Take A Look At The New .277 SIG Fury | Is it better than 6.5 Creedmoor or 7mm-08 Rem
Earlier this year, SIG Sauer released their 2020 catalog with lots of new products to get excited about, but one thing that jumped out was the introduction of a new cartridge – 277 SIG Fury. Developed by SIG Sauer the new round is the result of their work on the US Army’s 6.8mm Next Generation Squad Weapons (NGSW) program.
Consideration for the contract required the development of a cartridge with a 6.8 mm-diameter bullet, and enthusiasts will soon have the opportunity to sample the performance in the new .277 Fury loads. The .277 Fury uses a revolutionary hybrid case with a primer-holding metal base and a locking washer sandwiched between it and the brass case that holds powder.
SIG Sauer’s 2020 catalog proclaims it’s, “The biggest innovation in ammunition technology in more than 50 years. The SIG Fury hybrid case technology defies all ballistic theory by producing more energy on target in a smaller, lighter package.
Two loads will initially be available. Elite Match Grade features a 137-grain match bullet with a proprietary powder mix. The Elite Hunter Tipped loads wear a 140-grain Sierra Tipped GameKing . According to their catalog (see below), drop at 1,000 yards is 6 to 9 feet less than that experienced with 6.5 Creedmoor cartridges.
Test barrels were 16- and 24-inches in the comparison, with 140-grain (.277 Fury) and 143-grain (6.5 Creedmoor) bullets.
The .277 Fury loads deliver somewhere between 20 to 25 percent more energy on target. The difference is most significant within 600 yards, according to the chart published in its catalog.
Using the same loads and barrel lengths, the gap does narrow with distance, but even at 1,000 yards the new cartridge from SIG Sauer appears to be the winner. Unfortunately, The Cross rifle — which is a crossover between tactical and hunting — is currently the only rifle available for the .277 SIG Fury ammo. It is the only rifle that can shoot it, and SIG developed the rifle from the ground up for this cartridge. So for hunters, the decision currently is whether to go after the 7mm-08 Remington or 6.5 Creedmoor.
The 6.5 Creedmoor VS 7mm-08 Remington
Around the globe, 6.5 Creedmoor is widely recognized as one the most potent cartridges for deer hunting in the modern era. With its ability to deliver a powerful punch,
the Hornady round could take down the average whitetail with relative ease. However, many people still stick with 7mm-08 Remington while hunting for deer as it offers a superb balance between propellant charge, bullet choice and precision.
There are a lot of factors that you need to bring into consideration if you want to hunt deer so it’s quite hard to decide on one single round for all those factors combined. Hence, it is totally your choice at the end to compare the factors given below and see which deem more important to you.
About The 7mm-08 Remington
Around 1958, a certain 7mm/308 Winchester wildcat round was developed and as the name suggests, people made it simply by necking down a standard .308 Winchester to hold a .284 bullet (7mm).
It would spend the next 20 years in the wildcat category until Remington adopted the round, releasing it to the public under the name: The 7mm-08 Remington.
Introduced in the 80s, sitting between both the .243 and .308. While the latter two are excellent, the 7mm-08's popularity has begun growing, making it the better-known cartridge today. The reason why the 7mm-08 is a popular cartridge is that of its performance when hunting deer - it simply performs well. This cartridge is made of quality construction and when shot, has minimal meat damage. It would kill deer efficiently with excellent penetration. But most importantly, it kills in one shot and cleanly.
Another excellent benefit of this cartridge is its lack of recoil. When using 140-grain bullets in the 7mm-08, you won't feel much of the recoil and smooth operation when shooting. While it's a bit on the heavier side, you'll be surprised that this large cartridge doesn't have much recoil and still stay comfortable when you shoot.
But when using lighter grain bullets, it may not perform as accurately as expected. 140-grain bullets (and above) are more compatible with the cartridge. All in all, it offers the gilt-edged accuracy without the muzzle blast and recoil.
Optimal Accuracy
Despite the fact that there are various issues that influence the precision on the field, the Remington cartridge generally gives a good account of itself. In the hand of trained hunters, 7mm-08 Remington should be able to nail preys times and again using factory loads. The average round with a 140-grain bullet could deliver a muzzle velocity of 2,800 fps and an energy of 2,400 ft.-lbs. As shooting distances in deer hunting rarely exceed 400 yards (usually stay around 150 yards), the Remington cartridge is more than enough for the task at hand.
Pros/Cons
Although it hits hard, the Remington cartridge is rather pleasant to shoot thanks to the reasonable recoil after every shot. In case you don’t want to end up with a sore shoulder after hunting, it’s strongly recommended that you select 7mm-08 Remington. Additionally, the availability of the round is superb regardless of where you are so you could secure ammunition at most gun stores with relative ease. As some of the world niftiest compact rifles are chambered in 7mm-08 Remington, the round fares well against dense vegetation. On the downside, 7mm-08 Remington only comes in a limited number of configurations which is why you don’t see as many choices as other rounds. Nonetheless, the straightforward nature of the Remington cartridge could get the job done no matter what if you know how to put it good use.
About The 6.5 Creedmoor
Introduced to the market by Hornady in 2007, 6.5 Creedmoor is a development of .30 Thompson Center which was also based on .308 Winchester. At first, Hornady attempted to produce a round that possesses the length of .308 Winchester while boasting the strength of .30-06 Springfield.
The result was .30 Thompson Center, it indeed achieved the goal of the project but consumer acceptance was low which put the round on the sidelines. Fortunately, Hornady recycled the design, necked down the round and then, 6.5 Creedmoor come into existence. The difference between this and the Remington is that it has less body taper and a smaller size, with it being shorter and having a 30-degree shoulder.
While the Remington has more powder capacity, the Creedmoor has better maximum-average pressure. Also, it's built better for the long-range shooter. Offering the similar velocities but the Creedmoor fits in short-action rifles or AR-10-sized magazine, making it more compatible with whatever weapon you're using.
This little cartridge has an excellent muzzle velocity at a smaller size, comparing it with the .260 Remington (and using the same weight bullet of 140-grain).
Another benefit of the Creedmoor is that it's budget-priced but with better accuracy than what you would expect. It's exceptional when working long ranges of up to 1,400 yards, which is why I would recommend it most for long-range shooters, whether they're far from their targets or up on a tree stand.
Optimal Accuracy
Due to the excellent rifling twist of 1:8, 6.5 Creedmoor often generate good results even if you pair it with heavy bullets. However, most hunters prefer to use commercial ammunition with lightweight bullets as they tend to focus on versatility and flexibility. Normally, the Creedmoor cartridge with a 140-grain bullet achieves a muzzle velocity of 2,700+ fps and it remains in the supersonic range out to roughly 1,150 yards. In most of the case, such a performance is sufficient for you to take out deer in usual shooting distances.
Pros/Cons
Capable of hitting most game at extended distances, 6.5 Creedmoor performs extremely well if you need to take long-range shots. Skilled hunters could take down deer up to 2,000 using the Hornady cartridge, but of course, opportunities for such shots seldom come by in typical settings.
In any case, the bullet of 6.5 Creedmoor successfully resists effects of gravity, wind and other factors in its path which result into a flat trajectory. Although the length of the 6.5 Creedmoor case is comparable to .308 Winchester, it could accommodate much longer bullet without much difficulty.
Regarding drawbacks, 6.5 Creedmoor excels at putting the average deer to sleep but if it comes to elk, moose and so on, it might seem lackluster. While a well-aimed shot should be enough to lay low every game, consider using another round if you intend to go after big animals. 6.5 Creedmoor should be able to take care of other outdoor games south of deer though.
The Encore Pro Hunter rifle, with the addition of the 6.5 Creedmoor Barrel, offers new opportunities for Encore Pro fans and collectors, making it the top choice of hunting enthusiasts everywhere.
One of the highest quality gun barrels on the market today, the Thompson Center Pro Hunter is one of the best-made rifles in America.
Final Thoughts...
While we wait for more information on availability and testing for SIG's new SIG Fury, the debate will continue on which is best. Truth is, if you want a heavier load to bridge the gap to your rifle when shooting deer, then the 7mm-08 Remington is a good choice.
For those who want to shoot accurately and have less recoil from a long-distance, the 6.5mm Creedmoor is something to consider. Weigh the factors in how you hunt, from the distance to comfort, and you'll know which cartridge to invest in..