Cartridge Comparison Pro’s/Con’s

I am looking to have my first rifle build. I am looking for a versatile , kind of do it all cartridge that I can shoot paper, coyote hunt as well as hunt antelope, whitetails and mule deer with. I would like to be able to target shoot to 1000 yards, and be able to effectively extend my hunting range to 600 or so yards. I believe a 6mm offers good ballistics without additional recoil and muzzle blast. I would also like to shoot it suppressed (TBAC Ultra 7 Gen 2) without sacrificing any more performance than necessary.

So, which cartridge should I go with? 6x47 Lapua, 6xc, 6 Creedmoor or 243 Ackley Improved? I do reload.

I like the idea of "wildcat" cartridges with a custom rifle, if nothing more than to be different and "cool". The Creed offers factory ammo and performance, but is more mainstream if you will (plus and a minus). The 243AI, offers option of factory while providing a wildcat factor, however, I do not know much about it and the performance in comparison. The 6x47L and 6xc offer wildcat coolness, but less performance to the other 2. I would prefer proper headstamp brass (within reason), but not absolutely required.

What would you do, what barrel length and what can I expect for performance? I would like to shoot the ever popular 105 Hybrid, 108 ELDm and possibly 115 Berger. Probably be a 7 or 7.5 twist as I live at 1000 ft elevation and it gets cold here. Any issues shooting 70-87 grain bullets out of a 7 twist?

Love to hear your opinions.

Parts for build that I am leaning towards:
Big Horn Origin
Rock Creek Carbon 7 or 7.5 tw ?
Mesa Precision Adjustable Stock
Hawkins or HS DBM ?
Trigger Tech Primary Trigger
Hawkins Rings
Leupold VX5hd or Mark 5HD ?

Thanks.
Steve
I absolutely get the allure of wildcats, but as I've aged my practicality has taken over and I now want to be able to walk into a store and buy factory ammo should the need arise. So, were it me, I would go with the 6mm Creedmoor. The others you mentioned would perform similarly but you would not be able to walk into a Sportsman's Warehouse or the like and buy a box of ammo loaded with VLDs or ELDs.

My hunting rifle is built on an Origin action and I would absolutely use another.

The only Leupold I would consider would be a Mark V. I would not trust any of the other Leupolds to track correctly over the long term. I use a Bushnell 3-12 LRTSi and LOVE that scope.

I normally go with 24" barrels on my hunting rigs but would certainly go shorter if I were going to suppress it. I would count on loosing 25-30 fps per inch of barrel. You'll gain a little fps back with the suppressor but not all of it.

Have fun with your build. The only one that has to approve of it is you.

John
 
Ok, here we go. The .270 with 1:8 twist can do everything you want easily. Throat it right with max LA and send it. All reloading components far easier to obtain. The 156HH is smoking out of one I built @3250 with RL26 maintaining 0.4 MOA even when I drink coffee😱. Its not a trendy CM but it us an eye opener with 1:8 TW.
Might like to build one myself
 
I am looking to have my first rifle build. I am looking for a versatile , kind of do it all cartridge that I can shoot paper, coyote hunt as well as hunt antelope, whitetails and mule deer with. I would like to be able to target shoot to 1000 yards, and be able to effectively extend my hunting range to 600 or so yards. I believe a 6mm offers good ballistics without additional recoil and muzzle blast. I would also like to shoot it suppressed (TBAC Ultra 7 Gen 2) without sacrificing any more performance than necessary.

So, which cartridge should I go with? 6x47 Lapua, 6xc, 6 Creedmoor or 243 Ackley Improved? I do reload.

I like the idea of "wildcat" cartridges with a custom rifle, if nothing more than to be different and "cool". The Creed offers factory ammo and performance, but is more mainstream if you will (plus and a minus). The 243AI, offers option of factory while providing a wildcat factor, however, I do not know much about it and the performance in comparison. The 6x47L and 6xc offer wildcat coolness, but less performance to the other 2. I would prefer proper headstamp brass (within reason), but not absolutely required.

What would you do, what barrel length and what can I expect for performance? I would like to shoot the ever popular 105 Hybrid, 108 ELDm and possibly 115 Berger. Probably be a 7 or 7.5 twist as I live at 1000 ft elevation and it gets cold here. Any issues shooting 70-87 grain bullets out of a 7 twist?

Love to hear your opinions.

Parts for build that I am leaning towards:
Big Horn Origin
Rock Creek Carbon 7 or 7.5 tw ?
Mesa Precision Adjustable Stock
Hawkins or HS DBM ?
Trigger Tech Primary Trigger
Hawkins Rings
Leupold VX5hd or Mark 5HD ?

Thanks.
Steve
Steve
I personally really like the .243, good out to 600yd for deer
Also like the 6mm BR , 105 Berger Hybrids, to 1K for target but not for deer
Love the .260 with 130TGK, 140 SGK & 142SMK
But my favorite is -Drum Roll:::::::
6.5X284!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! with 140 SGK or 142 SMK good out to 1K
 
IMHO, none of the 6mm's cut the mustard for the hunting part of the equation. If you were just punching paper, all good.
The 6.5's are more versatile, the 7mm's are about the same, relatively speaking.
The problem I have found is this; when you build a rifle for extended ranges, it becomes heavy, whether you use a heavy barrel or not, the stocks suitable for a steady platform are mostly heavy, the optics are heavy and so and so forth.
If this is not the route you want to go, then larger bullets are the way to go.
I shoot over my pack with some very light rifles, they are good to 600 with the optics they have for compactness and light weight, but are useless beyond that range.
You always have to compromise and look at what the primary objective is and stick with it.
This is the same advice I give my clients.

Cheers.
 
Since you are interested in wildcats; how about one of the Sherman cartridges. They're kind of semi-wildcats now because you can get properly headstamped brass and regular dies. It seems like the members here that shoot them, love them.
Loving my 6.5 Sherman Max, and the regular SS is no slouch either. Wouldn't hesitate to run for elk with the Max and 131 HH's or 156 EOL's.
 
I built a 6mm cm for the same reasons. Practice, coyote calling, antelope and deer. Then I built an identical 7mm blaser improved for antelope to elk. 24" proof cf 1:8 barrels. Now I run a banish 30. I gained 30fps on the 6 and 50fps on the 7. If build another 6.5, 270 or 30 it will be a 20" barrel so I'm not looking around the can as I'm hunting. Will give up some speed and very long distance but still plenty of range for anything I consider ethical on game
 
I am looking to have my first rifle build. I am looking for a versatile , kind of do it all cartridge that I can shoot paper, coyote hunt as well as hunt antelope, whitetails and mule deer with. I would like to be able to target shoot to 1000 yards, and be able to effectively extend my hunting range to 600 or so yards. I believe a 6mm offers good ballistics without additional recoil and muzzle blast. I would also like to shoot it suppressed (TBAC Ultra 7 Gen 2) without sacrificing any more performance than necessary.

So, which cartridge should I go with? 6x47 Lapua, 6xc, 6 Creedmoor or 243 Ackley Improved? I do reload.

I like the idea of "wildcat" cartridges with a custom rifle, if nothing more than to be different and "cool". The Creed offers factory ammo and performance, but is more mainstream if you will (plus and a minus). The 243AI, offers option of factory while providing a wildcat factor, however, I do not know much about it and the performance in comparison. The 6x47L and 6xc offer wildcat coolness, but less performance to the other 2. I would prefer proper headstamp brass (within reason), but not absolutely required.

What would you do, what barrel length and what can I expect for performance? I would like to shoot the ever popular 105 Hybrid, 108 ELDm and possibly 115 Berger. Probably be a 7 or 7.5 twist as I live at 1000 ft elevation and it gets cold here. Any issues shooting 70-87 grain bullets out of a 7 twist?

Love to hear your opinions.

Parts for build that I am leaning towards:
Big Horn Origin
Rock Creek Carbon 7 or 7.5 tw ?
Mesa Precision Adjustable Stock
Hawkins or HS DBM ?
Trigger Tech Primary Trigger
Hawkins Rings
Leupold VX5hd or Mark 5HD ?

Thanks.
Steve
So, which cartridge should I go with? 6x47 Lapua, 6xc, 6 Creedmoor or 243 Ackley Improved? I do reload.

I see 6 Creedmoor Ammo on shelves regularly, although not in the long and slippery variety. It would be my choice from the list you offered. There isn't night and day differences in the choices on that list.
 
I have a 6.5 SAUM that is perfect for this class of hunting. I think the 6.5PRC is very similar. I wouldn't touch a 6.5 CM. They are too weak for hunting over a wide range of ranges. They just don't have the power to reach out there and be lethal. Strictly my opinion.
 
You might look at a 6mm/06AI chambering. 7 or so twist barrel that should do about anything you want. So your 30/06, 270, 280, 25/06 and others brass can be fire formed. I am presently having a 6mm/280AI built. It's possible to much. A lot of the 6mm/243 are to slow in my way of thinks. Hammer builds a 100gr Hunter bullet that looks like the go to bullet for range and fps. Or you can step up into heaver grain bullet like 115 gr. It will take more powder to get the speed out of it. The CM in my estimations are on the slow side of things. Light recoil, but I am not a fan of them. There's a whole world out there, with time and money can built almost anything you want.
 
6x47 or 6.5-284 get my vote. I'd run either in a 22" barrel at least though. I think a proper 6mm bullet would still arrive at 500 with 2k ft/sec and 1k ft/lbs at 500. The 6.5 wouldn't be much more recoil at all and for deer either cartridge should have the horsepower.
 
Varmints to Mule deer, that's the 25s wheelhouse. With 130 class bullets you have more punch farther out there than any of the 6s. Far less recoil than any 6.5 or 7 worth comparable ballistics. You also have good varmint bullet options.

For low recoil and great brass x47 or CM. Moderate cartridge x284. A real Lazer 25-06 AI or 257 bee. The wildcats here are simple to work with as well.
 
Top