6mm BR or 243

[chesty for president]

I have a pretty nice 243 setup at the moment and am respectfully requesting to know what would be the reasoning for building a 6mmBR. I seen an older gentleman at the range shooting a 6br and the darn thing was accurate as heck and looked like it had almost no recoil plus the round looked kinda neat. I am just trying to justify the build to myself if I already have a great shooting 243. Any help or guidance is very much appreciated.


Very Respectfully Submitted

Semper Fidelis

 

[Terry]

1. Accuracy
2. Barrel Life
3. More Efficient
4. Less Recoil


It's a start.

 

[dansig]

Depends on what you call great shooting...

If your .243 shoots .25 moa at 100-600 yards then there is no reason to build a 6BR

 

[ShootDots]

If you already have a GREAT .243 AND you only want 1 rifle>>>do not change... However, if you want to save on barrel life and have THE FINEST 300 (or so) competition rifle>>build ANOTHER rifle in 6mmBR.. I have one and it still shoots under 3/4" at 300 yards, after about 2K rounds thru it! It lasts and lasts and there is almost no recoil... I doubt from 300-600 there is a more accurate caliber out there. Sure the 6BR "Improved" versions will do somewhat better, however, there is fireforming etc for those rounds... For me "simplicity" is the name of the game>>>and there is no simpler round to load for, and no simpler way to get "Cleans and X's" at 300 or so yards!

 

[timeout]

I started many years ago with a .243 that shot very well for a factory rifle. Have had a few other factory 243's that were not as good. I now own a 6BR that is admittedly not a factory rifle, but it makes even an average shooter like myself look good. You only live once, build a 6BR.

 

[A j shooter]

Shoot out your 243 then put a 6 br on it . You want look back . My favorite and most accurate round with no effort.

 

[fdshuster]

If you don't "need" the extra velocity of the 243, then the 6BR is an excellent choice. It will do the job to around 600 yards with an 8 twist barrel and the heavyweight bullets.

I burned out 3, 243 barrels to the point they would not hold MOA with 5 shots, then they fell to not holding MOA with 3 shots. Great ctg. if needed and for the average hunter who fires maybe 20 rounds a year, barrel life is not a consideration. For those of us who fire 1 or 2000 rounds per season, out of one barrel, it's definately a factor.

 

[25AI260]

normally the question about hunting would come up.. but 6Br is of the .243 caliber as the winchester cartridge.. you'd be able use hunting an target bullets in either situation... if you do build a 6Br i'd have two stocks for that barrels action instead of two separate guns.. just a thought... i had a very nice .243 rifle but after i shot a buddy's 6 Br. the 243 was history.. i haven't looked back either

 

[woolenmammoth]

lapua 6br brass is $10 cheaper a box than lapua 243. If you are looking for an excuse, that works for me

I shoot a lot of 20 cals, which I love dearly, but can be fiddly to tune. The first few months with my 6br was pretty magical, reasonably speaking, at 300 yards, there was not a load that *didnt* work. Its hard to imagine that there is an easier round out there to work with for extreme accuracy around 300 yards. Dont think Im saying anything new there though...

 

[chesty for president]

I should have posted this originally but my 243 is on a nice stockade stock and a savage target action it has an 8 twist shilen SM bull. Im already sold by you guys on the 6BR. I guess now I need to start shopping. Another thing I like is the reduced recoil, I like having something my wife and kid can shoot also. Thanks to all of yall for the advice and guidance.


Very Respectfully Submitted

Semper Fidelis

 

[DennisH]

Shoot out your 243 then put a 6 br on it . You want look back

I have both as of this email. I love the 243, great gun.

I love the 6br and BRX, I have both also.

I use the 6br mostly as it's fun t to shoot, maybe the cheapest to shoot out of the three, and when kids and family go, I easily load up a 100 rounds. Very accurate and makes the shooter feel like a pro.

I would love for them to shoot the 243, but it's expensive to shoot.

All of them are impressive rifles, but when I do shoot out my 243, a 6BR of some type is going on the action, maybe a Dasher . . . . I have some time to think.

Dennis

 

[Cort]

Why don't you buy a 6BR barrel for your target action and go switch barrel? Although I do like the excuse of "needing" another rifle ;-)

Cort

 

[lpreddick]

another consideration: chamber the current .243 barrel for the .243 ackley. if the gun is really accurate now, the ackley conversion should be so also, plus you can get more speed and many say barrel life for the ackley is significantly longer than the .243. fireform current brass and buy ackley dies...less expensive than going the 6br route. did this with a .243 12 twist pd gun and it really one holes with 80 gr bergers and fowlers.

 

[Scott Harris]

I have a pretty nice 243 setup at the moment and am respectfully requesting to know what would be the reasoning for building a 6mmBR. I seen an older gentleman at the range shooting a 6br and the darn thing was accurate as heck and looked like it had almost no recoil plus the round looked kinda neat. I am just trying to justify the build to myself if I already have a great shooting 243. Any help or guidance is very much appreciated.


Very Respectfully Submitted

Semper Fidelis

"and the darn thing was accurate as heck and looked like it had almost no recoil plus the round looked kinda neat." + extra barrel life....that's why.

 

[chesty for president]

Re: 6mm BR or 243 and what brass

What about brass I'm kinda confused on the brass. I've seen 6br norma,
6br lapua....I'm kinda confused....any help is greatly appreciated


Very respectfully submitted

Semper Fi

 

[Forum Boss]

Re: 6mm BR or 243 and what brass

What about brass I'm kinda confused on the brass. I've seen 6br norma, lapua, remington.....I'm kinda confused....any help is greatly appreciated.

The round 99.5% of us shoot now is officially called 6mmBR Norma. (Don't worry about the Remington references -- just make sure your gunsmith chambers for Lapua Brass).

The preferred brass is made by Lapua. The product number is: Lapua 4PH6046 (also sometimes listed as LAP 4PH6046 or LU4PH6046)

 

[chesty for president]

Thanks boss for the info brother are these things picky eaters are they east to tune. The one I purchased was "throated" for berger VLD's, I really want to get into very accurate shooting with his neat little cartridge just dont want to dump a ton of money in going in the wrong direction.

Thank you for any advice

Very Respectfully Submittted

Semper Fidelis

 

[GSPV]

Try to find out which specific VLD it was chambered for. There are VLDs from 87 through 115 grains.

The 6BR is one of the easiest cartridges out there to load for. Just go to http://www.6mmbr.com/6mmbr.html and follow along.

The only thing that I have to add is that I've been very happy using IMR 8208 XBR with the Berger 87 VLD in my 10 twist. I'm shooting 30.5 grains. As always, YPMV (Your Pressure May Vary).

Also, there has been some talk about the blue box brass not being as consistent as the gold box. There is a thread going on here about it right now. I'm still shooting gold box, so I can't speak to it.

 

[maxscm]

243 if you want a repeater rifle.
6BR if you want a single shot.
Sometimes 6BR repeaters can be a challenge.
I like both 243 and 6BR.

 

[boltgunluvr]

I was really close to spending some serious money on a 6BR and the custom builder talked me out of it. He knew money was not an issue and I had been desiring one for a very long time. BUT he also agreed that the trusty old 243 Win is very versatile as is. I agree....