Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats 22BR or 6BR?

OK, I find myself with a spare M700 short action (standard bolt face, so no 223 projects on this one), and a spare Leupold 24X BR scope, along with both 22BR and 6BR reamers. No barrel yet, so that needs decided before I buy a tube.

I "need" another rifle about like I need another hole in my head, but.....

I had a 22BR built years ago, and sold it before I got much chance to find out what it would do. Lost interest in building "specialized" stuff (starting streamlining, and cutting inventory to the basics). But.... I've been sitting on the action for a while now, as well as the reamers, and, I have been unsuccessful in selling a bunch of 77 gr .224" bullets, so got to thinking, "Well, why not build something to shoot them out of?". Then I remembered the 6BR reamer sitting there, so thought "Hmmmm, wonder which one would be better?".

The plan would be mid to longish range groundhogs, and some 600 yard paper for fun.

Given the above, which one would you build, and why?

Thanks!

6 Dasher.......it's what all the cool kids run......

Yeah, but the uncool kids (me ), have the 22 BR or 6 BR reamers....

Besides, I'd like to have little to minimal case forming issues. A simple neck up or down, no fireforming, easy to find dies, etc.

Well, if you're taking the easy route, 6BR all the way.....


Dasher still wins.......join the cool gang.......

Wyatt's makes a mag box for feeding the BR rounds. I say you build a quick twist 6 BR and let us know how the mag box works out!

I have no experience with the 22br but I really enjoy both of my 6br's. I'm thinking you would have to work hard to get a rifle built on that case to not shoot well.

I have both, although they are both slow twist tubes and completly different platforms. The 6 BR is on a sporter and the 22 BR is a 9 LB varminter, both are single shots.

I really don't think you would go wrong with either choice. The 6 BR seems to me to be easier to get to shoot and a bit less trouble with brass.

The 6 might be a little better at range with the high BC bullets we have available now but there are certainly some high BC .224 bullets.

I own a couple 6BRs, and my friend shoots a couple 6BRs and a new 22BR. Unless you already have one, I'd roll a 6BR. I think they are less finicky, and about the easiest route to an accurate rifle that one can go.

If you already have a 6br built, then maybe a 22br is a good option.

I just built a 22BR for sagerats and rockchucks, IMO you cant go wrong with one. I have enough 6mm cals that the 22BR was easy for me to decide.



Group Picture

ColdBore: I have a pair of Remington factory 40XB-BR Rifles in caliber 22 Remington Bench Rest - one has a Leupold 24 power target scope on it by coincidence.
I use my 22 BR's for Colony Varmint Hunting out to around 550 yards.
And they do wonderfully at that task.
Superb cartridge for this useage in my experience.
Both of these Rifles are capable of splendid accuracy.
I had a bench rest Riflesmith build me a custom Rifle in 6mm Remington Bench Rest on a Remington XP-100 single shot action about 18 years ago.
This Rifle and the 6mm BR cartridge are also used for longish range Colony Varminting.
I had to go with the custom built Rifle in 6mm BR because back then getting a Remington 40XB-BR in 6mm BR was just impossible - as they were so popular and in such demand.
I would be VERY hard pressed to try to decide between the two cartridges for my uses - for YOUR desribed uses maybe the 6mm Remington Benchrest would be a tad better?
A few years ago I had to make a decision regarding "custom built" Rifles - and that decision was whether or not to continue having custom Rifles built for myself every year or two?
My decision, sadly, was to forego the then/now onerous costs of custom Riflesmithing and custom barrels!
Sad in a way but I find I have/get plenty of satisfaction from buying factory accuracy intended Rifles and "used" custom Rifles rather than having them custom built anymore.
Sadly just one or two outlets for 22 BR's and 6mm BR's anymore, that I know of anyway, those are Cooper and the Remington Custom Shop, again "bring money".
Your having the 700 action on hand will be a help in keeping costs down for your project though.
I am not sure if you can get your 700 action to be a reliable "repeater", if that is a desire for you, in either the 22 BR or the 6mm BR?
Mine are all single shots to begin with.
I wish you the best of luck in your "BR" project and I wish I could be more definitive in my recommendation as to which of these two cartridges would be better for you and your needs.
I do know this, both cartridges are capable of excellent accuracy and both are easy on brass and, apparently on barrels.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Pretty hard to fault the accuracy of the 6BR!

Last October I watched as a 16 year old girl used a straight 6mm BR with 105g Bergers, knock over 25 targets out of a possible 40 at 850 to 1000 yards.At Ridgeway.
Conditions were crap.
Very impressive.

dave

Thanks to all!

Looks to be pretty heavily in favor of the 6 BR.

Had a bunch of heavy 22 cal bullets to burn up, and a couple 6mm Remingtons already in the safe (then again, there's a 22-250 in there too, not all that far off from a 22 BR), but what the heck... looks like I'll probably go the 6 BR route on this one.

As for a few comments above.... even though the action is a typical M700 "repeater", I can't remember the last time I was charged by a ferocious groundhog, and tend to stick Score-High single shot followers in the rifles that I use in the 'hog fields, so feeding isn't important, but good catch on somebody's part for thinking of it!

As to weight, it will be a heavy barrel rig (prone/bipod/grounded rucksack type affair).

And those that think of me as a McMillan basher may get to laugh, as I'll most likely order up some flame or swirl pattern for this one.

It depend's on what your wants and needs really are, the 6BR is a legit 1000yard gun. My favorite combo is with a 1-8" twist and Berger 95grVLD's.

The 22BR is also a great round, not as capable as the 6BR at 1000yds but is awesome at 600yds with the 75grV-Max or 80gr Berger with a 1-8" barrel.

An option that is cheap and very fun is to take a used 6PPC barrel that is no longer useable in benchrest, they are mostly 1-13.5" or 1-14" twist barrel's and re-chamber them to 6BR. they will shoot many thousand 70gr Blitzkings or BT's for next to nothing to see if you like the 6BR (you will).

Hmmmm..... I've got a big pile of 70 gr Ballistic Tips and MatchKings (a few thousand or so). They kill 'hogs very nicely.

BTW, just met a farmer today that gave me permission to shoot his fields, 500-600 yard shooting. Said he'll be making his next cut in a few weeks.