Hi guys, new to precision and distance shooting and am also an avid hunter.  I am looking to get a new bolt action rifle that I can use for deer and elk hunting along with some precision shooting with.  My first delima is 6.5 Creedmore vs .308 Winchester.  I want it to be able to bring down a bull elk at 300 yds and am worried a 6.5 might not be enough for that.  I know the 6.5 stomps the .308 at 600+ yds on paper/steel, but I am not sure how much of that kind of shooting I will be doing, whereas I know I will be mule deer/whitetail deer and elk hunting every year in NM.

Now, as for rifle, I think I have narrowed it down to these three (in order of cheapest to most expensive):

Savage Model 10 FPS-SR (knowing I will need to do a stock upgrade)
Bergara B14 HMR
Tikka T3X CTR

I don't want to buy a cheap rifle in the Savage and regret it, but the money I save on the Savage (w/ stock upg) vs the other two will buy me the scope mount and a portion of the scope.

So two things I am looking for some feedback on:  6.5 vs 308 and Savage vs Bergara vs Tikka.

Any help is greatly appreciated.  And I am looking forward to

The Tikka does not leave the factory unless it shoots under an inch.  Tikka rifles tend to shoot very well the tactical version is a 20 inch barrel and I do like a 20 in barrel. Having said that I only have one 20 in barrel rifle and its a Remmington tactical .223 but I do have a Tikka 300 WSM that will stomp anything in the woods. Tikka is available in Stainless where the Savage is not.  The Savage police series rifles are superb shooters I have had 3 of them in different configurations and the one I have now came desert camo with treaded barrel and detachable magazine using AI pattern mags.  Here in likes the rub -  how important is it to have multiple magazines and in what capacity.  The Savage guns tend to run AI pattern mags which are 5 or 10 round and spendy but they can be found plus mag pull now makes some AI pattern mags.  The Tikka mags are proprietary buy them from Tikka if you can find them yep thats a pain even my 3 round Tikka mags are in the $75 range.   Savage did make some rifles with different stocks including McMillan.  I only have one stock that I really hate and its a terribly expensive Accuracy International 2.0 folding stock for 300 WM.  The Mc Millan stocks feel awesome wish I had one they take time to get usually.  I know nothing about the Bergara and to me it falls into the why bother category. If I wanted a custom rifle I would have GA Precision build one.  Sako makes Tikka and every Tikka I have been around shoots very well.  My Savage 10FP in .308 will run right along with anything else its more accurate than I expected it to be. Whats the answer - Buy Both.   Well start with one - either one will be money well spent.  As for optics.  Take a real strong look at SWFA's house brand Super Sniper the 3-9x42 would be a good choice

Bergaras have an MOA guarantee as well. You can’t go wrong with either. I prefer the stock of the HMR over the CTR.

I'd go Tikka, I like their smooth action. Savage is also good, but always felt cheaper. Haven't heard of the other one before. 

I have a Bergara HMR in 6.5C, a close friend of mine has a Tikka T3x CTR in 6.5C.  We got our rifles within a week of each other.  I'm really happy with the rifle I have, and my friend is really happy with his.  We have shot them both out to 1,000 yards and they both did very well.  The stock on the Bergara is definitely better than the Tikka, but the Tikka action might be a little bit smoother.  

In the end I think both would serve you well.  Probably the best thing to do would to be handle all three rifles in the store and see which feels best to you.

For elk I'd go on up to the 7mm or .300 mag and as light as possible for you to shoot accurate. Then I'd look at a good mid weight rifle for the 6.5 Creedmoor. I'd look at the Tikka and keep her thin and light weight. Then that way when you get proficient at 1000 yards you can take the other rifle and turn it into a 1600+ yard rifle.