6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

[gabenzeke]

So I've been gathering stuff for a 7 prc build. All these smaller caliber threads have me reconsidering. Should I just build a 6 creedmoor? Deer, antelope, black bears, elk from 1 to 700 or maybe 800 yards, is the 6cm the right gun? For those that have done it, what finally convinced you? I'm stuck in paralysis by over analysis and want to make up my mind one way or another so I can get the build started with a smith.

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[DoveBlaster]

@gabenzeke I'm all in with the 6CM as the do it all gun at distances past where I am comfortable on game. Everything I have shot (hogs, coyote, white tail, mule deer) has died just as dead as if they were shot with my 6.5CM/ 30-06 and its much more fun to shoot. 100-115GN bullets moving 3000+FPS is bad medicine for pretty much anything IMHO. Components are easy to come by/ not expensive to load/ barrel life is good enough/ can spot impacts/ meets a lot of State cal requirements. Lots of upside and have yet to find a downside. YMMV

 

[Wapiti1]

@gabenzeke I'm all in with the 6CM as the do it all gun at distances past where I am comfortable on game. Everything I have shot (hogs, coyote, white tail, mule deer) has died just as dead as if they were shot with my 6.5CM/ 30-06 and its much more fun to shoot. 100-115GN bullets moving 3000+FPS is bad medicine for pretty much anything IMHO. Components are easy to come by/ not expensive to load/ barrel life is good enough/ can spot impacts/ meets a lot of State cal requirements. Lots of upside and have yet to find a downside. YMMV

Doesn't shooting any Creedmoor named cartridge come with the legal requirement you grow a manbun and wear a flatbilled hat?

Definite downsides.

Jeremy

 

[ktmkaratechips]

Doesn't shooting any Creedmoor named cartridge come with the legal requirement you grow a manbun and wear a flatbilled hat?

Definite downsides.

Jeremy

Lol legal requirements for a 300 win mag must be a mustache, suspenders and finishing every sentence with “I just love the knock down power”

 

[bnsafe]

ok, ive read the whole thread, but, if you were gonna buy an 6mm and go that route, which flavor
243, 6cm, 6um, etc etc etc.

 

[Steve O]

Seems like most of the guys that are perplexed are using match bullets.

 

[BjornF16]

ok, ive read the whole thread, but, if you were gonna buy an 6mm and go that route, which flavor
243, 6cm, 6um, etc etc etc.

It depends...what are your distance goals?

1. 243 Win gets a lot of case growth due to case design (could be resolved by Ackley-izing or just suffer repeated case trimming). With most factory offerings in twists rates, 95 TMK the big game bullet for 243 Win.

2. 6CM or 6 XC for big game hunting inside 600 yards

3. 6 UM for big game hunting beyond 600 yards

Right now I'm running 6 XC as my "go to"; considering jumping into 6 UM

 

[Mountainrancher]

ok, ive read the whole thread, but, if you were gonna buy an 6mm and go that route, which flavor
243, 6cm, 6um, etc etc etc.

If you don’t reload 6cm. If you do reload and shoot animals over 500 yards regularly then 6um if you don’t then 6cm.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Doesn't shooting any Creedmoor named cartridge come with the legal requirement you grow a manbun and wear a flatbilled hat?

Definite downsides.

Jeremy

Definitely not. Its only the 6.5 variant that holds that requirement in my opinion. Bear in mind that the 6cm is more of a niche market and the 25 is still a wildcat. I also don't a single one so these are unbiased opinions.

the 6.5 is the only one that was hyped to the masses as iT wIlL mAkE yOu A sNiPeR!!

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

the 6.5 is the only one that was hyped to the masses as iT wIlL mAkE yOu A sNiPeR!!

The only people that say that are fudds that hate the 6.5 creedmoor because it is A. Popular B. Not 100yrs old.

 

[sierracharlie338]

The only people that say that are fudds that hate the 6.5 creedmoor because it is A. Popular B. Not 100yrs old.

LOL while I may be a fudd at heart, I've actually heard this conversation at a gun store and the moron with the credit card bought it hook, line and sinker. He's probably the same guy wounding animals all over the western US but I don't know that for a fact....

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

LOL while I may be a fudd at heart, I've actually heard this conversation at a gun store and the moron with the credit card bought it hook, line and sinker. He's probably the same guy wounding animals all over the western US but I don't know that for a fact....

Ok. Well credible or factual information is rarely found in gunshops. You'll also hear "hydrostatic shock", "foot pounds of energy"....and so on.

 

[Formidilosus]

LOL while I may be a fudd at heart, I've actually heard this conversation at a gun store and the moron with the credit card bought it hook, line and sinker. He's probably the same guy wounding animals all over the western US but I don't know that for a fact....

That was said and repeated about every new chambering- 7mm RM, 300 Weatherby, 30-378, 300 RUM, 7 Rum, 338 Rum, 338 Lapua, 6.5-284, etc, etc. It just the BS that people say. The difference is that the 6.5cm actually became worldwide popular.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Ok. Well credible or factual information is rarely found in gunshops. You'll also hear "hydrostatic shock", "foot pounds of energy"....and so on.

Agree

That was said and repeated about every new chambering- 7mm RM, 300 Weatherby, 30-378, 300 RUM, 7 Rum, 338 Rum, 338 Lapua, 6.5-284, etc, etc. It just the BS that people say. The difference is that the 6.5cm actually became worldwide popular.

Im not that old I guess...

I don't discount what the cartridge is capable of and does for people that don't/can't hand load. I just dislike the theory that some people seem to have adopted that it is a "kill everything in the scope" cartridge at any distance with ZERO practice/training and thinking it is a point and click application. Thats all.

I have been a 260 shooter for many years so yes I am biased but the CM has its place in the industry.

 

[eric1115]

Lol legal requirements for a 300 win mag must be a mustache, suspenders and finishing every sentence with “I just love the knock down power”

The Real Gunsmith has entered the chat (holding the reamer that he himself personally designed that solves all the old problems with the 300 win mag)

 

[HingleMcCringleberry]

The Real Gunsmith has entered the chat (holding the reamer that he himself personally designed that solves all the old problems with the 300 win mag)

Plot twist....(its just a 300 prc reamer)......

 

[Formidilosus]

Agree

Im not that old I guess...

Oh it was there for every new cartridge. The only ones I was around for the factory introductions of is the 30-378 and 338-378 Weatherby’s, all the RUM’s and the 7mm STW. The same things were said about all of them.

I don't discount what the cartridge is capable of and does for people that don't/can't hand load. I just dislike the theory that some people seem to have adopted that it is a "kill everything in the scope" cartridge at any distance with ZERO practice/training and thinking it is a point and click application. Thats all.

I understand.

 

[bnsafe]

inside 300 yds for sure. I was and am leaning towards 243 with 95 grain nbt. I dont reload tho my son in law does and typically shoot the brass once and give it to him or his dad. I assume the recoil etc is fairly close between the 6 cm and 243.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Plot twist....(its just a 300 prc reamer)......

You misspelled 30 Nosler.....

OK back to the 6mm stuff!!

 

[Finaddictions]

It’s interesting that in the 223 thread the TMK bullet is the far and away winner for what’s suggested for use but there’s not a clear front runner for the 6’s.

I’ve got a bevy of 6’s but I’m currently leaning towards hunting a 6 ARC in a Proof Elevation MTR. The rifle is very accurate with factory 108 ELD-M’s. I tried loading some 95 NBT’s with CFE-223 but was underwhelmed which surprised me because of the ease of usually finding a load with the Noslers. Not sure I like the CFE a lot…

Anyway, what’s the leaning for this slower 6 bullet wise? I am still going to work up some 95 NBT loads but in the meantime are there other projectiles that would make this cartridge sing? Primarily hunting Texas for deer and pigs.

And how does the 108 ELD stack up. In the thread in all 21 pages I never got a real sense of 108 on game in flesh performance. Is this one of the splashy ELD’s or will it penetrate a little better?