Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Should I Stay With A 6mm Rem. On A Re-barrel?

I recently inherited my dad’s 6mm Rem. Model 700 ADL of 1980 vintage.The rifle was severely neglected during my dad’s last years and the barrel looks like the lunar landscape. Surprisingly the rifle is quite accurate as is but I never have any idea when the accuracy will depart, especially with 90 grain bullets on up. Sometimes it will “shoot” 25 rounds and sometimes as little as 6-9 rounds.
I have now ordered a 6mm/243 Hart replacement barrel with a 1-8” twist for heavier bullets but as everyone knows, the 6mm Rem. came in a short action and really needs a mid-length action even with 75 grain bullets in my opion.

I will be using it as my primary coyote rifle but will use for deer also, should The occasion arise. I will mostly use 75 grain Hornady VMax for the ‘yotes and could probably get by with 90 Nosler BT or 95 grain Accubond bullets for deer without invading the powder room too much in the case.

So, would I be wise to stay with the 6mm Rem. or go with a 6mm Creedmore or even a 243 Winchester? A 243 would probably be a good choice too in the short Remington action/magazine.
If I stay with a 6mm Remmy for sentimental reasons I could probably get by with 100 grain Partitions bullets on the top end. But, if I stay with the 6mm R., should I go with the 6mm Improved for reduced case stretching?
Any experienced input will be greatly appreciated.

Do you reload? If so, then go to the AI version. I'm not long on experience but do have a Rem. 40X in 6 mm Rem. Previously it had a .243 barrel. There is definitely more stretching in the 6mm. I just punch paper with this one so am not familiar about its capabilities with heavier bullets. Mine has a 10 twist and it for sure doesn't accept heavier bullets for readily obtainable accuracy loads.

Jim

I would not do anything with it. It was dad's gun.

I would do a ultra bore coat treatment to help it not foul and stay accurate longer first.

I agree. Use the bbl for another custom project, like a 6CM.

I have a mid '60s 700 BDL in 6mm Rem. The barrel looks like crap (bore scope) but the rifle will shoot an inch (5 shots) easily. Wood stock is bedded. I use the 95 gr BT and the 80 gr TTSX with IMR 4350.

How much are you planning on shooting it? Sounds like you just hunt with it. Leave it be and enjoy the rifle and the memory of your dad.

OntarioJim,
Yes, I reload.

I have a Rem 700 in 6 mm Rem, and I'm perfectly happy with it. I personally use an 85 gn bullet for everything from bunnies to fallow deer, and (probably as a result) I've never had any issues fitting the loaded rounds into the action, though I haven't had any issues with conventional bullets of 100 gn either

I'd be disinclined to chamber for a round of a different case size/shape like .243, because I don't think you gain anything worth having and may need to do some tweaking to make it feed reliably.

Yeah, I wouldn't change it either.

If the accuracy does fall off, there are several easy things to do. Could list a few if you want, but would keep such an heirloon gun original as long as possible.

Especially if it shoots fine yet.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it!

MD,
Yes,
By all means, I would like to hear what you might suggest besides the Bore Coat.

Vapo,
Thanks for the reply and I hear what you are saying, but if it won’t hold a predictable accuracy, then I consider it broken.........
I will try MD’s suggestions when he sends them but as is, the rifle is just a safe queen and an ugly one at that with the pressed checkering and glossy clear coat finish of the era.

Ugly is in the eye of the beholder of course and in that era that’s what we had so we didn’t “know” much better - I don’t know about your dad but when I got my 1973 Remington ADL in .270 I couldn’t have been happier - sure it’s “ugly” now but then it was the nicest thing I ever saw. To me guns like thIs are more about memories than what is vogue today......so if it were me I’d make it “predictable” and keep the memories of dad and HIS rifle and build something else I thought wasn’t ugly and was predictable. Of course that’s just my opinion and you can certainly do what you like.

PennDog

Another thing to try is fire-lapping. This is particularly effective on an eroded throat, and I have "restored" a few barrels by firing a few lapping bullets. They don't always shoot as well as when newer, but generally improve.

Take a look at www.davidtubb.com and his FinalFinish lapping kit--along with www.neconos.com, which sells a kit to make your own fire-lapping bullets.

I would follow MDs advice. I built a 6AI on a short action with the thought I was going to open the magazine to 3". I already have the magazine and bottom metal, but my gunsmith throated the barrel with no free bore and a short lead. Bullets from 80 to 105 work fine as is. With a 1-8" twist the 115s may not but I haven't tried them yet.

A good cleaning, fire lapping and then maybe Dyna Teck Bore coat if your getting fouling can sometime completely turn around a barrel that looked like it should be replaced. A cleaner burning powder with de-coppering agents could help extend the accuracy potential. There is always the possibility that there is something else causing the flyers like the scope or bedding this should be checked too.

This. ^^^

Suit yourself. It's not a logical question with a clear answer.

My own preference is for the 6mm over the .243. When she was alive my wife and I had otherwise identical rifles - stock cut to fit excepted - she in 6mm leaning toward dual use on larger animals and I in .243 leaning toward varmints and pest with other rifles for larger game.

I found the conventional wisdom that the .243 shows less consistent and expected internal ballistics to be correct in my rifle. At the time I was measuring case head expansion with a cute little jig to tenths. I found occasional flyers associated with a tad more case head expansion and limited myself to the middle range of book loads.

The Platonic ideal for the 6mm may be a longer action than for the .243 - IIRC one of the things that SAKO offers for the price is a line with 5 assorted action lengths - but in practice however short of the Platonic Ideal the 6mm may fall the 6mm still performs better in my experience. Then too after she died I restocked the 6mm to fit me and sent the .243 down the road.

I'd say rebarrel it if that means you will take it out bush and use it. I reckon your dad would rather you use it with a new barrel than leave it as a safe queen up the back of the safe. It will still be 'dad's' gun with the new barrel.

Think of it like getting dad's car and putting new tyres on it.

Yes, my dad was not really sentimental with material things at all. Oh he kept a few mementos from my my grandpa like a 300 Savage (Model 99) but he didn’t keep the rifles up in good condition ether. I was the one who restored the Savage to original condition as close as I could.
Anyway, if the role was reversed, I am sure dad would have rather had a rifle that shot reliably, so that brings me back to the original question, what would be the best chambering for a “short action” Remington 700 ADL in 6mm/243?

6mm rem or for heavier bullets, 6.5 Creedmoor, 7mm-08, .308 The 130 gr TTSX in the .308 is a killer.