6mm vs .22”

[Pro2A]

Okay folks, I'm here to stir the pot again! A while back I did a 7mm vs .30 cal poll and it got very lively in a good way. This poll now pits the .22 bore against the .24 (6mm). This would be a no brainer years ago for me (6mm obviously winning) but the ultra high bc .22 bullets out now change the game some, combined with the fact that in my home province of Saskatchewan it used to be you couldn't hunt big game with .22 caliber rifles of any kind and now that had changed, for better or worse.

the big cased .22s and the 6mms have tons of overlap now in application and performance. If you could only own a rifle in ONE of these bore
diameters, which gets the nod? For any and all applications, target, varmint, smaller big game, doesn't matter.

I still feel the 6mms are more versatile and not too much of a good thing for varminting, but what are your thoughts?

Don't forget to throw the 224 Valkryie into the mix......and the 6mmARC.... I'm not much into "either or" choices. More into this AND that....AND there.....AND here.....AND these....AND those..... UH, more popcorn, please.

 

[Calvin45]

Don't forget to throw the 224 Valkryie into the mix......and the 6mmARC.... I'm not much into "either or" choices. More into this AND that....AND there.....AND here.....AND these....AND those..... UH, more popcorn, please.

Just to disturb the peace further we could turn this comment into another discussion: popcorn or potato chips, if you could only have one for the rest of your life…..

 

[Calvin45]

I've shot the 22 Creedmoor with 90 & 88gr bullets quite a bit. For game coyote size & below, my opinion is that a 88gr plus 22 cal projectile traveling @ 3300 fps will be mighty hard to be beat by a 6mm. When we get up to deer sized game, the 6mm may have some advantage. I've put together a 6mm prc in hopes of pushing the 108gr 6mm to 3300fps but I have yet to shoot it. But if my choices are down to a 22cal or 6mm of the same case capacity, for now I will choose the 22 cal.

That 6mm prc sounds very interesting. I've played around with tides of that case necked down both to 6 and .22, but for me if I ever do get into a wildcatting the mountain of .270 brass I'm sitting on makes more practical sense as a parent for a big 6mm. Very cool, let us know how it does.

 

[Pro2A]

Just to disturb the peace further we could turn this comment into another discussion: popcorn or potato chips, if you could only have one for the rest of your life…..

Again, first question: what is one's objective.....occupy one's mindless time or sustenance? Popcorn has no nutritional value in its self.....potato chips on the other hand have a fantastic "plump" factor. But, there I go again with the "AND" over "OR" preference. "OR" just doesn't fit my world. YMMV

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

A 6mm Creedmoor barrel is usually completely done at 1100-1300rnds. A 22 creed is 1000-1200 typically. So barrel life is close enough to not be a factor. Ballistically, well the numbers are plain for those that wish to run them. The retained energy at normal engagement distances, and the likelihood of transfering that energy to the animal vs a pass through... is especially noteworthy. Regarding my own choices, the 22 creed and its versatility has rendered the 6 creed obsolete at worst, and non-essential at best. It is also noteworthy that I have never been able to get a 6 creed to shoot as tight as even my average 22 creeds. The best of my 22 creeds are literal one-hole rifles. Groups in the .1's.

Here is a 6mm 105 berger at 3150.

Here is an 22cal 80gr berger at 3500.

I'll report in deer season I'm actually doing a realistic comparison. The majority of 6's nowadays are designed around heavy bullets, the 22's I think are still aimed at lighter bullets just my opinion. Last year my son used a 22 creed and 85.5 Berger for a 250 yard heart shot. The year before a 6 creed with 95 SMK on a 90 yard deer both heart shots 22 deer was dead in 20 yards 6 creed she made it about 90 yards. What's your conclusion? Mine would be every animal reacts differently. I'm going to run my slower twist 22 creed with lighter bullets and hope to have my 6 creed with 12 twist for comparable bullet weights up and running. Yes I'm a diehard 22 fan but do like the 6 ad well that's why I'm building another. In all reality my 22-250 has way more DRT deer than every rifle I have combined, that's a lot of da-n deer lol. (Not spine or neck shots either) Im really curios you see what the 22 creed will do to deer with 69-73 grain bullets approaching my 22-250 velocity. Just what I've witnessed for myself.

I would say on a consistent basis more energy and more bullet on average will most likely kill better especially on a marginal shot. But like you said all animals react differently. Ive had deer soak up all of a 162 amax out of my 7mm rem mag through the vitals and still run 100 yards. Shot a few with my 6.5 creed that didn't go anywhere. I dont think anyone will dispute the 7mm rem mag is by far a more powerful and on average better killing round than a 6.5 cm.

 

[del2les]

That 6mm prc sounds very interesting. I've played around with tides of that case necked down both to 6 and .22, but for me if I ever do get into a wildcatting the mountain of .270 brass I'm sitting on makes more practical sense as a parent for a big 6mm. Very cool, let us know how it does.

Some time back, several of us played with the 6-06, and with the powders of the day, there were some issues. Basically, it never out performed our 6mmAI's, and for our results, it was slightly less accurate and required more tinkering. Today, things may be different.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

A 6mm Creedmoor barrel is usually completely done at 1100-1300rnds. A 22 creed is 1000-1200 typically. So barrel life is close enough to not be a factor. Ballistically, well the numbers are plain for those that wish to run them. The retained energy at normal engagement distances, and the likelihood of transfering that energy to the animal vs a pass through... is especially noteworthy. Regarding my own choices, the 22 creed and its versatility has rendered the 6 creed obsolete at worst, and non-essential at best. It is also noteworthy that I have never been able to get a 6 creed to shoot as tight as even my average 22 creeds. The best of my 22 creeds are literal one-hole rifles. Groups in the .1's.

Here is a 6mm 105 berger at 3150.

Here is an 22cal 80gr berger at 3500.

Don't mean to argue, but those barrel life numbers seem a bit off. I'd give the 6mm atleast 500 more rounds of barrel life over a 22 creed all thi gs being equal.

 

[orkan]

Don't mean to argue, but those barrel life numbers seem a bit off. I'd give the 6mm atleast 500 more rounds of barrel life over a 22 creed all thi gs being equal.

Probably depends on when you think a barrel is gone. For me its when it can't shoot in the .2's anymore. I'd agree with you if that were stretched to the .5's. Probably depends a lot on who's blanks we're talking about too. ... but shorter or longer life, whatever is true for the 6mm, is true of the 22cal also.

 

[Calvin45]

Probably depends on when you think a barrel is gone. For me its when it can't shoot in the .2's anymore. I'd agree with you if that were stretched to the .5's. Probably depends a lot on who's blanks we're talking about too. ... but shorter or longer life, whatever is true for the 6mm, is true of the 22cal also.

Yeah that level of precision probably does need to be explicitly stated when discussing barrels being done…I can't consistently shoot in the .2s in the real world (in the hunting field and not off a bench or with a perfect rest) and can't imagine declaring a barrel gone that still shoots in the .5s…

this isn't a point of contention, if you consistently shoot well enough to realize this kind of potential from your equipment (and when that potential is fading) I tip my metaphorical hat to you. But barrel life is about as subjective on here as the meaning of the term "overbore" haha. I have a 270 that's never shot better than about .75" but also rarely shoots worse than 1.5" regardless of what I feed it, it's a general purpose workhorse and I've probably sent well north of 1200 rounds through it. That level of accuracy or inaccuracy hasn't changed a bit. I suppose if it had been a .2 shooter to begin with it probably wouldn't be quite there anymore.

 

[orkan]

Yup, it's all relative. Relative to the shooters expectations.

Who am I to tell someone not to be happy with 1moa? However, given my typical clientele... the expectation is that they perform to the highest degree possible. The position I speak from has to reflect that demand, or I wouldn't be doing anyone any service.

 

[DJ Fergus]

Some time back, several of us played with the 6-06, and with the powders of the day, there were some issues. Basically, it never out performed our 6mmAI's, and for our results, it was slightly less accurate and required more tinkering. Today, things may be different.

6mm Remington AI is what you were using?

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Well I'm on my first prs season on the 6 creed barrel so we'll see at prs style shooting how long it lasts. If it goes 1200 then I'm happy. For a casual shooter I'd think you could get upwards of 1800 rounds in the 6 creed. I honestly can't wait to get a 22 creed built. My dad built a 22-250AI and a 95 smk at 3300 is just plain awesome to watch

 

[justinp61]

If I could only own one rifle I wouldn't choose either one, it would be something in the 6.5 family. Now if I could only own one rifle in either .22 or 6mm it would be the .22 to go with my 260 Remington and 30-06. These three caliber rifles will cover anything I'll ever hunt.

 

[mmgravy]

While fast 22s are pretty epic, the 6mm will be more versatile. While numbers on paper are similar, the 6mm is still a bigger projectile and will kill better than a 22 will 90% of the time. 6mm will also have more barrel life if that concerns you. With all that said, I'll be building a 22 creed at some point

There are no degrees of dead in my world........