Good Reading For Those Considering The 6mm/.243 This Year

[FredMcIntire]

I recently acquired a .243 Handi rifle, and a 6x45mm in the AR platform, that I plan to use for deer hunting and coyote hunting this year. I found the following articles helpful, and I thought others considering the 6mm/.243 cartridges for deer hunting this year, may find them helpful as well.

Nosler Reloading Forum ? View topic - 243 Deer Bullet?

http://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/243win/

http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledgebase/.243+Winchester.html

I found this tidbit from one of the comments especially interesting:

You ruled out what has proven to be the best 6mm deer bullet I've ever used, the 95 grain Nosler Ballistic Tip.

That particular bullet was a pet project of a bullet designer at Nosler, Gale Root. He knew what he was doing, and built what may be the perfect 6mm deer bullet. It's got a very thick base and a tapered jacket. My son and I have used it to great effect on both mule deer and whitetail at ranges from Very Close to 300 yards or so - I can't remember anything but one-shot drops.

It's also the single most accurate bullet I've ever shot from my 6mm Remington​

 

[oldpink]

Each rifle is an individual, so only shooting groups with this one will really tell the tale.

 

[Tactically Fat]

One day when I have plenty of land to shoot long distances (hahahahahahahaahah), a .243-ish rifle would be almost the perfect platform.

There's not much in the eastern half of the country that it cannot take.

Plus it (and brethren) make for a quite decent longish-range guns.

 

[tenring]

Did I miss the mention of all those posts as to what the twist rate was? I have a custom Keith Stegall 6mm/.244 with a 1-12 Apex barrel set in a pre-64 M70 action all set in a beautiful French Walnut stock that handle the lightweight bullets just fine, but having trouble finding a heavier slug for deer/antelope. Tried the Sierra 85gr. HPBT, and the Nosler 85gr. Partition with less than stellar results. Any ideas ?

 

[Broom_jm]

Did I miss the mention of all those posts as to what the twist rate was? I have a custom Keith Stegall 6mm/.244 with a 1-12 Apex barrel set in a pre-64 M70 action all set in a beautiful French Walnut stock that handle the lightweight bullets just fine, but having trouble finding a heavier slug for deer/antelope. Tried the Sierra 85gr. HPBT, and the Nosler 85gr. Partition with less than stellar results. Any ideas ?

The 1:12 twist didn't give good accuracy with the 85gr Partition? That was probably your best bet at a good big game bullet that will stabilize in the slower twist 6mm barrels.

 

[patience0830]

Did I miss the mention of all those posts as to what the twist rate was? I have a custom Keith Stegall 6mm/.244 with a 1-12 Apex barrel set in a pre-64 M70 action all set in a beautiful French Walnut stock that handle the lightweight bullets just fine, but having trouble finding a heavier slug for deer/antelope. Tried the Sierra 85gr. HPBT, and the Nosler 85gr. Partition with less than stellar results. Any ideas ?

Describe less than steller, please. Whitetails are taken cleanly with .22 caliber weapons in several states. The lighter bullets at higher speeds will do fine on heart and lung shots.
I'd just go with what the rifle likes. I rarely get a shot over 200 yds on deer. Not sure it'd take one much farther than that if I got it. I don't like blood trailing after a three blade broadhead goes through. Hate doing it on rifleshots. 20ga slug to the spine saves a lot of chasing around.

 

[tenring]

Less than one moa.

 

[halfmileharry]

Did I miss the mention of all those posts as to what the twist rate was? I have a custom Keith Stegall 6mm/.244 with a 1-12 Apex barrel set in a pre-64 M70 action all set in a beautiful French Walnut stock that handle the lightweight bullets just fine, but having trouble finding a heavier slug for deer/antelope. Tried the Sierra 85gr. HPBT, and the Nosler 85gr. Partition with less than stellar results. Any ideas ?

Powder?

 

[tenring]

4350, 4064, 3031 H4831

 

[halfmileharry]

4350, 4064, 3031 H4831

4064 is my most accurate
Loaded on the low end 34.5 iirc for the best groups.
I lost a little on the end but its unreal tight even at distance.

 

[halfmileharry]

I know you have thought of it but is your barrel clean?
I have to use Sweets every 400 rds with my 243 to keep it as tight as possible.
I thought I had shot out the barrel at less than 2k but 2 Sweets cleanings brought it back tight again.
Nastiest smelling stuff around.

 

[oldpink]

I know you have thought of it but is your barrel clean?
I have to use Sweets every 400 rds with my 243 to keep it as tight as possible.
I thought I had shot out the barrel at less than 2k but 2 Sweets cleanings brought it back tight again.
Nastiest smelling stuff around.

I use Shooter's Choice once in a great while, and that stuff is serious business.
I used it to completely scour the bore of my brother's sporterized Enfield .30-06 that looked as if its bore had never been cleaned (he bought it used, so the fouled bore wasn't his doing), and it helped the accuracy very nicely.
One thing's for sure using Sweets, Shooter's Choice, and the other copper removers is that it's essential that you follow the instructions to a T, or you'll risk ruining the bore.
You already know that, but it's worth saying that you can't treat that stuff like Hoppe's No. 9 and leave even a drop in the bore when finished.

 

[halfmileharry]

I use Shooter's Choice once in a great while, and that stuff is serious business.
I used it to completely scour the bore of my brother's sporterized Enfield .30-06 that looked as if its bore had never been cleaned (he bought it used, so the fouled bore wasn't his doing), and it helped the accuracy very nicely.
One thing's for sure using Sweets, Shooter's Choice, and the other copper removers is that it's essential that you follow the instructions to a T, or you'll risk ruining the bore.
You already know that, but it's worth saying that you can't treat that stuff like Hoppe's No. 9 and leave even a drop in the bore when finished.

Precisely. I should have said that.

 

[oldpink]

Precisely. I should have said that.

No problem.
It gave me a chance to babble.

 

[halfmileharry]

No problem.
It gave me a chance to babble.

That isn't wasted words.
Needed said

 

[phatgemi]

The nosler 95 grain bullets sound pretty good. Extremely hard to find. Limited production and availability. The ones I did find were pretty expensive. I guess ya get what you pay for. Hopefully my sierra's will work ok. Ill keep my eyes peeled in case I come upone any noslers in a lgs.

 

[halfmileharry]

I'm running the Sierras with excellent groups.
Mine is a pencil bbl hunting rifle so I have to keep the bbl reasonably cool for the tight groups.

 

[Broom_jm]

4350, 4064, 3031 H4831

I have had excellent results with IMR4320 and the 243 Winchester...it should be just as good, or better, in the slightly larger 6mm Rem.

I would also say that while MOA is nice, it's not a necessity for deer hunting, even if you're shooting at longer distances. Still, I can understand the desire to get good groups, if you know a rifle is capable of such.

 

[ru44mag]

That isn't wasted words.
Needed said

Agreed. There are hundreds of other guys reading these forums, like me, that don't know everything, and come here to be educated. You guys are great. It irritates me when someone blows up because someone else clarifies something.

 

[patience0830]

Yes, Sweets is loaded with ammonia. Good at what it does. Just don't wet it and forget it.