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Talk me out of a 6mm

Jmccracken1214

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Minuteman
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  • Dec 10, 2018
    2,540
    1,164
    Thomasville, NC
    As much as I want to get a magnum caliber, I only shoot to 1000-1100 and just can’t justify the cost of ammo/reloading to shoot it when the 6.5’s I have do the job fine.

    I’ve been missing my 6CM RPR since the day I sold it. And it was my 2nd 6mm, I really like shooting them. I was running 108 eld at 3180fps and that thing was a laser.

    What’s the best 6mm for the job? I rarely shoot factory ammo but having that option is nice. Also, being able to easily find brass is a plus. Part of why I like the 6mm CM.

    Is the dasher or GT much better, if any? Slightly slower and better barrel life due to smaller case capacity?
     
    This is 5 shots with my old rpr at 100. Makes me miss it even more.
    A558B106-54D4-41CF-9B53-E80359D1082E.jpeg
     
    BR series cartridges are generally easy on barrels if you aren't pushing them at max pressure, mach jesus speeds. By easy on barrels I mean about the same life as most 6.5's (2500-3000ish).

    A straight BR is pretty comfy at about 2850, and the benefit of zero recoil with a brake is nice, but a 6.5 with high BC bullets will generally match a 6mm running that slow. That's where all the alphabet soup BR variants start to stand out, albeit with worse barrel life.
     
    I got 3000 rounds on my last 6.5 Creedmoor barrel (21" #4 contour Brux) before it let go. Running 147's at 2775fps with RL-26. Certainly more recoil than my 6mm Creedmoor. I went to the 6mm to see how the low-recoil lazer beam theory worked out and I'm not so impressed, honestly.

    Running 110 A-tips at 2960 and having a difficult time spotting splashes past 700yd. Certainly accurate enough, and maybe it's just cold wet ground in the winter that I'm fighting right now, but I spun up another 6.5 Creed barrel just in case. Even hits on steel plates are less enthusiastic than with the 147's.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Dan M
    I got 3000 rounds on my last 6.5 Creedmoor barrel (21" #4 contour Brux) before it let go. Running 147's at 2775fps with RL-26. Certainly more recoil than my 6mm Creedmoor. I went to the 6mm to see how the low-recoil lazer beam theory worked out and I'm not so impressed, honestly.

    Running 110 A-tips at 2960 and having a difficult time spotting splashes past 700yd. Certainly accurate enough, and maybe it's just cold wet ground in the winter that I'm fighting right now, but I spun up another 6.5 Creed barrel just in case. Even hits on steel plates are less enthusiastic than with the 147's.
    That is a problem we had when I had my 6’s. Was shooting matches with another 6CM and a 6br and 700-1000, misses were very hard to see if you even saw them and at 1000, hard to see the plate move.

    Maybe I’ll just get a 6.5prc in the rpr then? Hopefully it’ll be enough difference between my 6.5CM to be worth it. I’m running 140 bergers at 2805 right now.
     
    If you want to be talked out, barrel life sucks.

    If you want to be talked in, barrel life is considerably better when compared to 26 nosler.

    Recoil is minimal.

    Very flat shooting.

    Fun to shoot.

    6 CM ammo available on the counter.

    Great cartridge for steel out to 1000Y.

    Typically very accurate.

    Did I mention they're fun to shoot.

    Good luck! ;)
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Jmccracken1214
    Why not a 260ai. You can run 147's at 2900 and not be redlining the crap out of it with Rl26. The ai version if you stay off the top end will give you some barrel life and some speed with 147's or get a 7.5tw and run the 150smk's. I just sold my 6.5/06ai with a 7.5tw. Ran both bullets in it and the high bc and sectional density do well at hitting hard with a little bullet.
     
    Why not a 260ai. You can run 147's at 2900 and not be redlining the crap out of it with Rl26. The ai version if you stay off the top end will give you some barrel life and some speed with 147's or get a 7.5tw and run the 150smk's. I just sold my 6.5/06ai with a 7.5tw. Ran both bullets in it and the high bc and sectional density do well at hitting hard with a little bullet.
    With barrel life in the 6mm range.
     
    Why not a 260ai. You can run 147's at 2900 and not be redlining the crap out of it with Rl26. The ai version if you stay off the top end will give you some barrel life and some speed with 147's or get a 7.5tw and run the 150smk's. I just sold my 6.5/06ai with a 7.5tw. Ran both bullets in it and the high bc and sectional density do well at hitting hard with a little bullet.
    Did your ack feed from a mag?
     
    Why not do a 243 ai , I run a 115 burger Vld at 3300 barrel life isn't the greatest I end up pulling it at 1000 rounds but it's a laser and you can definitely see your impacts with that one, was my F open class caliber for years
     
    strait 6br
    becoming my favorite more and more
    factory ammo is superbly accurate
    zero recoil
    if not to windy you will be surprised at 1K
    inside 600 nothing better taking all factors into consideration (barrel life, recoil etc)
    and if you want to play in close get some flat base bullets and print insanely small groups at 1-200.
     
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    Reactions: steve123
    I am considering moving to a 6mm BR variant or a GT...I figure the lower cost of powder of and slightly cheaper bullets will offset the barrel life expense to a certain degree (be it a small one).
     
    I settled on 6mmBR .536BC/2900fps but for windy days the 6.5Saum .618/3175fps comes out.

    The 6mmBR does so many things well, gotta aim a bit more into the wind at 1000Y than other 6mm's but the other benefits are worth it.

    I live out west so it's not too hard spotting a 105 off in the dirt.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: Mechdesigner
    Did your ack feed from a mag?
    I have mdt metal mags feeding a 243ai savage hs precision stock with cdi bottom metal installed. I had issues occasionally with the savage mags in the savage stock. I picked up the HS precision in a trade that had the bottom metal already done. Works great. I had ground and polished the feed ramp area before getting the acis mags.