Battle of the 6’s

[passinggas33]

So question for the brain trust…if you could only buy one 6mm caliber rifle which would it be and why?

Struggling to make a decision for myself (and kids) due to analysis paralysis. Looking for longish range (400-800 yard) gun for deer and predator hunting (bear, wolf, yote), occasional long range (1000yd) range time, BUT also light enough recoil that I could let my wife and kids shoot it. It will be suppressed so trying to keep the barrel at 20”. And total rifle weight around 8 pounds all ready to rock.

And if I missed one that should be on the poll, let me know and I’ll add it.

 

[Formidilosus]

The only one that make sense is the 6CM.

 

[Brandon.miller.4]

Might as well add the 6-284 option. (Not that it'd be a good option for kids)

 

[atmat]

6creed is probably your best option. At 20” and at any elevation, you’re good to 800 yards with something like the 108 ELDM

 

[seand]

6arc is great, but with temp stable stick powders like varget it’s considerably slower (velocities discussed typically use ball powders), but would meet your criteria, but barely.

6 dasher/BRA/GT would top my list if I was sure I could get one to feed perfectly in a hunting rifle. I was not convinced I could so I went 6cm.

Considering factory ammo and rifle availability, 6cm is the easy button and it’s SAAMI. I’m running soft handloads ~200fps below max, so its pretty comparable to a dasher with a touch more recoil, theoretically less barrel life but we will see

I just cant see going bigger in case size than 6cm, but obviously others want more

 

[ChrisAU]

I voted ARC, but it really depends for me if recoil/barrel life is more important to you or if speed/energy at long range is, if the latter then Creed. My vote was simply based on the kids shooting criteria. 6 ARC is a lot of fun to shoot.

 

[StupidLightweight]

1. 6mm Creedmoor by a wide margin
2. 6 XC if you're a reloader and like to be different
3. .243 if you're OK staying below 100 or so grains and want to buy a used rifle

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington is the best and it should be added to your list.

6mm-06 if you reload. Simple to neck down 25-06 cases and you are set to go!

 

[passinggas33]

I voted ARC, but it really depends for me if recoil/barrel life is more important to you or if speed/energy at long range is, if the latter then Creed. My vote was simply based on the kids shooting criteria. 6 ARC is a lot of fun to shoot.

The kid shooting criteria and recoil are really the only things that keep me from going 6CM. I know recoil still isn’t bad at all on a 6 CM with a suppressor, but how would a 6ARC be with a suppressor? Non existent? Don’t care about barrel life. I have been leaning towards the CM, but this dang ARC keeps popping up and the lack of recoil, especially for my kid and wife keep making me second guess my decision. I love that we have so many good choices, but seriously analysis paralysis is a thing!

Has anybody that has a 6ARC had any issues with it and a suppressor? I was reading some people have significant carbon build up in the suppressor with an ARC due to the powder?? But that might have been gas guns as well.

 

[6mm Remington]

I don't think recoil with any of the 6's would be anything to worry about. I started hunting with a 18 1/2" barrel that was factory issue on a Remington Model 600 in 6mm Remington. As a 12 year old kid shooting it, I had no problem.

 

[ChrisAU]

The kid shooting criteria and recoil are really the only things that keep me from going 6CM. I know recoil still isn’t bad at all on a 6 CM with a suppressor, but how would a 6ARC be with a suppressor? Non existent? Don’t care about barrel life. I have been leaning towards the CM, but this dang ARC keeps popping up and the lack of recoil, especially for my kid and wife keep making me second guess my decision. I love that we have so many good choices, but seriously analysis paralysis is a thing!

Has anybody that has a 6ARC had any issues with it and a suppressor? I was reading some people have significant carbon build up in the suppressor with an ARC due to the powder?? But that might have been gas guns as well.

Yes non existent, I built a 6ARC AR that I use with my thermal for coyotes and hogs. With my Omega 300 there is practically no recoil. Can't say I've seen any more carbon buildup than normal but I only have around 800 rounds through it. The 6CM is very light on recoil as well though.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

The only one that make sense is the 6CM.

My pick as well. I did buy myself an ARC for christmas, seems like a fun little round with a lot of potential.

 

[Formidilosus]

My pick as well. I did buy myself an ARC for christmas, seems like a fun little round with a lot of potential.

The ARC is clearly the better choice for what the actual probably will be. However, the CM for the 800 yard deer. If, like almost everyone that 800 yard deer isn’t reality and it’s just a “I wish” because 99% of the big game animals through e actually killed are below 400 yards, and almost all of those are sub 200 yards- then the 6ARC by a landslide.

 

[hereinaz]

The ARC is clearly the better choice for what the actual probably will be. However, the CM for the 800 yard deer. If, like almost everyone that 800 yard deer isn’t reality and it’s just a “I wish” because 99% of the big game animals through e actually killed are below 400 yards, and almost all of those are sub 200 yards- then the 6ARC by a landslide.

Get the minivan…

I was gonna say 6 cm, but only because of the 800 yard extreme limit. Cut that to realistic hunting distances and encounters, the 6 ARC is the best option.

IMO, there is no way the rare/hopeful scenario of extended ranges of the 6 creed ever outweigh all the many other reasons for a 6 ARC. Buy for reality like the common scenarios with your wife and kids shooting it.

You will get so much more joy and pleasure in your life with a 6 ARC if you compromise on the extreme yardage. Don’t compromise your wife and kids.

I wish my wife and daughter liked to shoot or hunt. If they did, I would cater choices to them, just like I got the mini van…

 

[B23]

The only one that make sense is the 6CM.

X2!

I'm a huge 6-284 fan it's one of my all time favorites and even though it's a super simple easy peasy cartridge to make I'd consider it slightly more of a specialized cartridge and some on the list are even more specialized. Now, that certainly doesn't make them bad but IMO the more specialized a cartridge is the more it becomes something that does certain things awesome but other things not so great and typically that's related to how overbore it is.

I'm of the belief no cartridge is really anymore or less "accurate" than another but I do believe the less overbore a cartridge is the easy it is to load for and find the sweet spot with. If a person wants a fire breathing dragon 6mm and you don't mind if it has a shorter barrel life or is potentially a little more finicky or has a narrower sweet spot, the more overbore the better but if you're looking for something easy that seems to do everything good with little downside I think the 6CM checks a lot of boxes. The 6CM IMO is one of those that maybe doesn't do anything awesome but it does do pretty much everything very good.

 

[TuckTruck]

I voted 6 Creedmoor. You can easily buy rifles, ammo, and brass, recoil is minimal, and it’s an easy 800 yard killer.

 

[Wyoming Shooter]

I sure like my 6GT. It's very accurate, minimal recoil, feeds reliably, and is stupid easy to load.

 

[Greenstig]

Do you encounter situations where your ONLY shot opportunity on a deer is from almost 1/2 mile away?

Or do you think you could realistically close that gap by 200 yards (or more)?

If you’re sharing this gun with family, 6ARC is probably the better choice.

 

[passinggas33]

Well my indecisiveness has led me to make the following decision and purchase…

For my wife and kiddos…6 ARC in a howa mini and stockys vg2. For under $800, I had to do it.

For me…6CM Tikka in a stockys vg. For 1k, again I had to do it. It would have been irresponsible of me to not do it.

The stocks compliment each other very nicely (one black and one grey). Same optics (Trijicon Credo Hx 2.5-15x42). Wanted them close so my kiddos feel like we are on the same playing field and working together when we are out there. That may sound dumb, but I don’t want them to think that only dad gets the nice stuff.

Anyway, thanks for all of your input. Excited for how these come together!

 

[Lemhi]

In the old days I would have said 6creed but now days I shoot my 6GT’s a lot more. Same performance with less recoil and factory ammo is also readily available now for those who don’t reload.

Still have a a semi custom model 7 in 6 Remington that was my primary hunting rifle for many years.