Big 6mm's

[Oliveralan]

Hello everyone,

for my next rifle, I'm planning on building a 6mm to hunt deer sized game out to a maxium of 800 yards, don't want the finished weight to exceed 10-11lbs, so no chambering requiring a 30+ inch barrel.

So far I'm thinking of:
6Crusader
6mm rem ackley
6x47Lapua
6XC

i want to shoot heavy bullets, 105gr+, maybe 95 bergers if I can get them fast enough, but preferably 115 DTACs (anyone ever hunt with these?)

if you have any info about the velocities with a specific bullet, from what barrel weight, and accurate barrel life of these chambering, that'd be great. I want ATLEAST 1500rnds barrel life, since this will be my main go to pratice/ general hunting rifle. I am thinking mainly of the 6x47lapua right now, but it's hard to find info on it, so if anyone has some an would like to share.. How fast can you push 105s? 115s? And have you tried RL17? I heard good stuff about 105 scenars and RL17 in the 6Crusader or 6x47 Lapua, not sure which one, but the capacity is near the same so..

The 6Crusader is supposed to have barrel life like the .243win because the long case neck lets more powder burns in the case, if you believe in that effect that is.

Any info on these cartridges or a suggestion or anything to do with LR 6mm's, is welcome here. A place to share info.

Thanks,
Oliver

 

[JUDD]

Well I know it's not meeting your standards but i give you my info. I'm shooting a 6-284 with a 31" 1-8 broughton barrel. 115 gr berger VLD is pushing out 3175 fps. This is a mild load showing absolutly no pressure signs.

Just figured I would get ya started with a bit of info

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

I have a couple of each of these. 240 wby, 240 gibbs, 6mm-06 imp and 243 AI. The giibs is the fastest. But you want long barrel life. The best I have found that is a combination of velocity, accuracy and barrel life is the 243 AI. I have 2-3 and it will get you the velocity in a 26" barrel under 10 pound rifle. My two heavy barrel guns will shoot 5/8" groups at 300 yards. It is one of the long time all around 1000 yard accurate shooters. Always right in there in the top at 1000 yard matches. I don't have my loading data in front of me right now. The first three I mentioned shoot faster but barrel life would be shorter if you plan on shooting quita a bit.

 

[Michael Eichele]

I have a couple of each of these. 240 wby, 240 gibbs, 6mm-06 imp and 243 AI. The giibs is the fastest. But you want long barrel life. The best I have found that is a combination of velocity, accuracy and barrel life is the 243 AI. I have 2-3 and it will get you the velocity in a 26" barrel under 10 pound rifle. My two heavy barrel guns will shoot 5/8" groups at 300 yards. It is one of the long time all around 1000 yard accurate shooters. Always right in there in the top at 1000 yard matches. I don't have my loading data in front of me right now. The first three I mentioned shoot faster but barrel life would be shorter if you plan on shooting quita a bit.

+1 on the 243 AI.

 

[adam32]

I run a .243 AI with a 25" Broughton 5c 1/8 and shoot 105gr Bergers at 3300fps...

 

[Oliveralan]

Wow thAts quite some velcity with the 243 Imp, I remember reading about some problem with it,either brass flow or short barrel life, that didn't get me to pursue it further. But I believe I'm misinformed. What kind of case capacity does the 243 AI have? And what kind of barrel life? The 6Crusader gets up to 3300 without "pushing te envalope" and supposedly good barrel life, it was designed by George of GA Precision.

The 243 AI is looking real interesting...

 

[roaddog1m]

I have a 28" 6mm-06AI SS 8 twist barrel build right now by MGM Inc. That caliber seems to have the speed you're looking for. One advantage to it, is the fact that brass is very easy to come by (and cheap). 105 Berger VLD @ 3500fps! Accuracy is very good by all acounts but I can't say for my self yet. As for barrel life, propper break in and maint. play a large role in how long your barrel remains at the top of it's game. Lots of guys with more experience than me on here would eco that i would bet.

Good luck!

Tom

 

[malcarjeb]

I thought the title was "BIG 6mm's". I have a 6-300wsm and a 6-STW. The barrel life maybe short but they sure are fun! The 6-STW shoots a 95gr Sierra matchking at 4000fps. Both shoot great to 500 yards. I havn't tried them any further.

 

[JUDD]

I thought the title was "BIG 6mm's". I have a 6-300wsm and a 6-STW. The barrel life maybe short but they sure are fun! The 6-STW shoots a 95gr Sierra matchking at 4000fps. Both shoot great to 500 yards. I havn't tried them any further.

I almost built a 6stw...decided on the 6-284 instead

 

[Oliveralan]

I thought the title was "BIG 6mm's". I have a 6-300wsm and a 6-STW. The barrel life maybe short but they sure are fun! The 6-STW shoots a 95gr Sierra matchking at 4000fps. Both shoot great to 500 yards. I havn't tried them any further.

I did say big, not flamethrower that spews a little bit of lead and a little bit of barrel steel with every pull of the trigger i was thinking about getting a cheap takeoff barrel, and chambering it for 6-300wm, maybe sometime when I got some spare cash.

Anyone know the barrel life of the 6-06 AI? I like hearing about performance but this will be my main go-to gun so it needs barrel life, if you could post an estimatenof what you can expect, that'd be great. I'm obsessive about caring for my guns, since I don't have many yet, and not much money to keep replacing em.

 

[adam32]

Wow thAts quite some velcity with the 243 Imp, I remember reading about some problem with it,either brass flow or short barrel life, that didn't get me to pursue it further. But I believe I'm misinformed. What kind of case capacity does the 243 AI have? And what kind of barrel life? The 6Crusader gets up to 3300 without "pushing te envalope" and supposedly good barrel life, it was designed by George of GA Precision.

The 243 AI is looking real interesting...

Barrel life should be around 1500...I'm hoping anyway. The nice thing about the .243 AI is you can use Lapua brass. Not sure how it would compare to the 6Crusader, I've never heard of it before...

 

[trebark]

In Austria skiing, one rifle at the smith that isn't finished yet (that you're sweating and you're sweating a caliber choice on a rifle you haven't even started yet?

Relax dude....

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

There are no problems with the 243 AI. To the contrary it is one of the best, easiest and cheapest to reload. From my data: 240 gibbs which is all you can get out of a 30-06 case will get near 3500 fps with the 107 smk. 240 wby will get over 3400 fps. 6mm-06 AI will get over 3300 fps with the 107 and my 243 AI's get 3250 fps. So figure 200 fps difference between all of them. The 243 AI would be the easiest on barrels by far. In my data these are top velocities. The 243 AI uses the fastest powder to get top velocitiy so it would also be the best in shorter barrels. The three larger ones like the slower burning powders and barrel length to get top velocity. Any of them will serve your purpose and every one is extremely accurate. My 240 wby and two of the three 243 AI's will hold groups under 1" at 400 yards. My wife absolutely loves her 240 wby for deer and antelope because it does the job with no recoil. I don't know how far we have killed stuff with it but I know well over 600 yards because that is a fairly common shot with us.

 

[Oliveralan]

In Austria skiing, one rifle at the smith that isn't finished yet (that you're sweating and you're sweating a caliber choice on a rifle you haven't even started yet?

Relax dude....

Haha nah, I'm back in VA now. Came back Friday. Just need to get my new rig started asap for my Texas hog hunt in mid march.