Which 6mm do i want

[mioduz]

Want to start shooting centerfire prs.

Thought I wanted a dasher since they seam to he popular but heard there are issue with them feeding. 6 cm barrel life kind of scares me especially for just entering into centerfire I'll need to practice alot

Things that im.looking for are respectable barrel life, brass availability, reliable function/feed

Bra brx gt dasher cm.....or you name it

 

[Matt_3479]

Br or bra with mdt mags. I have both and neither have issues

 

[OREGUN]

BR or BRA or Dasher. You pick it. BR will burn the least powder….just sayin. All will feed reliably from high quality mags with just minor tweaks to the feed lips or the magazine height (mpa chassis option).

GT or CM if you don’t want to reload.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Want to start shooting centerfire prs.

Thought I wanted a dasher since they seam to he popular but heard there are issue with them feeding. 6 cm barrel life kind of scares me especially for just entering into centerfire I'll need to practice alot

Things that im.looking for are respectable barrel life, brass availability, reliable function/feed

Bra brx gt dasher cm.....or you name it

The 6cm doesn't have to be a big time barrel burner. Just don't run it at 3300 and it's not. I run mine at 2950 and it's not that big of a deal. Nothing wrong with the 6BR though either.

 

[mioduz]

The 6cm doesn't have to be a big time barrel burner. Just don't run it at 3300 and it's not. I run mine at 2950 and it's not that big of a deal. Nothing wrong with the 6BR though either.

I never thought about that. I assume if u run a 6cm at 2950 which is close to gt and dasher speeds is it accurate to say that barrel life will be the same? I suppose to objective here is that I assume 6cm brass will be more widely available

 

[Rob01]

What would be smart to do is if building a rifle specifically to get into matches then get one you can easily swap barrels at home and get a .308/.223 barrel for practice and then keep the 6mms for matches. Sounds like it would be a lot more expensive but it's not in the long run. If you actually practice you will tear through 6mm barrels where you can get 4-5x the life in a .308/.223 barrel.

 

[mioduz]

What would be smart to do is if building a rifle specifically to get into matches then get one you can easily swap barrels at home and get a .308/.223 barrel for practice and then keep the 6mms for matches. Sounds like it would be a lot more expensive but it's not in the long run. If you actually practice you will tear through 6mm barrels where you can get 4-5x the life in a .308/.223 barrel.

I appreciate the advice. I'll take it under advisement, but I shoot alot or rimfire prs currently. Assuming alot of thr skills translate over, the skill I feel I will most likely need to learn/enhance will be recoil management, finding trace etc etc. I presume those specific skills along with knowing how the rounds react to wind at distance are more caliber specific.

 

[ma smith]

I appreciate the advice. I'll take it under advisement, but I shoot alot or rimfire prs currently. Assuming alot of thr skills translate over, the skill I feel I will most likely need to learn/enhance will be recoil management, finding trace etc etc. I presume those specific skills along with knowing how the rounds react to wind at distance are more caliber specific.

IMHO, You're doing alot of presumption...

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

I never thought about that. I assume if u run a 6cm at 2950 which is close to gt and dasher speeds is it accurate to say that barrel life will be the same? I suppose to objective here is that I assume 6cm brass will be more widely available

No one really knows I've come to find out but generally speaking, the barrel life is Effected by the amount of powder, heat, pressure, and speed that the bullet moves. (There's much discussion on this topic and you can find the threads here about that if you want). I think most agree that running the same bullet the same speed with very similar powder charges will result in the same barrel life. How you shoot it also has an effect.

6cm brass is widely available on here in 1x fired version, as well as virgin brass usually being available. That's one of the big benefits of 6cm plus of course factory ammo availability ect.

I personally am not convinced there's a big difference in barrel life one way or the other between the typical 6mm variants used for match shooting. I think it's much more dependant on how hard you run it.

It's pretty handy to have a 223 barrel to use for practice if that's an option if you really are going to be practicing. It's easy to shoot 2k rounds.

Many of us have gone to using the ModBB bartlein barrels to get extra barrel life. They are more expensive but you get longer barrel life. How much longer is up for discussion and there's quite a bit of discussion on that here as well. It appears somewhere between 40-60% longer life is what most are getting. Basically at minimum, it saves the cost of getting a new barrel chambered in my summation vs buying a new barrel. There's some discussion on how good those "extra shots " are, but of course like everything with this stuff, there's a lot of debate on that topic. I think most would agree the modBB is the most economical way to shoot a 6mm bartlein.

 

[Rob01]

I appreciate the advice. I'll take it under advisement, but I shoot alot or rimfire prs currently. Assuming alot of thr skills translate over, the skill I feel I will most likely need to learn/enhance will be recoil management, finding trace etc etc. I presume those specific skills along with knowing how the rounds react to wind at distance are more caliber specific.

Yes some of the getting into position and movement transfer but the recoil management is a big one when comparing a .22 even with a 6mm round.

Practicing with a heavier recoiling round like a .308 and having to work with its wind calls, besides 4-5x the barrel life, will make you handle the recoil better in the lighter 6mm. Will be good to shoot in the wind with any round as if you look at slower, lower BC 6mm bullets they aren’t far off the .308 for wind. A 105 at 2850 or a 178 at 2750 aren’t too far off but even if a large difference you go into a stage with a basic wind call anyways and you will learn what each of your rounds will be doing so worrying too much about the wind in picking a practice cartridge isn’t a big deal.

 

[camocorvette]

Go dasher. Mdt mags with the spacer. No feeding issues. Alpha brass. Don't push it to 2900. Load to 2800 and enjoy.

 

[kthomas]

I never thought about that. I assume if u run a 6cm at 2950 which is close to gt and dasher speeds is it accurate to say that barrel life will be the same? I suppose to objective here is that I assume 6cm brass will be more widely available

Just keep in mind that you are still sending ~30% more powder through the same 6mm hole with a 6 Creedmoor over a BR/BRA/Dasher.

So barrel life will definitely be less. You'll get at least double the barrel life with a straight BR over a 6CM.

 

[ma smith]

You'll get at least double the barrel life with a straight BR over a 6CM.

6CM guys were once saying 1500 to 1800 with down-loaded CM.

...Not sure what the latest consensus is, tho.

 

[mikeshaw2]

I appreciate the advice. I'll take it under advisement, but I shoot alot or rimfire prs currently. Assuming alot of thr skills translate over, the skill I feel I will most likely need to learn/enhance will be recoil management, finding trace etc etc. I presume those specific skills along with knowing how the rounds react to wind at distance are more caliber specific.

The rimfire skills do transfer and the recoil management is indeed the biggest difference.

That and the cost per round anyways

I have a centerfire PRS rifle (6.5 manbun) and still shoot way more rimfire due to costs.

I've personally been toying with the idea of a 6ARC bolt gun. Hear good things about the round

M

 

[kthomas]

6CM guys were once saying 1500 to 1800 with down-loaded CM.

...Not sure what the latest consensus is, tho.

I'm not sure either.

1500 sounds reasonable. 1800 is probably on the higher end, but I'm sure happens in some barrels.

For comparison, a 6BR should do an easy 3,000+.

 

[K80/6.5]

Buy 2 or 3 barrels in 6mm having to buy a .308 or .223 barrel and components, dies , brass you might as well just shoot the caliber you plan to compete with. At least that’s my theory it probably wrong. I would think if the more you can practice like you’re in competition the more comfortable you will be with the caliber and wind calls.

 

[SporterII]

HSS Remmage match barrels, H4831 and good old 243. Easy. Components. Feeding, performance.

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

Just keep in mind that you are still sending ~30% more powder through the same 6mm hole with a 6 Creedmoor over a BR/BRA/Dasher.

So barrel life will definitely be less. You'll get at least double the barrel life with a straight BR over a 6CM.

I didn't realize the BR and Dasher guys are getting that much more life? 30% more powder and 100% more barrel life? I've not gotten less than 1800 with regular steel barrel and with modbb I don't know yet but I expect it to be way over that and closer to 2200-2500

 

[mioduz]

Buy 2 or 3 barrels in 6mm having to buy a .308 or .223 barrel and components, dies , brass you might as well just shoot the caliber you plan to compete with. At least that’s my theory it probably wrong. I would think if the more you can practice like you’re in competition the more comfortable you will be with the caliber and wind calls.

That's always been my opinion. Seamed like having to deal with rezeroing and the bs associate with swapping calibers and loading another cartridge, seams like the benefits start getting outweighed

 

[Rob01]

That's always been my opinion. Seamed like having to deal with rezeroing and the bs associate with swapping calibers and loading another cartridge, seams like the benefits start getting outweighed

Yup makes no sense. What do I know from 20 years of shooting comps. LOL You got your opinion and what the other guy "thinks". Go for it and just buy the 6mm.

At least be smart and get an action you can get shouldered prefits for.

 

[mkollman74]

Br or bra with mdt mags. I have both and neither have issues

Which action(s) are you running this setup in? I have heard that 2 lug vs 3 lug could make a difference. Also, any insight as to compatibility with CRF like a Mausingfield? Any insight you have will be helpful.

 

[mioduz]

Which action(s) are you running this setup in? I have heard that 2 lug vs 3 lug could make a difference. Also, any insight as to compatibility with CRF like a Mausingfield? Any insight you have will be helpful.

Interested in this data as well as I plan on running a 3 lug and didn't expect that to be of concern

 

[CK1.0]

For the easiest to live with, I'd vote 6CM... everyone makes brass, using SRP and/or LRP, you can easily make your own too out of any 6.5CM stuff or out of 22-250Rem cases. It's not a barrel burner unless you run it like that and IDK anyone running it to 3100fps these days like guys did when it first hit the scene, throwing barrels out after 1200rds and shit lol.

I've got well over 2500rds out of 2 different 6CM Proof prefits in a row by using a healthy bullet-jump and running them ~2875-2900fps, never pushing them harder than that over their lives. I thought both were dead at ~2200rds, but after taking them back to bare metal, they both shot hundreds more. I finally retired the first one at 3100rds because, duh, 3100 f'ing rounds... and am still shooting the other one for practice with ~2700rds on it and it still shooting 1/2moa out to 1250yrds as of today.

That said, I also have a 6GT "match barrel" that has ~900rds on it that has taught me how easily it really is to go back and forth between barrels (with a Bighorn Origin and Proof prefits at least).

Personally, I hate magazine kits... so I like 6CM and/or the 6GT for a 6mm PRS gun, but there definitely is a case to be made to shoot whatever 6mm will get you to ~2800fps using the least amount of powder, something like 6BR, Dasher, or now even 6ARC.

 

[Matt_3479]

Which action(s) are you running this setup in? I have heard that 2 lug vs 3 lug could make a difference. Also, any insight as to compatibility with CRF like a Mausingfield? Any insight you have will be helpful.

I’m running my 6bra on an impact 737R,
My 22 bra on a lone peak Fuzion and my 6BR on an ultimatum deadline gen 2.

None of these are a CRF, but did have 0 issues feeding them from a tl3 either which is. The ultimatum is a 3 lug and the other 2 are 2 lugs and have 0 issues with any of them.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

There is a difference between 6.5 CM and the small 6mm rounds. However, for long range shooting, either would be a good choice as long as
a. You chose a round that has a .30-06/.308 bolt face. (0.473)
b. You chose an action that allows prefits. (has to be a short action)

These two choices mean that your rifle can have a large variety of rounds. Only takes a barrel change and you’re gonna be doing that a lot if you shoot a lot, especially in summer matches. Shooting long strings in 90+ degree heat can get the barrel hot enough to light a cigarette.

Reloading is not a plus, it is possible to shoot factory rounds, but in the end, at $30-$40 dollar for a box of twenty, it takes some very deep pockets to get much practice in, so, is not a “plus” its all but a requirement.

(I’m not much of a match shooter and I can blow through 40-50 rounds with my two rifles every trip to the range which I try to do at least a couple times a week. That’s 120 to 160 bucks a week. )

 

[kthomas]

Which action(s) are you running this setup in? I have heard that 2 lug vs 3 lug could make a difference. Also, any insight as to compatibility with CRF like a Mausingfield? Any insight you have will be helpful.

I have a 6BRA in a Mausingfield running MDT mags and it runs like a sewing machine.

 

[OREGUN]

I've got well over 2500rds out of 2 different 6CM

This has been my experience shooting Hornady factory.…because who has time to reload?

 

[FredHammer]

These little 6mms in a 20-25lb gun, running 2800fps sounds like fun. At what average shot count do you all see fire cracking start?
I have my back 40 acre Nuke 308 WIN in a Xylo weighing in about 20lbs. 168Amax at 2650 is a riot to watch sail downrange. Especially when the Sun is at the 7'oclock ish position to the gun.
I'm glad I got all the speed demon notions out of my head finally. LOL

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

This has been my experience shooting Hornady factory.…because who has time to reload?

I've not shot much factory but I think 2500 is more the norm for 6cm, if there is a norm. Running at slower speeds I would think I'd be getting that too out of any decent stainless barrel, I just like running it at 2950 with the 108/109 hybrid.

What does the factory Hornady run at?

 

[canezach]

I've shot a Dasher for around a decade now. I absolutely love that stubby little easy button. Literally any bullet sitting in just about any charge weight of Varget (or RL15, 15.5, or the Viht equivalent, as long as we're not talking under our over pressure, since someone will want to be extremely technical) and you get bugholes. I've never had feeding issues, but I have a few mags with spacers. Barrel life out of the Dasher is fantastic

I've burned out a few 6 Creedmoor and 243 barrels. Speed kills, but by kills, I mean the barrel life. For the guys saying they get 2500 rounds of life, I'm jealous! My 243 barrels were short lived and the Creedmoors weren't significantly better.

6XC is another good choice. Damn near Creedmoor performance with better barrel life, but that's always the tradeoff.

 

[OREGUN]

I've not shot much factory but I think 2500 is more the norm for 6cm, if there is a norm. Running at slower speeds I would think I'd be getting that too out of any decent stainless barrel, I just like running it at 2950 with the 108/109 hybrid.

What does the factory Hornady run at?

I’ve shot entirely Hornady 108 ELDMs. In these barrels, they seem to run around 2900. 2600 on one barrel before it started to be erratic. I’m at 2300 on the other. We will see. I don’t usually do any kind of “try to clean it real good and get more life out of it” routine. When it slows down or gets to shooting groups bigger than 3/4”, I toss it.

 

[CK1.0]

Once upon a time guys would run loads up until they got a stiff bolt lift... then maybe back off a grain. Anything .308-sized in .243/6mm was cooked in 1500rds.

These days I'd think most would agree that winning the speed race doesn't mean dick really. So a barrel will last a little longer if you're not beating the piss out of it.

For PRS it's more important to see impacts/splash than to have to dial two-tenths less at 1000yrds... so to me, that means something in the 2750-2900fps range, any faster and most humans can't see where they hit on a plate at 300yards and that also translates into being able to see more at 500+ yards.

That's why any 6mm that will launch a 105-115gn projectile to the 2750-2900fps range is a solid choice.

 

[OREGUN]

Once upon a time guys would run loads up until they got a stiff bolt lift... then maybe back off a grain. Anything .308-sized in .243/6mm was cooked in 1500rds.

These days I'd think most would agree that winning the speed race doesn't mean dick really. So a barrel will last a little longer if you're not beating the piss out of it.

For PRS it's more important to see impacts/splash than to have to dial two-tenths less at 1000yrds... so to me, that means something in the 2750-2900fps range, any faster and most humans can't see where they hit on a plate at 300yards and that also translates into being able to see more at 500+ yards.

That's why any 6mm that will launch a 105-115gn projectile to the 2750-2900fps range is a solid choice.

The first few guys I knew shooting dasher were using it for mid range f class, had it loaded so hot it nearly had the “auto-deprime” feature, and swore it only lasted MAYBE 1100 rounds. Now, some sense has come into the game.

 

[Mormegil87]

6 Dasher is where it's at now that there is brass available from Alpha. 6 BR and 6BRA are a close second. Dasher seems to keep you away from pressure issues when running heavies. I'm running 109 Hybrids at 2760 out of mine.

I prefer to have 3 or 4 identical barrels already spun up so that I don't have to worry about swapping barrels and components just to practice. I simply practice with my match gun and when the barrel goes bad I swap it out for the next one. Same brass, same load etc. For me, there's no reason to waste money on .223 or .308 parts and components just to practice when I can use the money for more 6mm barrels, bullets, powders, primers etc

But I'm just one fish in a big pond.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

6 Dasher is where it's at now that there is brass available from Alpha. 6 BR and 6BRA are a close second. Dasher seems to keep you away from pressure issues when running heavies. I'm running 109 Hybrids at 2760 out of mine.

I prefer to have 3 or 4 identical barrels already spun up so that I don't have to worry about swapping barrels and components just to practice. I simply practice with my match gun and when the barrel goes bad I swap it out for the next one. Same brass, same load etc. For me, there's no reason to waste money on .223 or .308 parts and components just to practice when I can use the money for more 6mm barrels, bullets, powders, primers etc

But I'm just one fish in a big pond.

I am working on having two identical rifles. Alternate when practicing. Keeps barrel‘s from going crazy hot summer of winter. Hate to give up my 6.5, moving it to 6GT. But as our son reminds me, won’t have to be loading two different rounds for every time I want to go shooting, or to a match.

 

[OREGUN]

6 Dasher is where it's at now that there is brass available from Alpha. 6 BR and 6BRA are a close second. Dasher seems to keep you away from pressure issues when running heavies. I'm running 109 Hybrids at 2760 out of mine.

I prefer to have 3 or 4 identical barrels already spun up so that I don't have to worry about swapping barrels and components just to practice. I simply practice with my match gun and when the barrel goes bad I swap it out for the next one. Same brass, same load etc. For me, there's no reason to waste money on .223 or .308 parts and components just to practice when I can use the money for more 6mm barrels, bullets, powders, primers etc

But I'm just one fish in a big pond.

This is spot on. I just happen to shoot BRA. Now that dasher brass is available (and so is bra) it’s a total wash which you choose. Training gear doesn’t make sense to me…runners don’t train by cycling, tennis players don’t train by playing squash. Train with your match gun and match components and you will know your dope, your wind calls and your body position for recoil management WITH YOUR MATCH SETUP.

I will admit to having two guns that are nearly identical that I train and compete with…in the same caliber with the same load….because traveling across the country to a match with only one gun makes me hella nervous.

 

[Inline6]

Once upon a time guys would run loads up until they got a stiff bolt lift... then maybe back off a grain. Anything .308-sized in .243/6mm was cooked in 1500rds.

These days I'd think most would agree that winning the speed race doesn't mean dick really. So a barrel will last a little longer if you're not beating the piss out of it.

For PRS it's more important to see impacts/splash than to have to dial two-tenths less at 1000yrds... so to me, that means something in the 2750-2900fps range, any faster and most humans can't see where they hit on a plate at 300yards and that also translates into being able to see more at 500+ yards.

That's why any 6mm that will launch a 105-115gn projectile to the 2750-2900fps range is a solid choice.

That is now, back then before the PRS existed. Many match would setup stages of unknown distance targets. It was very advantageous to have a 6CM running 3300fps. It allowed more error in distance judgment and still hit the target. Now most target arrays are the same thing from match to match. I remember times in Oklahoma where we would lay prone on the edge of a rim and 30 of us would shoot down the line. You were not getting any wind calls from anyone it was happening to fast. Things have changed for better or worse I'm not sure. With that change the advantages of running bullets fast were replaced by shooting off of props. That needed better recoil mitigation hints slow it down. I'm sure things will change again.

 

[acudaowner]

one of each should do it . the more the merrier better to cover it all .

 

[BuildingConceptsllc]

I am working on having two identical rifles. Alternate when practicing. Keeps barrel‘s from going crazy hot summer of winter. Hate to give up my 6.5, moving it to 6GT. But as our son reminds me, won’t have to be loading two different rounds for every time I want to go shooting, or to a match.

That's what I have. 2 identical rifles, but I have QC actions so I can put any of the barrels on either action. It works well.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

I run a 6GT, a bunch of buddies do and have no reason to switch. I do think its the best all around of the 6mm. Like the middle bear, just right. I am not going to repeat why I think it is, you can google it.

If i had to run something else, it would be a 6BRA with a 28" pushing 105s or 109s at 2800 and enjoying a 3k+ barrel life but having to buy special mags and or tune them. You are getting the same performance at much lower chamber pressures, saving a bit of powder and adding 500-1000 rounds on the barrel life.

 

[ma smith]

there is something to be said for each approach. i like that you need to tweak your fundamentals for each style of shooting. I like you can get cost savings. so variety of training stimulus and signficant cost savings over say timeframes >2yrs.

Downside buying alot of extra reloading gear, and generally doing more load-developement. Its just more moving parts. also, dealing with primers for 2 sizes, is fine until you need to switch frequenlty or buy the one not in stock.

 

[Shoots 700's]

I would just run a 6br over a slow dasher.