I've been looking for a new gun for my son and was really looking into the 7mm08. I have settled on the savage lightweight hunter but noticed it also came in 6.5 creedmoor. I figured the 6.5 would have a little less recoil but always read the 6.5's really needed longer barrels to shine where the 7mm was very efficient in even shorter barrels. the gun will never be used to hunt anything bigger than whitetails