Thread: Which 6.5

When I was looking to buy my first centrefire, and knowing nothing about hunting, I figured it was best to use the “Wisdom of Crowds” to decide what I should purchase. To this end I spent months reading and collating opinions from the literature of the day (including the magazines) on which calibres were considered suitable for taking medium sized deer. Averaged or independent of case size, specific bullet weights, and other variables, the data - condensed down to bore size alone - came out as follows:

.223 - 30% viewed this diameter as suitable, 70% not,
.243 - 70% as suitable,
25cal - 90% suitable,
6.5mm and larger - close enough to a 100% approval rating, and in the case of 6.5mm nearly always accompanied by references to moose!

This is not a personal view I’m presenting here, only a summary of opinion from the time - late 1980s. I have a feeling advances in bullet construction may have shifted current figures around somewhat from the above. Also the approval rating for the 22 cal may have dropped lower as we are now some decades further removed from the heyday of the .222.

Thinking it was also sensible as a novice to minimise recoil I picked what I thought was a sweet spot and went with a .257. Over the years I have come to understand the limitations which led to 10% disapproval. Today I would pick a 6.5x47 or Swede.