List suitable 6.5 CM powders and then list suitable .308 Win powders.
Done.
Gtscotty, your posts remind me of the phrase "in theory there's no difference between theory and practice, but in practice there is". I said list SUITABLE 6.5 Creedmoor powders, not list every powder in a reloading manual capable of sending a piece of lead downrange. There are few ideal 6.5 Creedmoor powders ... just ask Hornady about that.
Uh oh, the goal post moved! Hornady listed many of those powders in their manual as suitable powders for the 6.5 CM, that's what you originally demanded. Do you think you know better than Hornady what powders will work well with different bullet weights in the cartridge they designed, or do you think they just put a bunch of un-suitable powders in their manual for kicks? The fact remains inescapable though, there are many, many powders that the folks who would know, say work well in the 6.5 CM, including all of the ever-popular 4350 iterations. This issue is a non-issue.
Do you really want to burn up a 6.5 CM barrel with a load that shoots 3/4 moa or worse?
No, Which of the above powders have you found that would not deliver sub 3/4" groups with appropriate bullets in your Creedmoor? Are you sure that powder won't work in any other rifle as well?
I think some of your confusion could be cleared up by rereading the OP, here is a pertinent excerpt:
I'm thinking about buying and/or building a rifle specifically for shooting at longer ranges. Mainly for fun, shooting at paper or steel targets, not for hunting. I have shot in one "precision rifle" match and enjoyed it, I could picture myself doing it again, and so whatever I buy should probably be suitable for that kind of shooting.
I know that the term "long range" can mean different things to different people. The longest range at the gun club I usually shoot at is 550 yards, so 95% of the time that is furthest I'd be shooting. I'd like to have a setup capable of shooting much farther though (1,000 yards? Maybe even 1,200 yards?), just in case I get a chance to shoot at those distances.
So while you keep bringing up how the .308 is a great all around round, and a great hunting round, that is, in fact, not what the OP asked for. The OP specifically asked for suggestions for long range PRS style shooting, most often to 550 yds, but also capable out to 1,200 yds. From a standpoint of not being emotionally tied to .308, it's pretty obvious to me that a 6mm or 6.5mm of some kind would have served his desires better than a .308. Could the .308 be stretched to that task? Sure, but from a dispassionate perspective, why start off on a .308 when the various 6mm's, and 6.5mm's are better suited to the particular task he asked about? It's not like match .308 is cheaper to load than 6.5 CM, or many of the other 6mm - 6.5mm options.
As to the recoil issue, as Lama Bob said earlier, 6.5CM has substantially less recoil in the same weight rifle than a .308 with long range loads. Even if you don't feel the difference, I do, and from an objective viewpoint, it definitely exists.
The few PRS type matches that I've shot did require you to carry all of your gear with you. Also, it's important to note that PRS style matches often have pressing time requirements, hence the tendency of shooters to clip bags and other small time saving bits to their rifles. I don't know what to tell you about the large blocks of foam on peoples arms... if it really bothers you you probably shouldn't strap any blocks to your own arms.
I've signed up for the PRS Sniper's Hide Cup in June.
That should be a blast, I assume you are going to use your .308 so you can show up all those clueless 6mm and 6.5mm shooters right?
I invite any of you to come over to my place and hit steel gongs at 400, 700, 1050 and 1,300 yards with your 6.5 Creedmoors.
Sounds fun, maybe next time I'm up there for work, what's your address?
We get the "I'm thinking of getting into long range shooting" questions all the time, but so few actually do.
Regardless, I would say its a better forum policy to answer peoples actual questions than to take off on a tangent addressing the questions you think they should have asked.
