243/6mm rifle build...thoughts?

[Keystone7mm]

Hello everyone! I'm thinking ahead a bit, but I'm considering a 6mm build in the next couple of years. I will preface this discussion with the fact that I will be building the rifle on a Remington 700 action in 243 Win. I have shot thousands of rounds out of this rifle, and it is my favorite gun. Period. I've killed prairie dogs, varmints, coyotes, deer, and antelope with it. Shot paper, steel, shotgun shell hulls, and coins with it. The thing has always been a tack driver, and I it!

Anyway, my only complaint about the gun, being a factory rifle in 1-9.5 twist, is that I could not stabilize anything heavier than 95 gr pills out of it. Groing in the long range game, I've found myself leaving the gun in the cabinet in favor of my 7mm Rem mag and 308 Win.

I'm torn about what cartridge to focus on for a new build. All would have a 28 inch barrel with a 1-7" twist.

243
Pros - I already have a love for the chambering, I have the dies, brass, etc.
Cons - you cannot let the heavier bullets out as much (COL) as I might want to.

6CM
Pros - There are components, specifically brass, available. There is more room to seat bullets out in the short action mags.
Cons - I'd have to buy new brass and dies. I will also be honest that I don't want to become part of the CM fan Boyz I like my older cartridges.

6 GT
Pros - From everything I've read, you get more for less. The same velocity, less powder, less recoil. The chambering looks exceptionally efficient! I can let my seating depth out even more than the CM.
Cons - finding brass looks to be a pain in the ***, and again I'd have to get new dies. It doesn't hurt my pride as much as becoming a fan boy, but switching still hurts my pride a bit.

Those are my thoughts. I'd love to hear what y'all think. Thanks in advance!

 

[ARlife4me]

keep the win and get a faster twist barrel. with around 1,800 psi difference between the cm and the win there's not much improvement in velocity.

 

[huntinfool18]

Get a new set of dies and go 243 ackley. Have more performance and can always shot standard 243 win ammo in a pinch. A 105 at 3300 is pretty sweet. Can always put an extend mag box in and have all the room you need to seat bullets out.

 

[Aoudad 101]

243 8twist 105 hard to beat. Trade your short action for a long and magazine won't be problem

 

[bultinkle]

Cracks me up that 6gt doesn't bother you as much as 6 creed

Just do another 243, you're already set up and the way you use it the gt isn't really gaining you anything. It's more about recoil reduction for competition. Dealing with new cartridge annoyance for no gain for your application seems like a waste

Is it aics or box mag? You can alter the action minorly for longer coal

 

[Chas1]

Get a faster twist barrel and keep the win.

 

[blueprairiedog]

I have 243,6mm rem in a bench rest rifle and a 6creed tactical rifle.you almost can't load the 6creed wrong it out shoots 2 of my friends 6gt's.The downside is keeping 105 hybrid Berger's in the ammo cabinet

 

[DTubb]

Look at the 6XC. Peterson brass large or small primer, dies, reamers, 115 DTACs.
All at more than competitive pricing.

 

[Janno05]

I built a 6 creed off of a tl3 action with a prefit barrel at home, and it's been the most boring gun I've played with. First load I threw together shoots a consistent 1/2 moa so I didn't chase anything past that (I can't shoot any better than that, I'm clearly the limiting factor here). When I shoot out the barrel I'll probably try out a 6GT just to try something new, but other than barrel life I wouldn't be gaining much.

If you love the .243 just get a faster twist and chamber it for the heavies, go kill some stuff with it. Sometimes it doesn't have to make the most sense.

 

[chadjamesr]

As most people are saying, stay with the .243 if you already have all of the loading equipment and really don't want to change. The other calibers all require starting from scratch with little advantage in performance.

As far as mag length rounds, just have the throat cut for your particular load so that you minimize bullet jump.

I had a .243 AI and the only negative was the short barrel life. Other then that, it was extremely accurate and always out performed me.

If you are going to change, consider powder availability. The 6GT is made for Varget and is really a competition round (not that there is anything wrong with that). The 6 Creed is more versatile and you can easily buy factory ammo if needed.

 

[Citified]

I have the same dilemma. My .243 is a 10 twist. I decided to buy a 6cm Ruger that shoots .5 without any load development right out of the box. I will probably keep my .243 ( nostalgia) and rebarrel it at some point to a 7 twist AI. Another investment.

 

[dragon798]

If you don't want to buy new dies and brass, stick with the 243 Win. If you would like to take advantage 21st Century advancements, go with the 6GT. I have not found a drawback to it, unless you're worried about factory ammo. The GT is extremely easy to do load development for. You have considerably better barrel life than either the Win or the CM. There are no issues with magazines. It is an efficient cartridge that performs similarly to the others, while providing better brass and barrel life. There is no need to do anything special in order to run the longest, heaviest bullets. Brass is available from Alpha and Hornady, with others coming in the near future. I've not found a downside to the GT. It's a well designed, efficient cartridge, that performs phenomenally.

 

[Citified]

I suggest you invest in the rifle you love with a new barrel in
.243 AI with a 7 twist. You could shoot hammers in it if you so desired.

 

[ntsqd]

It's already been said, so I'll second/third/eleventeenth it; Go .243 AI in a faster twist barrel.

EDIT: My reasoning for AL over std has nothing to do with more powder capacity and everything to do with slower throat erosion.