22 creedmoor vs 6 creedmoor for sub 600 yard Big game?

[Grizzle]

I've read and listened to as much as I can learning about the effectiveness and shootability of smaller caliber rifles for big game and I'm planning a re barrel. It sounds like for deer to possibly elk 600 yards and in with good bullets the 22 creed has the advantage over the 6 creed.
My question for the guys using them, an area I hunt every fall withen a two week trip I can shoot mule deer, whitetail, elk, and moose. It's coulee / breaks and ag land so shots can vary from muzzle to my limit of 600 yards. Would you move up to a 6 creedmoor or are you confident using your 22 creed for that hunt?

 

[RockAndSage]

Given that you're in BC, ammo availability might be problematic for a couple of relatively uncommon cartridges like this, so checking into ordering a couple of cases of ammo at a time for either choice might be a good idea. Right now, there are also a lot more off-the-shelf loadings available from different manufacturers for 6CM than .22CM (something like 26, vs 1 or 2). Do you handload?

Also, there are several US states that don't allow .22 centerfires for big game, so checking into all that would be advisable for whatever hunts you might be interested in, anywhere.

The final thing that comes to mind, is that you validate and check yourself in field conditions for your personal max effective range. What we can do on a bench or prone at a range in good conditions simply does not match up with the reality of the field, and most people aren't very well calibrated for the field. This is a great thread to dig into on that.

 

[Grizzle]

Given that you're in BC, ammo availability might be problematic for a couple of relatively uncommon cartridges like this, so checking into ordering a couple of cases of ammo at a time for either choice might be a good idea. Right now, there are also a lot more off-the-shelf loadings available from different manufacturers for 6CM than .22CM (something like 26, vs 1 or 2). Do you handload?

Also, there are several US states that don't allow .22 centerfires for big game, so checking into all that would be advisable for whatever hunts you might be interested in, anywhere.

The final thing that comes to mind, is that you validate and check yourself in field conditions for your personal max effective range. What we can do on a bench or prone at a range in good conditions simply does not match up with the reality of the field, and most people aren't very well calibrated for the field. This is a great thread to dig into on that.

Thanks for the reply.
First off I load and components for either are no problem at all.
Second .224 is no problem in BC regulations and I currently have no plans to hunt the lower 48, and if I did I've got other rifles I could use.
Third is I bush shoot regularily and that's part of the driver going to a lower recoiling cartridge for all the benefits they enjoy while shooting in feild conditions.

This won't be my only rifle I can use but would like to carry it for the hunt I detailed above, that's why I'm curious how people already using 22 cm and 6cm would feel in that situation.
Again thanks for reply

 

[Formidilosus]

Would you move up to a 6 creedmoor or are you confident using your 22 creed for that hunt?

No. 22CM is fantastic for that use.

 

[RockAndSage]

Thanks for the reply.
First off I load and components for either are no problem at all.
Second .224 is no problem in BC regulations and I have zero intrest in hunting the lower 48, and if I did I've got other rifles I could use.
Third is I bush shoot regularily and that's part of the driver going to a lower recoiling cartridge for all the benefits they enjoy while shooting in feild conditions.

This won't be my only rifle I can use but would like to carry it for the hunt I detailed above, that's why I'm curious how people already using 22 cm and 6cm would feel in that situation.
Again thanks for reply

Sounds like you're set, and you'd be good to go with either of them. It's easy to get guys opining on which one would be the "better" cartridge, but the differences here are pretty small, and on the margins. It might simply be worth asking yourself which one you actually feel you want more. There are no wrong answers between these two...just a handful of factors with small differences that may matter a touch more or less to you in your specific circumstances.

 

[Grizzle]

Sounds like you're set, and you'd be good to go with either of them. It's easy to get guys opining on which one would be the "better" cartridge, but the differences here are pretty small, and on the margins. It might simply be worth asking yourself which one you actually feel you want more. There are no wrong answers between these two...just a handful of factors with small differences that may matter a touch more or less to you in your specific circumstances.

Thanks appreciate the feedback

 

[RockAndSage]

Thanks appreciate the feedback

You're welcome. Now, if it was me personally...I've always been a fan of fast .22 centerfires.

 

[Grizzle]

No. 22CM is fantastic for that use.

Thanks form your definetly one of the guys I had in mind to ask, I've heard you say that sometimes you elect to use a 6 over the .223 and wonderd if my situation would be one of those cases with moose on the menu.
We can't use suppressors up here and I'd like to avoid a brake on this rifle so the 22 has the advantage there as well. Will end up at 20" barrel and be a handy little rig. Thanks for the response and what you do to spread factual information on this topic it's appreciated and helps with my decision.

 

[Grizzle]

You're welcome. Now, if it was me personally...I've always been a fan of fast .22 centerfires.

I was hopeing the consensus of people with experience was going to be the 22cm was just looking to see if anyone using them would advise otherwise. Without being able to use a can and wanting to avoid a brake the 22 has an advantage on shootability as well

 

[5811]

I recently went through this decision myself. Ultimately I chose a 6cm because at 16" the quick drop calcs line up almost perfectly with an average gun. Yet to be confirmed, but all I had to go off were estimates for velocity of 2750 and 108 eldm bc of .536.

I may be incorrect on the assumptions I used as the basis for my decision, but ultimately I felt it was close enough that I'd be happy with either one.

 

[huntnful]

I love my 22 creed. And after killing a 300lb boar (pig) with it at 300 yards and seeing the internal trauma, I wouldn't be hesitant to shoot bigger animals, at further distances with it.

One thing I also like, is the recoil is so minimal you don't need to run any muzzle device to reduce felt recoil, so you can lengthen the barrel and gain some speed. Mine is 9lbs and it's a dream to shoot.

 

[Grizzle]

I love my 22 creed. And after killing a 300lb boar (pig) with it at 300 yards and seeing the internal trauma, I wouldn't be hesitant to shoot bigger animals, at further distances with it.

One thing I also like, is the recoil is so minimal you don't need to run any muzzle device to reduce felt recoil, so you can lengthen the barrel and gain some speed. Mine is 9lbs and it's a dream to shoot.

Thanks that's great info appreciate it. My plan was to run it at 20" with no muzzle device.

 

[N2TRKYS]

If I had to choose between those two cartridges, I’d choose the 6 Creedmoor.

 

[Grizzle]

If I had to choose between those two cartridges, I’d choose the 6 Creedmoor.

If you have a minute can you expand on why?

 

[N2TRKYS]

If you have a minute can you expand on why?

You can shoot heavier bullets in the 6 Creedmoor if you so choose. You can’t go but so heavy in the 22 version, but you can shoot lite bullets in the 6.

 

[ljalberta]

If Alberta ever moves to .224 centerfire being legal, I’ll rebarrel a rifle to 22CM and hunt with that and a .223. But, since that’s not an option, I went with a 6CM for my most recent gun as the second best option.

22CM and 88ELDMs seem like a dreamy combo.

 

[justin davis]

6 creedmoor. A lot of states require bigger than .224 for big game

 

[wind gypsy]

6 creedmoor barrel life is short enough.

 

[Grizzle]

6 creedmoor. A lot of states require bigger than .224 for big game

Thanks, that would be more of a consideration if I hunted the lower 48 but I don't. I can burn my yearly hunting budget up here pretty easy without traveling south.

 

[199p]

Build Both you know you want toooooo