6mm for deer and target suggestions

[Kevin1990]

So I'd like to have a barrel chambered before deer season, and then after ill probably shoot paper and steel with it also. I'm pretty set on a 6mm. Id like the easy button for reloading as far as finding a good load and keeping it tuned. I was thinking 6br, but I wanted a little more juice, as I may possibly have shots at 350-375 yards (absolute max.) I was thinking along the lines of a 6xc, or a 6BRDX. Any other suggestions? I have a lot of cci450s Id like to use and 6br lapua brass, but if something will do the job better ill get set up for that, plus who wouldn't want another cartridge in the stable?

Thanks fellas.

 

[Horsemen61]

6 Creedmoor for deer/6 arc are my recommendations

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

The 6 XC pushes, the awesome, Deer "Stomping", 108 gr. Elite Hunter Bullet, real close to, 3,000 fps and shoots, in the .3's without much "Tuning" from, my 24 inch barrel ( "Tuned", 107 SMK's in, LOW,.. .2's ).
and the XC has, Better barrel Life than, the 6 Creed !
A 1-7.5 or 1-8 Twist will shoot, the Light 70-75 grain Bullets "Well" up to, the 108's, ( prob, the 110 SMK's too ).. just Fine !
The 6 XC is a Great, "All around" 6mm Cartridge,.. IMO

 

[JFrank]

I went to a Dasher with Berger 105 VLD hunting bullets. Fire forming your existing br brass is as simple as pulling the trigger with 30 gr Varget.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Forster makes Great Dies for, the 6 XC and,.. both,..
Norma and Peterson make, GOOD,.. fairly inexpensive, Brass !
.104 Free Bore ( the Tubb, Version ONE, 6 XC ) is the One to Get and,..
The Forster Dies,.. ARE for, "This",. Chambering.
NO Fire forming, just, "Plug and Play"

 

[Walt Krafft]

Easy button is 6XC. That is what my main deer rifle wears.

 

[farmerjohn]

The 6 XC pushes, the awesome, Deer "Stomping", 108 gr. Elite Hunter Bullet, real close to, 3,000 fps and shoots, in the .3'

Lefty ain't wrong about about that elite hunter! I have used that bullet at 3150 out of my stand rifle in a 6 creed out to 500yds and it's absolutely a hammer, in fact almost too good. Hi point shoulder shot and you are going to lose the off shoulder. Friends of mine out west say they do the same to antelope at 600. Last couple of years I taken 7 with my 6BRA with the Sierra 90gr game changer at 3150 and it's very impressive . 379yds is as far as I have stretched it but it works well. IMHO I think that for 250lb thin skinned game it's great medicine. I'm too old now but I would love to try that 180 gr elite 30cal in my old mod 70 H&H on elk.... John

 

[mdram]

6gt is pretty easy to load for. i can get 2950 with a 108 in a 24" barrel

 

[Kevin1990]

Lefty ain't wrong about about that elite hunter! I have used that bullet at 3150 out of my stand rifle in a 6 creed out to 500yds and it's absolutely a hammer, in fact almost too good. Hi point shoulder shot and you are going to lose the off shoulder. Friends of mine out west say they do the same to antelope at 600. Last couple of years I taken 7 with my 6BRA with the Sierra 90gr game changer at 3150 and it's very impressive . 379yds is as far as I have stretched it but it works well. IMHO I think that for 250lb thin skinned game it's great medicine. I'm too old now but I would love to try that 180 gr elite 30cal in my old mod 70 H&H on elk.... John

I'd be happy with those velocities. Whats the barrel length on the 6bra? I'm looking to probably use 85 game king or a 90 TMK, but I'll look into the 108s as well.

 

[farmerjohn]

Hey Feller, I will add this to your thoughts. I built that 6 creed as a wildcat, the 6.5 had just come out and I wanted that small primer good brass and thought it would be an improvement over my 244 REM thinking about getting 3300fps out of it with a 108gr bullet and figured out that ain't happening. I built that 6BRA for a new truck gun and have been using it every since. The only advantage that the longer configuration 6mms is they feed better out of a magazine. The BRX, BRA, that GT will all do the trick, I just used the BRA because I have all my IBS rifles and reloading tools in that caliber. Regardless of what you use to get those two bullets to around 3000fps accurately they will work well for deer out to 500yds... John

 

[kyotekiller25]

6 Creed with 108g ELDMs would be my vote.

 

[farmerjohn]

I'd be happy with those velocities. Whats the barrel length on the 6bra? I'm looking to probably use 85 game king or a 90 TMK, but I'll look into the 108s as well.

It's a 22"
But understand that you are going to need a 1/8 twist to stabilize the new bullets. That bullet on the left is the old Sierra 85 game king... short, stubby, I shot them for years and about 300yds they run out of penetration on deer. The newer vld style retain their velocity a lot better but you need a faster twist such as a 7&1/2 or 8 to stabilize them
Hope this helps... John

 

[Kevin1990]

It's a 22" View attachment 1668714
But understand that you are going to need a 1/8 twist to stabilize the new bullets. That bullet on the left is the old Sierra 85 game king... short, stubby, I shot them for years and about 300yds they run out of penetration on deer. The newer vld style retain their velocity a lot better but you need a faster twist such as a 7&1/2 or 8 to stabilize them View attachment 1668715
Hope this helps... John

I have a 6mm 8 twist blank so that'll be perfect. I was originally going to get a 9 or 10 twist, but I'm too indecisive and wanted to make sure I could launch something. Heavier if I wanted. Thanks for the side by side comparison. Surprised at the length of the TMK compared to the elite hunter. Much longer than I was thinking.

 

[STOMP442]

6XC is absolutely devastating on deer a long ways past 300 yards. For my money there isn't a better deer cartridge made. It's the perfect balance between efficiency, recoil, and terminal effect. My longest kill on a deer with mine has been 740 yards. My rifle has been responsible for probably nearly a dozen deer killed over the last few years ranging from 330 to 740 yards all have been one and done kills. The Berger 105 Hybrid is extremely effective.

 

[farmerjohn]

I have a 6mm 8 twist blank so that'll be perfect. I was originally going to get a 9 or 10 twist, but I'm too indecisive and wanted to make sure I could launch something. Heavier if I wanted. Thanks for the side by side comparison. Surprised at the length of the TMK compared to the elite hunter. Much longer than I was thinking.

The older I get the more I have to be careful of acronyms and you made me go back and look to be sure.... these new ones are not TMK which I think are tipped MATCH king. They are TGK which are tipped GAME king....
John

 

[farmerjohn]

6XC is absolutely devastating on deer a long ways past 300 yards. For my money there isn't a better deer cartridge made. It's the perfect balance between efficiency, recoil, and terminal effect. My longest kill on a deer with mine has been 740 yards. My rifle has been responsible for probably nearly a dozen deer killed over the last few years ranging from 330 to 740 yards all have been one and done kills. The Berger 105 Hybrid is extremely effective.

Hey Feller, if I wasn't knee deep in BRA stuff, prairie dog guns, IBS, and two sons shooting the BRA I would look hard at the BRX or the 6XC. I think I would like to have about 3 or 4gr more case capacity.... John

 

[Mark W]

Call me old fashioned, but it sounds like a good old .243 Win is in order to me.

 

[farmerjohn]

Call me old fashioned, but it sounds like a good old .243 Win is in order to me.

Hey Feller, to a great extent I agree whole heartedly with you. If we had known in 1970 to use a long action instead of a short one, a quick twist instead of a 10 or in Remingtons case with the 244 a 12 , and had these new VLD style game bullets, I wouldn't have ended up hunting white tail deer with a 300 H&H with a 180gr bullet just to get a DRT deer rifle. A long action with a 243 win or a 6mm Rem and just add a 8 twist barrel and it will move the new bullets just fine. Only problem is with the 6mm/244 which I have tried won't stand the pressure with rem or win LP brass to run the 108 VLDs to 3000fps and takes 12 to 18gr more powder just trying it, that's why I ended up with the BRA, IMHO, YMMV.... how's that for acronyms...... John

 

[Gary in MD]

Another vote for the standard 243 Winchester, Lapua brass and any number of good bullets out there for targets or killing deer.

 

[Homerange]

Hey Feller, to a great extent I agree whole heartedly with you. If we had known in 1970 to use a long action instead of a short one, a quick twist instead of a 10 or in Remingtons case with the 244 a 12 , and had these new VLD style game bullets, I wouldn't have ended up hunting white tail deer with a 300 H&H with a 180gr bullet just to get a DRT deer rifle. A long action with a 243 win or a 6mm Rem and just add a 8 twist barrel and it will move the new bullets just fine. Only problem is with the 6mm/244 which I have tried won't stand the pressure with rem or win LP brass to run the 108 VLDs to 3000fps and takes 12 to 18gr more powder just trying it, that's why I ended up with the BRA, IMHO, YMMV.... how's that for acronyms...... John

Yet a shooter I know built a custom 6mm Rem for 105 Bergers and pushed to 200fps faster than you'll see anything in print for ELR rabbit shooting. I watched him take one @ 820yds and the ballistic charts showed it had the magic 2000fps and 1000ftlbs to take deer at 750yds.
Try doing that with the 243 Win !