243 or 6mm rem

[desertcj]

That Ruger could be a very nice little rifle in 6mm Rem. It will probably shoot good enough regardless. That said, I'm a .243 man myself. The case is shorter and fits in a short action better with bullets seated long. I got my wife a Mossberg Patriot a few years ago and it's a little rough, but the price was right and it shoots reloads about 1 moa.

 

[Riflehunter1776]

For simplicity sake, I'd go with the 243.

If you buy a 6mm Rem, make sure the twist matches your hunting application; that is the first concern. If that Ruger is 1/12, I wouldn't want it for deer. 1/10 or faster is best for heavy bullets.

Next, as others have said, ammo availability is important, and the 243 is ubiquitous while the 6 is rarer.

Another detail, again like others have said, is the action length. The 243 is SA, based on the 308/ 7.62x51, while the 6mm is a descendant of the 257 Roberts, which is based off the 7x57 long action cartridge. So while it's not a deal breaker, shorter actions are always nice when it's an infinitesimal velocity trade off.

.....So, all things considered, the 243, 260, or even 7-08 are great for kids. When my daughter was 12, I got her a 7mm-08.

 

[Trickymissfit]

For simplicity sake, I'd go with the 243.

If you buy a 6mm Rem, make sure the twist matches your hunting application; that is the first concern. If that Ruger is 1/12, I wouldn't want it for deer. 1/10 or faster is best for heavy bullets.

Next, as others have said, ammo availability is important, and the 243 is ubiquitous while the 6 is rarer.

Another detail, again like others have said, is the action length. The 243 is SA, based on the 308/ 7.62x51, while the 6mm is a descendant of the 257 Roberts, which is based off the 7x57 long action cartridge. So while it's not a deal breaker, shorter actions are always nice when it's an infinitesimal velocity trade off.

.....So, all things considered, the 243, 260, or even 7-08 are great for kids. When my daughter was 12, I got her a 7mm-08.

The Savage short action is a little longer than the Remington. The 57mm case length will do just fine in it. What their magazine length is, I don't know as my one short action Savage is a single shot. I have shot the Remington Mountain Rifle in .257 Roberts a good bit, and it cycles factory loads just fine. The slow twist rifles are very old, and kinda rare, but also travel with an old wife's tail. That slow twist will do most 90 grain bullets. I don't think Ruger ever did a slow twist barrel, as I've never seen one in the flesh. For a kid weighing about 100lb., the recoil of the 90 grain load would be better.

If I were putting a rifle together for a kid in a 6mm bore, I'd seriously look at the 6XC. Pretty accurate, and very easy to reload. Recoil is mild. Cases are simply 22-250 necked up to 6mm. Get a 1:8 twist barrel and shoot 100 grain bullets in it. I shoot the 250AI necked down to 6mm, and it's does it all very well. My next move is to use a 2" long .243 case ran thru the Ackley die set. Then it will be near perfect.
gary

 

[DocDoc]

The Savage short action is a little longer than the Remington. The 57mm case length will do just fine in it. What their magazine length is, I don't know as my one short action Savage is a single shot. I have shot the Remington Mountain Rifle in .257 Roberts a good bit, and it cycles factory loads just fine. The slow twist rifles are very old, and kinda rare, but also travel with an old wife's tail. That slow twist will do most 90 grain bullets. I don't think Ruger ever did a slow twist barrel, as I've never seen one in the flesh. For a kid weighing about 100lb., the recoil of the 90 grain load would be better.

If I were putting a rifle together for a kid in a 6mm bore, I'd seriously look at the 6XC. Pretty accurate, and very easy to reload. Recoil is mild. Cases are simply 22-250 necked up to 6mm. Get a 1:8 twist barrel and shoot 100 grain bullets in it. I shoot the 250AI necked down to 6mm, and it's does it all very well. My next move is to use a 2" long .243 case ran thru the Ackley die set. Then it will be near perfect.
gary

The short Savage is 2.9+ for the detachable magazine.

 

[Trickymissfit]

with a 2.90" box length, your looking at a bullet hanging out of the case over .600"!!!
I don't remember what over all length I used, but it wasn't close to that for sure. Plus I make all my measurements from the ogive.
gary

 

[desertcj]

I run 105gr bullets in my .243 Savage at 2.800"....just fyi

 

[ruby76]

I'm considering the ruger american predator in 6mm creedmoor. It has a better twist rate for heavier bullets than the typical 243 or 6mm rem.

 

[Riflehunter1776]

My 6rem is 3.045 with 105 bergers.

 

[HARPERC]

.....I'm considering the ruger american predator in 6mm creedmoor. It has a better twist rate for heavier bullets than the typical 243 or 6mm rem............

Interesting! I hadn't seen the Creedmoor in a factory offering, much less more twist. How much magazine length are they given you to work with..

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

T

Interesting! I hadn't seen the Creedmoor in a factory offering, much less more twist. How much magazine length are they given you to work with..

There's actually quite a few factory 6mm creed offerings. All the ones I'm seeing are coming with a 1:7.7 twist except savages which I think are 8 twist

 

[snox801]

I would also go with the savage. I always recommend that to new hunters. Easy to shoot and ammo is found everywhere. every savage axis .243 I have seen shoots the Winchester combined tech 95gr in very tight groups.

 

[LoneTraveler]

When the 243 Win. with 1-10 twist, Hit the market they loaded 80 gr. and 100 Gr. bullets in factory loads. Remington considered the 244 Rem. With 1-12 twist, A varmit rifle and loaded 75 Gr. and 90 Gr. factory loads. Then brought it back a few years ago as 6 mm Rem. With a 1-91/2 twist. And factory 100 Gr. Bullets factory.
Some states require a 100 Gr. bullet for large game hunting, If you are required to use 100 Gr. to hunt big game in the area you hunt. I would go for 243 Win. just to have a gun that would accurately shoot a 100 Gr. or heavier bullet if required to be legal.

 

[ruby76]

Interesting! I hadn't seen the Creedmoor in a factory offering, much less more twist. How much magazine length are they given you to work with..

I have read max of 2.850. Taken from here: https://rifleshooter.com/2017/03/review-ruger-american-rifle-predator-6-creedmoor/

 

[jaeger19]

With kids you need to keep it simple ..and easy. 243 savage. Its the fastest.. easiest.. way to get her out shooting and eventually hunting. Do you want to be spending time getting the 6mm dialed in while she watches dad dink with her new gun...
Or is it better to take that new savage scope combo out with a box of factory shells and get her shooting and more confident?
Hint.. trigger time is the key.