6.5 Creedmoor vs .308: Savage 12FV Rifles Accuracy Compared; Hornady ELD-X Bullets & Starline Brass

This is a direct comparison of the accuracy of two rifles that are of the exact same model but are chambered in two different calibers. Both of which Savage 12FV rifles, but one of the rifles is chambered in .308 Winchester and the other is chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor. I used all the same equipment to test both rifles. The .308 Winchester rifle has had two batches of load development done on it and it hasn’t produced consistent groups under an inch just quite yet, but the 6.5 Creedmoor rifle has averaged out well under an inch. Actually, closer to ¾ inch 5 shot groups on average with many approaching half-inch 5 shot groups. So, needless to say, out of the box these two rifles don’t shoot the same (including the human error from yours truly). Trying to produce an identical test is difficult considering the two rifles are chambered in different cartridges, but we made an attempt to be as consistent with every step of this process to make the test as identical as we could to give them each a fair chance. Each rifle was taken apart, thoroughly cleaned, torqued to the same specs, topped with an EGW 20 MOA scope base with an SWFA 30mm 10X fixed scope in SWFA 30mm rings, a Caldwell XLA pivot bipod, and shot 5-shot groups at 100 yards, prone using a bipod and a rear sandbag, using similar components for our loads (brass, bullets, primers, etc.). The 6.5 Creedmoor shot so well out of the box compared to the .308 Winchester that we didn’t continue doing load development on that rifle (doesn’t help that we can’t get our hands on H4350 powder at the moment). However, the .308 didn’t shoot quite as well as we had hoped right out of the gate, so we decided to give the gun another run for the money using a different bullet and the groups improved slightly, but we are looking to produce 5 shot groups under an inch and we have yet to see that. Ultimately, I think the .308 still has plenty of potential to shoot well, but the 6.5 Creedmoor liked the first load we fed it much more so than the .308 so we just left it alone for the time being. It will get a lot more range time and probably more load development done on it for the sake of curiosity, but for now we can see that the 6.5 Creedmoor will probably be much easier to load for. Both of these rifles are going to be dropped into our MDT-LSS XL chassis and thoroughly tested for accuracy in conjunction with that stock/chassis configuration using that chassis, the MDT vertical grip (adjustable back/forth), AR15 buffer tube adapter, and the Magpul PRS stock on the rear. The 12 round AICS magazines are a nice touch as well (btw they will hold 13 rounds 😉). If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please feel free to drop a comment below as I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching! The links below are affiliate links. If you click on the links below and make a purchase within 24 hours of clicking on the link, I will receive a small commission on any purchase you make and it doesn't cost you any extra. Thank you! https://amzn.to/357RZPS - Amazon Link   / risen-citizen-103751357836696   - Risen Citizen Facebook Page https://risencitizen.com/ - Risen Citizen Website https://linktr.ee/risencitizen