I have a path to cross, which version of 243 Winchester to have chambered or a 6BR for PD`s. I antelope hunt in Northern New Mexico and have been told to bring a PD gun next trip out. I just happen to be building an F Class rifle which is a switch barrel set up. Bat action, Shehane tracker stock, Nightforce scope. I will have the smith chamber up a PD barrel for this rig, he can chamber barrels for me without sending the rifle back. I LOVE the 243 Winchester, and have had AI rifles in the past but do you think the extra fps is something I would miss?? He is chambering a #17 Krieger, 1 in 12" 6mm barrel for my PD gun, I just have to let him know which chambering, I am having trouble making up my mind so any input from this site will certainly be appreciated. He also has Tight neck reamers for each chamber. I have done these also in the past but might rather segregate cases than turn them, please give me your thoughts on which 6mm would be your choice for PD`s.

Is the 1-12" twist 6mm barrel for F class? It seems like a slow twist as they shoot 600 yds and more here.



As to the cartridge I really like the 243 also but they will burn barrels. A look at the 6mm Br data shows the 55 gr bullet over 3700 fps. Those bullets shoot really well for me out to at least 350 yds out of a 22" barreled 243.



I would go all out for the "F" class rifle. Thats were you put your name on the board. One can shoot varmints with almost anything.

Savage99, My rifle is a switch barrel, my question was about a PD gun. The F-Class barrel is a tight neck 6.5/284.

I personally love the 243s for about anything reasonable.

Burning out barrels is more the lack of discipline of the shooter,....

The 243 is more than accurate enough for stuff way out there.
It can also be downloaded quite effectively.

I have never owned a 6 BR, and brass is a pain. But if one can live with that, I have seen some stellar accuracy out to 600 yds plus with a BR. I'd sort of go that route if I was to do it!

Cheers and Happy Holidays
seafire

Tim,



I'd go with the 6mmBR for long barrel life and less cooling time between shots.



If I just felt like it wasn't fast enough I'd just straight to the 6mm-284.



The 243's just aren't the cartridge for such a nice rifle.



I'd go with 243 or 243 AI for a production rifle maybe but not for a really nice custom rifle. They don't produce the power or accuracy for all that powder they burn or for all they heat they apply to the throat.



The 1K competitive shooters can't be ignored and they also either use the 6mmBR or 6mm-284 for good reason.



Edited... OOPS... I ALSO got confused on your rifles. What is your PD rifle going to be?



$bob$

seafire,

I wasn't aware of problems with 6mmBR brass. What's the problem?

$bob$

I'd go with a 6.5-.284...

and shoot PDs with a .223

I would probably lean to the 6BR over the 6/284 due heating/erosion concerns. The 243 winchester is an amazingly accurate chambering though. I have had a production BDL Varmit years ago that was just impressive as hell with 70gr Noslers and IMR 4320. What would be the velocity comparisons between the 243 Winchester and 6BR with the 70gr bullet??

Tim,

Although I have several 243's I'm a big fan of the 6 and the 22BR for varmint rifles. I get close to 3400 with 70 gr TNT's out of a 21" barrel. I use some old AA 2015BR powder. I have a friend who is getting around the same velocity with N133. As far as I'm concerned brass problems went away since Lapua started making BR brass. Make sure the reamer your smith is using is compatible with the Lapua brass and that he can fit you up with dies that suit his reamer.

knobmtn

Tim,

I wanted to add this to my other post ; http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html

knobmtn

knobmtn, thanks for that link, I surely will be spending some serious time there.

Tim in TN: My custom 6mm BR has been astonishing me for about 8 years now! It is so amazingly and consistently accurate!
I had my 6mm BR built by a BR type Riflesmith! I had it chambered specifically to shoot the 55 gr. Nosler Ballistic Tip bullets. It shoots those bullets VERY well indeed! But it REALLY loves the various 68 gr. bench rest quality bullets especially the Euber's!
My Rifle/scope weighs 13 pounds 10 ounces with its Hart 26 1/2" heavy, cryoed barrel. I have one of the splendid Leupold 8.5x25 variable scopes on it.
This rig is just DEATH on all manner of Varmints!
The heavy Rifle and the efficient but light recoiling cartridge allows me to self spot most of my shots! This is important to me in the Colony Varmint fields. The 6mm BR will definitely heat comparable barrels much slower than a 243 Winchester or the A.I. version with the same number of shots.
Brass life for my Rifle is apparently infinite!
My brass is slow to grow (lengthen) and no dead brass at all so far for me!
The 6mm Remington BR is, in my opinion, one of the top five Varmint cartridges OF ALL TIME!
Brass is readily available even for me out here in Montana!
I use Federal 205M primers (small Rifle) in my 6mm BR and I feel the small primer is certainly one of the contributing factors to its accuracy and consistency!
I have killed Rock Chucks and Prairie Dogs on many, many occassions out at 500 yards with this Rifle!
Good luck with whichever cartridge you choose!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Tim,



I just really like the 243 for varmints. It's very accurate and versitile. I have had one since 1957 and I still shoot one today. The cartridge will do it all and at long range as well.



However for multiple shots with full power loads the 243 heats things up and it kicks. Long ago I selected the 6mm Rem. International for postition target shooting and it's just right for the application in 1960 terms. Today the 6mm BR will do about the same thing and it will avoid the case forming issues that the old International has.



I was really glad I selected that cartridge back then. I burn about 31 grs of powder and thats plenty in a 15 pound rifle for long matches.



The 243 is so cool in a lightweight walking rifle too.

My two cents worth is this: Whichever case you choose, make sure its one that can use ready-made store-bought brass. If you are gonna do some serious sage rat shooting, you are gonna be doing some serious reloading. Forget fire forming shoulders, forget neck turning. You're talking about 800-1000 rounds of ammo. I'll give up the .25 moa in order to use ball powder and stock cases.
And, for what its worth, there still ain't no flys on a old fashioned 22-250 when it come to killing rats.

I am taking some wide steps to the 6BR from the replys here, I am glad I put this up, I was really needing guidance. My rifle will weigh 22# with scope for the F Class and the smith said we would do 28" instead of 30" on the PD gun, it will be steady for sure. The 12" twist will be good for lighter weight 55`s and to include 80`s. I would only consider the 80`s with the larger case so with a 6BR maybe up to and including 75`s. This should be a fun rifle for sure, I will see what reamer he has on the 6BR without turning. I already have some Lapua 6BR brass as I told myself years ago that a 22BR was to be in the stable at some point.



knobmtn, my discussion with my smith today was about the very point you made about chamber reamers and dies, there can be a real compatability problem. He says Redding has some prints that they consider to be the most widely used reamer drawings out there which in fact is the furthest from the truth. The 243AI was the cartridge of discussion, he says there are 2 very diffent set of dies made by Redding for that cartridge. Also the 7/57, according to him. I am in GREAT hands, with my gunsmith.

Lack of 243 availability is all!

cheers and happy holidays
seafire