Do fast twist 243's make the 6mm Creedmoor pointless?

[TaperPin]

Better yet someone could start reloading.

 

[Rockpicker]

But with companies like Tikka now offering faster twist barrels, maybe we should expect to see offerings from major ammo makers.

Tikka did that for the European market. A lot of mandatory mono use and they subscribe to the muzzle energy fallacy for killing effectiveness. Some monos are marginal in a 10 twist. Bullets just keep getting longer.

 

[nm.otter]

...and AFAIK you can't over-rotate a mono.

 

[fraz01]

Retired my 6 MM Remington truck gun with a 6 CM a while back. 6MM was on it's third barrel, had a 10 twist barrel. The 6 CM is the ballistic twin to the 6 MM, I went with Benchmark 4 groove 7.5-1 twist on the 6 CM. I've been shooting 105 and 108 bullets in CM, at about 200 rounds on the barrel. I will say the 6 CM has been the easy button loading for a short action. Picked up factory loaded 100 grain Sig and Sierra ammo to try in it, and loaded some 90 grain bullets to try also. It's not much, but I've always liked having the performance of the 6 Rem vs the 243.

 

[Kendall Sorensen]

Hornady would like you to believe the creedmoor is the only choice. Small semi custom loaders already provide heavy 243 ammo for non reloaders. As demand grows it will also be loaded by the larger ammo companies.

Today’s consumer is greatly impacted by online marketing and influencers, who both have large incentives to pimp out the latest cartridge from the creedmoor to smaller capacity 6mms. The need is somewhat manufactured, but more options are better than fewer, so I won’t say they are a bad thing. The 6 creed exists to make money, not because it’s all that special.

I wish I could find the article of a guy who started shooting 1000 yard competitions with a 243, improving his rifle and loading over time until he was winning matches. Before the creedmoor, before the XC, before the GT, very accurate 243s were used all over.

View attachment 935241

You’re thinking maybe of Steve Whidden. He’s been spanking people at 1000 yards for years with his 243 Win. Longer barrels rule and twist is 7.5”-8” but those are only modifications. He has used the standard 243 Win cartridge to spank the 6.5-284, the 6.5 CM and a long list of other “flavor du jour” cartridges.
He and others dispelled the 243 Win barrel burner myth ages ago as well. Woth cooler burning slow powders like H1000 their 243 barrels are going 3000 rounds without losing accuracy.

 

[derekbeaudry]

Before the 6 creed became popular I had a 243 8 twist built and have shot hundreds of 105 bergers through it in many prs matches. It’s great. With a 22” barrel and a can that 105 is going 3150 fps and feeds like butter. I am sure a creed works as well or better but that fast twist 243 has been good for me

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Before the 6 creed became popular I had a 243 8 twist built and have shot hundreds of 105 bergers through it in many prs matches. It’s great. With a 22” barrel and a can that 105 is going 3150 fps and feeds like butter. I am sure a creed works as well or better but that fast twist 243 has been good for me

What powder you running?

 

[derekbeaudry]

Started with h4831sc and have since switched to RL26. I just used 105 amax load data off the alliant website and I will say I am not at max. I am loading long and kissing the lands but it feeds from an aics mag great

 

[coyotekilla]

Been shooting 100gr pills from the 243 since 1996. 6cm is just a new wrapper on old candy. But that's the case for alot of cartridges.

 

[rookie7]

George Gardner of GA precision did the same thing years back. He was running a 243 in PRS comps. That doesn't mean it's the right choice though. I guarantee you no one is getting 3K out of a 6mm barrel in PRS. If they are, they aren't on the podium or even close to it.

For hunting, target, varmint, comps, and anything in between I would choose the 6 creed over the 243. I reload as well, and have had a 243 for decades. The brass geometry has a lot (maybe everything) to do with efficiency.

 

[MT-nuffgun]

My personal experience with the 8 twist tikka 243 is that it will closely match the 6mm creedmoor velocities with the 108 eldm even with the bullet seated deeper than desired in a saami spec chamber. I’m running a COAL of 2.810 and am roughly 20 thou off the lands pushing right at 3000 fps. The creedmoor does about the same. The benefit of the creedmoor is factory ammo and less case trimming on the reloading side. Otherwise they are a horse a piece.

 

[JPW13]

My personal experience with the 8 twist tikka 243 is that it will closely match the 6mm creedmoor velocities with the 108 eldm even with the bullet seated deeper than desired in a saami spec chamber. I’m running a COAL of 2.810 and am roughly 20 thou off the lands pushing right at 3000 fps. The creedmoor does about the same. The benefit of the creedmoor is factory ammo and less case trimming on the reloading side. Otherwise they are a horse a piece.

This has been my experience as well with a tikka 8 twist. But as was said earlier in the thread, marketing works. I have a buddy that refuses to shoot a 243, has always had actual vitriol for the cartridge, same guy…happily built a custom 6CM. The irony is that my tikka 8 twist , shoots as accurately, and faster, regardless of bullet seating (which others have mentioned can be quite long in a tikka).

Here’s the rub though, fast 108s are great, but faster 80s out of my 22CM give me more velocity down range farther out there, so why run fast 108s? 22 CM is the way

 

[Matt5266]

Here’s the rub though, fast 108s are great, but faster 80s out of my 22CM give me more velocity down range farther out there, so why run fast 108s? 22 CM is the way

The answer is simple, for those that have caliber restrictions in the states they hunt. Other than that not alot.

Also I just like a good spread , not that it matters for anything. Right now I have 3 purpose hunting rifles. 223 , 243, and 300WSM

 

[JPW13]

The answer is simple, for those that have caliber restrictions in the states they hunt. Other than that not alot.

Also I just like a good spread , not that it matters for anything. Right now I have 3 purpose hunting rifles. 223 , 243, and 300WSM

Good point - I didn’t consider caliber restrictions.

I like your setup. I went the same way. 80s, 108s, 212s. I’m now trying to tighten that up to two. 80s and 180s in a 7.