which action/platform will be new hunter be more familiar & comfortable with? I started hunting with .22 LR in the 50’s. Got my first centerfire in the 60’s, a milsurp 8mm ‘98 Mauser, which I converted to a nice custom .25-06 in ‘72 for coyotes and OK whitetail. When I started hunting mulies in western states, I switched to a .280 Rem, close to the .270, b/c I liked the 7mm bullet options for reloading. I still like my .280 for long range hunting, but I love my two 6.5 Gr AR’s too. If your new hunter is small, young, etc, maybe the .243 is a good first choice, as others have mentioned. Lots of deer killed with a .243. Low recoil, but shot placement is critical. |
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I’ve killed stuff with both. Both are excellent deer killing rounds. 6.5G is a shorter round, not a long-action like .270, but also shoots a smaller bullet (though it’s fully capable). The .270 has more recoil. It comes down to personal preference. Use either with confidence. If it’s a younger hunter, recoil and length of pull (if they have short arms) are the biggest factors. In this case, an AR platform with an adjustable stock can be extremely handy. Being able to hold the rifle comfortably and get a good sight picture is critical. |
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Thanks all. I have a 6.5G pistol for myself to use during 'alternative' season. That is why I was thinking maybe going in that direction for this gift. My nephew is 25 and 6'2" so LOP isn't an issue. For this gift, I was thinking of a bolt [not AR] rifle. I let him shoot my 30-06 this summer and he didn't like the kick. We almost never go out past 200 yrds. in Mo deer hunting. With the replies and all, I'm leaning toward 270 but maybe should consider 308? Any recommendations as to what rifle manufacturer I should buy? My 30-06 is a Ruger American but I'm open to anything. And yes, I know the optic is at least or more important. I usually match the cost of the glass to the cost of the rifle itself. So: 270 v 308 and which mfg? |
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Originally Posted By Deuskid: Thanks all. I have a 6.5G pistol for myself to use during 'alternative' season. That is why I was thinking maybe going in that direction for this gift. My nephew is 25 and 6'2" so LOP isn't an issue. For this gift, I was thinking of a bolt [not AR] rifle. I let him shoot my 30-06 this summer and he didn't like the kick. We almost never go out past 200 yrds. in Mo deer hunting. With the replies and all, I'm leaning toward 270 but maybe should consider 308? Any recommendations as to what rifle manufacturer I should buy? My 30-06 is a Ruger American but I'm open to anything. And yes, I know the optic is at least or more important. I usually match the cost of the glass to the cost of the rifle itself. So: 270 v 308 and which mfg? As to which brand rifle, guess that depends on your budget and if the guy is gonna actually be into hunting or not. A 6'2" 25 year old male complaining about the recoil of a .30-06 doesn't inspire confidence IMO. If he is that worried about recoil, get him a Savage Axis in .308/ He can have a lighter cartridge in a quality yet inexpensive rifle. |
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| I would go 270, 308 or even 6.5 Creedmoor considering you're gifting it to a nephew. Ammo availability will be a lot easier for those calibers than the Grendel. |
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| If you like Ruger they seem like a solid option. For a 200 yard deer gun pretty much anything will work. 243/308/6.5 Creedmoor are the popular ones. If he's recoil sensitive a 243 or 6.5 Creedmoor. I don't know how much walking/hiking your hunting involves but you could do a heavier gun like the Predator if we're talking Ruger which will also drop the recoil a bit and double as a target/varmint gun. Just depends on what want. |
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.270 vs .308? In your context, there’s not really any difference in performance. I’d say .308 because it’s short action, and there are a ton of different projectile options. If I was buying a new hunter a rifle, I’d go with 6.5CM, but you do you. There’s certainly nothing wrong with any of those cartridges. Manufacturer? If it’s within your price range, Tikka is very hard to beat. Howa is excellent Ruger American… it’s a fine budget choice, but mine (.243, initially purchased for my younger son to hunt with) had accuracy issues until I put a stiffer stock on it. The factory stock and magazines are awful, honestly. Note: I killed a doe with that .243 last weekend. |
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I use a 6.5 Gredel for my AR based hunting rifle. It’s great on hogs and deer, but I wondered how it might be on Auodad. Ordered a Savage Axis II .308 from PSA last night for $249.99 after a $75 rebate. Figured that it would do the job on an Auodad. |
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Originally Posted By migradog: I use a 6.5 Gredel for my AR based hunting rifle. It’s great on hogs and deer, but I wondered how it might be on Auodad. Ordered a Savage Axis II .308 from PSA last night for $249.99 after a $75 rebate. Figured that it would do the job on an Auodad. Aoudad don’t die any harder than whitetails. 6.5G is plenty of gun for them, unless you’re trying to shoot them at very long distance (in my experience, they’re no harder to sneak up on than a whitetail, except that they tend to like rougher country). |
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Originally Posted By XxSLASHERxX: Don't underestimate the 6.5 Grendel at distance. It has a great track record and has even killed Elk. My favorite caliber in an AR15 platform. Didn’t Mark LaRue shoot an elk with his Grendel at 400 yards? I seem to remember something like that once upon a time… |
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Originally Posted By IndyGrendel63: Didn’t Mark LaRue shoot an elk with his Grendel at 400 yards? I seem to remember something like that once upon a time… Originally Posted By IndyGrendel63: Originally Posted By XxSLASHERxX: Don't underestimate the 6.5 Grendel at distance. It has a great track record and has even killed Elk. My favorite caliber in an AR15 platform. Didn’t Mark LaRue shoot an elk with his Grendel at 400 yards? I seem to remember something like that once upon a time… Yes he did as a matter of fact. |
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I can't see any compelling reason to start with a long action bolt gun for deer. So, between .270 and 6.5 Grendel, I'd go Grendel, particularly for someone who is recoil shy. It's what I hunt with. It's a very easy round to shoot accurately. That said, if I were buying a first bolt gun for deer hunting today, I would buy a 6.5 Creedmoor. Unless we're talking game much bigger than whitetail, there isn't any advantage to the old long action cartridges, including ammo availability, but there are plenty of downsides. Similarly, there isn't a good reason to pick .308 over 6.5 CM today for a first bolt action deer rifle. Times really have changed. I say that as someone who owns a .308, but not a 6.5 CM. Also, get a threaded barrel. Kids today have some weird thing about wanting to be able to hear when they get old. |
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Originally Posted By XxSLASHERxX: Yes he did as a matter of fact. Originally Posted By XxSLASHERxX: Originally Posted By IndyGrendel63: Originally Posted By XxSLASHERxX: Don't underestimate the 6.5 Grendel at distance. It has a great track record and has even killed Elk. My favorite caliber in an AR15 platform. Didn’t Mark LaRue shoot an elk with his Grendel at 400 yards? I seem to remember something like that once upon a time… Yes he did as a matter of fact. 9.1 MOA adjustment, based on my rifle (reportedly close to Mark’s) and hunting load. |
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While I love my 12.5" 6.5 Grendel AR for hunting suppressed, going bolt action I'd go 6 ARC in either a Ruger American Ranch or Howa barreled action from Brownells and throw it in a Stocky's"second" Or, if legal where you hunt, 22 ARC and fling 88's and kill shit with minimal recoil. |
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Originally Posted By PortaJohnPicasso: While I love my 12.5" 6.5 Grendel AR for hunting suppressed, going bolt action I'd go 6 ARC in either a Ruger American Ranch or Howa barreled action from Brownells and throw it in a Stocky's"second" Or, if legal where you hunt, 22 ARC and fling 88's and kill shit with minimal recoil. I don't see the Ruger in those chamberings. Ammo availability in stores will be an issue with both of those cartridges when it's readily available on shelves for 6.5 G and CM, particularly CM. Grendel recoil is already minimal. To really cut to the chase, for a first bolt action medium to largish, non-dangerous game rifle, 6.5 CM is the obvious answer today. Even more so when the shooter is recoil shy. Anything else is just taking on downsides for no upsides. That doesn't mean other cartridges are bad, but if you're starting out fresh for a bolt action deer rifle, Creedmoor is the way to go. |
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Originally Posted By GlockPride: 6.5G shines in this role, very efficient bullet. If your shots are less than 250-300 yards then .243Win is also a low recoiling, effective round that can be found most anywhere also. Came to suggest the .243 especially if the shooter is small or recoil shy. Also a Short action round & extremely common so ammo is everywhere. Bigger_Hammer 
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Originally Posted By cttb: I don't see the Ruger in those chamberings. Ammo availability in stores will be an issue with both of those cartridges when it's readily available on shelves for 6.5 G and CM, particularly CM. Grendel recoil is already minimal. To really cut to the chase, for a first bolt action medium to largish, non-dangerous game rifle, 6.5 CM is the obvious answer today. Even more so when the shooter is recoil shy. Anything else is just taking on downsides for no upsides. That doesn't mean other cartridges are bad, but if you're starting out fresh for a bolt action deer rifle, Creedmoor is the way to go. Originally Posted By cttb: Originally Posted By PortaJohnPicasso: While I love my 12.5" 6.5 Grendel AR for hunting suppressed, going bolt action I'd go 6 ARC in either a Ruger American Ranch or Howa barreled action from Brownells and throw it in a Stocky's"second" Or, if legal where you hunt, 22 ARC and fling 88's and kill shit with minimal recoil. I don't see the Ruger in those chamberings. Ammo availability in stores will be an issue with both of those cartridges when it's readily available on shelves for 6.5 G and CM, particularly CM. Grendel recoil is already minimal. To really cut to the chase, for a first bolt action medium to largish, non-dangerous game rifle, 6.5 CM is the obvious answer today. Even more so when the shooter is recoil shy. Anything else is just taking on downsides for no upsides. That doesn't mean other cartridges are bad, but if you're starting out fresh for a bolt action deer rifle, Creedmoor is the way to go. Here you go https://ruger.com/products/americanRifleRanchGenII/models.html. Ammo for the ARC rounds is readily available online. Hornady went all in so I think they are pretty safe for the immediate future. |
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Originally Posted By eracer: I think the 7mm-08 is a highly underappreciated whitetail cartridge that's quite capable of taking other game animals. Originally Posted By eracer: Originally Posted By bdicki: Maybe 7mm08 vs 308 I think the 7mm-08 is a highly underappreciated whitetail cartridge that's quite capable of taking other game animals. I don’t know about “taking” anything, but 7mm-08 is a fine round for killing stuff. |
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Originally Posted By TxRabbitBane: Aoudad don’t die any harder than whitetails. 6.5G is plenty of gun for them, unless you’re trying to shoot them at very long distance (in my experience, they’re no harder to sneak up on than a whitetail, except that they tend to like rougher country). Originally Posted By TxRabbitBane: Originally Posted By migradog: I use a 6.5 Gredel for my AR based hunting rifle. It’s great on hogs and deer, but I wondered how it might be on Auodad. Ordered a Savage Axis II .308 from PSA last night for $249.99 after a $75 rebate. Figured that it would do the job on an Auodad. Aoudad don’t die any harder than whitetails. 6.5G is plenty of gun for them, unless you’re trying to shoot them at very long distance (in my experience, they’re no harder to sneak up on than a whitetail, except that they tend to like rougher country). Thank you for the info. I’ll use my 6.5 Grendel then. |
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For an adult, I'd agree with those saying 6.5 Cr, in something like a threaded 16inch bolt action rifle. Where I'd consider 6.5 Grendel is if an AR15 style rifle is desired, since it is a significantly smaller and lighter rifle than a large action Creedmoor. That is where Grendel shines since has similar ballistics to a .308 at distance, but in a smaller form factor. That said, a bolt action Grendel will have less recoil than a Creedmoor, which may be desired for a young shooter, and it will get the job done. |
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Originally Posted By migradog: Thank you for the info. I’ll use my 6.5 Grendel then. Originally Posted By migradog: Originally Posted By TxRabbitBane: Originally Posted By migradog: I use a 6.5 Gredel for my AR based hunting rifle. It’s great on hogs and deer, but I wondered how it might be on Auodad. Ordered a Savage Axis II .308 from PSA last night for $249.99 after a $75 rebate. Figured that it would do the job on an Auodad. Aoudad don’t die any harder than whitetails. 6.5G is plenty of gun for them, unless you’re trying to shoot them at very long distance (in my experience, they’re no harder to sneak up on than a whitetail, except that they tend to like rougher country). Thank you for the info. I’ll use my 6.5 Grendel then. Have fun. Knock a good one down and post some pics. |
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Forty delta hit the mail on the head. It all depends on your terrain. In parts of MO the Grendel will be perfect. Where we hunt near Marshall we have several places we can shoot over 500 yards (we don’t) and between the 3 of us it is 2-264 WM’s and a 6.5x55 for me since 2020 although next year, it might be my 358 Shooting Times Alaskan because I can. Lol Without knowing mor I would say 270 and 130 Ballistic tips or Hornaday SST’s. That will drop any MO deer and if a longer shot presents itself he has the reach. It will also provide more versatility if he decides he wants to hunt other things. As far as brand? Tikka, Bergara, Sako are all top notch and I have never seen a Savage yet that isn’t a shooter. My 270 is a Sauer 200. Crazy accurate with factory ammo. |
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Originally Posted By Hasher1: Forty delta hit the mail on the head. It all depends on your terrain. In parts of MO the Grendel will be perfect. Where we hunt near Marshall we have several places we can shoot over 500 yards (we don’t) and between the 3 of us it is 2-264 WM’s and a 6.5x55 for me since 2020 although next year, it might be my 358 Shooting Times Alaskan because I can. Lol Without knowing mor I would say 270 and 130 Ballistic tips or Hornaday SST’s. That will drop any MO deer and if a longer shot presents itself he has the reach. It will also provide more versatility if he decides he wants to hunt other things. As far as brand? Tikka, Bergara, Sako are all top notch and I have never seen a Savage yet that isn’t a shooter. My 270 is a Sauer 200. Crazy accurate with factory ammo. At 500 yards, Hornady's 130 grain SST carries 1,250 foot pounds of energy in the .270 American Whitetail loading at 2,081 fps. 6.5 CM with the 129 grain SST at 500 is 1,050 ft lbs and 1,933 fps. The Creedmoor will still get it done, but that .270 loading is a screamer (3,050 at the muzzle). Drop the CM to 120 grains, and the energy goes up to 1,101 ft lbs and speed to 2,033 fps. I'd still argue the .270's extra juice isn't worth the recoil and long action squeeze, at least for deer anyway. .270 is a fine round, regardless. |
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Originally Posted By Nobody69s: I can attest to the little to no blood with the grendel. I shot one yesterday and it must have hit the other shoulder and there was no exit. No blood trail whatsoever. Luckily he didn't run too far and was able to find him. Other times I've done a high shoulder shot with the grendel and they've dropped right there. I would personally go with the .270. Funny enough, my experience has been the opposite. The first deer I ever shot with one got hit in the armpit, albeit a little low. That deer was hosing blood, with a big gush coming every heartbeat. It looked like those advertisements Rage broadheads used to make showing a real hose of blood. My other kills weren’t like that, but they dropped sufficient blood anyway. |
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I love .270, but the easy button these days is 6.5 Creedmoor. A Tikka T3x Lite in 6.5CM would be my pick, but if that is a little too much for the budget, a Ruger American gen 2 is a safe bet. Shoot 143gr ELD-X, add some solid glass and you're good for deer further than a newbie should be shooting. Something like a Leupold VX-3 in 4.5-14 would be a good scope/budget area to complete a lightweight hunting rifle. |
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I see a lot of posts about what either cartridge is capable of at 4-500 yards. Let’s ask ourselves, should a new shooter be taking these shots? Either cartridge will be great at the distances a newbie hunter should be shooting at and honestly you would be doing them a huge favor if you could set them up so shots were under 200 ish. |
