Ok, I took everyone’s advice, from a previous thread, and got a 6mm rem.

I picked up an older Rem 700 BDL, Heavy Barrel. Someone has painted the whole thing, scope, stock, and all, with some flat black paint. Anyway I got a pretty good deal on it, so if it looks like it will shoot. I will start thinking about restoring the metal and looking for an after market stock.

After re-reading some of Seafires comments, I need to go home and check to see if it is a long or short action. Does anyone know what the distance between the action screws, on a Rem 700, for the short and long actions?

Seafire, have you worked up any Blue Dot loads for the 6mm? I am thinking 75-80 grain bullets, for prairie dogs.

I read quite a bit about using Red Dot, with cast bullets, so these Blue Dot loads really intrigue me.

Rem M700 distance between guard screws:

Long action - 7.25 in
Short Action - 6.50 in

Numrich has a bunch of NOS and used stocks for the 700, wood and synthetic. They are pretty economical.

I'm unaware of Remington building any 6mm's on anything other than their short action. The magazine will be about 2.85" or so in length inside.

I delight in using Blue Dot in small cases like .223 and .22 Hornet for "midrange" loads that run about 80-85% of the velocity of full power loads. However, your 6mm is a "long gun" for prairie dogs and you should be thinking in terms of full-house loads. I like a 70 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip @ 3500-3600 fps in my HB .243 and 6mm. I don't bother using them for anything at less than 300 yards. The .22's will take care of dogs that are closer than that.

Riverman--I use the RCBS 95 grain mold and make cast bullets for my .243. A guys chronograph said 2900fps but the book said less? Whatever the velocity, the performance on a spike buck was dismal--but they should be great on smaller varmints. .22 cast bullets work great on jackrabbits.

riverman1, had you considered refinishing the stock?

All the 700's(243,6mm) are Remington "short actions".....2.800 COL or magazine. Don't sell yourself short on the 6mm!! Load em "single file" if you have to so you can acheive the greatest accuracy from you rifle at extended distance. And like someone else posted..........."the short stuff is better handled with the .17's, 20's and .224's". No need for the 6's(.243, 6BR, 6MM and a whole bunch of others)at the short distances!! And then don't sell yourself short on projectiles! If I wanted to shoot groundhogs with a 55-60 grain bullet, I'd do it with a 22-250!! If I wanted to optimize my caliber selection and that caliber was 6mm(.243) I would opt for the 87 grain Hornady VMAX or the 105 grain Hornady AMax or even the 107 grain Sierra offering. Just my thoughts! GHD

PM Sent Riverman!

congrats on the Snag!

Thanks for all the info guys.

As for the stock question, yes I have thught about refinishing, and have not completely discounted the idea. However, I have never liked the looks of the old ADL/BDL Wood Stocks. The Clasic stocks and some of the Tactical/Varmint ones look good. I think the long heavy barrel make the old style stock look even worse...it just doesn't look right.

I am also considering going to an ADL or even a single shot, if I can figure out what it will take for the conversion.

This Rifle will be shot as a single shot anyway, thus eleminating the short action disadvantage.