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Not sure if this is correct forum or if it should be in Gunsmithing?


I want to build a 6mm-06. Due to cheap, new, take off barrels in 243 I was considering buying a 243 barrel and re-chambering to 6mm-06. Any issues with diameter of 243 shoulder not being cleaned up by 6mm-06 chamber reamer? Would I be better off with a new barrel than a take off? I'm mainly interested antelope, coyote (I already have a 270, thank you), and prairie deer. I plan on using 100 grain Nosler Partitions and 90 grain E-tip bullets. Not too interested in using this on Prairie dogs or the like. This barrel will be on a BDL.
Any considerations to be aware of?

Do you already have a long action in hand?

No issues I can think of.

A new barrel is always better than a double punched one IMO, but still should be fine if done correctly. My one 6-06 barrel started life as a 6mm Rem.

Barrel life is short, if that it matters. I knew that when I built mine. Still had lots of fun burning it out though.

Don't AI it as many do. It is overbore already.

It will shoot laser flat. I used mostly 85 gr Barnes and 87 Vmaxes tweaked to same POI. I could get nearly 3600 fps IIRC.

Due to brass, I chose it over a 240 Wby. You can use 240 Wby data for starter loads and proceed from there. Dies are expensive. I used Reddings and cannot remember price, but know they were pricey. I would seek used ones first. I used only 25-06 Winchester brass in mine. It had just slightly more case capacity than a 240 Wby. Like more than a grain, but <2, IIRC.

It is a very fun cartridge. And if a long action is what you already have, then go for it. Truthfully, if action length is of no concern, I would probably just build a 243 Ackley. But I have never been accused of letting common sense get in the way of scratching an itch.......

Yes, I have 700 short actions and 700 long actions but I prefer the long actions. The long actions allow setting bullets out for one thing and they are easier for a fat thumbed shooter to load the magazine in a fire fight with coyotes and the like.

I like the 6mm Remington more than the 243, but in a short action, not so much. I was planning on a long action and figured that why not the longer cartridge -- a 6mm-06... I've had 6mm's on different actions since dad re-barreled my 98 Mauser with a Sharon barrel (maybe 1958 or 59). Didn't care for it so much on some short actions such as the 600/660 and even short action 700's. I re-barreled a long action to a 6mm Rem once, but I didn't feel that was perfect either. Curious that Remington chose to use a long action on the 7x57 and 7.92x57, but not the 257 and the 6mm. Anyhow, I appreciate the feedback, thanks.

I'm putting a 358 barrel on a short action now. If I can't make it work, it will be re-chambered to a Whelen and put on a long action.

You may have to cut some shank off and chamber deeper. The 243 is wide enough at the shoulder that a plain 06 case might not clean it up keeping the standard threads set a 243 case next to an 06 case head down on the table. Measure the 06 body diameter at the same highth as the 243 shoulder and compare. I'm pretty sure an 06 ai would clean it out but I don't think a standard 06 will.

If going 6-06 start with a new tube because you'll want an 8 twist anyways. 105's at 3300 plus is where it's at.

Bb

Not sure if I understand this comment. OP clearly stated 90-100 grain bullets. And you certainly don't need a 1-8" to stabilize a 105 gr bullet in a 6-06. A Rem 700 takeoff barrel will work very well. Why will he "want a 1-8"?

For sure the 6mm-06 will not clean the 243 chamber. You will be left with a small step where the shoulder of the 243 was. Same story when trying to go from 308 to 30-06 or 7-08 to 280. As stated, AI should clean up the old chamber.

Dave at IT&D had me go 6-06 AI on a remington factory barrel to clean up a 243 chamber.

Anybody's interested I have a new unfired stainless remington Sporter contour .243 I just had pulled off an action.

Check the thread on E.R. Shaw under Hunting Rifles or just go to the website. They'll do an 8" 6/06. Prices are good, I think.

Would a 240 Gibbs reamer clean up your already chambered 6mms or 243? I do know I have chambered 2 short chambered barrels and both are very accurate. These are on Mauser 98 actions of course.
I could loan it out if you need it.The short chambered were both 243's.

Just a thought,
Ken

I've had some factory Rem 243's that didn't quite stabilize a 105 vld type. The extra speed of the 06 would help but I prefer an 8 to cover all bases. There's marginally stable and there's optimally stable. I know he stated lighter bullets but I'm a big fan of 105's with a high bc and try to steer people that way when I can. I see no downside to the 8 twist 6mms/243's. Mine shoot everything from 55g nbt's to 115s well but I love what a 105 Amax, scenar, vld hunting, or hornady Hpbt match can do.

He can punch a factory tube if he wants to go ai or buy a decent 8 twist stainless X caliber barrel for a little over $200 and stay non ai. That's what I'd do and the 8 twist will do it all until he tries a good 105 and mothballs his older bullets. A simple pass of a 25-06 case through a resizer and he's there doing 3300 plus with a .5+ bc bullet and plenty of mag box room with 5 rounds down and slick feeding. Just my opinion.

Bb

I agree 100% with Burleyboy on this one. Go an 8 twist and never look back. My 6-06 is built with a 26" lilja 1-8" twist and I shoot only 105gr Hunting Vlds in it.

"Marginally stable". Really?

I guess my point was that the OP clearly specified the bullets he wanted to use, and the barrel he wanted to use. Said combo would work great.

And if you must bring 105s into the mix, the Rem takeoff barrel in 6-06 will stabilize them also.

The "downside" is that he would have to pay more money for a custom to do what he can accomplish with a factory tube for less.

Now if he so stated he WANTED to buy a custom barrel, then I would not see a problem going 1-8", but it isn't going to do anything better for him shooting 90-100 grain bullets.....

You guys answered my question well. I was hoping to avoid going larger than a 6mm-06, an AI version probably would mean same cost on dies and 2% (+/-) more powder per shot. (overbore, for sure) How do the AI's feed in a standard 700 action? I've opened up rails on Mausers before, but their actions were soft in comparison to a 700's, I believe.

I'm not a 600 yard shooter, so the bullets I've mentioned are still my choices. (They would hold together on close range shot if opportunity occurred)

I like to save money if practical as it allows me to do more shooting, thus the 243 re-chambered barrel option sounded good to me. One problem may be that most 243's have 24" barrels max.

ER Shaw's barrels are pretty reasonable in price and I've had good luck with them except their early ones.

Not sure if IT&D has definitely shut up shop or not over the executive order BS, but if they haven't, I would recommend you give them a call. I have had a lot of work done by Dave there and he is top notch, fast, and CHEAP. The price to have him chamber and install a new Douglas barrel would probably not be much more than what some smiths would charge to rechamber and fit a take-off onto your action. Just something else to consider.

Agree on checking the used market for 6mm-06 dies. Have even seen them advertised here before very reasonably (so reasonable to be tempting for someone that doesn't even own a 6mm-06).

Found IT&D on WEB. Their prices look very good and no flies on Douglas barrels. Thanks
(I've re-barreled, re-chambered, rust blued etc. but I'm old, sold my lathe, eyes are deteriating which = pay someone else to do the precision work!!!) I get tired thinking about work anymore.

A 6-284 will clean up a 243 chamber and give you the same performance as a 6-06???? That is another way to go about doing what you intended to do with a factory rechamber.

6-284 dies would be as common as 6-06 from redding.

Whenever the subject of fat cases come up, I wonder, "How will that feed in an unaltered action?"

I don't even by green bananas anymore. They might ripen after I'm gone is my thinking.

E-mailed them, this was their reply..

obama by illegal order has made all gunsmithing against the law.

We cannot accept any work unless this is over turned in court

Sorry

Call your congressman and senator




Thanks Dave ITD