6mm Long Range

[6.5Express]

So, I've decided that my next build is to be a 6mm rem for long range. Does anyone have any experience / or thoughts with this cartridge in a custom build? What I haven't decided on is the bullet of choice. I want to be able to use the rifle for long range coyotes / varmints up to medium to long range deer and antelope (for my wife). Do I want to dedicate the build to 105's, 115's, or lighter? My thought is to base it around the 105 vld for a do all load. Anyone running 105's in a short action repeater? Let me know what your thoughts are.

 

[Loner]

6BR or 6m Dasher (6br improved) . Google it, hard to beat these days.

 

[shortgrass]

For a hunting rifle, stick with the 6mm Rem. Maybe Ackley Improve it. I use Wyatts' extended mag box. Just takes some patients to make 'um feed. Choose a 1 in 7 or 1 in 7.5 twist barrel, it'll take care of 100-115g bullets.

 

[xdeano]

I'm shooting a 6mm Super LR and it's fantastic with the 105 hunting vld's. Less powder then a 6mm rem. and i still get about the same velocity as a 6mm rem. So barrel life will be slightly better.

shoots really nice too.

xdeano

I'm using a 8T Bartlein. I guess the optimum twist for the 115 is 7.8

 

[liltank]

I know you want the 6mm Rem, but you should look at the ballistics of the 6XC. It uses less powder than the .243 and 6mm Rem, but will still push 115 to 3000fps. It is a super efficient round and accurate. I have decided should I get around to a 6mm some day, that is the route I am going.

Tank

 

[davewilson]

the 105 a-max is tuff to beat for a long range hunting bullet. very accurate and has great terminal performance. i have a 6wssm which is very much like the 6 rem. it has a 9 twist which seems to work great. i wouldn't go with anything faster than an 8 twist unless you really want to use the 115 bullets.

 

[6mm Remington]

I don't have a custom 6mm Remington. Mine is a Ruger #1B with the 26" barrel. My son has a Ruger MKII with a 22" barrel, and he also has a Model 600 I passed on to him as his first rifle.

I shoot the 100 gr. Nosler Partition in my Ruger #1 and love that bullet. It works great both near and far. Nosler is coming out with a 90 gr. Accubond which also should be a terrific long range bullet.

If it was me I would stick with the standard 6mm and a 1-9" twist. Find one good load that shoots accurately and stick with that.

Good luck and show us photo's when get her built!

 

[Stumpm2]

I shoot a 243 Ackley Improved and love it. It has a 1 in 8" twist Lilja 3-groove barrel and I shoot the 105 Berger VLD's at 3,200 fps. I went round after round on what 6mm to build before I decided on the 243 AI. Here is what I came up with: Same performance or slightly better than the 6mm Rem, case is a little shorter than the 6mm and allows me to use the magazine with the Bergers, better overall brass and selection of brass, not an exotic round and I can always shoot regular 243 ammo in a pinch if I was on a trip. The only downside is fire forming rounds, but I have a good varmint load with the 105 Amaxes that is just as accurate. After fire forming my cases, they have not stretched at all after 6 reloadings. The 105 grain Berger has put a smack down on every antelope, whitetail, and mule deer I have shot, complete devastation. Absolute blast to shoot.

 

[6.5Express]

For a hunting rifle, stick with the 6mm Rem. Maybe Ackley Improve it. I use Wyatts' extended mag box. Just takes some patients to make 'um feed. Choose a 1 in 7 or 1 in 7.5 twist barrel, it'll take care of 100-115g bullets.

Shortgrass, what kind of velocities are you getting with the vld's seated to fit the wyatt's box?

 

[Trickymissfit]

So, I've decided that my next build is to be a 6mm rem for long range. Does anyone have any experience / or thoughts with this cartridge in a custom build? What I haven't decided on is the bullet of choice. I want to be able to use the rifle for long range coyotes / varmints up to medium to long range deer and antelope (for my wife). Do I want to dedicate the build to 105's, 115's, or lighter? My thought is to base it around the 105 vld for a do all load. Anyone running 105's in a short action repeater? Let me know what your thoughts are.

*If your looking at a 6mm remington, then go with a 1:8 twist barrel. I'd improve it, but not make it an Ackley. Have chamber neck of .264" and throat it for 105 grain Amax bullets. You want the longer neck from the 6mm no matter what you build.

*Might also think about doing a 6mm reamed with a 6mm Ackley reamer but with a 250AI headspace. You should be able to use generic .243 brass, but with out all the issues that travel with a .243 Winchester. In otherwords a 6/250AI, but with a 6mm Ackley neck and shoulders. This round will push 105 grain bullets to 3100fps without going 70K psi like many others are doing. And with the longer neck length and the 40 degree shoulder your barrel should last a long time.

* I stayed away from the Dasher and other improved 6BR rounds because I've always heard heard all the guys shooting them complaigning about case life and neck splits. Yet I've never had a single neck split from my lone 6BR. If it were one guy having problems I'd discount it, but when you hear it from a dozen guys you stay outta that loop.

* The 6BG is probably the best of all the cases here. It uses generic .243 brass, and has a 30 degree shoulder with a .33" neck length. Base to shoulder length is 1.35" (I think). Kinda like a stretched 6BR without all the issues the improved cases seem to have. Will easilly push a 105 grain bullet to 2970 fps, and still not tax the bolt.

* if speed is the game plan, then look at the 6mm Vias. This round will push bullets faster than most anything in a 24 caliber bore. Cases are made from 6.5x55 brass with the shoulder pushed back about .04". The shoulder is either 30 degree or 35 degree (can't remember) with minimum taper. It will push an 80 grain bullet as fast as a .220 Swift will push a 55 grain bullet.
gary

 

[dig]

Ok, to throw a monkey wrench what about the good ol 240 Weatherby Mag, pretty hard to beat velocity wise, can shoot heavy bullets and can seat out.

 

[shortgrass]

Shortgrass, what kind of velocities are you getting with the vld's seated to fit the wyatt's box?

You might push it to 3150/3200fps with 105g Bergers. Even with the extended box you'll be cramped for space. The cure, if the 6mmAI is the desired round, is to use a long action and make a magazine block. Best mag OAL will be around 3.25" which gives pleanty of room for feeding the longer VLDs that you might seat the bullets further out on. The idea isn't higher velocities, it's being able to shoot bullets with a higher BCs. The extended box, used in a SA, gives pleanty of room for the 100g bullets. But might cramp your 'style' with those that are longer.

 

[xdeano]

How about a 6mm Crusader? 6 Creedmoor? 6mm SLR? All decent rounds with speed built in.

xdeano

 

[Trickymissfit]

How about a 6mm Crusader? 6 Creedmoor? 6mm SLR? All decent rounds with speed built in.

xdeano

the 6XC is a great little round, but the same basic case reamed with a 6mm Ackley is far better. Cases are easy to form, and the dies are easy to make out of 6mmAI dies. (cut off a Redding sizer, and ream the seating sleeve on a 6XC Forster seater). It'll fit the mag box very well with long bullets, and really shoots better than what it is.
gary