Caliber comparison
6.5 Creedmoor vs .308 Win.
6.5 Creedmoor or .308 Win.? In short: According to the C.I.P., the .308 Win. has the longer case (51.18 mm vs 48.77 mm). The C.I.P. allows the higher maximum pressure for the 6.5 Creedmoor (4,350 bar vs 4,150 bar). Muzzle energy of the factory loads in the catalog, as stated by the manufacturers: 6.5 Creedmoor 2,768–3,380 J; .308 Win. 572–4,080 J. Bullet weights: 6.5 Creedmoor 90–156 gr; .308 Win. 108–220 gr. In the gun catalog: 6.5 Creedmoor 33 models; .308 Win. 87 models. Standards retrieved on ; catalog date at the bottom of the page.
Specifications side by side
| Spec | 6.5 Creedmoor | .308 Win. |
|---|---|---|
| Ignition | Centerfire | Centerfire |
| Nominal size | 6.5 mm | 7.62 mm |
| C.I.P. designation | 6,5 Creedmoor | 308 Win. |
| Maximum pressure Pmax (C.I.P.) | 4,350 bar | 4,150 bar |
| Maximum case length (C.I.P., L3) | 48.77 mm | 51.18 mm |
| Maximum overall length (C.I.P., L6) | 71.76 mm | 71.12 mm |
| Bullet diameter (C.I.P., G1) | 6.72 mm | 7.85 mm |
| Maximum average pressure, MAP (SAAMI, transducer) | 62,000 psi | 62,000 psi |
| Factory loads in the catalog (manufacturers) | 90 (15) | 197 (16) |
| Bullet weight (manufacturer data) | 90–156 gr (5.83–10.1 g) | 108–220 gr (7–14.3 g) |
| Muzzle velocity V0 (manufacturer data) | 745–1,006 m/s | 305–991 m/s |
| Muzzle energy E0 (manufacturer data) | 2,768–3,380 J | 572–4,080 J |
| of which lead-free | 15 | 26 |
| Models in the gun catalog | 33 | 87 |
| Shooting disciplines in Germany (by name / by caliber range) | 6 / 153 | 25 / 157 |
The C.I.P. and SAAMI each measure chamber pressure by their own method, so their figures are shown side by side and not converted from one to the other.
Factory loads: range of manufacturer figures in the catalog
Only current products are counted. Bullet weight, velocity and energy appear only where the manufacturer states them; they apply to the manufacturer’s test barrel.
6.5 Creedmoor
- Bullet weight, lower end of range: 90 gr (5.83 g) (source: nosler.com)
- Bullet weight, upper end of range: 156 gr (10.1 g) (source: sellier-bellot.cz)
- Muzzle energy, lower end of range: 2,768 J (source: lapua.com)
- Muzzle energy, upper end of range: 3,380 J (source: hornady.com)
.308 Win.
- Bullet weight, lower end of range: 108 gr (7 g) (source: geco-ammunition.com)
- Bullet weight, upper end of range: 220 gr (14.3 g) (source: prvipartizan.com)
- Muzzle energy, lower end of range: 572 J (source: federalpremium.com)
- Muzzle energy, upper end of range: 4,080 J (source: hornady.com)
Guns in the catalog
The catalog lists these models in both chamberings:
- Accuracy International AXSR
- Ata Arms Turqua
- Ata Arms Turqua XT
- CZ 600
- Haenel Jaeger NXT
- Mauser 25
- Remington 783
- Ruger No.1
- Sabatti SSP
- Sabatti Storm
- Sako 90
- Sako S20
and 18 more
Shooting disciplines in Germany
Approved rulebooks of German shooting associations: 6.5 Creedmoor 6 by name, 153 by caliber range; .308 Win. 25 by name, 157 by caliber range. In 155 disciplines, both cartridges are allowed.
A discipline for your gun type in an approved set of sport regulations does not yet mean you have a recognized need. An association your club belongs to must certify, under its sport regulations, that the gun is approved for a discipline and required for it; on top of that come twelve months of sport shooting in a club, the shooting activity record, acquisition spacing, the quota and the minimum age. The association certifies, the authority decides. The wording of the regulations governs.
What this comparison does not say
This comparison puts specifications side by side. Which cartridge may be fired in a particular gun is determined solely by the caliber marking on the barrel or by the gun manufacturer.
How a cartridge performs on target depends on bullet, load, barrel length and distance. This page does not rate which cartridge is “better”.
Sources and date
- C.I.P. data sheet 6,5 Creedmoor, dated 04/21/2020
- ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 — Centerfire Rifle Ammunition (Z299.4-2025), 6.5 Creedmoor: Velocity & Pressure Data, p. 11 (PDF p. 24)
- C.I.P. data sheet 308 Win., dated 09/23/2008
- ANSI/SAAMI Z299.4 — Centerfire Rifle Ammunition (Z299.4-2025), 308 Winchester: Velocity & Pressure Data, p. 24 (PDF p. 37)
- Manufacturer data in the Waffenschrank ammunition catalog: federalpremium.com, geco-ammunition.com, hornady.com, lapua.com, nosler.com, prvipartizan.com, sellier-bellot.cz
Standards retrieved on . Our own presentation of individual figures, not an official reproduction; the original document prevails. Waffenschrank is not affiliated with the C.I.P. or SAAMI.
Specifications come from the source cited alongside them; counts are based on our catalog as of the date stated. Not legal advice: what follows from these figures in a given country is decided by that country’s law. Waffenschrank is not affiliated with the manufacturers named.
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