6XC or 6BR or dasher or stick to rebarrel in 243 - any suggestions?

[Cooperman]

Hi All,

Apologies for a subject done to death but I keep on swapping between cartridge choice and I’ve just bought a Brux barrel In 7.75 twist, hoping to shoot 103g ELDX for deer and plinking.  The rifle has a floor plate in a shehane stock, and is not really suitable In my eyes (looks wise) for a magazine conversion, and I’d like to keep it repeating. Current barrel is superbly accurate but only shoots 55g bullets. It’s an overbore faulty 1:8. It’s near end of life.

I love shooting tiny groups so I’m chasing accuracy and 2900 FPS + for the odd deer on the farm. A pals 22br is incredibly accurate and SD of 5 normally. 

How likely is it that BR would work in the floor plate? I guess no. I presume 6xc would work perfectly. Would 6XC give me better accuracy and reduced SD than 243? 

thanks all,

Cooperman

 

 

[n8ess]

I know baldie offered a very reliable feed for the 6br. All the calibres you mention are fantastic in there own right. If I could only have one, mine would be a 6br, great case life, minimal recoil and shoots ragged holes all day long.

 

n8ess

[Shuggy]

I think that many of the gunsmiths on here have developed methods for getting the BR case to feed, but most seem to involve converted AICS magazines. You don’t mention what model of rifle you have, but some floorplate designs apparently feed the BR better, e.g. Tikka 595.

Of course, the easiest route is to get a controlled round feed action such as the ones from Zermatt. Or just pick the 6XC! 

[jcampbellsmith]

Have you considered a 6mm Creedmoor? I have and enjoy my 6XC, but starting afresh, I would look at 6mm Creedmoor too.

Have fun.

JCS

[terryh]

How about the 6-6.5x47 (very similar to the 6mm Swiss Match). 

Not silly overbore, designed to feed from magazine so no workarounds required, dies available, excellent brass etc. possibly 100-200 fps less than the 6CM in exchange for what 1000 rounds of barrel life?

I have a 6mm Norma Dasher and it is consistently accurate round driving 105 Bergers 2940 with 32.4g of powder , but then again I've had 6mm Swiss Match and that also was very accurate.

Bit like the 'which 6.5' question/debate - what do you really need as opposed to what is the latest flavour 😉

[Cooperman]

Hi All, thanks for the suggestions.

The gun has a BAT action, Jewell trigger, nice thumbhole stock, and oddly a Remington floorplate / bottom plate.  I’ll try and borrow some 22 br cases and see if it will cycle. Saying that, it isn’t always great cycling with 243! Feels like a XC, 243 or 6.6.5x47.  

I had originally thought of 6mm creedmore but remember seeing one of Baldie’s posts that wasn’t overly positive on the round, so had discounted it.

Has anyone found improved SD /ES from their 6XC / 6x47, say compared to a 243?

thanks

[John MH]

Single digit SD with 6XC typically less than 5, all weighed powder charges and annealed brass, RS60 powder and 115 grain DTACs.

[Cooperman]

Thanks for that. I think 6XC is probably the way to go.

John MH - Would you mind sharing more load data - FPS achieved, brass (Norma / Peterson / Lapua?)  charge weight, neck turned etc? Would you rebarrel in the same chambering?

Many thanks

[John MH]

Been shooting 6XC for over 14 years, had good results with N160 and RL17 (RS80), 105 Scenars. 107 SMKs and 115 DTACs all shoot well. Use both Norma and Peterson Brass (SRP) and CCI BR4 primers, current velocity achieved with DTACs in 26" barrel are circa 3050 fps with 39.9 grains of RS80, in 30" barrel 3200 fps. 6XC is easy to reload.