6mm creed, 243 win or 243 wssm

Another vote for the good ol 243 win. I have always had at least one in my arsenal. The wssm is dead - crappy but true. The creedmoor offers nothing over the 243 win other than hornady's marketing hype.

I love the 243 and shoot one a lot. I also recently ran up on a real deal on a 6 CM. I reload everything I shoot. Where the 6 CM has an advantage over the 243 is that the barrels have a fast twist rate, usually 1:8, and will shoot the long heavy bullets. And with the shorter, fatter case, the neck is set back enough to seat the long bullets to the lands, and still fit the magazine. The advantage of the 105-118 gr. bullets is the high B.C.s that make them much better for long range, even in factory loads.

Jjlo63 said:

I think that is a great round. Don't know why its not more popular. Should be a great medium long range round with the heavy bullets. But I think you would get the most potential out of it if you reloaded. It seems like brass is easy to get. Are you thinking about a custom build?

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Yes was thinking of building a 6mm not sure what cartridge yet.

rgvt4 said:

Yes was thinking of building a 6mm not sure what cartridge yet.

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Take a SERIOUS look at, the 6mm SLR if, building a 6mm and wanting LONG Range and GOOD barrel Life ! It's a longer version of, the 6XC using slower, "Colder Burning" Powders like, H1000, N-160 and N-165, depending on Bullet weight, used.
Many reports of,.. 2,500- 3,000 "Accurate", shots with THESE Powders and the "correct" cleaning, regimen !

I've worn out a couple 243s but last year bought a Fieldcraft 6CM and much prefer it over the 243s. It just seems much more friendly to load as most bullets and loads perform quite well. But that is a sample of one.

Not on your list but I'm going 6SST. No competitions just strictly a hunting gun. Barrel should last me a long time. But if not I'll buy another barrel. No big deal.

VernAK said:

I've worn out a couple 243s but last year bought a Fieldcraft 6CM and much prefer it over the 243s. It just seems much more friendly to load as most bullets and loads perform quite well. But that is a sample of one.

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Is that a product of the cartridge or the rifle itself? I have found performance and accuracy has more to do with individual rifles than it does the cartridge.

Idaho Lefty said:

Take a SERIOUS look at, the 6mm SLR if, building a 6mm and wanting LONG Range and GOOD barrel Life ! It's a longer version of, the 6XC using slower, "Colder Burning" Powders like, H1000, N-160 and N-165, depending on Bullet weight, used.
Many reports of,.. 2,500- 3,000 "Accurate", shots with THESE Powders and the "correct" cleaning, regimen !

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My issue with that is I do not reload

Hard to argue with a 243Win for the non-reloader, especially referencing hunting, due to the sheer variety of factory ammo available. I don't think anything else comes close.

Only thing better is to AI it and get away from the brass trimming and gain ~150fps...but that's not a factory ammo shooter's concern...

rgvt4 said:

My issue with that is I do not reload

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Sorry, I got you confused with someone else WHEN, the word "build" was mentioned ! As suggested by many here, go with, the .243 Win., for now, it's an EASY re-chamber job, to a 6mm SLR, LATER, when/ IF, you ever do, reload. The 6 SLR is, a "Wildcat" based on, the .243 Win case ( longer Neck, 30* shoulder ) Good luck with "your" choice ! I love my .243 Win, Tikka T3, SS Lite, it's VERY, accurate ! I will, re-chamber, to 6 SLR,.. eventually, tho.

I have1 243wssm, and 2 243 win. Shot deer with both. Love the wssm. Have killed 4 NV mule deer with it all with one shot. The manufacturers are starting to make brass for it again. Have used strictly 95 Win combined technology ballistic silver tips with it. The 243 win is a Ruger no1 shot my last deer with it using 95gr Berger and the deer was drt. Bullet did not exit ,recovered the copper on the other side . Needless to say I love them both.

I have two 6mm Creedmoor and would tell you to go with the 243 win if you don't reload. 243 win has so many more options and availability of factory ammo.

243 WSSM may be a dead end street but like you I have one and really like it. I loaded up on brass early and it is a very good long range varmint/target round with 90-95 grain bullets. Barrel burner, but I only use it for hunting to save the barrel. It definitely punches above its weight. Was hunting Klipspringer in Africa (45-50 pound animal) returning to truck empty handed and a gold medal 275-300# red Hartebeest is walking by at 300 yards. 1 shot and he dropped like a box of rocks. My PH was amazed. 95 Nosler partition shot through 36" of Hartebeest including the splitting of the spine.

Also not on his list, but a .240 Wby Mag is a great 6mm that also punches above its weight. Really only get to use Weatherby brand ammunition, but there are several bullets to choose from including Barnes TTSX and Nosler Partitions. What's not to love about an 80gr TTSX moving at 3600fps?

Of his original three selections, the .243 Win makes the most sense from a budget and availability standpoint. However, it suffers from the same ill that my Weatherby suffers from in that both are saddled with a 1:10 twist from the factory (at least most of the time for the .243 Win). The 6mm CM has the advantage of a faster twist from the factory, but less available factory loads (sounds like even less than for my .240 Wby Mag). The 243 WSSM needs help getting market share before running into the same fate as the 325 WSM.

My first rifle was a .243 Win and the one I currently have was my grandmother's hunting rifle. Shot my biggest whitetail buck in Daniel Boone National Forest in Leslie County, KY with it. I'd recommend getting a .243 Win and shooting it until the barrel was done and then re-barreling it in .243 Win with a faster twist.