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Caliber choice.

iukamedic

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 31, 2017
217
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I have searched and keep coming up with dead ends. I am looking for a low recoil round. Availability of brass and good barrel life are two priorities. I have read a lot about the 6mm br and I like that concept. Is this the best choice for this avenue. The only draw back I’ve seen I’d the use of the round from a magazine. I have a 223 tikka that’s a pleasure to shoot. Just looking for a little bigger bullet. All around round with distance up to 1000 is what I’m after.
 
What about a 223 AI? Lower recoil vs 6.5cm, Feeds from a magazine and 1,000 yd capability.
 

223 Remington with a 40 degree shoulder. Fire form 223 remington brass in the Ackley Improved chamber.

10% increase in powder capacity and up to 200 fps increase.

With the right chamber you should be able to launch 75 or 80 gr bullets to 1,200 yds. There’s posters here on the hide doing 1,200 Yds w 223 Remington so the AI ought to be fun.
 
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I have searched and keep coming up with dead ends. I am looking for a low recoil round. Availability of brass and good barrel life are two priorities. I have read a lot about the 6mm br and I like that concept. Is this the best choice for this avenue. The only draw back I’ve seen I’d the use of the round from a magazine. I have a 223 tikka that’s a pleasure to shoot. Just looking for a little bigger bullet. All around round with distance up to 1000 is what I’m after.

6mm br or 6dasher.

6br has lapua and Peterson brass. 6dasher has Peterson brass or fireformed lapua.
 
Are you looking to build on the .223 rifle you have or looking to purchase/build another rifle?
If you want to build/buy, then the 6mm ARC is probably a good answer, though no one is selling bolt action rifles for it yet.
What is wrong with the grendel? You could always buy a How mini-action in 6.5 or x39 and have a 6mm arc barrel spun on it.
There are several bolt action options chambered in 6.5 and you wouldn't have to fireform brass.
I built a .22 nosler on a remington .223 action that I had laying around.
3100 fps with 80 grain bullets is easy. I did throat the action for the 80's seated out a bit. I run a good, stiff charge of 65 staball powder.
The only down side is brass is restricted to Nosler and Dogtown, I have been pleased with the dogtown.
Not sure how much longer it will have that support.
 
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6mm br or 6dasher.

6br has lapua and Peterson brass. 6dasher has Peterson brass or fireformed lapua.

Alpha brass is available.

Dasher/BR mags solve feeding, is what I hear. They are run in competition, so it can be overcome.
 
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There are a number of good options. My recommendations would be:

223 Wylde - I shot this to 1,140 yards with good accuracy with 88 gr ELDs. I plan to take it further:) . Low recoil and all components are easy to find.

6.5 Grendel - I have never owned this in a BA rifle. But I would like to. It is great in an AR15. I belive CZ has a nice offering.
 
Staying with the 6mm line of thought, have you thought about 243? Readily available components, feeds from SA mags without issue, and fully capable of 1000+ with the right bullet. And barrel life is decent if you’re not constantly ripping rounds. I’ve got a buddy pushing the 107smk at 3k FPS, he’s at about 1500 rounds with no issues yet.
 
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6BR is a crazy accurate round and even easier to reload for. Feeding isn't a problem, at least in my experience, when using MDT 6BR metal mags. Lapua brass is easy to find.Then after you shoot the BR barrel out, if you want try 6 Dasher, just fireform your Lapua brass to Dasher.

One thing to keep in mind, which I'm sure you already know. You'll need a different bolt face from your current 223.
 
If the Hornady 6GT would take off with factory support similar in price to their 6.5 and 6 creed ammo it would be a really solid choice for you. I think a 6br or a dasher would be good.
 
I had a 6.5 creedmoor chambered and have been shooting it some. Very nice groups but I tend to shoot the 223 more just because of no recoil not that the 6.5 is bad. Past shoulder injury plays into it some. That’s why I was thinking the 6br. It would be just to plink and maybe shoot a whitetail. Paper mostly. I reload everything I shoot. Thanks for all the replies.
 
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I was looking for the same thing, a light target round that I could push out if reloaded. I went with a Howa 6.5 Grendel action and put it is a Oryx chassis. It uses the factory Howa magazines, which I have not had an issue with, and it shots the Berger 130 OTM's sub MOA for me.
 
Another vote for 6 BR. I've pushed my 6 BRA out to 1500. I get 2950 fps out of Berger 105s and I'll get ~1/3 MOA groups at 500. Since you're only looking to get to 1000, the regular 6 BR is a great choice. Slightly smaller case capacity than my BRA, but all the same great consistency. It also is a pretty benign round as far as both barrel life and recoil are concerned.

Also, as @Dthomas3523 mentioned, Lapua makes brass for it. And there's something I find oddly fascinating and reassuring about brass that "ticks" when you drop it vs. "tings." Don't ask me why :)
 
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You put a good brake on a 6mm and it's a puppy dog.
Like a 223
If your going to shoot out to 1000, you'll appreciate going to a 6mm
 
Two things.
1st: If you want to look at another .22 caliber consider the .224 valkyrie

2nd: is the Iuka in MS?