Easiest 6mm

[Crews]

I’m finally at a place in life (age 41) where I have a few dollars and a few minutes available to focus on teaching myself to reload. My question to the Hide is… which is the 6mm cartridge that is most forgiving to the novice reloader, given the following factors:
- availability of components in 2023
- lowest recoil (wife and kids will occasionally participate)
- I will shoot at thin skinned game 400 - 600 yards possible not probable, 600-800 yards steel plates for fun

 

[D1gger]

I would say the 6 Dasher pretty well fits that bill. Easy to load, and they just shoot

 

[Schütze]

6br, you will love it

 

[FatBoy]

6BR. Dasher is close, but 6BR is fool proof as long as you have a small firing pin. Lapua brass, 29.5gr Varget under a 107SMK or a 105Berger Hybrid and light it off with a 450M CCI and enjoy creating bug holes.

My daughter started off with this load at 8 years old, shooting F class at 1k. Her first match she shot a 195-5x (old target).

 

[Haney]

Another vote for straight 6 BR Norma , you can't go wrong .

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

I’m finally at a place in life (age 41) where I have a few dollars and a few minutes available to focus on teaching myself to reload. My question to the Hide is… which is the 6mm cartridge that is most forgiving to the novice reloader, given the following factors:
- availability of components in 2023
- lowest recoil (wife and kids will occasionally participate)
- I will shoot at thin skinned game 400 - 600 yards possible not probable, 600-800 yards steel plates for fun

Will this be a purely reloading cartridge or do you want the ability to also get ammo from the shelf?

 

[Secondistic]

I’m pretty new at it, but started with 6br Norma last summer. I suggest going that direction. Forgiving and a lot of info and help out there.

 

[spife7980]

What action? 6Br/bra/dasher is great but it needs a smaller .0625 firing pin hole in the bolt head vs the larger .075 of a factory rem 700 for example.

If you have the large pin and don’t want to bush the bolt face a 6 creed with large rifle primer brass has been pretty easy for me and components are everywhere.

 

[Andrew863]

6BR. Take a bullet out of a yellow box and brass out of a blue box and it will shoot 6br is very forgiving and super low recoil.

 

[4O6shootist]

6br, or 6bra. Harrels D3 dies. Lapua brass, 105hyb with varget, 4166, RL15.5 in 2850 fps area, it'll hammer. I'd run a 28" 7.5tw 237 bore to keep psi down.

 

[CK1.0]

My advice would be, when looking at "easy", consider "easy to live with" as much as "easy to load for".

For "easy to live with" I'd say 6CM. You can use LRP's and/or SRP's, lots of different powders work, everyone makes brass, dies and such everywhere, peeps are still doing well and winning big matches with it, you can just buy ammo for it if you find yourself having everything but time, etc. Run it ~29000fps and jump it instead of jamming it and it's more "big-Dasher" than "barrel-burner."

If you want to go slightly more exotic and are looking at the "easy to load for" part too, 6GT is an option now. It's more closely related to the wildcat 6's, 6BR, 6BRA, 6BRX, and Dasher in that it uses the steeper shoulder angle and lets you run magic sauce (Varget), but the Gay Tiger doesn't require any special mags or mag kits that everyone tells you work 100% though never seem to IRL. Plus, like 6CM, and unlike the wildcat 6's, you can just buy boxes of ammo for it if you had to.

 

[Milo 2.5]

IMO, any 6mm with 30 or 40 degree shoulder is pretty easy to load for, from 6BR - 243 AI. A case with more capacity opens up more powder selections.
For the 4-600 yard game, I say 6BRA, no work to fireforming it, great learning experience. Help is right here if needed. It'd be dynamite to 800 yard steel too.
I have sorted through the majority of 6's, if I could only have one, it would be 6x47 Lapua

 

[Cascade Hemi]

Perhaps not reloading specific, most of the common 6mm cartridges are relatively easy to load for, but anything 6GT and longer in OAL will have a lower chance of feeding and extraction issues in common length short action repeaters.

 

[S3th]

6BR/BRA

 

[Bandit320]

Might be old school, but I’ve always enjoyed reloading my 243. Easy to work up loads and accurate.

 

[Aftermath]

+1 for the 243. Quality ammo available everywhere all the time. Reloading for it easy. Recoil is mild.

 

[jbuck88]

I have a 6br and it was the easiest round I've ever done load development on. Everything I tried was sub-MOA. Several different combos went half-moa.

Now my knock against it is that I'm running AX mags with the HRD kits. One runs 100% the other likes to nose dive the last 2 round about half the time. The AICS mdt mags are supposed to be awesome.

My 6yo and 10yo shoot it just fine. My 10yo says it's about the same as my 6.5cm recoil wise. So neither kick very much with a brake. Both are the same rifle, AI, so pretty much apples to apples. The 6.5cm has more recoil but it's still not much.

The 6GT would be tempting if fed better from unmodified mags.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

What action? 6Br/bra/dasher is great but it needs a smaller .0625 firing pin hole in the bolt head vs the larger .075 of a factory rem 700 for example.

If you have the large pin and don’t want to bush the bolt face a 6 creed with large rifle primer brass has been pretty easy for me and components are everywhere.

This is what I have. What's the issue? Cratering/pierced primers?
I have close to 1K rounds through it and haven't seen any obvious problem. What should I be looking for.
Thanks!

 

[spife7980]

This is what I have. What's the issue? Cratering/pierced primers?
I have close to 1K rounds through it and haven't seen any obvious problem. What should I be looking for.
Thanks!

Pierced primers, it’s not a hard and fast rule but the large diameter pin is much more prone to it. First minute demonstrates the potential issue

 

[Alabamablammer]

6Br is definitely the easy button.

 

[lariat]

243? Or a 6.5x55? Components and dies are very common with tons of reloading data, even for cast bullets if you want to get detailed.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

IMO 6GT is the most versatile.

You have the ease of loading like BR/A and Dasher. You have the flexibility to run either Varget or H4350 (My preference for a few reasons). You can run unmodified mags.

The only downside is Lapua does not make brass for it, but Alpha is just as good IMO.

People saying 6 creed or 243 or whatever don't know what they are talking about. They are much more finicky to load for, especially downloading them with low case capacity at PRS speeds (28-2900). They are just so much less efficient case designs than the modern BR based stuff.

With the BR/Dasher/GT just pick a velocity and go shoot it. Jump a Berger 105 or 109 hybrid .030-.120 and it will shoot sub half MOA. There is no real load development. Everything shoots well.

Its THAT easy and why most competitive shooters are shooting one of those cartridges.

For hunting, you can also push the GT over 3k without to much risk with H4350, and stay super temp stable. For Deer out to about 600 yards, this one of the most efficient, flat shooting cartidge with almost no recoil.

 

[Matt_3479]

Having owned a 243, 6 creed, 6bra and 6br I’d say without a doubt the 6bra or 6br is the easy button. The ease of tuning is insane, the raw accuracy these cartridge provide is amazing. Longer barrel life, good brass, factory options (just shoot factory 6br in the bra as well). Bra gets a little more speed and less trimming but both are superb! I’ll never not have a br/bra in the stable or both lol

 

[MarshallDodge]

This is what I have. What's the issue? Cratering/pierced primers?
I have close to 1K rounds through it and haven't seen any obvious problem. What should I be looking for.
Thanks!

You probably haven't pushed hard enough to see it. I run a stock Remington action in 6BR with a 28" barrel and get plenty of speed for my needs. 105 and 29.4 Varget. Slight primer cratering with BR4 primers.

 

[Bigtrucknut]

.243 Win - well established cartridge with a reputation for light recoil, high velocities, accuracy, and tried and true reloading data. Reloading components are easy to get (except large rifle primers) and factory ammo is plentiful from 55 grain varmint loads to 100 grain deer cartridges.

 

[towerofpower93]

IMO, any 6mm with 30 or 40 degree shoulder is pretty easy to load for, from 6BR - 243 AI. A case with more capacity opens up more powder selections.
For the 4-600 yard game, I say 6BRA, no work to fireforming it, great learning experience. Help is right here if needed. It'd be dynamite to 800 yard steel too.
I have sorted through the majority of 6's, if I could only have one, it would be 6x47 Lapua

I was going to suggest 6CM or 6x47L due to the ease of mag feeding. If single loading then the smaller 6s can be fine, but the little guys all seem to require some additional magazine mojo to run right in a repeater.

 

[Milo 2.5]

I was going to suggest 6CM or 6x47L due to the ease of mag feeding. If single loading then the smaller 6s can be fine, but the little guys all seem to require some additional magazine mojo to run right in a repeater.

Have you tried the MDT 12 rd conversion mag? I have one, not much usage, seems solid. My Accurate mags with BR conversion, I am constantly stretching the springs on them, but they're 5yrs old and heavy use.

 

[brianf]

6br for all reasons above

in addition, factory ammo while a little pricy is better than most people can reload anyway

 

[towerofpower93]

Have you tried the MDT 12 rd conversion mag? I have one, not much usage, seems solid. My Accurate mags with BR conversion, I am constantly stretching the springs on them, but they're 5yrs old and heavy use.

Nope, I only have a 6.5x47L Rem 700 in a Magpul stock using their polymer mags and a 6.5C AR10 using a Zev upper on my MATEN lower.

Haven't dipped my toes into the BR sized cartridges.

 

[Matt_3479]

I was going to suggest 6CM or 6x47L due to the ease of mag feeding. If single loading then the smaller 6s can be fine, but the little guys all seem to require some additional magazine mojo to run right in a repeater.

I have 4 of The mdt 12 rounder’s which I use for both my br and bra and they have been flawless for the thousands of rounds.

 

[towerofpower93]

I have 4 of The mdt 12 rounder’s which I use for both my br and bra and they have been flawless for the thousands of rounds.

Good to know. I've only messed with the longer short action cartridges, but have seen plenty of magazine related failures in matches with the shorter BR and the like. I'm guessing it's a case of folks taking the time and money to do it right some of the time vs all of the time and/or relying on plug and play parts compared to hand fitting mags and bottom metal components. My Magpul hunter stock is far from the most HSLD option, but it does work really well with their mags and 6.5x47L.

 

[Schütze]

MDT mags feed perfect in my 6br impact. 10 or 12rd, just make sure to get the newer style with anti tilt / dive followers. They prevent nosedive of the rounds.

 

[Matt_3479]

Good to know. I've only messed with the longer short action cartridges, but have seen plenty of magazine related failures in matches with the shorter BR and the like. I'm guessing it's a case of folks taking the time and money to do it right some of the time vs all of the time and/or relying on plug and play parts compared to hand fitting mags and bottom metal components. My Magpul hunter stock is far from the most HSLD option, but it does work really well with their mags and 6.5x47L.

The old style mdt mags were hit and miss and only about 60%-70% feed rate. The hdr kits set up probably work well but still have the odd failure. When mdt upgraded their br kit then sent out upgrades for free. I changed over the parts and bought 2 new mags as well and all 4 mags have since been flawless. Not a single feeding issue.

 

[Thebiglebowski]

I’m still stuck between 6x47 Lapua and 6BRA. I will be feeding from an AW magazine, and wondering if 6x47 with longer COL is a better fit.

 

[4O6shootist]

I’m still stuck between 6x47 Lapua and 6BRA. I will be feeding from an AW magazine, and wondering if 6x47 with longer COL is a better fit.

I've shot both. I personally prefer 6gt over x47 as they seem to shoot the same accuracy with 109gr bullets at 2920-2930fps with less powder and less recoil. The 6bra will run that same node with 105 hyb in long barrel but it's top end, however rain safe in my rifle using H4350. Better node for field match conditions is 2850 or so with varget burn rate powders. I will say the 6bra is probably the most accurate rifle I own. When it's finely tuned and shooting at its best, I've shot a handful of 5 shot groups at 300y on paper that were in the 1s. It did very well on steel at distance as well no flies on any the br variants, gt, or x47. Problem with X47 is there are a lot of chamber reamer variations in body and neck dimension, and fitting that to your brass and a die that sizes the brass in good relationship to the chamber has been problematic for some. The 6XC has suffered from the same chamber/die/brass fitment variation issues as well.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

I’m still stuck between 6x47 Lapua and 6BRA. I will be feeding from an AW magazine, and wondering if 6x47 with longer COL is a better fit.

I ran BRA in AW mags, and swapped to 6CM because of the mag feeding irregularities. Constant mag tweaking and ass pain. The 6CM just runs. Rain, dirt, snow, ice. Always feeds, never a hiccup.

80% sure I'll be going back to BRA once I burn out my last two creed barrels on hand.

 

[bodhisafa]

I ran BRA in AW mags, and swapped to 6CM because of the mag feeding irregularities. Constant mag tweaking and ass pain. The 6CM just runs. Rain, dirt, snow, ice. Always feeds, never a hiccup.

80% sure I'll be going back to BRA once I burn out my last two creed barrels on hand.

Why go back ?

 

[bodhisafa]

I've shot both. I personally prefer 6gt over x47 as they seem to shoot the same accuracy with 109gr bullets at 2920-2930fps with less powder and less recoil. The 6bra will run that same node with 105 hyb in long barrel but it's top end, however rain safe in my rifle using H4350. Better node for field match conditions is 2850 or so with varget burn rate powders. I will say the 6bra is probably the most accurate rifle I own. When it's finely tuned and shooting at its best, I've shot a handful of 5 shot groups at 300y on paper that were in the 1s. It did very well on steel at distance as well no flies on any the br variants, gt, or x47. Problem with X47 is there are a lot of chamber reamer variations in body and neck dimension, and fitting that to your brass and a die that sizes the brass in good relationship to the chamber has been problematic for some. The 6XC has suffered from the same chamber/die/brass fitment variation issues as well.

Any trouble feeding 6GT fro magazine ?

 

[CK1.0]

I've been going back and forth between 6CM and 6GT barrels and have to say that, so far, I think the 6GT is easier to load for due to the powder one can use.

I'm starting to think that all one has to do is choose a 6mm cartridge that takes Varget and/or Shooter's World Precision Rifle (AKA fake Varget), and voila, low single-digit SDs, easy.

My rifle/action (Origin) feeds both perfectly out of the same mags without having to do anything at all. But that said, I'm still not quite used to the shorter 6GT and I jam the gun up now and then still...

With the 6GT the spent cases come out sooner since they're shorter, and then my brain has me run the bolt forward before I've got the bolt back far enough to get behind and pick up a fresh round... running it forward too soon inevitably half-strips a couple of rounds and then locks up the gun, I then drop the mag to clear the jam and get a yard sale (losing 2-3 rounds to the ground in the process). Not a gun problem, a me problem.

I'm still working on training it out, it happened to me on 3 stages of a 1-day a few weeks back, I jammed the sucker and peed down my leg on 3 of the easiest stages, I gotta fix that lol.

 

[Haney]

I've been going back and forth between 6CM and 6GT barrels and have to say that, so far, I think the 6GT is easier to load for due to the powder one can use.

I'm starting to think that all one has to do is choose a 6mm cartridge that takes Varget and/or Shooter's World Precision Rifle (AKA fake Varget), and voila, low single-digit SDs, easy.

My rifle/action (Origin) feeds both perfectly out of the same mags without having to do anything at all. But that said, I'm still not quite used to the shorter 6GT and I jam the gun up now and then still...

With the 6GT the spent cases come out sooner since they're shorter, and then my brain has me run the bolt forward before I've got the bolt back far enough to get behind and pick up a fresh round... running it forward too soon inevitably half-strips a couple of rounds and then locks up the gun, I then drop the mag to clear the jam and get a yard sale (losing 2-3 rounds to the ground in the process). Not a gun problem, a me problem.

I'm still working on training it out, it happened to me on 3 stages of a 1-day a few weeks back, I jammed the sucker and peed down my leg on 3 of the easiest stages, I gotta fix that lol.

Fake Varget ? Only on hide do you read stupid shit like that .

 

[MakeSawdust]

I've been going back and forth between 6CM and 6GT barrels and have to say that, so far, I think the 6GT is easier to load for due to the powder one can use.

I'm starting to think that all one has to do is choose a 6mm cartridge that takes Varget and/or Shooter's World Precision Rifle (AKA fake Varget), and voila, low single-digit SDs, easy.

My rifle/action (Origin) feeds both perfectly out of the same mags without having to do anything at all. But that said, I'm still not quite used to the shorter 6GT and I jam the gun up now and then still...

With the 6GT the spent cases come out sooner since they're shorter, and then my brain has me run the bolt forward before I've got the bolt back far enough to get behind and pick up a fresh round... running it forward too soon inevitably half-strips a couple of rounds and then locks up the gun, I then drop the mag to clear the jam and get a yard sale (losing 2-3 rounds to the ground in the process). Not a gun problem, a me problem.

I'm still working on training it out, it happened to me on 3 stages of a 1-day a few weeks back, I jammed the sucker and peed down my leg on 3 of the easiest stages, I gotta fix that lol.

Off topic, but carry extra mag, when jam, pull mag and dump entire mess on ground, load new mag, finish stage. 3-5 seconds...no problem man;-)

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Why go back ?

It's an accurate, low recoil round that doesn't torch barrels and is predictable throughout the life of the tube. Outside of the magazines, it's no fuss. Also, confidence is confidence, I never questioned the BRA up until it dropped speed one day.

80% I end up back at BRA, 10% swap to 6 Hammer for the lolz, 10% shorty 308 so I earn back my mancard after years of manbun calibers.

 

[Rover31]

6br here is why
4 groups of powder test , Varget and Tac.
2 different powder charge weights each, 29.5g and 30g.
On of the groups had an SD of just over 60 and one 3.5.
All groups are not so bad for 100yds.
Would I want to shoot the high SD at distance nope, but under 400yds I would get stressed at all…
It’s a super easy round to load for.
I have shot 90g-115g bullets out of it and all of my groups looked like those every time.
6br to the dasher are stupid simple!

 

[bodhisafa]

It's an accurate, low recoil round that doesn't torch barrels and is predictable throughout the life of the tube. Outside of the magazines, it's no fuss. Also, confidence is confidence, I never questioned the BRA up until it dropped speed one day.

80% I end up back at BRA, 10% swap to 6 Hammer for the lolz, 10% shorty 308 so I earn back my mancard after years of manbun calibers.

Just learned about the 6 hammer myself. Has me wondering if the extra capacity is even worth it.

 

[CK1.0]

Fake Varget ? Only on hide do you read stupid shit like that .

Actually, TBH many consider SWPR to be better than Varget...

 

[Schütze]

Actually, TBH many consider SWPR to be better than Varget...

Naaaa, that powder is just as bad as 112mb’s

 

[Rover31]

don't get me started on MB's...