Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 6mm lust

I was late to the .243 party. I wanted one pretty badly (6mm Remington, really), but always ended up with something else for one reason or another. I finally picked up a nice older Sako about four years ago and killed a deer with it, but that went when I invited my sons over one day to pick something out from my small pile, along with my pre-64 .270. I quickly replaced it with a leftover Hawkeye All Weather that had a great trigger, but some issues with the floppy stock. I was going to do something about that, but then Whittakers came up with a run of fast-twist Number 1Vs at a killer price, so one of those was put on layaway and the Hawkeye sold at a bearable loss. I shot the No.1 last week and it looks like a winner, but it's pretty heavy for walking around, so I'm thinking of getting a lighter rifle for woods walking. I'm sitting on a pile of 6mm bullets picked up from SPS and on sale elsewhere, probably more than enough to toast the barrel of the No.1.

Along comes the 6mm Creedmoor, with its nice case design and standard fast-twist barrels, but almost no selection of rifles. It runs neck and neck with the .243 velocity-wise, but has the same advantages the 6.5 has over the .260. I suspect it might also have somewhat better barrel life than a .243, and am almost positive that it won't need trimming nearly as often. My dilemma is, should I pick up an American Predator 6mm CM (and suppress my gag impulse a bit), buy a nice light .243 like the close-out Marlins and not sweat the barrel twist since most good hunting bullets work well in a 1-10 or 1-9, or wait and hope for a more seemly CM to come to market? I don't really want to go through the painful and expensive build process.

Thoughts?

Just my $.02 but it sounds like you have a rifle to hunt with so this isn't any real emergency. From your post it sounds as if you have a hankering for a pretty nice rifle and a rar or something similar would be settling. I've done that in the past and never really kept any of those rifles as the thrill of something new wore off. I guess we all settle to an extent as demonstrated by the absence of any graded Fox or Parkers small bores in my safe but I think you will be happier waiting for what you really want.

What you need is the genuine article. A 6mm Remington.

Only hurry is the availability of the cheap Marlins, if that were the way I wanted to go. One of those could easily be fitted with a CM barrel by say, Shaw, and the original kept as a spare. You're right about settling, though. Was thinking the same thing myself.

If I were building, that would get strong consideration. The CM though, is a better choice for long, skinny bullets, the same as the parent case is in the 6.5 world, assuming the use of a short bolt action. Single shots can swallow whatever the throat allows.

I wouldn't buy the Predator,because you are really wanting a light weight rifle. I know it's a lot of money but I think you really want the Barrett Fieldcraft 243. Other than that I would buy a Tikka Superlight or a Kimber Montana.

I grabbed one of the 243 All Weather Rugers from CDNN or Galley of Guns awhile back. 9 Twist does well with most of the heavier bullets. Really sings with the hunting bullets like Partitions and Accubonds. I think they were clearing them out for 400 bucks. The 6mm CM would be my choice were I rebarreling it but I believe I'll shoot it as is for the moment.

The one I had was a winner, aside from the floppy stock, but it had to go to finance the very cool 1-7.7 twist Number 1. If it was still in the shop where I sold it, it would be on the list.

I bought one of the 243 Marlins a few years ago in a pawn shop for a friend as a first deer rifle. After working up a load for it, I decided the next one I found would be mine! They are just really great little rifles, especially for the price. That 243 shot fantastic with 95gr NBTs, and what else do you really need for a hunting rifle?

I've got a 22-250 and 7mm-08 in my safe, and the 243s on closeout are really tempting. You can't go wrong with one for the price.

The current Rifle magazine has an excellent article on 6.5 cartridges by one of my top writers, Dave Scovill. Pappy348, I would read it and buy the 6mm Rem you always wanted. I have a 1965ish 700 BDL in 6mm Rem that is a tack driver and such a joy to shoot. Life is simple without worrying about BC's and shots past 300 yards. Range and twirl a turret when necessary.

All this talk about the 6mm made me sit down and load 50 cases with my favorite deer poison, the 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip. I almost feel sorry for the crop damaging venison donors...

Assuming I can get them to shoot, I'm using E-Tips this year, if the No. 1 makes it into the rotation.

If they don't shoot, I've got Partitions, Accubonds, and some of those 95s you like too. Sumptin's gotta work.

At the price of the x7 from cdnn you cant go wrong. Buy it shoot it and if you decide it is not for you move it down the road. As for barrel life in a 243 I have been shooting the same 700 since 1964 and I did a round count, as best I could, and come up in the area of 4500-5000 and it still shoots very well.

I love the 6mm cartridges as well, my first centerfire rifle was an old Parker Hale that I bought at 18 years of age with my own money. Still love the .243 and have a few of them in the safe, but I've started to gravitate to the smaller 6mm cartridges. I've been shooting the 6X47 (6mm-222 Rem Mag) for almost 10 years now awesome performance out of a little case, only complaint is I'm limited on bullets by a slow twist. Pretty soon I should have a 6X45 once it gets back from the Ceracoate applicator, it has a 1:7 twist X-Caliber barrel on it and I picked up nearly 1000 Sierra PH 100 grain bullets for $40 awhile back that I'm going to try through this rifle also have 500 Speer 80 grain HC bullets if the Sierra's don't work.

The 6mm CM has my interest as well, but it's hard to beat a plain old .243 Win for general purpose deer, pronghorn, coyote, and occasional varmint rifle. The CM is a lot more specialized to long range shooting than the .243, though the old .243 is plenty capable of it in the right rifle. I don't know what the Marlin XS used for a twist rate, but the M700 and the Savage 10 both have a twist rate fast enough to stabilize the old 105 A-Max and BTHP from Hornady and you can send those a long ways. I was interested in the .243 Competition Match as well that Chad Dixon at Long Rifles Inc. is hot about, but since the 6mm CM is now commercial I'd probably just opt for it over the .243 CM.

Hmmm. If you're wanting to stay inexpensive, hard to beat the closeout Marlins. Could buy one of those in .243 and when the barrel is shot out, rebarrel in 6CM. To buy an inexpensive Marlin and immediately rebarrel doesn't sound efficient to me.

I like the sound of the 6CM, too, but I won't buy a rifle in that chambering because I already have a couple of .243s with a lot of life left in them. When accuracy detriorates, I'll have to decide what to do. If the culprit is throat erosion, could probably have a smith set the barrel back and rechamber it in 6CM (or .243 AI) for less than a new barrel. But I'm a long way from having to make that decision.

If I didn't already own the .243s, I'd be looking seriously at the 6CM.

All your options have merit but get what you really want. I have several 243s and won't change them but after years of wanting one I am finally doing a 6mmAI. Will it greatly out perform the others, probably not. But since each rifle has it's own dedicated ammo it will be easy to keep the 6AI separate. And I can play with the 115 grainers if I choose to.

For me a Browning low wall .243 fits the light weight niche and is a joy to carry. If buying new I would look long and hard at the Barret and forego the bargain rifles that may loose their appeal fairly quick. If miraculously I shot out the 243s all at once then the 6CM might get the nod.

Daughter confiscated my PF Win. Model 70 Featherweight in 6mm Rem. several years ago. So, I used that as an excuse to buy a No. 1B in 6mm Rem. It shot 105g Speer SP's into about 0.5" at 3145 fps avg. Luckily I have several hundred of those now discontinued little gems. No fleas on any of the 6mm's imo.

You could always have the 1-V deep fluted to cut weight...what's the barrel length? If 26 whack 4 inches.

Ditto on the Low Wall. My Hornet is probably my favorite rifle. A matching .243 would be sweet. I see them from time to time on GB, but not when I had the bucks, yet anyway. I did have the money when a NIB Traditional Hunter .44 appeared, and now it ain't NIB anymore!

I'd just as soon shorten my winky (well, almost).

Pappy I wouldn't fret pursuing a 6CM if you already had a 243 that shot well. That is assuming your 243 is able to stabilize the bullets that you intend to use while having a throat cut in such a way that you can reach the lands and still use your mag well. So if you're not diving into the 105 ++ high BC game then this isn't a factor what so ever.

R.H.Clark - came late to this party - The Predator is a pretty lightweight rifle. No, it won't float away on you but does compare favorably to my Marlin XS7C. The Ruger weighs 6.6# while the Marlin at 6.5#. Both w/o rings or scopes.
Both have 22 inch tubes w/ Ruger barrel being just slightly thicker in appearance. Marlin has a bit more heft around the mag area compared to the Ruger. Marlin easier to feed with its blind mag BUT the detachable Ruger magazine
easier to unload (6 of one, half dozen of the other). Neither one will tax your endurance carrying them if scoped reasonably. Homesteader

Not fretting, just ruminating. I've only just barely begun with the .243 I have. With a 1-7.7" twist, it'll handle most bullets, except maybe the 115 Bergers. There's a place very nearby with a 300 yard range. Gonna join and see what this puppy will do. It won't be shooting across a fjord, but it's farther than I've ever shot at game. Gotta passable starter load for chucks; next job is a deer load with one of several suitable bullets on my bench: 90 AB, 90 ETip, 103 ELD-X, 95 BT, 100 NP, 85 NP, 100 SPH. Already used the 100 NP and Sierra in other rifles, so the pointy ones are going to be my focus.

Did some checking on the bargain guns yesterday, and all of them have "issues" that would torment my inner Luddite, so they're off the table. Can't quite wrap my head around the disposable rifle concept just yet. Best to wait and ponder a bit, while playing with what I've got.

Pappy, if your near the Wheeling Cabelas, they have the Predator on sale this week. $399.99 for the bare rifle and $579.99 with a Vortex II 4x12. I'd opt the bare rifle. Considering one of the Creedmoor cartridges myself.

Guess I might should have read to the end before posting.

Here you go

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/681169689

90 grain accubond at 3530 fps with magpro

Pappy I was in this exact same boat. Wanting a fast twist 6mm Creed but not wanting another RAR that was a big compromise and that I knew I'd be wanting to offload for something better only too soon.

Instead I'm having something built. Nothing flash nor expensive, but tailored to purpose. Just a Howa 1500 action with a 1-7 twist magnum contour barrel. I'll get the throat cut shorter than SAAMI to ensure I never run out of OAL latitude.

Yes it will cost me more than the RAR-P but will be cheaper than selling the Ruger at a fat loss when I become disaffected with it.

Take the plunge Pappy!

Doesn't anyone have a photo of the 6mm Lust in a cartridge lineup?



Bruce

Here comes The Hurt Feelings Report,from The Paper Hat Brigade. You was warned welllllllllllllll in fhuqking advance.

Hint.

Laffin'!

1000 Words On 6mm Facts

Was/am in a hurry,so just threw a coupla things together,here minutes ago. Gotta go shoot some Windtitude,with a coupla parcels,in these magnificent conditions.(grin)

Left to right as indicated: 270/108ELD,6mm Grendel/108ELD,6BR(no-turn)/110 Sugar,6XC/108 ELD,6 Kreedmire/108/ELD,243Win SALAMI/105 Hornie BTHP,243Win Aye-Eye/105'Max,6mmRem SALAMI/105'Max,6mmRem Aye-Eye/105 Hornie HPBT,6-284LFB/105 Hornie HPBT,Six Twat-Six/105Hornie HPBT....all loaded to Smooch their platform(s),excepting the 6mmRem SALAMI and 6mm Rem Aye-Eye(2) different rifle obviously,if only because they are both Goat Fhuqks.

Hint.



Better gawk.



Mo' bettah' gawk,with the 105'Max,HPBT,108ELD,105RDF and 110Sugar running towards starboard.



Mag'titude...for the Pointy Headed Drooling Dumbfhuqks,who are gonna "try" to feign a fhuqking clue. Laffin'!



Pardon my being afforded the luxury,of not bein' forced to guess.

Just sayin'.

I hear James can have you a 6 Kreedmire spout or two,in but a coupla days and it's only a 5 minute process to headspace same.

Hint.



3050fps ala 108 ELD Smooch,with (5)rds in the belly,prolly do not suck,but this stuff is all "new" to me.(grin)



Pass the Alpha brass and nearly 6BR-esque consistency,over Retard twist Rates,Ping Pong balls and Headstamp Fascinations.

Re-hint.

You've been led to water.

Boxer,
I FREAKING HATE YOU..................
You make my more than adequate arsenal of 6mm's look like grade school.
Carryon

Out of the newer high BC bullets, any prove their merit on game? The 105 bthp has been excellent in terms of terminal performance, in flight characteristics and price.

Berger 105 hybrids work really good on all sorts of game, from coyotes to deer. Havent killed an elk with em yet but they would work good there too. Very accurate,and buck the wind really well.

Boxer, that's just sick ... in a very cool sort of way.

Well, my squirrel DNA has reared its head again. Just sent off a check for a CZ 6.5 Grendel. Light enough for a woods walker and interesting ballistics. At 30gr of powder per pop, barrel life shouldn't be an issue. If I don't like it, I can rebarrel to the 6mm version.

Pappy348: My local pawn/sport shop has a brand new Remington Model 7 stainless steel Rifle with synthetic stock in caliber 6m/m Remington!
I have actually laid awake nights thinking about this Rifle since it came in!
What a cool looking and probably VERY useful Rifle.
Anyway if you are at all interested in this Rifle I will give you the shops phone number = 406-683-9844 (Tuesday through Saturday 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM MST).
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Thanks, but as posted above, I've shot my wad, probably for the year. Santa would tell you I've been a very bad boy this year! Gotta settle down and take a breath.

Took my Number 1 to the range today for deer load try-outs. 103gr ELD-Xs over RL26 look good.

Thanks again for the tip, but you go ahead. A feller needs his sleep!