New 6mm rem AI custom build!

[Rizla]

OK, so after a long time researching and making decisions, I think I have come to a conclusion. The biggest challenge was deciding what calibre to shoot. I've settled on the 6mm rem AI. Originally I was thinking of a .243 but the 6mm rem has a larger case capacity and a longer neck which should take the edge off the tendency that 6mm's have of burning throats out, I hope! And I'm not trying to start up another debate about which 6mm is the best. I just want something with a big bang and some good quality brass, which I will probably get in the form of norma 7x57. This is predominantly a long range rifle, like over 1000 yards, but will occasionally be used to take the occasional deer and some mountain goats over in Ireland where I have a place in the mountains. So the specs will be as follows:

Accuracy International AX AICS
32" (roughly) border barrel, 5R rifling, 7 or 7.5 twist to stabilise the long 115 gr DTAC and berger 115 gr vld hunting rounds
Surgeon 1086 action
Schmidt & Bender 12-50x56
Jewell Trigger

Does anyone have any experience with any of this stuff, or have any recommendations on things I may have over looked? Also since I'm getting the barrel from Border barrels (in scotland) I was going to get them to do the whole build for me. Has anyone got/seen anything they've built and if so what's the quality like?

Thanks
Riley

 

[strombeckj]

Sounds like a shooter! 32" barrel is OVERKILL for that caliber. 26" would be more than enough to burn all your powder.

Jon

 

[AndyW]

Riley,

If you are going to the trouble of necking down and turning 7x57 brass use RWS.

 

[Rizla]

I know it is pretty long, but I've been looking into the effect of barrel length on velocity and all the evidence I've found suggests longer is better.. to a point. And the data I have come across shows that for a .243 the velocity is still showing slight increases up to 35", all be it not exactly noticeable. The increase, according to this data, between a 26" and a 32" is actually about 90fps, which you may argue isn't very much, but it's like free velocity. You use the same amount of powder and get greater speeds.. Not trying to get confrontational here, merely explaining my thought process for wanting a longer barrel.

As for RWS, I hadn't actually considered them. I've heard a lot of good things about lapua and norma brass so I was just going to stick with them. Is RWS brass noticeably better??