Cartridge Comparison Pro’s/Con’s

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.
6.5 Sherman seems pretty well aligned to what you are trying to do.

…or 6.5 SS

…but then a 6.5 PRC with a proper reamer works too

Proper reamer is all about going to a gunsmith that knows his reamer doesn't make clickers!
 
Getting back to the 6mm's the op talked about.....I built a 6x47 Lapua on a Borden action, McMillan stock and Benchmark 8" barrel. Couldn't be happier. I also had a .240 Wby built on an old Sako action, most accurate rifle I own. Either one is fine for deer at 1/2 mile with 105 Bergers.
 
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.
The 6.5x284 tends to like a longer barrel to utilize it's case. If shorter barrel is what the OP wants, then 6.5 PRC / SAUM / Sherman SS or Max is what he'll want.
 
My last three hunting builds were 6 Creedmoor, 6.5 saum and 300wsm.

I am a 6mm guy from shooting long range benchrest stuff and I had a fair amount of components…oh and I like short barrels. The 6br variants are king but need a longer barrel in my opinion. The Creedmoor gave me the speed (2975 currently with 105 hybrids, still should speed up a bit) with the shorter handier rig. I hate the Creedmoor persona and the end all be all opinion that the Internet tough guy gives it but truth is…it really is an efficient round that's accurate.

The other two were purpose driven. I had a 16" 6.5 saum. That thing was handier than a pocket on a shirt but it lost a lot of speed being so short. I settled on a 123 scenar at 3050. That rifle killed three animals while I owned it (me 2 and a buddy 1) and I nicknamed it Nasty. One of my hunting buddies bugged and bugged me until I sold it to him. I will build another but likely will be built around the 156 and will have a 20-22" barrel.

The wsm is my newest and I built it for a trophy Axis hunt I have scheduled for next June. It's a 23" barrel and currently running 3260 with 155 scenars. Doesn't kick too bad but I am not sure that I'll like the 180's that I plan to work up a load for bigger animals. It's got 22 rounds on it and I stumbled across a load with N550 that's shooting dots. It's shooting good enough that friends are telling me I'm stupid to even continue load development….I'm a bit concerned with how long the primers pockets will last, so I'm going to slow it down a little and see if it'll shoot.

I say all of this to tell you…if I had to pick just one, it would be the 6.5 saum.

Good luck and enjoy the journey!
 
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 like my 300 WSM but if you are shooting mostly targets I would try the 260 Rem. as you are building a custom rifle and can order the twist you will need for whatever bullets you decide to hunt with.
 
A 270 has more recoil than the 6.5's, and for coyotes to deer I feel that is a little much. Don't feel I need to burn that much powder to kill animals under 250 or so pounds.
If you'd like a wildcat cartridge take a look at the .270 Ackley Improved. If you want to shoot heavy, high BC bullets a 1-8 barrel. I've got a Ruger 77 in .270 AI, 1-10 twist, 26 in barrel (nothing less for overbore cartridge), 3300+with 150 ABLRs. For me there's no such thing as a one-rifle-do-it-all gun. The right tool for the right job!! Yup you can use an adjustable wrench to do most jobs, but………. I black bear hunt, close shooting so .358 WInchester, 35 whelen, 45-70. Whitetail deer.270AI, 30-06, coyote 22-250. Just my thoughts……. If you reload there's nothing wrong with downloading a cartridge either. Seems like many reloaders need to make magnum-howitzers with their loads
 
The 6.5x284 tends to like a longer barrel to utilize it's case. If shorter barrel is what the OP wants, then 6.5 PRC / SAUM / Sherman SS or Max is what he'll want.
Why would that make any difference? I hear a lot of talk about such things, and if we were talking vastly different cartridge designs I'd say maybe, but with all of the cartridges we're talking about all loaded with proper powder and up to 62-65 ksi how much difference do you really think you'd see?
 
I think you would do well to choose whichever 6mm cartridge you can get brass for most handily. In your area, I don't know which one that would be, but all of those could also be had in brass with a larger neck diameter than 6mm and necked down to 6mm easily enough. Other components will be of spotty availability regardless of bullet diameter, but you will probably be looking at the same slow-burning powders that are used in all the 6.5's & 257-diameters that other guys are steering you toward. If you go with the heavier 6mm bullets, deer at 500 yards are in serious trouble, and the light recoil of these cartridges should make this rifle a death ray for you with any of the cartridges you mentioned. You'll be able to practice a lot without having recoil fatigue you.
 
Why would that make any difference? I hear a lot of talk about such things, and if we were talking vastly different cartridge designs I'd say maybe, but with all of the cartridges we're talking about all loaded with proper powder and up to 62-65 ksi how much difference do you really think you'd see?
I can't speak to how much difference, but the shorter/fatter cases tend to do better with shorter barrels. Try it and tell me how it works ;)

Don't get me wrong. I have a 6.5x284 and absolutely love it. But it comes from same manufacturer as our 6.5 PRC and the 6.5x284 comes standard in 26" and the PRC in 24". There's a reason for that.
 
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

All the cartridges you mentioned have merit, me... I went with the 6XC and never looked back... I've had many, not all of the other 6mm's, and the 6XC gives me all I need and ask of it, a superb cartridge when using bullets from 105grs to 115grs. One of my other favorites was the 6mm Rem A.I. in the old days they called it the .244 A.I. any way; it was a smoking bullet delivery system, old school but never the less valid today. As for barrel twist, it's hard to find a twist in the 6mm that will shoot the bullet weights across the board, pick your weight and find your twist. Good luck have fun.
 
I can't speak to how much difference, but the shorter/fatter cases tend to do better with shorter barrels. Try it and tell me how it works ;)

Don't get me wrong. I have a 6.5x284 and absolutely love it. But it comes from same manufacturer as our 6.5 PRC and the 6.5x284 comes standard in 26" and the PRC in 24". There's a reason for that.
I'm thinking I'm going to have to. I've heard this enough times and seen enough threads that end in "well I don't have one and I haven't done it but that's the consensus".
 
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