6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

[nm.otter]

That looks eerily familiar

120 CX (factory Superformance) on the left
143 ELD-X (factory Precision hunter) on the right.
Both 6.5mm Creedmoor.

 

[Taudisio]

Here’s a 41.2gr of H4350 cruncher vs factory.

View attachment 917747

Yea, that barrel needs to be fixed.
My hand loads went the other way until mag length and I’m not crunchy at 42gr of h4350 and a 109.

 

[Big_wals]

18" 6CM, mule deer 0-500 yards, what bullet? I've loaded up some 108 ELD-Ms but have found my McGowen barrel is throated very short - I had to go 0.082" shorter than factory 108 ELDM ammo to be 0.020" off the lands. My first clue was a pretty hard to close bolt on factory ammo. I'm going to shoot them this weekend and if speed and accuracy are where I want to be then I'll go forward with them. But looking into alternatives to be prepared.

I also don't want to buy 500 115gr Nose Ring DTACs just to try a few, and kinda want to go lighter than the 108 anyway with the 18" barrel. I did order some 87gr VLD's to try, but curious what other leading choices are in 6mm?

Agree with those saying send the barrel back and have it properly throated. If you don’t have time before your hunt, another suggestion would be 90 or 95 gr Nosler BTs.

 

[CJ_BG]

18" 6CM, mule deer 0-500 yards, what bullet? I've loaded up some 108 ELD-Ms but have found my McGowen barrel is throated very short - I had to go 0.082" shorter than factory 108 ELDM ammo to be 0.020" off the lands. My first clue was a pretty hard to close bolt on factory ammo. I'm going to shoot them this weekend and if speed and accuracy are where I want to be then I'll go forward with them. But looking into alternatives to be prepared.

I also don't want to buy 500 115gr Nose Ring DTACs just to try a few, and kinda want to go lighter than the 108 anyway with the 18" barrel. I did order some 87gr VLD's to try, but curious what other leading choices are in 6mm?

103 eld x
95 tmk (good luck)
95 ballistic tips
95 or 100gr partitions
95 or 105 bergers
105 hornady bthp
90 or 100 tgk

 

[Castle Rock]

It would actually be harder to pick a bad choice in 243, anything from an80 grain corelokt or federal powershok to whatever is available in 100 grains is totally adequate for deer