What 6mm for a trainer and a hunting rifle?

Joined
Jul 6, 2022
Messages
571
I'm old school so I'd say .243 AI or if you're looking for a neat little round then go for 6x45, it's not a screamer but they work well and minimum recoil.
 

Lawnboi

WKR
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
8,379
Location
North Central Wi
2800-2900 seems easily doable out of a 20” barrel, right? I’m seeing plenty of 3000+ reports with longer barrels. 28-2900 is enough for my needs. I wouldn’t be shooting critters much past 500 ish with this gun, I have others for that.
It might make it. It’s a saami cartridge so plenty available to guesstimate. At reasonable pressure I think you might be able to make it. I know the gt was designed to work in aics mags, but I know some have problems, I’d probably call Hawkins and ask if their flush mags worked.

I know you said you don’t want to but I think a tikka and a short action flush mag would be about perfect for that.

People use Varget and h4350 for it as well which is another plus, on top of alpha brass being available for it.

I wouldn’t expect long barrel life if you push it though.


Or just get a 223….
 
OP
S

SDHNTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
7,080
I like a good 'ol 243

6x47 always interested me though..
Yeah, I like oddballs too. The 6x47 could be a contender, though not sure if offers much barrel life over the Creed. They are awful similar ballistically.
 

letrbuck

WKR
Joined
Jun 5, 2017
Messages
449
Location
Western Wyoming
I've been scheming a 6mm custom for a while too. If you want to shoot it a lot, a 243 win or ai is a bit of an easy button.... brass and factory ammo is cheap and easy to come by compared to any of the others. If barrel life is a concern don't load it hot and it'll last longer than you think

6x47 or 6xc have always seemed neat to me too....
 

Maidenfan539

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Apr 6, 2020
Messages
242
I would look into a .223 for a trainer rifle. I shoot a 6bra for competition and have a .223 trainer. I rarely shoot the bra because of the availability of bullets. I shoot 69 grain SMK's which you can find pretty reliably. Those berger 105's are hard to find.

But if you are hard pressed to do a 6mm. I'd say go with a 6br. The last br barrel I had I put over 3000 rounds on it running 105's at about 2830 fps.
 

atmat

WKR
Joined
Jun 10, 2022
Messages
3,192
Location
Colorado
I don’t think there’s a single great 6mm option for a high-volume trainer rifle. They all suffer somewhere — barrel life, magazine options, components, factory ammo, etc. A fast twist 243 might be my only exception.
 
OP
S

SDHNTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
7,080
I’ve got a .223. I shoot the piss out of it too. I want more a bit more punch.
 
OP
S

SDHNTR

WKR
Joined
Aug 30, 2012
Messages
7,080
I don’t think there’s a single great 6mm option for a high-volume trainer rifle. They all suffer somewhere — barrel life, magazine options, components, factory ammo, etc. A fast twist 243 might be my only exception.
Seems to be some truth to this. The last .243 I had I rebarelled to a second .308. For whatever reason, the .243 has just never fascinated me much.
 
Joined
Jul 23, 2021
Messages
475
It’s really a toss up between the new 6mms but the 6gt is showing a lot of promise. 2800 should be fairly attainable as I am just over 2900 with a 108 eldm in a 26” proof prefit at 36gr of H4350 (2gr below max).

The only mag I have issues feeding from is an MDT metal 308 aics mag. The accurate mags have performed well and I will have some mdt 6mm mags to test shortly.

If you are wanting to stay in the 105-109 range I think the .120fb is the way to go but if you want to get the bc from the 112 match burners or 115 dtacs I would suggest going with the .170fb reamer.
 

atmat

WKR
Joined
Jun 10, 2022
Messages
3,192
Location
Colorado
What does a 243 do better than a 6 creed? If a 6 creed is a barrel burner, 243 is same or worse.
I chose a 6creed myself for your reasoning here (i.e., similar barrel life). But ammo is generally more available and cheaper on a 243, so for a trainer I’d give it the nod over 6creed. That said, I wouldn’t (and didn’t) choose either for a trainer rifle.
 
Top