6MM AI or 6MM - 284

[Chuckster]

dakor,
First let me say thanks to all who have offered valuable advice, this is a great forum.
To answer your question I want to shoot 75-90 gr bullets at 400+ yds. I have a stock (Except for the bedding job I did) Win 70 HV in 22-250 that shoots .2's all day even with some factory ammo! and it will do a pretty good job (if there is no wind) out to 350-400, so I want something that will reach out to maybe 600 max. So I thought the 80-90 (87vmax) would be a good choice. Can I really expect to get those velositys out of a 6-284?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif Velosity is our friend.

Remember guns don't kill varmints....I Do!

 

[dakor]

Chuckster from what you have told you really need to think about a 9 twist it will still shoot the smaller bullets I have even tried the 55 grain Ballistic Tips in mine and it shot them very well. As for velocity I have a 28inch barrel but my dad has a 25inch K&P 12 twist barrel and he is getting 3710 FPS with 80 grain bergers and 55 grains of R-19. I would say you should get good velocity but I would put a 28inch barrel on it. Most people think the 6-284 does not give you much over a 6mm Rem because of what reloading manuals say. The reloading manuals underate this cartridge so bad it makes me sick. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif I can prove it to if you have the newer Sierra manual look at the 100 grain max load with R-22 and its velocity. Then look at the max load with R-22 for the 107 Matchking and its velocity. See a difference? They list the 107 max load with a higher charge and 50fps more velocity that tells me right there they are downloading the cartridge because they know their hunting bullets can not handle impacts on game at screaming velocitys. I started shooting the 100 grain Sierra SPBT this year at paper and they shoot around 3450 fps with 52 grains of R-22 and will shoot under 3/4 of a inch with 3 shots at 300 yards. If you would like to see some targets of mine I will gladly email them to you. I do not know what size of game you will be shooting at but I have 10 kills with this rifle on Whitetail deer around the 500 yard mark and it really works well on them. After I get my 105 A-max load the way I like it I am going to try shoot a yote around the 1000 yard mark with this rifle.

 

[Chuckster]

dakor,
Sounds great! I am a varmint hunter, primarily woodchucks/prarie dogs but will take a yote if the oportunity presents itself. I think you may be right I may want a 9 or 10 twist to shoot the heavier bullets better. My 6AI is a 1-8 twist and it shoots the light bullets great!

 

[brian b]

Dakor,
I was not meaning to slight you, but it is the truth you give up nothing going to the 6mmAI over the 6-284 for medium weight bullets (70-90gr). In my 6mmAI I have a load that shoots 70gr Blitzkings at 4008fps, in my 6-284 I cant even come close to that with more powder. but now if you are talking 107gr Matchkings ,my 6-284 outruns my 6mmAI by 200fps. you say 3-4gr more powder wont burn up your barrel faster. that is what I was saying IT DOES been there done that .as for your other argument "that is like saying a 22-250AI will get better barrel life than a 220swift and that just is not true" you are absolutely correct a 22-250AI will burn up the barrel faster than a 220 swift because it has a bigger powder capacity,been there done that as well.
B

 

[3sixbits]

AMEN! brian b you are on the right track. Anytime you get overbore capacity and have to burn a bunch more powder to equal the same velocity as the more efficient case design., you pay the price in barrel life. Does this mean we give up our wildcats? Heck no! But lets remember it's just a different argument. .22-.243 Middlestead, .22-6mm you want to talk velocity, you win. You want to talk barrel life, you loose. One argument is about hot rodding the other argument is about economy. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[dakor]

So Brian you are trying to tell me that a 6mm AI barrel will out last a 6-284 barrel by more the a couple of hundred rounds? Can you explain that when you have to fire form cases with probably a charge of some where around 46 grains. So lets say you fire form 100 cases using 46 grain charge that is 4600 grains of powder you just ran through your bore just to form cases. Now you shoot 100 rounds with a 6-284 lets say with a 54 grain charge. Thats 5,400 grains of powder. Now that your cases are fire formed you shoot a another 100 rounds through your 6mm AI at say 50 grains. Now you have 200 rounds down the bore and 9,600 grains of powder something doesn't add up here now does it? Your are shooting more powder down the bore and also more bullets in the same bore DIA so I would like to know how you say it will get better barrel life? I am not trying to start a fight but something is not making sense to me with the argument the 6mm AI will have longer barrel life then a 6-284? I am curious on how many rounds did you have through your 6-284 and did you shoot P-dogs with it is my next question? As for the comment about 70 grain bullets I do not know what you had for a setup or what powder you were using. The rifle I have will shoot 80 grain bergers at 3890fps with accuracy and good case life I would like to see a 6mm AI come close to that. I also said a 6-284 shines with bullets over 85 grains.

 

[3sixbits]

Well this isn't brian, but as a response to your question how is fire-forming wear out a barrel in the 6mmAI any faster than in a 6mm-.284 that you fire-form the brass in? If you use cream of wheat it does not wear out the bore at all as it does not use a bullet to fire-form. Did you know there is another way to fire-form not using the rifle to do the same task? Questions anyone? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[dakor]

3sixbits yes I am aware of the cream of wheat way to fire form. I will just say on the barrel life issue we agree to disagree. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Chuckster]

Well Guys
I think for my moneys worth I would sacrifice some barrel life for not having to go thru the trouble of fire forming brass.And sinse it will be a hunting gun and not shot except for hunting(after load development) It still looks like the 6-284 gets the nod. If I can get an 87 gr bullet out at 3600 fps with resonable accuracy I will be pleased as punch. Unfortunately living in Missouri now (no Groundhogs) the barrel will last 10 years at a life of 1200 rounds.
Chuckster

 

[Chuckster]

Hey Guys anbody interested in a Redding micrometer bushing neck die,body die,inline micrometer seating die for 6mm ackley and I will throw in about 200 brass (after my PD hunt in May).
Email me at [email protected]

 

[Iron Worker]

In the summer I can get 3600+ out of my 6x284.Winter its 3500.With same load of 52grs of H4350 behind a 87gr Hornady V-Max.I can get under 1/2" with this load. What is your load?

 

[bailey1474]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but it seems to be a logical place for me to put this.

I was thinking of puching out my 243 to a 6-284. My question is, are the Redding comp dies worth the money? Or will I be just as well off with a standard die set with a carbide expander? I don't really want to get into the neck turning and all that jazz just yet. I'm also kinda on a budget. I would like to keep the cost as low as possible, hopefully under $300.

While I am thinking of shooting in a few competitions, currently, most of my shooting is done at our range with friends and @ PD town. I just want something to reach out there a little farther than my .243. I have killed several PD's past 500 yds to 550 yds with it but that seems to be about it's limit.

 

[brian b]

Yes worth the money ,but if you want to save some money and not give up anything get the S-sizing die with the comp. seater.
B

 

[goodgrouper]

Or you could just do a 6.5-.284 and have farther capability, longer barrel life, less finickiness with bullets, more downrange uumph, more momentum, higher bc bullets, no fireforming OR necking down prep time, and no worries of bullets blowing up! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Dang I'm a smart @#$ aren't I?