6mm CM, 6mm super LR, or 243ai

[Kroberts]

I'm going to rebarrel my Savage soon and am wanting to stick with a 6 mm chambering and I have a couple hundred once fired winchester 243 brass. So I am wanting to stick with something based off of this casing. I'm going to be using the 115 gr bullets with a 28-30" Douglas barrel but am having trouble deciding on a chambering. I am going to use it for 1000 yard shooting and some out to 600 yard deer hunting. From what I have found so far I am liking the sounds of the 6mm CM and the 6mm super LR with their longer barrel lives and great accuracy but I am throwing in the 243 ai as an option since it is also based on the 243 win. So which do you all think I should go with? I am currently leaning toward the CM the hardest with the 3000 fps velocity and appx 3500 round barrel life with 115 gr. But am liking the long neck of the Super LR. When done this will be my first long range rig. A couple of friends I shoot with just got and finished theirs so now it's my turn.

All opinions welcome. Thanks.
Kyle

 

[Jud96]

.243 AI, already have the brass and dies are easily available and affordable through Redding. In my opinion a 27-28inch barrel should be your maximum, after that your not gaining anything.

 

[lewwetzel]

6 SLR is my plan...

 

[Slaysesh]

Would the 6/47. Lapua interest you? Sounds like a good round good brass and small primer for accuracy?

 

[Kroberts]

I hadn't heard of that one I'll have to check it out. But I have several hundred 243 win brass so I'd like to use something based off of it. To me it seams like the ones I'm thinking about are all very similar, but I'm not sure if any is better than the others.

Kyle

 

[SteveBurton]

Kroberts,

What did you end up doing with your rifle? I also have a .243 Win that I was thinking of turning into a 243 AI but then I ran across the 6mm SLR. So many choices....

 

[JLR]

Of those options, I'd go with the 6 Comp Match or 243AI. Both will serve your purpose well.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I've been shooting a 6CM (Competiton Match) since '07. The Douglas barrel that you speak of is a button rifled barrel and the twist will not be exact. To run a 115 DTAC you will need a 7.8 at the least. I have 2 -7.5 Krieger's and 1- 7.65 Lawton. The barrel life and accuracy is outstanding. Joe Hendricks won the Championship at Perry this year. The 6SLR is also a good choice. I don't care for the AI. My Tac rifle has 3900 rounds down it, on paper at 600 I shot a 5 shot .4 moa group in prone with bipod. It runs the DTAC at 3153 fps with H1000, 27" barrel.

 

[SteveBurton]

I've been shooting a 6CM (Competiton Match) since '07. The Douglas barrel that you speak of is a button rifled barrel and the twist will not be exact. To run a 115 DTAC you will need a 7.8 at the least. I have 2 -7.5 Krieger's and 1- 7.65 Lawton. The barrel life and accuracy is outstanding. Joe Hendricks won the Championship at Perry this year. The 6SLR is also a good choice. I don't care for the AI. My Tac rifle has 3900 rounds down it, on paper at 600 I shot a 5 shot .4 moa group in prone with bipod. It runs the DTAC at 3153 fps with H1000, 27" barrel.

Can you explain why you do not care for the AI? I also have a 243 that I was going to ream out to an AI but have to admit the 6 SLR is very interesting.

 

[Dgd6mm]

The OP stated he wanted extended barrel life, and so do I, that alone is enough to choose the 6CM. I have mega post over on 6br on my experience with the 6CM. During the design and testing of this cartridge Joe posted all his findings among others that shot the cartridge with him. To get a .243 or the Imp. to shoot speedwise to a 6CM with a 115 you will smoke the barrel fast. A Hawkeye borescope has proved this. 6MM cartridges are accurate, if the 6CM was not out there to choose from, my choice would be a 6SLR. Joe shot the .243 for 10 years in comp. also the 6XC for a number of years. He deigned the 6CM for accuracy, speed, and barrel life. It definately has all 3 of them. My 30" 6CM benchrifle has given me a 99 4x 2" ten shot group at 800 yards on a 600 yard IBS target.