New build- 6br, or 6gt or ???

[Ming45]

Building a new rifle and want peoples opinion on what cartridge to go with.

1. I do not reload
2. I do not do competitions, just shooting paper and steel. 100 to 1000 yards.
3. I want something that shoots the smallest groups possible.
4. Don’t want to fire form or hydro form brass.
:EDIT:
5. I don’t care about speed, just want the most accurate rig possible. (Well the best I can shoot it)

I don’t mind buying ammo from Clay’s or prime or copper creek... if I gotta spend 2 bucks a shot, it is what it is..... Is the gt going to shoot as good as groups as the br or creed? Or are they all equal, and just shooter preference?

 

[bads1buell]

6 CR

 

[Dthomas3523]

Are you willing to spend $2/rnd on ammo?

If so, have barrel threaded for an EC tuner and buy ammo from Clay’s Cartridge or Prime.

6gt will be about the only option for those. 6br has lapua factory, but it’s a bit on the slow side.

Also, not loading your own is not gonna be conducive to small groups. Hence the EC tuner to tighten things up a bit.

If you don’t want to spend $2/rnd, then 6 creed and hornady factory ammo will be the way to go.

 

[Tokay444]

Factory Lapua 6BR ammo with 105 Scenars are pretty good, and if you don’t reload, you’ll recoup a decent amount selling once fired Lapua brass.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

"Smallest groups possible" pretty much steers you to 6BR, but there's really only one factory ammo option. I wouldn't expect to see it in the local cabelas and apparently its >$2 a pull too. I'd probably lean towards 6CM if just looking at factory options.

 

[jcmullis2]

I’m wanting a 6br to plink with but the limited amount of factory ammo sucks and there’s no guarantee it’ll shoot good. I recommend you get a 6mm creedmoor or 243 win. I have both and use the 6cm for long range and my 243 for the shorter stuff. I can shoot everything from 55gn to 100gn in the 243 and you can always find ammo for it.

 

[Tokay444]

It’ll shoot good.

 

[Mxridr]

6creedmoor if you don’t reload. 6br if u want small holes for the life of the barrel. 6 creedmoor throat moves pretty fast and you can’t chase lands with factory ammo.

 

[Southern Custom]

Yep. 6br is fine if you can find the ammo and don’t mind running a tuner. Small groups will be luck of the draw unless you install a barrel tuner. 6 Creed is readily available but you’ll be burning the barrel by 1500 rounds. You’ll still need a barrel tuner but the ammo is more readily available. You won’t find 6BR at bass pro.

 

[Ming45]

Is the 6gt going to shoot as good groups as the 6br at 100 or 200 yards?

 

[kthomas]

.22lr until you get the reloading room setup.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Is the 6gt going to shoot as good groups as the 6br at 100 or 200 yards?

You're not going to get a good answer to that. A lot of it is going to depend on the ammo and rifle combination, and any answers you get will be skewed by handloaders or personal bias.

I haven't played with mine enough to prove it, but you could probably do about the same with factory ammo in either with a barrel tuner. I'd pick based on some other metric.

 

[Mxridr]

6br was the most accurate round I have ever shot. Very accurate caliber

 

[OREGUN]

Hard to beat 6br for groups but I’ve only ever shot reloads so no idea about factory ammo. However, it’s hard to beat 6.5CM for availability and quality of factory ammo. Berger makes ammo (that uses Lapua brass) that I’ve seen throw some reasonably small groups and will absolutely hit at 1000. So, I’d look there if you are committed to factory ammo. Also, in either case (no pun intended) you can probably sell once fired Lapua 6BR or 6.5CM brass for enough that it will offset the price. Good luck.

 

[Mxridr]

Shoot 6.5 cm for excellent factory ammo and good barrel life. I borrowed some prime 6.5 cm for my gun and it shot lights out.

 

[Ming45]

I have a 6.5 now... looking to get into the 6mm cartridge...less recoil. I will get custom hand loads online... I guess my question I should have asked is if I have two identical rifles side by side on in gt and one in br with the same ammo from Clay’s cartridge and the same shooter is one going to shoot tighter than the other or is it going to be like splitting hairs/don’t matter? And just preference?

 

[Mxridr]

Probably splitting hairs. The gt will have better velocity

 

[Evlshnngns]

If I had the wallet I would go 7 twist 6gt. Run 112 or 115gr ammo for a little more enegy on steel for the ring. I would bet 6br puts down better groups, the steel won't notice.

 

[DarnYankeeUSMC]

Who's doing your "build"??
They are going to direct you to what they do ibest. Everyone else is telling you what they think is best. They don't matter. The person building your rifle is who matters. Ask him. You seem to be open to whatever so accept what they do best.

 

[lash]

If I had the wallet I would go 7 twist 6gt. Run 112 or 115gr ammo for a little more enegy on steel for the ring. I would bet 6br puts down better groups, the steel won't notice.

OP is a 100 yard group shooter and is only interested in group size. It’s 6 BR for him or nothing.

 

[Ming45]

Who is op?

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

Who is op?

That's you super chief.

Original Poster. See that little icon under your name, next to your post?

 

[Ming45]

Lol... I’m new to all this stuff....

 

[OREGUN]

You want small groups? If you’re going to pay Copper Creek to make your ammo, then not wanting to fire form or Hydro form doesn’t much matter. They will do that for you. Find a gunsmith that specializes in cutting benchrest chambers and pick any of the “Improved” 6BR cartridges. 6BRA, or 6Dasher would be my top two choices. There is an element of dumb ass luck to shooting small groups at 1000 yards. Sometimes a guy can have all the right equipment and the perfect load and have a shitty day. Other times, a guy with good equipment and a serviceable load can luck out and shoot a tiny group. But if group shooting is what you’re into, the bench rest guys know what the hell they’re doing. The pile of records shot with 6BR, 6BRA and 6Dasher would not lead me to build a 6gt for group shooting. As for banging 2 MOA steel at 1000yds, that’s a different set of parameters.

 

[mpk1996]

Dasher or BRA if you are willing to buy ammo from clay or copper creek.

Factory brass available for these calibers (bra soon) from alpha

Get your smith to use one of the alpha munition legacy reamers.

 

[superde]

Are you willing to spend $2/rnd on ammo?

If so, have barrel threaded for an EC tuner and buy ammo from Clay’s Cartridge or Prime.

6gt will be about the only option for those. 6br has lapua factory, but it’s a bit on the slow side.

Also, not loading your own is not gonna be conducive to small groups. Hence the EC tuner to tighten things up a bit.

If you don’t want to spend $2/rnd, then 6 creed and hornady factory ammo will be the way to go.

^^^^^^This. Clay's Cartridge Company loads 6 BR as well FWIW, and it shoots lights out.

 

[tlsmith22]

If those are your choices, I’d go 6CM because the Berger 105 factory ammo shoots really good. It right at 10 SD in my last two barrels. I just built a 6GT and I have never owned a rifle this accurate, it shot a .27 group in load development and shoots SDs at 1.7.

 

[Average guy]

If custom ammo isn’t a problem I would go 6br. Crazy accurate. Some guys are running 95 grain Sierra TMK bullets and having great results at 100-700 yard ranges

 

[b6graham]

22lr or 223

 

[McMillan]

I have a 6.5 now... looking to get into the 6mm cartridge...less recoil. I will get custom hand loads online... I guess my question I should have asked is if I have two identical rifles side by side on in gt and one in br with the same ammo from Clay’s cartridge and the same shooter is one going to shoot tighter than the other or is it going to be like splitting hairs/don’t matter? And just preference?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say 6br will probably be more accurate. It's the proven cartridge in bench rest and has a power of records inside 600 to prove it. It's only surpassed by 6ppc inside 200 yards.

 

[acudaowner]

not that I have one yet but Id go 6br if nationally they are getting 1/4 inch groups or better at 1000 yards with 6br and its got great barrel life and easy to get brass why change what ain't broken , try finding 6gt brass locally or 6 br if the dims are able to kill online sales which they stated they will why pick something you may not be able to get . which ever you get good luck and may it work well for you .

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

not that I have one yet but Id go 6br if nationally they are getting 1/4 inch groups or better at 1000 yards with 6br and its got great barrel life and easy to get brass why change what ain't broken , try finding 6gt brass locally or 6 br if the dims are able to kill online sales which they stated they will why pick something you may not be able to get . which ever you get good luck and may it work well for you .

Yeah, I'd take 1/4" groups at 1000 yards! Sometimes it's hard to tell if someone was off on the decimal or just another internet marksman.

 

[McMillan]

Yeah, I'd take 1/4" groups at 1000 yards! Sometimes it's hard to tell if someone was off on the decimal or just another internet marksman.

Probably just confused between 1/4" and 1/4 moa. Probably also confused between 6br and improved br versions given the br isn't very popular for ranges over 600 in benchrest

 

[OREGUN]

There is no decimal in the phrase “1/4” groups at 1000”

there’s your answer

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

Probably just confused between 1/4" and 1/4 moa. Probably also confused between 6br and improved br versions given the br isn't very popular for ranges over 600 in benchrest

Yes, I assume it was either that or it was supposed to be 1/4" at 100.0 yards. I know, I know...tomato/tamawto

 

[OREGUN]

There’s a lot of...let’s call it “authority unmoored by reality” on the hide’s forums.

 

[jmw]

I think the record is just over 1 inch at 1000 yards with a 6bra

 

[McMillan]

I think the record is just over 1 inch at 1000 yards with a 6bra

6braw