6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game

[sierracharlie338]

Barrel life question for you high volume shooters. If I load a 6mm Creedmoor to 6mm GT levels would it extend barrel life appreciable amounts or is this just wasted potential? I know guys shooting prs with GTs seeing upwards of 2500 rounds on thier barrels. It has me thinking maybe be better off with a GT next barrel. I was hoping to change a barrel every other year or so. I can shoot a fair amount and I only shoot to 600 yards max. What are your thoughts?

I’m running 109s at about 2800 before barrel speed up and only using 33grains of powder in my GT for what that’s worth. Cadillac

 

[Formidilosus]

Barrel life question for you high volume shooters. If I load a 6mm Creedmoor to 6mm GT levels would it extend barrel life appreciable amounts or is this just wasted potential?

Yes it will. Using H1000 will too.

 

[6creed]

Reducing velocity will extend barrel life. But if you want to neuter it down just use something else. There's a "tool" for every job.

Agreed, but I already have the 6 creedmoor and I am hoping to get a couple years out of it. I will definitely barrel to a 6GT next barrel. At the ranges I shoot, really a 6 ARC would work too, but the 6 GT is better suited for temp stable powders.

 

[Te Hopo]

Barrel life question for you high volume shooters. If I load a 6mm Creedmoor to 6mm GT levels would it extend barrel life appreciable amounts or is this just wasted potential? I know guys shooting prs with GTs seeing upwards of 2500 rounds on thier barrels. It has me thinking maybe be better off with a GT next barrel. I was hoping to change a barrel every other year or so. I can shoot a fair amount and I only shoot to 600 yards max. What are your thoughts?

I'm currently getting a 6 Creedmoor built, my plan is to run it at whatever its sweet spot is and just use it.
The reality is it will still last me a fair few years as I'll continue using my .223 for bulk practice/hunting.

Can't deny how efficient the 6GT is though, for a one and done gun that'd be a hard round to beat.

 

[24valve]

95 TMK on an elk, slightly quartering towards. Entered just behind the front left shoulder and was found in the offside hide midway on the right side of the elk. MV 2800, impact velocity 2500.

Was with a herd of 75, they spooked more at the sound of the impact that the shot from the rifle (or at least had trouble pinpointing where it came from) and moved 50 yards, the bull went with them and was on his feet for another 30-60 seconds before going down. There were enough other elk moving around and in front of/behind him that additional shots were not made.

 

[Ajsomp]

Couple of photos I remembered to grab this week.
Tikka 243 20” shooting 95 TMK 3080 MV

White tail doe - 101 yards - broadside/slight quartering to. Entry left side neck. Exited middle of the right shoulder. DRT. Right shoulder was completely destroyed. Fist sized hole in the chest cavity.

White tail buck - 115 yards. Frontal shot through the neck at a downward angle, no exit. Massive internal damage, DRT.

300+ lb hog 184 yards- broadside, no exit. Ran 100 yards into the swamp. No blood trail.

White tail doe 75 yards- broadside shot behind the shoulder. Ran 80ish yards.

These 95 TMKs are nasty. After the first doe and throwing out the shoulder, I was trying to save meat on the second doe. In hindsight I should have shoulder or neck shot and had a DRT as opposed to the ridiculous walk through the briars to get this doe out. I believe if shooting at close range I would opt to neck or shoulder shot and deal with the damage. They seem to zip through and especially on white tail don’t meet enough resistance to open up enough.

 

[24valve]

Thanks. Is it destroying a ton of meat?

We lost some shoulder meat to a TMK shot through the shoulder blade on an elk two weeks ago, but lost almost no meat to the last elk with TMK's where the bullet did not go through either shoulder.

So would the 108 be better than if you are looking for meat or just keep it in the lungs?

Thank you so much!

Not form and I haven't shot anything with the 108, but I from what I understand I would expect it would have similar destruction if it hits bone.

To put things in a different perspective, mark or steve on the exo podcast framed it as losing 1-2 lbs of meat with a more destructive bullet or risk losing 100-200 lbs of meat with a lost animal.