Hello everybody, new to the forum. I have a Savage 110 donor rifle that I want to start wildcattin with. I originally started with the thought of the 6-284, but have been reading about the 6-06AI,6-270, and the 243 catbird. Which made the wheels start turning. My main purpose for a build like this is just to shoot and do some hunting with. I know they eat barrels fairly quick, so im not worried about that. But Ive read that some people say go with the 6-06AI due to the shoulder degree. Then ive read other would rather take a blown out 270imp case with the 40 degree shoulder over the 6-06AI. I know a factory 270 and 06 are pretty much the same. Just wondering if any of yall have had experiences with the 06AI, 6-270, 243 catbird or another variant.
6-06AI, 243 catbird, or other name
- Thread starter AndyD
- Start date
CaptainMal
Silver $$ Contributor
Just thinking the length of the '06 case makes it tough to get repeatable ignition for accuracy. I would choose a shorter, stubbier case. Anything based on the 284, 308, 7X57 ( 6mm Rem, Roberts etc) would probably give you all the velocity you could handle and the ignition for accuracy and velocity in 6MM.
If you are still considering a larger 6mm cartridge like the 6-06A.I. I have an idea for you.. Back in the 60's there was a wildcat back then that was one of the BEST ideas for L-O-N-G range deer.. It was called the .240 Gibbs. It was incredibly accurate and had enough "horsepower" to anchor larger Mule Deer from a considerable distance. I would be willing to bet that RCBS still carries dies for it, if you call them. I never owned one, but a guy I knew did and all he did was rave about how well it shot>>>and that was WAY back when if you got 1" @ 100 yards you were doing very well!! Just an idea..
I have recently jumped feet first into a 243 AI, and I have to give a +1 to what Stacy said. This cartridge is very tolerant of powders and load combinations. Having said that, I'm currently only use it for mid-range paper punching. (300-600) That said, I would use an 8 twist bbl. and 105 A-max bullets and anything within sane shooting distances would indeed be in great peril ;D BTW, this is my back-up 1-K rifle.
I hope this is of help on your quest,
Lloyd
I hope this is of help on your quest,
Lloyd
I was recently in your same position and built a 6mm rem ai. Just shot it today load testing. Took it up to 3400 fps with .5 bc 105 amaxs. It could go further as primers were just starting to crater but no other pressure signs. I backed it down to 3375 and shot a 5 shot group sub 1/4.
The 6ai competes and out does most. Dont waste your time with the gibbs. Everything is alot of work and expensive.
The 6ai competes and out does most. Dont waste your time with the gibbs. Everything is alot of work and expensive.
spitfire_er
Silver $$ Contributor
I've got a couple of them with 30 degree shoulders and blown out case. Custom reamer. I've been shooting them for a couple years and have not burned out a barrel yet on my new rifle. I built one a couple years ago and have about 300 rounds down it and there is no visible throat erosion with the bore scope. I'm running 105's at 3,250 fps. I have several in-laws that have been shooting this cartridge for 30+ years and they have been replacing barrels around 2,500 rounds at the above speeds.
I love mine. It's a killer deer or coyote rifle and is a flat shooter. I keep mine zeroed at 200 and it only drops a couple inches at 300 and a little over 14" at 600 if my memory serves me. I have both an 8 twist and a 10 twist on two different rifles for specific bullets, but the 10 twist is about shot out and will be getting a new barrel soon. I don't know the round count on that one, but the rifle was built 25 years ago by the wifes grandfather.
Another thing is that I have found my rifles to be extremely accurate out to range too. Did some fire forming earlier this spring and dropped 5 right at 3/4 MOA at 600 with my hunting rifle with some poor run out on the bullets. I have that new brass reloaded and run out is way down and I will be taking that out in the next couple days to shoot again once I get the barrel screwed back on (had to blue the receiver). My runout was in the .005-.007 range and now it's all under .002" so I'm thinking we're going to be in business.
I love mine. It's a killer deer or coyote rifle and is a flat shooter. I keep mine zeroed at 200 and it only drops a couple inches at 300 and a little over 14" at 600 if my memory serves me. I have both an 8 twist and a 10 twist on two different rifles for specific bullets, but the 10 twist is about shot out and will be getting a new barrel soon. I don't know the round count on that one, but the rifle was built 25 years ago by the wifes grandfather.
Another thing is that I have found my rifles to be extremely accurate out to range too. Did some fire forming earlier this spring and dropped 5 right at 3/4 MOA at 600 with my hunting rifle with some poor run out on the bullets. I have that new brass reloaded and run out is way down and I will be taking that out in the next couple days to shoot again once I get the barrel screwed back on (had to blue the receiver). My runout was in the .005-.007 range and now it's all under .002" so I'm thinking we're going to be in business.
JayCutright
Silver $$ Contributor
I shot the 6mm-06 Ackley Improved for a while. Never in competition I just shot it because I got a good deal on a pre 64 model 70 that Bill Wylde had opened up from a 243 Win.
You can find dies for the 6mm-06Ackley and with lapua 30-06 brass available you can wear out a barrel with a box of brass.
It's real close in capacity to a 240 Weatherby.
I used to shoot at night a lot due to my work schedule. I ran wire to my 100yd target and lit it up and left the light on in my garage so a little bit of light shown through the window to my shootin bench out on my patio so I could see to load my rifle without much glare on my ocular lense. That 6mm-06 was burnin out the throat so fast I could see sparks flying out of the muzzle blast. A good indication of barrel steel getting washed away with every shot.
You can find dies for the 6mm-06Ackley and with lapua 30-06 brass available you can wear out a barrel with a box of brass.
It's real close in capacity to a 240 Weatherby.
I used to shoot at night a lot due to my work schedule. I ran wire to my 100yd target and lit it up and left the light on in my garage so a little bit of light shown through the window to my shootin bench out on my patio so I could see to load my rifle without much glare on my ocular lense. That 6mm-06 was burnin out the throat so fast I could see sparks flying out of the muzzle blast. A good indication of barrel steel getting washed away with every shot.
Ackman
Gold $$ Contributor
Ackley Imp brass is easy to form and those cartridges just work. But I've no experience with an AI on the '06 case.
The 243 catbird is mostly tribute to ego.....pretty much a .240Gibbs only less. I wouldn't bother with one of them.
Articles like that G&A article on the .240Gibbs is one reason I don't read gun magazines anymore. I've had a Gibbs for 20yrs.......a 70gr bullet easily does 4100 with 61.0gr powder. But making brass is far more hassle than you need to mess with. I'd recommend not to bother with a .240 Gibbs. For what you're after I'd say just do a 6mmAI. Easy to form brass - forming loads are for using - velocity with 70's is also 4100, like the Gibbs, and using 10gr. less powder. My Gibbs barrel sits on a shelf now, that gun has been rebarrelled to 6AI.
The 243 catbird is mostly tribute to ego.....pretty much a .240Gibbs only less. I wouldn't bother with one of them.
Articles like that G&A article on the .240Gibbs is one reason I don't read gun magazines anymore. I've had a Gibbs for 20yrs.......a 70gr bullet easily does 4100 with 61.0gr powder. But making brass is far more hassle than you need to mess with. I'd recommend not to bother with a .240 Gibbs. For what you're after I'd say just do a 6mmAI. Easy to form brass - forming loads are for using - velocity with 70's is also 4100, like the Gibbs, and using 10gr. less powder. My Gibbs barrel sits on a shelf now, that gun has been rebarrelled to 6AI.
If your worried about forming brass why not just go for a strait 6mm-06? easy to neck down 25-06 brass and load a 105gr Berger at 3250fps and kill anything you want to!!! When the barrel starts to give you problems with jacket stress and bullet blow ups just load up the 107gr SMK until the barrel is toast then set it back for another 500-600 rounds of fun. I am not a fan of wasting barrel life just to fire form brass seems like more work than it is worth. But to each their own.
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