6mm Rem or .243 Win ?

[M700]

Given the lack of Lapua brass for the 6mm Remington, can it be as useful or accurate as a .243 Winchester?

Considering one or the other on an already trued & bedded short action Rem 700 that is currently a .308 Winchester, for a longish range varmint rifle.

I've had 30+ years of shooting the 6mm Remington in a sporter weight rifle that I've used for rockchucks, coyotes and mule deer and am very familiar with loading it, but I've never yet used it in a real match-grade rifle. I've never owned a .243 Winchester, although I've helped others handload for them.

Pros and cons of each? Am planning on a 26" fast twist match barrel to stabilize the 105 A-Max and the heavier Berger VLD bullets.

Thanks, Guy

 

[Forum Boss]

Guy,

You should give John Whidden a call. He normally shoots a .243 at long-range,except when using a .308 in Palma). And, well, he did pretty good this year at Camp Perry, needing a pick-up truck to haul away his trophies.

Contact info at: www.whiddengunworks.net

 

[NeilNE]

You could buy 7x57 brass and neck down to make 6mm Rem. I believe Lapua, Norma, or RWS makes them, not sure which one.

 

[Tommie]

The smarter choice? The .243 Winchester wins hands-down with brass availability leading the list.

My choice? 6mm Remington purely for the "coolness" factor. I never liked the short neck on the .243 Win.

Tom

 

[Cheechako]

Don't short-change the quality of 244 brass. Even the Remchester stuff. This ain't the 20th Century no more.

Ray

 

[Duesterhaus]

I want an accurate long range varmint rifle that I can use on the occasional pig or deer as well. I have been tossing around .243 win and 6mm rem. What is your opinion on recoil, barrel life, and noise comparing the two. I would think no noticeable difference, but I'm just a pup!

 

[CatShooter]

I was deciding the same thing about 5 months ago.

The 243 has Lapua brass... but nothing else going for it.

I finely decided on the 6mm Rem, and the Winchester brass is excellent.

It is not "bench rest" grade, and not as nice as Lapua, but the 6mm Remington isn't a BR cartridge.

If I had to do it again, I would do the same thing - the 6mm Rem is a better design than the 243.


.

 

[sunbuilder]

I would give the 6x47 Lapua a serious look too.

The 6.5x47 Lapua brass is very good.

My long range varmint gun is based on the 6x47,improved)

Food for thought

 

[RidgeRunner]

Now that is a sweet rig! Gorgeous.

 

[BigJim]

Nice Rig but I would go with the 243 easy to reload and the 105gr bullets are sweet. excelent performance to 600 yards.

 

[AckleymanII]

If you have been shooting the 6mm Rem for 30 years, then you are very aware of the fact that the cartridge is better suited for the long action, not the short action. I too shot 6 Rems in 700's, Ruger 77 V's, and Parker Hale Varmints, plus customs made with my own minimum SAAMI spec match turn neck reamer.

You should be talking the 243 AI, not either of the two cartridges that you have mentioned, because of it's extreme accuracy and speed.

Even with Rem or Win brass, you will be shooting groups in the 2's with a custom 243 AI...just how much better do you think Lapua brass would allow you to shoot?

I shoot a 29" 243 AI, shooting the 70's at 3850 and never full length size the brass, 4050 fps is the Max load for accuracy in Rem 7/08 brass necked down with 48.5g of Win 760 with a CCI250 primer. I turn the necks at 7mm, then neck them down to eliminate the "doughnut" for a bunch of firings. I have had over a dozen on of the 243 AI's, and they are WAY better than either the std 243 or the 6mm Rem...no comparison.

 

[M700]

Keith - I find the 243 AI very tempting... Thanks for the input! I'm grateful to all who have replied, but a bit amused that the thread lay dormant for six months then sprang back to life!

I found a lot of good info on the .243 & .243 AI here:
http://www.6mmbr.com/243Win.html

Here's the 6mm Rem 700 I got new back in 1974. My son uses it the most over the past three or four years. Before that, it was my often my primary varmint, coyote and deer rifle for many years:

It's been a very good factory built rifle. Not a high use gun though. I doubt if it's got much more than 2000 rounds through it in 34 years. A few rockchucks and other varmints every year. A few coyotes over the years and a few mule deer hunts. It's been a hunting rifle, not a target rifle. Hunting loads hang at around 2.5" - 3" groups at 300 yards, from a bipod. This is the rifle that taught me quite a bit about the 6mm Rem cartridge.

Here's the .308 that I'm considering for a longish range varminter. Built as a SWAT rifle, it's no longer serving in that role, so there's no reason to keep it a .308, although that cartridge has served well for hunting varmints, predators and mule deer. It's also done well as a competition rifle in various tactical matches and has been shot high-master level scores in NRA prone matches. It's a doggone fine rifle, but when this Krieger .308 barrel tires... I'm thinking it will be re-barreled into something with a smaller bore and higher velocity for varminting. The various 6mm's appeal to me - I'm just trying to figure out which one I want to go with.

Regards, Guy

 

[7mmrowland]

Why don't you do a 6 rem improved? more velocity than the 243 ackley, a longer neck and inheritly more accurate.

 

[j_22250]

M-700, I would definatly consider a 241 ai or 6x47 lapua. Don't under estimate a .243 win. tho, it is an excellent cartridige. The 243 win. with a 100gr. btsp is absolutly devastating on deer out to 300 yrds. It really dosn't matter what u shoot so long as can hit ur mark. As for ur thoughts on a .308 i would go with a .260 rem or .260ai. It is starting to gain popularity again; although I wouldn't trade my .308 for the world, but if i had it to do over again I would go with the .260ai.

 

[kochie]

i will take the 6mm ackley over the 243 any day its better in everyway.

 

[Preacher]

I like my 6mm AI way more than any 243 I ever owned, and I use Lapua 7x57 brass in it. The Lapua 7x57 brass is more consistent than any other make of brass I've tried in any of them.
The only other cartridge that may sway me is the 6x47 Lapua, and I don't have one finished YET.....

 

[transdude]

Preacher, have you experienced accuracy gains with the 7X57 brass vs. the Win or Rem stuff?

I didn't realize that Lapua was making 7x57 now, I had been using the Norma 7x57 brass for my 6 rem ackleys.

-John

 

[Preacher]

Transdude--
The brass was bought a few years ago, and I havn't seen it listed lately, and it did seem to help.

 

[BigJim]

M700 - It sounds like the postings are on individual tastes,rocky road or cookies and cream) all the listings are fine shooting suggestions but it would appear to be on individual taste as to what to use. I'm in love with the 243, but that's me, available brass and heads, easy to re-load, accurate shooting easy on the budget, min recoil, light weight and did I say less expensive to buy.

I don't shoot comp or match so I don't need that last .10 MOA accuracy. For varmints 65 grain bullets for deer 105 grain bullets, what more could you ask from a bullet that can travel between 2,900fps to 4,000fps and still hit the target.

Having said all that I am looking around for a 6.5x47 barrel for the same rifle, just to see how I do beyond 600 meters. Gee two guns in one with a barrel swap, but then I'm cheap when it comes to spending money.

Good luck on your hunt for the perfect shooter.

Jim

 

[DazzH]

I have enjoyed hunting deer, Fellow, Sika, Red ) with my 243Win and feel that I'm not really giving up much to the larger calibers I've used in the past. But as with all rifles there comes a time to re-barrel, I have decided on the 243BR-K just for something a bit different.