6mm 06 barrel twist?

[toddconley]

I am in the middle of ordering parts for my next build. Gotta get my fix! I am on the fence about caliber like almost all the discusions here. I will shoot whitetails and coyotes and ground hogs. As far as I can see them. Realisticly anything over 500-600 i would probably set up on them with one of my heavy guns. So I think I will build a fast twist 6mm-06. I already have a slow twisted one in a light weight rifle. I am still on the fence between a 6mm 06 and a 280 ai. But leaning to the 6mm. Anyway what kind of velocity can I expect to get with 107 smks or 115 vlds from a fast twist 606? Is there a chance bullets could come apart in 7 twist at these speeds? Can I reliably kill white tails with this rig at longer ranges 500-600yds or should I stick to the 280 AI idea?
Thanks,
T

 

[buffalorancher]

Todd,
The 107 SMK is not a very good deer bullet. I have killed WT as far as just over 1K with my 6x284 and a lucky shot was the reason I got the animal. Out to about 400 yds or so it's worked fine and may be OK a little further. I've got a thread on here now about the 115 gr. DTAC but I don't expect it to be a better deer bullet just better BC for "other" things. I am having a big 30 cal built now for deer. My last try might be some heavy Wildcat bullets as I have some 115 and 110 I think. For deer really out there I wouldn't use a hot 6 mm but to 500 yds they work OK.
Lance

 

[James Jones]

Well since you have a 6mm-06 already why get another ? I'd get a 6.5-06 the 140gr A-max will cleanly take deer well past 600yds and the 95gr V-max will make one hell of a mess out of a chuck at that range!

the 1-7 twist to shoot the 115 class bullets will be pretty hard on the lighter jacketed bullets like the Bergers and A-max especialy if you use a 3 groove type barrel.

The 280 Ai is a fantastic round if your going for deer and say Elk but I think its a bit of an over kill with recoil for chucks and yotes.

My vote goes to the 6.5-06 and likely the Ackley version to get that last little bit of speed and extended case life

 

[toddconley]

I wonder what kind of velocity I could expect from that 6.5-06AI? With say the 123 classs of bullets. That would make for a long range deer killing and coytoe killing machine? Should shoot flat as a laser too? Hmmm? I think that might be something to think about. Might give the best of booth worlds.

 

[blackco]

Another thought is the 6.5 Gibbs. I think it improves on the AI JUST A LITTLE BIT. I've only read a little bit about it so I don't know if it has any drawbacks though. I'm SURE some of the others here would be able to advise one way or the other.

 

[1doug]

Todd,
The 107 SMK is not a very good deer bullet. I have killed WT as far as just over 1K with my 6x284 and a lucky shot was the reason I got the animal. Out to about 400 yds or so it's worked fine and may be OK a little further. I've got a thread on here now about the 115 gr. DTAC but I don't expect it to be a better deer bullet just better BC for "other" things. I am having a big 30 cal built now for deer. My last try might be some heavy Wildcat bullets as I have some 115 and 110 I think. For deer really out there I wouldn't use a hot 6 mm but to 500 yds they work OK.
Lance

I dont know what kind of troubles you had with the 107's but they hammered the deer and hogs for me. longest was just shy of 800, closest was 30 yards.

and i would get a 1-8 twist from a cut barrel maker

doug

 

[dirtball]

I am in the middle of ordering parts for my next build. Gotta get my fix! I am on the fence about caliber like almost all the discusions here. I will shoot whitetails and coyotes and ground hogs. As far as I can see them. Realisticly anything over 500-600 i would probably set up on them with one of my heavy guns. So I think I will build a fast twist 6mm-06. I already have a slow twisted one in a light weight rifle. I am still on the fence between a 6mm 06 and a 280 ai. But leaning to the 6mm. Anyway what kind of velocity can I expect to get with 107 smks or 115 vlds from a fast twist 606? Is there a chance bullets could come apart in 7 twist at these speeds? Can I reliably kill white tails with this rig at longer ranges 500-600yds or should I stick to the 280 AI idea?
Thanks,
T

Todd
I posed a very similar question about the 240 gibbs a couple of days ago, and was provided a link to some great information. Check the "240 gibbs and vld's" thread is is about 7 threads below yours.
Dave

 

[buffalorancher]

Doug,
The 107 SMK would just poke a hole in and out if there was no shoulder once I shot past 600 or so. My long kills were all lung shots that we had to sit on and wait, but they did die. The good kills were closer but the bullets would bend and blow up. Maybe if you can hit shoulders or a tough hog would make these bullets expand but in my experience performance is very poor at slower speeds and questionable at higher speeds. On the other hand, these bullets are tremendously accurate in my rifle and they stay together in flight. Also, they perform fine on prarie dogs.
Lance

 

[James Jones]

With a 26"arrel you should be able to get 3500fps easly with the 95gr Hornady V-max and 3000-3100fps sould be pretty easy to get with the 140 class bullets , so the 120 class is in their somplace i the middle. I will say if your thinking about shooting the 123 Lapua bullets I'd advise against it as they have shown poor performance on game from many guys here from close and long range , but the 120 gr Ballistic tip would be a real deer hammer.

But I would say that I'd use the 95gr V-max for everyting from coyotes down and the 140 for everything else. The listed BC fr the 95gr V-max is .365 and that being launched at 3500fps will be shooting pretty **** flat and the 140gr A-max with a BC of .550 launched at 3000 fps shoot realy flat well past 1000yds.!!!

 

[wildcat]

Todd,
if your main goal with this rifle is to shoot varmints, then I would highly recommend the 6x284. If you think your going to use the rifle for mostly shooting whitetails, then I would really think about the 6.5x284. Regardless, I would use the 284 case over the .06 case.

As I mentioned above, the 6x284 would be my suggestion for long range varminting. It is perfect for varmints out to 1300 yards. The 6x284, with a 30" barrel, will shoot the 87grn V-Max with a .400 BC at 3730fps. The 87grn V-Max pushed at 3730fps, from the 6x284, is the perfect long range varmint combo for Accuracy, Velocity and Destructive perfromance on varmints out to 1000 yards. The 6x284, with 30" barrel will also shoot the 105grn Lapua Scenar with a BC of .530 at 3500fps. This combo is very accurate past 1000 yards.

If you go with the 6x284, I would recommend a barrel twist of 1-8 to 1-10. These twist rates will allow you to shoot bullets from 87 to 107grn bullets. If you want to shoot the 115grn bullets, I would recommend a 1-7 twist.

I am a big 6x284 fan, I am currently getting ready to have one built. I just received the last of my parts, so she should be completed by December 2007.
Anyhow, good luck with your choice.

Wildcat

 

[257speed]

And I have a barrel for you too, no need to wait!

This is a brand new Shilen Select match stainless blank. 6mm, 1/8 twist heavy varmint contour. Will finish as long as 27" with .930 muzzle dia. Purchased for cancelled project. $265 shipped (U.S. only) I can also install this on your action in choice of cartridge for an additional $200 ($465 total shipped)
__________________

We have reamers for 243 Ackley, 6mm Ackley, 6-284, 6-06, 244 H&H among others.

 

[1doug]

Doug,
The 107 SMK would just poke a hole in and out if there was no shoulder once I shot past 600 or so. My long kills were all lung shots that we had to sit on and wait, but they did die. The good kills were closer but the bullets would bend and blow up. Maybe if you can hit shoulders or a tough hog would make these bullets expand but in my experience performance is very poor at slower speeds and questionable at higher speeds. On the other hand, these bullets are tremendously accurate in my rifle and they stay together in flight. Also, they perform fine on prarie dogs.
Lance

I always aim for the high shoulder shots on anythig over 300 yards. If i miss the wind i still have the spine to drop them.

I am going to try the 117 dtacs soon on a hog soon

doug