6mm vs .22”

[Creedmoor shooter]

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

Agreed dead is dead but, on a marginal shot, bigger bullets will do better. That's just facts

 

[del2les]

6mm Remington AI is what you were using?

Yes. The old days a 6mmAI or 6AI was the 6mm Remington AI. I guess still use that old designation.

 

[Black Hat]

I reach for my .243 and leave my .222 and .223 in the cupboard most of the time!

The .243 has won me a few matches including a ham shoot for Christmas one year, put plenty of meat in the freezer and taken a large variety of game over the years.

 

[Patton243]

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.

Disagree on the barrel life with a 6mm Creedmoor. I know people who shoot a 243 competitively and get 1500 rounds + through the barrel before tossing it. A 6mm Creedmoor can do the same thing and potentially even more competition wise due to a better case design than the 243.

 

[orkan]

I know people who shoot a 243 competitively and get 1500 rounds + through the barrel before tossing it.

What are their names, if you wouldn't mind sharing? I'd like to go look up how they are placing in matches.

 

[xsn10s]

I'd probably favor the 6mm for LR varminting. I'm in the heavier is "generally" better camp. Which is why I chose a 260 AI for my dual purpose LR varmint/ big game rifle. The caveat is for varminting I don't want to use the heavier/ larger caliber pills in cattle country. And for that reason I'll be looking for a 1-8" 22-250 barrel before next year. Unless I get on some prime chuck areas away from free range cattle.

 

[Black Hat]

Disagree on the barrel life with a 6mm Creedmoor. I know people who shoot a 243 competitively and get 1500 rounds + through the barrel before tossing it. A 6mm Creedmoor can do the same thing and potentially even more competition wise due to a better case design than the 243.

I put approximately 1500 rounds a year through my .243 when I was using it for competition for years, and I'm still shooting it with one hole groups ten years later.
Depends how hard you push it.

 

[orkan]

Depends how hard you push it.

^ also an important factor. Great post.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

Disagree on the barrel life with a 6mm Creedmoor. I know people who shoot a 243 competitively and get 1500 rounds + through the barrel before tossing it. A 6mm Creedmoor can do the same thing and potentially even more competition wise due to a better case design than the 243.

yup,.. "Bingo" ^^^^ And,.. The 6 XC and 6 SLR,.. WILL, "out do" both, in the Barrel Life, category !
The Longer Necks + 30* shoulders, keep the Powders Flash Point ( AKA, Turbulence Point ) further back, in the Case, to keep from "Torching" the throats, "Lands",.. as much.
The 6 Creed wouldn't even exist,.. IF, Hornady would have paid David Tubb, a few Bucks, "Royalty" !
The 6 XC holds 2 grains, less Powder with, a Longer Neck, other wise, they are, the SAME ! !

 

[orkan]

yup,.. "Bingo" ^^^^ And,.. The 6 XC and 6 SLR,.. WILL, "out do" both, in the Barrel Life, category !
The Longer Necks + 30* shoulders, keep the Powders Flash Point ( AKA, Turbulence Point ) further back, in the Case, to keep from "Torching" the throats, "Lands",.. as much.
The 6 Creed wouldn't even exist,.. IF, Hornady would have paid David Tubb, a few Bucks, "Royalty" !

? Did someone change the 6 creed shoulder angle and no one told me? 6 Creed and 6xc are both 30°. 6xc has a little longer neck, but not enough to assign much longer barrel life. The smaller capacity is mostly what gives that barrel life bump I think... but it doesn't seem to be much of one. Fun cartridges, all.

Yet I tend not to get hung up on the barrel life arguments. Mostly because in 7-8 years of selling a switch-barrel rifle system... I had a grand total of 2 (two) people rebarrel their extensions. No one shoots... but rather everyone loves talking about shooting. I sold 22 creeds to guys in 2014 that still haven't put 200rnds through them. One guy legit hasn't even shot his once. Pretty important reality.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

NO, the 6 Creed, 6 SLR and 6 XC all have, 30* shoulders, Just the Neck length is longer on, the 6 XC & 6 SLR
The 6 SLR would "Modernize",.. the .243 Win. and INCREASE, barrel Life.
Barrel Life, is NICE to have, for us here, in My Family,.. as WE Shoot / Practice,.. a LOT !
We Love hearing, the Bullets Slap, Steel !
My 11 year old Grandson just shot, 10 out of 12 at, 115 yards on, a 10" Plate sitting, over Sticks on his FIRST Time, ever shooting a .243 Win !
He Has a Deer and Antelope Tag, here in Idaho,. WE ( Son and I are, excited and proud of him ! ).
We live, 15 Miles from, our Desert, shooting spot !

 

[ksshooter]

How does it compare to a .22 creed with 75-95 grain range?

I can safely push a 95 Sierra at 3300. Not sure the 6 can keep up with those velocities and that bc.

 

[highdrum]

22 creedmoor is impressive, run slow burning powders like H1000 in it with heavies and barrel life improves by a large percentage. My rifles an 8tw so I stick to 85gr and lighter bullets. But my go to load is 43.5gr rl23 with 77tmk in lapua SRP brass. Goes 3400 from my 22" barrel and regularly prints in the 2s and 3s as long I'm doing my part. The 6mm will not hang in thr drop department when comparing similar bc bullets as the 22 will always be faster. The 6mm does have the energy tho. However velocity does kill, I'm going to shoot an antelope this year with my 77tmk load and see how it does.

 

[.300 Dakota]

@Calvin45,
I agree, in the hands of a careful shot, with the right bullet, what you say is true.
It's when an animal takes a step, flinches because a fly annoyed it or just Murphy happens along when I feel uneasy about it, as I said, have seen it too many times. We have calibre restrictions on our deer here. 6mm is minimum on a few species and it was debated for 2 years with hunting groups/clubs before the final decision was made. The 22 centrefires were dismissed almost before the discussion started, the hottest topic was whether to have 6mm as a minimum for Fallow deer, it had already been approved as minimum for our Hog deer early in the discussion, after 2 years and lobbying from a deer stalking group it was allowed as minimum. There are still deer shot every year that are wounded by this calibre, hence my trepidation in it's use, as I and many others were involved in those debates and felt strongly that 25 or even 26 should be the minimum, but it didn't go that way. For all other deer species here, 270 is minimum and every group and club agreed to that in the first week of discussion.
I have no qualms stepping up to 25 cal, a 110/115/120g bullet of tough construction take down NZ elk without issue. Out of my 25-06's have taken them with Speer 120g Grand Slams, Nosler 110g Accubonds and Nosler 115g Partitions. Have also seen them taken with 6mm's, most notably a 240 Weatherby with 100g Partitions shot in the crease behind the shoulder, the elk was dead on it's feet, it just didn't know it yet and mirrors my own experience with the 25-06 and 115g Partitions. The guide fired another shot for reassurance just as I did the day before. My guide was shooting his own animal for the freezer.
As to women shooters not taking recoil, I have seen many ladies shooting big bores as if they were a 22….their slim bodies just roll with the recoil instead of us big burly blokes adsorbing it all before we can rock with it.
Anyway, I am sure many feel the 6mm is adequate, I'm just not convinced 100% when things go bad.
And no, I don't believe deer or elk are bullet proof or made of Kevlar skin.

Cheers.

Speed and bullet construction are the equalizers here. Having hit deer at close range with a wildcat .24 caliber (73gr Water capacity case and 65,000 PSI max avg. pressure 1:8 twist) using Sierra 100gr ProHunters, which have a thicker jacket than some of the larger iterations of this bullet, I've inverted deer instantly from hoof to back with a caliber-sized hole going in and maybe a dime-sized hole going out. Through both shoulders, just missing both heart and lungs, but with spinal fluid leaking out while skinning because the spinal column was ruptured more than 12 inches above the would channel... That much hydraulic shock is insurmountable by the largest deer. This may not be the case for lesser cartridges in this bore diameter, and might not be the case for this cartridge at extended ranges. But I do know the 6mms CAN be fed enough steroids to take down a monster at more reasonable ranges. Bullet selection is critical (and limited!). I am in agreement with you on the .25-06. It basically does what I just described without having to invent a whole 'nother cartridge, and you're much more likely to find good quality hunting bullets in a pinch. A 1:9 twist works much better, though, and is a custom-built proposition unless you're lucky enough to find and afford a Barrett Fieldcraft so chambered.