Fastest Factory 6mm/.243 cal Options?
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Hondo64d
Well-Known Member
A few months ago I ran some factory Hornady 6mm Creedmoor 108gr ELDMs over the magnetospeed. From a factory Ruger Precision Rifle the gave 3050 fps. I was impressed. Not .240 Wby speed but pretty darned good from a case that size.
Something to consider. No .240 Wby is likely to have a barrel twisted fast enough to stabilize the VLD type bullets. Nor does any .240 factory ammo come loaded with them. Weatherby Loads their 100gr Partition to 3406 fps, almost 350 fps faster than the 108gr ELDs I chronoed from the 6mm Creed. By the 450 yard line, the Creed's velocity matches the Wby and pulls steadily ahead after that. Additionally at that same 450 yards, the 6mm Creed drifts 15" less in a 10mph wind. Additionally 6mm Creedmoor ammo is much more available and much less expensive.
John
Rum River
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FYI: For those asking the difference between 243 Win and 243 WSSM ballistics. I have a Model 70 Stealth II in 243 WSSM. Four/five years ago I chrono'd some factory 55 grain at 4200 muzzle fps. Current factory production of 243 Win with 55gr Ballistic Silvertips advertises just over 3900. My barrel is a heavy 26", no idea what length barrel Winchester used to determine the 3900 velocity. YMMV
wapitiaddict
Well-Known Member
All very good points.
Eric Alexander
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If you're committed to a non-wildcat, and you decide against the .240wby, then the 6mm Remington will be your best choice. if you stay with a stock Rem rifle, it will have a 1/9 twist, while .243 wins are usually 1/10. So not only will it stabilize heavier/longer bullets than the usual .243, but there is more powder in the case. They fit in short actions and their nicely tapered shell will feed nicer than the stubby wssm. Ammo is easy to find, inexpensive. If it is not a round you're familiar with, it is basically a 7x57 Mauser necked down to 6mm.
Btw, 6mm Creedmores are slower and offer no advantages in any regard.
If you do opt for the .240 Wby, you'll need a 30-06 length receiver and a new barrel ..as stock Weatherby barrels too slow twist.
But it does represent a chance to build a great .24 rifle rig with a tight twist to use the high BC bullets now available.
Btw, 6mm Creedmores are slower and offer no advantages in any regard.
If you do opt for the .240 Wby, you'll need a 30-06 length receiver and a new barrel ..as stock Weatherby barrels too slow twist.
But it does represent a chance to build a great .24 rifle rig with a tight twist to use the high BC bullets now available.
Hondo64d
Well-Known Member
I can't agree with any of this. OP stated factory ammo. You can buy factory 6mm on the net and maybe some guns stores but has been a long while since I've seen it in most places. I have NEVER seen 6mm Rem factory ammo available with any long range projectiles. I would not run VLD type bullets out of a 6mm Rem in a short action. Depending on the bullet, odds are good that the ogive would be below the case neck. Long action proposition in my book. The 1:9 twist in factory Remingtons might stabilize SOME of the long range projectiles but certainly not all of them, especially in low DAs. The Berger stability calculator shows the 105gr Hybrid as being marginally stable at sea level and 59 degrees. It gets worse as temps cool off. The 6mm Rem was a neat cartridge in its day, but if you want to use modern projectiles in it, the 6mm Creedmoor is a much better option.
John
adam32
Well-Known Member
He never said his intended ranges, but if he's just wanting a "grab n go" gun then I assume he's not talking long range so a VLD bullet will be a moot point. At shorter ranges, under 500yds, the extra speed will make up for any BC advantage you'll get with a "long range" bullet.
PredatorSlayer
Well-Known Member
What does this statement mean? Is a grab and go rifle a factory rifle with factory ammo?
adam32
Well-Known Member
That's how I've taken his posts? He hasn't clarified if he's going with a custom rifle, I'm just assuming he's buying factory rifle since he wants factory ammo...
Hondo64d
Well-Known Member
The fastest load I found for the 6mm Rem is the Hornady Superformance 95gr SST at 3235fps. The fastest 6mm Creedmoor load I saw is the Hornady Superperformance 90gr GMX at 3310fps. I'm not seeing the 6mm Rem's advantage. Additionally a quick search at Midway shows 5 factory options for the 6mm Rem vs 18 for the 6mm Creedmoor.
I haven't looked but I'm not aware of a single factory rifle currently available in 6mm Rem. If there are any available, I would bet none will have faster than a 9" twist, ruling out using any long range bullets should the OP want to use them.
I've had a couple of 6mm Rems and liked them, but in today's world, a person that didn't already own one would really be painting himself into a corner by buying one.
John
JanPr
Member
6x62 freres!
True, but only if you eliminate wind from the discussion. May be ft/lbs of energy at POI? I just don't think it is wise to disregard BC and bullet flight performance at any chosen yardage.
HARPERC
Well-Known Member
One of my favorites as well. Ammo, and brass, has been the full gamut in the last decade at least. Non Existent at times. You can probably find old threads guys begging for help.
I made sure to be well supplied during the last run, but still can't recommend a person choose that route, unless pre-stocking components.
It may not be popular but it has so much going for it and makes a great AI. That long 0.350 neck allows a throat length to seat so many different types and length bullets without burying into the powder column and less erosion + all the other AI benefits
If they had played it right when it first came out as the 244 with twist for heavier bullets and coal it might have been what the 243 is.
