Opinion on 6mm bullets?

[P7M13]

Need opinions on bullets, please.
I'm having a barrel threaded and chambered for 6mm AI - Xcaliber 1:8, heavy varmint, ~26" finished length. Going into a Savage LH long action. The bolt head will be faced, firing pin and spring tuned, and the action timed.
Redding dies are on the way. Already have a Redding bushing FL sizer and Wilson seater.
I will be using this for both a bench gun and varmints.
I have 200 pcs of 6mm Rem brass to start with. (100) pieces of Hornady, (100) pieces of PPU. In my experience in other calibers (7m-08, 6.5x55 Swede AI, 6.5 Grendel, 308 Win, to name a few), PPU brass beats the crap out of Hornady in performance and longevity.

I'm soliciting opinions on the bullets I've picked up (that is, the ones I can find)

• Berger OTM 105gr (believe I should be able to find two more....). Four boxes @ $40/box
• Nosler RDF 105gr (seem to be the only bullets left on the shelves). Three boxes @ ~$30/box
• Sierra 80gr Spitzer, Three old yellow boxes @ $9/box (garage sale).
• Hornady 100gr Interlock BTSP (can get more), Two boxes @ $22/box

In addition, if you have any recommended loads, please don't hesitate to post or PM them!

Thanks for reading!

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

Is this for targets? Hunting? Assuming long range targets, I'll also throw in the 109 berger lrht, 108 berger eol, and the 107 seirra smk. Currently working up a load with the 109 in my 6 creed. Shows some serious potential

 

[lancetkenyon]

Berger doesn't curreny make a 6mm 105 OTM.
105..... Hyb? BT target? VLD?

Out of your selections, I vote 105 Berger.
I shoot the 105 Hyb in my 1:7.5" 6CM. Awesome bullet. Works on steel and pronghorn/deer/coyote/javelina extremely well.

 

[slikmrc]

Sierra 90 grain TGK has been my go to in a 6mm rem 9 twist for a while. Planning on trying the 105 RDF with a 7.5 twist barrel I have on order.

 

[P7M13]

My bad, Hybrids....
Knee-jerked OTMs because my 300gr 338 OTM boxes look almost identical....

 

[sierracharlie338]

Berger 105s have a heavy following. I have not had a 6mm anything in a few years but that would be my choice or the 109s.

 

[david g ranes]

I own to many 6mm remingtons have tried all sorts of different bullets always go back to the Bergers they just shoot better for me than anything I've tried they are hard on coyotes but the way they shoot if you can see them they are in range. David

 

[Tiny Tim]

Another vote for the Bergers. 105s in my 243AI are, let's just say, fun.

 

[sedancowboy]

Berger 105 Hybrids all the way. Awesome in my 2 6 MM Creedmoors. The others were not even close.

 

[Hugnot]

My views of the bigger 6mm's like the 6mm AI & 6mm-06 are that they are more suited for hunting use, rodents included - lots of shooting excitement & fun.

I have had 2, 6mm AI barrels on the same rifle, a Ruger M77 MKII. The first barrel was a 8 twist, 26" McGowen D4. Favorite load was the 95 Berger VLD with 49 gr. or so of H4831SC; I bought a bunch of the 95's on sale. Velocities were way up there & it shot super flat. The other load was the old 105 Hornady AMax with 50 gr. or so of H1000, real good, way out there; I also used somewhat less RL22 with the same bullet. Lots of shooting fun and excitement then the barrel was shot out. Shooting the 95 Berger was great & I can remember impact sounds or sights up to 1/2 section distant (low form factor & high velocity).

Barrel #2 was of the same contour and length but a 10 twist McGowen. The 87 VMax is only bullet used in 6mm AI barrel #2; I use H4350 or RL 16, velocities are high and real high hit probability experienced up 600 yards using 3- 4 grains less powder, like 7-8% smaller charges than real slow burning magnum type powders, and improved barrel life. There are other 70-85 6mm bullets.

My reasoning driving the selection of the 10 twist 6mm AI, is that I already have a .243W that I use with any available Berger 105 bullet and am thinking of getting a smaller 8 or 7.5 twist 6mm, like the 6mm GT for shooting steel & targets with pointy 105 grain bullets hoping for better barrel life and uniform velocities while shooting at fixed range targets.

I recently bought 4.4 lbs. of Vectan 8000 powder from Graf's & it shows promise in the 10 twist 6mm AI with 87's with charges about at 49 grains, seeing that H4350 & RL16 are unavailable. My Miller stability estimator indicates the 10 twist 6mm AI should work with the 100 gr. Hornady SpBt. My 6mm AI is only used for shooting rodents except for occasional load testing. The Vectan 8000 works great in my 8 twist .243 W with 105's and would probably do the same in a 8 twist 6mm AI.

I will soon have a 8 twist, 6mm-06 and have about 400 pieces of 25-06 brass to use with it & my 6.5-06.

I did not have much success with the 105 Nosler RDF bullets in my 8 twist .243 W, I used H4831SC, H4350, RL16, & RL23. This is a real long pointy 105 gr. bullet and might require a 7.5 twist. No sideways hits but 1 flier out of 5. The sharp pointy RDF bullets stabbed into my cold fingers while reaching into my ammo box.

I also am a fan of PPU brass (Serbia).

Edit:

Try the real cheap Barnes Match Burners - 105's & 112's - close to $20 less than Bergers, the 112's might not stabilize in my 8 twist .243W at temps under 30*

 

[Joejack]

I have a 1&8 twist 6mm creedmoor that will shoot 115gr Berger vld really well you might give them a try if you can find any running them 3050fps. You should be able to run them faster in a 6mm ai. My 6mm jd texan runs them at 3130fps and it will shoot 1/2 dollar size groups at 750yds

 

[Eric_F]

I shoot the 105 Hybrids (in 6 BRA) and they're great. I prefer to keep speeds below 3k fps for barrel life and ease of tuning, so for the 6mm AI I'd lean towards the 109 Hybrids, 110 SMK, or 115 DTAC, but that's your call.

 

[James Stuart]

I have .243 win 1-8 twist 88 grain hammers are amazing!!!

 

[Randy Tidwell]

Take a look at the Lapua Scenar 90 &105. I have 3 dashers and 3 BRB, the Scenar puts the Berger to shame.

I've had a few Berger come apart during Silo match, never with the Scenars!

JMHO