I friend has a 6mm Remington for his 14 year old daughter to hunt with. She's an incredible shot (better than her older brothers!) and while she's taken several deer with the rifle, the results have been less than spectacular. Her Dad tells me that on two separate occassion deer that were hammered with perfectly placed shots acted as if they were running from the noise rather than impact, running a good ways with almost no blood trail.

She's currently shooting Hornady Light Magnum's with 100 gr. spire points, but her Dad has asked about the possibility of handloads using a different bullet. I'm hoping that someone with some experience hunting with the 6mm or .243 can recommend a better performing bullet.

5 shots at 200 yards
Caliber: 6MM Remington
Bullet: Sierra 85 Grain HPBT
Powder: 43.2 grains of IMR-4350
Primer: Remington 9-1/2
Case: Remington
Firearm: Ruger 77R
Optics: Leupold 3x9
Velocity: 3128 FPS @ 15' from muzzle

Used on white tail, mule deer and antelope. Ranges from 35 yards to 375 yards, one-shot dropped where they stood.

I have been less than impressed with Hornady 100 grain bullets on deer in both the 6mm Remington and the 25-06.

A much overlooked bullet in the 6mm Remington is the 90 grain Speer. I have shot several deer with this bullet including a heck of a nice mule deer in Wyoming that field dressed real close to 200 pounds.

I think that Nosler now makes a 90 grain Ballistic Tip as well as a 95 grain version. They, along with the Nosler Partition bullets in 6mm caliber should work fine.

R F

I'd be looking at working up a good load with the 95 or 100 grain versions of the Nosler Partition.

BTW, I *love* the 6mm Remington!

Belaw--You often read about the need to use premium bullets in the .243/6mm and I do just the opposite. I use the 100 grain Winchester bulk packed that I bought from Midway. I no longer buy from Midway--another post--but think I paid around $35.00 for 500 of them. My grandson has shot three times and taken three deer this year--his dad also shot once--one deer. This is my grandsons 4th year using that bullet and he has gotten atleast one every year--most years more.

cold bore

quote:

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I'd be looking at working up a good load with the 95 or 100 grain versions of the Nosler Partition.

BTW, I *love* the 6mm Remington!

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I couldn't agree more.

The 6MM Rem is a great deer cartridge.

I like the 100 gr partition using H4831 and Fed 210M primer. I get 3000 FPS and 1/2" groups out of a 22" barrel. I also like the Sierra 85 gr HPBT at 3200. Both will drop them right now.The Nosler is my best load. I don't like the BT's in this caliber.Maybe they have a Accubond I don't know.

I use the 85 and 95 grain Nosler Partitions in a couple of 243's depending on which bullet that the particular gun likes. I like their performance on antelope a lot better than the 100 grain softpoint bullets.

I have never loaded for the 6mm but I have dropped a lot of deer with 40 gr. of IMR4350 pushing a 100 gr. Nosler Partition.

David.

Well No ONE with any field experience can offer any better info than you have received above.

From 85 grains and UP I don't think you can go bad with a 6mm from Rem or Winchester. I am also found of the 100 Grain Hornady Round Nose and also the discontinued ( dang it!) Sierra 100 grain Semi Pointed.

I don't think anyone mentioned the 85 grains Barnes XLC. I am usually not a Barnes fan, but IN This application, this bullet is fantastic!

Some days it is just darn bad luck a buck does not drop from a well placed hit. I had the same thing happen on a monster Minnesota whitetail, with an Enormous rack. Dead hit in the chest, bad all over the place, fur all over the snow also. Down he went, then jumped up and dove into a Swamp, that a mosquito could not fly a straight path thru. I lost him regrettably.

The load? A 200 grain Sierra in Federal Factory ammo in a 300 Win Mag. Shot was at 150 yds. Personally I believe the bullet was so hard, and the velocity fast enough that the bullet had passed completely thru the deer before it had a chance to mushroom fully.

Personally I wished I had missed him, if I was only going to wound him and then loose him.

Cheers and Happy new year.

Belaw, give the 85gr. Barnes Triple shocks a try. I love them in my 243 Win., my 14 year old can shoot them all day, and they are deadly on southern whitetails. I resently did an autopsy on 120 lb buck my son shot throw both sholders at 125 yrds, inside of the onside shoulder had a hole the size of a U.S Quarter and the offside shoulder had a 1/2 diameter exit hole.

I agree totally with EWN. You simply cannot beat the 85gr TSX. I took 4 deer this year with this bullet, and could not ask for better performance. All 4 shots were between 200 and 350 meters, the furthest an animal traveled was about 15 meters. I was expecting little pinhole entrance and exit wounds with this bullet, but surprisingly it does a fair bit of damage. Not excessive just about perfect.

belaw,

I have used the Rem 6mm as my primary deer rifle in Virginia, & Pa, since the 60's. I have shot a lot of deer with it.

When the Barnes X's first came out, I shot 3 deer that yr. with the Barnes 95 gr. X, & 3 with the Nosler 95 gr. BT. Since then I have used only the Barnes X, the XLC, & now the TSX. Since I bought 10 boxes of the 85 XLC a few yrs. back, I still have & use them. This yr. I used the 85 TSX. As the above people mention, the 85 XLC's or TSX are deadly, & accurate.

I have one deer to my credit with a 243 win. Handloaded 100 grain Nosler Partition. 130 lb doe, at 70 yds, shot clear through the ribs just back of the shoulder. Knocked her down. she got up and ran/stumbled 25 yds. Lots of blood, not much meat damage. 1 inch exit hole.
This is what want in bullet performance.
The Nosler BT bullet will kill deer, no doubt about it, but I want an exit hole and blood trail.

My vote goes for the 95g Nosler Partition. I use it for both my .243 and the 6mm Rem with out standing results on White tails. In the 6MM I am getting good groups with 49.0g of AA 3100, CCI 200 primers OAL 2.825"

[QUOTE] I no longer buy from Midway-- QUOTE]

What was your issue with Midway?