6 Creed vs Fast Twist 243ai

[TxLite]

Have an action inbound and planning to put together a new 18" (16" is also a possibility) 6mm build to be my go-to deer/antelope rifle and these are the two I am primarily looking at. Ideally I'd like to use H1000 because I have probably 14lb of it that won't get used otherwise. Bullet would be 108 eld-m, 108 EH, or 105 hybrid.

From what I gather, the primary benefit of the creed over the 243ai is that it is plug and play. Nothing crazy to deal with here. At my elevation and 2850MV it gets ~700 yard of expansion which would be plenty for my uses.

The primary benefits of the 243ai is that it would have higher velocities for a little added insurance on bullet upset (it seems 150ish fps would be expected). Additionally, Lapua and Peterson make 243 brass fireforming.

Does anybody have experience with both that can provide feedback? Any regrets with your choice? Anything I should consider?

 

[sveltri]

With H1000 you're likely going to send a bunch of unburned powder down the pipe with the 243 AI. I was surprised how inefficient it was in mine with a 22" barrel. H4831SC worked much better for me.

 

[TxLite]

With H1000 you're likely going to send a bunch of unburned powder down the pipe with the 243 AI. I was surprised how inefficient it was in mine with a 22" barrel. H4831SC worked much better for me.

Thanks for the feedback and duly noted.

The biggest drive for the ai over the standard 243 is the reduced need for trimming (and it looks sexier which is obviously the most important)

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

I plan to order a barrel over black friday and have considered the 243AI but keep circling around to the 6creed. Don't have to waste time or barrel life on fire forming loads and lots of good brass options in stock. Sure if you quickly develop a good fireforming load you can practice with it but it just delays developing your final load and being efficient with your practice on that gun. Those are my thoughts having fire formed 280AI in the past (and stretched primer pockets unexpectantly and had to rush to fire form more brass before a hunt...).

 

[TxLite]

I plan to order a barrel over black friday and have considered the 243AI but keep circling around to the 6creed. Don't have to waste time or barrel life on fire forming loads and lots of good brass options in stock. Sure if you quickly develop a good fireforming load you can practice with it but it just delays developing your final load and being efficient with your practice on that gun. Those are my thoughts having fire formed 280AI in the past (and stretched primer pockets unexpectantly and had to rush to fire form more brass before a hunt...).

This is kind of where I’m stuck as well.

I’m also wondering if my H1000 dreams are misguided for either cartridge with the shorter barrel. I don’t necessarily want to sandblast my baffles. I may end up having to go H4350 after all

 

[wind gypsy]

I wouldn't get a shorty 6 creed with the intentions of feeding it h1000.

Have not done an AI so cant comment but creed has enough juice for me.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

This is kind of where I’m stuck as well.

I’m also wondering if my H1000 dreams are misguided for either cartridge with the shorter barrel. I don’t necessarily want to sandblast my baffles. I may end up having to go H4350 after all

Here's a wrench in the discussion if you're focused on that h1000 (you could just sell/trade it too btw), would a 6-284win utilize it well in a short barrel? I'm not sure off hand.

Less barrel life for sure, but no fire forming, just necking down brass.

 

[sveltri]

Here's a wrench in the discussion if you're focused on that h1000 (you could just sell/trade it too btw), would a 6-284win utilize it well in a short barrel? I'm not sure off hand.

Less barrel life for sure, but no fire forming, just necking down brass.

You'd probably just end up sending more powder down the barrel.

 

[TxLite]

Here's a wrench in the discussion if you're focused on that h1000 (you could just sell/trade it too btw), would a 6-284win utilize it well in a short barrel? I'm not sure off hand.

Less barrel life for sure, but no fire forming, just necking down brass.

That was in the running as well but brass is harder to come by (not impossible though). Ultimately the other two seemed like easier options. I was also considering just a standard 243 win. I’ve got a Henderson so the extra trimming wouldn’t be the end of the world, but the other two seemed to have some distinct advantages

 

[HighUintas]

This is kind of where I’m stuck as well.

I’m also wondering if my H1000 dreams are misguided for either cartridge with the shorter barrel. I don’t necessarily want to sandblast my baffles. I may end up having to go H4350 after all

I wouldn't mess w 243ai. There's two different reamer types in existence, which would make using off the shelf dies more complicated to make sure it matches up w the reamer. And, fireforming sucks balls. I have a wildcat ai barrel and I quit shooting it. I got tired of the custom this/that etc.

If you do a wildcat 243, I'd recommend 6slr. You basically just run 243 brass through the die to set shoulder angle to 30* and go shoot.

 

[TxLite]

I wouldn't mess w 243ai. There's two different reamer types in existence, which would make using off the shelf dies more complicated to make sure it matches up w the reamer. And, fireforming sucks balls. I have a wildcat ai barrel and I quit shooting it. I got tired of the custom this/that etc.

If you do a wildcat 243, I'd recommend 6slr. You basically just run 243 brass through the die to set shoulder angle to 30* and go shoot.

Thanks for the tip. I didn’t have that one on my radar. I’ll check into it

 

[Axlrod]

I have/have had a couple of each. Love the Ackley, but the 6 Creed is hard to beat. But fireforming is no big deal. And shooting more with the gun you are going to hunt with is never a bad thing.

I buy 150 or so for every new gun. Fire them all once, finding pressure with different bullets/powders. Barrel is going to speed up, right around when I have fired all the brass once. Then I do a little load development. So technically I fire form new brass for every cartridge.

On the 243AI several I have loaded for all liked H4831sc with the 105+ grain bullets.