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Why not a 6mm AI

I sure don't see alot about the 6mm AI around here, if i want to push the 105s at mid 3200s shooting eveything from varmints to 1000yd bench the 6mm AI sounds like a great choice, the only draw back i can see would be the lack of quality brass.
before i send the krieger to my smith i would like to hear some of your thoughts on the 6mm AI, thanks

Matt
 
MT300Rum. The the 6mm AI is a very good caliber and you should have no problem reaching 3200 fps with it. If you are going to shoot the 105 grainers you should use Reloader 19 and about 43.0 grains up to 45.5 grains. You should find the sweet spot somewhere around there. I am assuming that your will be ordering a 1-8 twist barrel. As far as high quality brass goes, you can use the 7x57 brass and get that brass from Norma and just run them through a full length resizer and you have 6mmm AI. I have 2 boxes of the Norma 7 x 57 brass, and if you would like I can sell them to you. Just e-mail me. If this is the rifle you are interested in, get it. It is very accurate!! I finished in 9th place several years ago at South Fork International Ground Hog Shoot with this rifle, which is no easy task with the exceptional shooters they have.

Al Ostapowicz
aaostapowicz@roadrunner.com
 
Seems I always have a 6mm Ackley in the safe, it's my go to Coyote gun...
It loves the 80 grain Fowler flat base, the coyotes don't care much for it :D
 
Matt,

The 6Ai is a great round. I shot 1000 yd matches the first year using a 6AI 10 tw shooting 90 BT Berger, and did good.

You can run a 105 VLD at 3200 to 3300 f/s in a 6AI or 234AI, But must VLD's do not like to run that fast. Must shoot best 3000 f/s or less. That is where the 6BR and 6BR IMP come in. You will run 15 gr more powder for the same velocity, and barrel life will suck.

With the 243AI you will have better brass and about the same speed, as a 6AI.

Mark Schronce
 
I can easily exceed 3350 fps with my 28' 1:9 twist 105/107s. And, yes the 1:9 twist will stabilize the 105/107 just as my gunsmith,Dave Tooley) said they would. Don't listen to Sierra when they tell you it requires a 1:8. I make my brass from RWS 7x57 parent brass. If all you want is the 3200 fps, the 243 AI will do that. If you want the extra 150 fps, the 6AI is the ticket or a 6x284. I will agree that the 105 VLD and 105 SMK shoot best at 3100 and lower. However, the 95 Bergers VLDs shoot great in my gun at 3450 fps. They seem wind resistance at that speed. I haven't tried the 95 SMK yet, but I have a couple of boxes. Long barrel life.... no. Loads of fun... yes. tiny
 
The 6mmAI is my favorite long range 500yds and beyond varmint round. Mine really like 87gr Vmax's pushed by Varget at close to 3400fps. It also shoot the 105gr Amax's very well.

RJ
 
Run that 95 Berger VLD through your balistics program at 3300 -3400fps. That is one wicked little round. @3450fps that is spooky flat and not very wind sensative.

Wow!!!


RussT
 
Thanks guy's for all the help & info, i already have the krieger stainless 29' 1-8 twist #17 contour sitting hear, just wating for the original 6mm barrel to stop shooting so good, my smith said it was about ready to rebarrel and he already has the 6mm AI reamer so i ordered the new krieger, but she just keeps shootin to good to change it, i guess i could have bigger problems, anyway thanks again for all your time and help..

Matt...
 
MT, Ive got a .243AI and really like it. And think the 6mmAI would be even better. Dont know how true this may be but, Ive heard that the longer neck on the 6mmAI might give a little better barrel life than the .243AI. anyone have anu thoughs on that?

MT, What action are you going to be using? Just curious because of that #17 barrel?

Jerid
 
My .243 Winchester requires no improvements longevitywise or accuracywise. There's no improving upon the best. Slamming the shoulder from stock .243 to a severe 40 degree angle solves nothing performancewise. All sorts of bells and whistles will not out-perform a proper .243 Winchester in native form. Only the shooter matters once a .243 Winchester enters the picture. Of course, custom-loaded ammunition enters the picture HERE regarding minor improvements in sheer accuracy. cliffy
 
I have a McLennon 30 inch 8 twist in 6AI being chambered and headspaced on a 722 action even as we speak. Used a .243 in F Class last summer and wanted more oomph. Looked at all the 6mm options, listened to various opinions and went with the 6AI. Will be shooting 105 AMax, 107 MKing and 115 Bergers out to 1000 yards on the Canadian Army ranges. Went down to 8 twist because of the 115 Bergers. Will report back to this forum on loads and performance as the summer goes on.
 
Dear Mr. 1000yardstare. Before you go out and buy a semi truckload of 115 grain Bergers, first try out a box of them. I had both a a 6mm x 284 and a 6mm AI and neither of of the two rifles shot the Berger needles well at all. They were both 1-8 twist rifles, and best groups were anywhere between 2 to 5 inches at 100 yards. Yes that is 100 yards. Stick with the 95 to 107 grain range of bullets and you will be much happier. Reloder 19 at around 43.0 to 45.0 shsould be the ticket for you. Good luck in your new rifle. I know you won'tbe disappopinted with the 6mm.

AL O
aaostapowicz@roadrunner.com
 
ALO: Thanks for the advice on the 115 Bergers. Another chap e-mailed me and suggested I might need a 7 twist for the 115s. I always buy one box of a new bullet to try them out so we will see what happens.
 
Just returned from Florida, so I'm just getting up to speed Internetwise. A .243 Winchester needs no excuses performancewise. Akleyizing merely adds WORK and EXPENSE, but not MUCH else. I'll shoot against a .243 AI anytime it's convenient for me. Just to prove a point seems small retribution. Shoot what's FUN and ACCURATE for you! Cliffy
 
Hunting vs Target shooting with 6mm. With varmint hunting you normally don't shoot more than 1 to 5 rounds per shooting session. Barrel heat and life usually are a secondary concern.

Target shooting particularly F-Class you are shooting strings of 17-25 rounds. Barrel heat and life become a concern. It took me many years to realize that speed is secondary to accuracy.

The popularity of the 6mm BRX and 6mm Dasher is their efficency. With a 30-32 inch 1:8 barrel shooters are getting between 3000-3150 fps with 30 to 35 grains of powder and 105-to 108 grain bullets.

The advantages are accuacy, cost, physical abuse on the shooter.

There are few cartridges more accurate than the parent cartridge 6mmBR.

Great Brass= Lapua
Great powder= Varget, Re-15, H4350,
Great Barrels= Broughton,Krieger,Bartlein,Brux,RockCreek

Barrel life of a .243, 6mm Remington, 243AI, 6mmAI, 6mm-284
are all going to be less than 1,500 rounds. Barrel life of the 6mmBRX and 6mmDasher is 2800-3500 some say they get more. You can buy 200 pieces brass and reload it until your rebarrel.

Nat Lambeth
 
No reason at all to not build a 6AI. It's a big step up from the standard 6mm and will do amazing things with lighter bullets, like 70's. I just switched to the 6AI from a 240Gibbs......the Gibbs load was 70's at 4100 and brass is a hassle to make. The 6AI will do the same thing with less powder and brass is a cinch. Also, don't know where some people get their ideas......except for coyote hunting or maybe a slow day hunting chucks back east, varmint shooting means considerably more than 1-5rds per session and heat/barrel wear are very definitely factors.
 
Rusty i would think with the barrel life #s you posted you were refering to benchrest comp accuracy, and when you refer to varmint hunting i'm sure you meant yotes, my father has a 1973 rem 788 6mm that still has the original barrel and probably has 1500 varmint kills under it's belt, and it still shoots better than me, we're getting 1500 shots before re cut with 22-250 ackleys and 22-6mm's, but i'm sure your idea of a shot out barrel greatly differs from mine, if i shoot in the teens it was mearly by accident or the stars alighning, i figure the gophers around these parts are about MOA at 500 yds and i'm tickled pink ripping goph's at that range, will i win matches, No, will i have a great time doing what i love to do, oh yeah..
 
Since this subject hit my e-mail, I feel the need to respond: I shoot primarily 90-100 grain .243 fare. Sizzling loads are my preference, yet accuracy is crucial. Hunting of animules is not my goal, yet every custom load points that way. 90 grain Nosler E-Tips are my most recent loadings, so I will report the results regarding steel penetration and accuracy soon . . . Cliffy
 
For shooting small critters that dig, varmint hunters aren't concerned about steel penetration with 90-100 gr. bullets. And a 243 isn't anywhere near being in the same league as the 6AI.
 

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