Twist rate for a 6mm-06

Exhaust3

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Dec 2, 2003
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Utah
I am building a new rifle and I'm torn between a 1-9 or a 1-12 twist rate. I would like to have the versatility to shoot light and heavy bullets. My concern would be the 1-9 rate would be too tight and could possibly blow up the lighter bullets at high velocity. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
 
1-10 would be about the closest to "the best of both worlds" You could shoot the lighter stuff without to much problem and shoot 100 grain BT or something similar for the heavier bullets.
 
I know a guy that shoots a 6mm-06 , his rig is a 28" Pac-Nor 1-8 twist , he shoots the 105gr A-max almost exclusivly. He reports a velocity of 3500+ fps with good accuracy and shoots the 75grV-max bullets at a velocity of 4000+fps.

Unless you are gonna be shooting heavy bullets out of a long 28"+ barrel , I dn't think you find much differance over the 243Ai in the velocity department.
 
I've got a 9 inch twist in my .243 Ackley . It shoots tiny groups with the 70 gn Nosler BT and also the 95 Berger VLD . OK with the 55 Nosler . I heard stories about bullets flying to pieces at high velocity in 8 inch twists which is why I went with 9 . That could be BS .
According to Berger if you want to shoot the 105 / 107 VLD's you need 8 inch although with the velocity of a 6/06 9 inch might do it .
Forget the 12 inch twist unless you want to shoot light pills that are going to get blown around at long ranges .
 
My 6mm ackley is 1:10 and shoots the 55 gr btips into one hole. The heavier stuff fares pretty well too. One thing to consider is running the numbers before you build the gun. The 55 btip at 4100 bests the 80 gr btip in drop AND DRIFT at 1k. The 107 smk drifts considerably less way out there, but drop is still higher. For my practical purposes, the 55 is the best bullet. The added capacity of the 06 or a 6-284 would likely change that with heavier projectiles, but the 10 twist will still stabilize it. 1:9 may be better, but I would avoid 1:8. It just really isn't needed.
 
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