6XC or 243 Win?

[xsn10s]

You could fireform 22-250 into a 22creed…not sure on specs, but I know the xc and creed r close, what about a 22xc and fireform ur 22-250 into it? Just a thought

That's true too.

 

[xsn10s]

Or make 22-250 into a 6xc

I'm thinking the 6XC makes good sense because of the lower charge weights and near 243 win performance. Seems like longer barrel life and you can get a criterior barrel in it.

 

[cjuve]

My 243 is long gone. I'd just build another 243 win rather than making/ getting a creedmoor. The 6mm CM is a fine cartridge. I just don't see much difference to justify buying new cases and dies.

Let me clarify... 243 win brass can be used to make 6 creed brass although not as easy as making 6 xc out of 22-250. You could also use the 22-250 to make 6 Creed brass but the necks will end up a little short. Not that I am really a fan of 6 creed, I think that the 6 xc is a better case for the 105's.

 

[xsn10s]

Let me clarify... 243 win brass can be used to make 6 creed brass although not as easy as making 6 xc out of 22-250. You could also use the 22-250 to make 6 Creed brass but the necks will end up a little short. Not that I am really a fan of 6 creed, I think that the 6 xc is a better case for the 105's.

I think the 6XC would be fine too. Plus I'm gettin a little too old for a manbun. Just kidding, just kidding you young people. Heck if I thought it would make me popular with ladies I'd get a manbun

 

[ARlife4me]

Well for varmints I bought up all of Sierra's 90gr fmj, so Hornady 75vmax might be a 2nd choice. I have a 243win in an AR10, but the throat is .030" short of Sierra's load at 2.650". A uni-reamer will soon get too work? Most of the bullets from the 75 to 107 ended up too long for throat. Factory Win 100gr sp jam into the lands. Nothing wrong with the 243win.

 

[Flintlock shooter]

Here's another monkey wrench .......6SLR....take your existing 243 brass run it through a SLR die, bam 30* shoulder and a longer neck. You can run 105's from 3000-3150 depending powder/barrel length/reamer specs.........or just hit the easy button and go 6XC.

Having shot 6SLR for 4 years, I would not recommend going that way....just sayin.

 

[Tiny Tim]

Never had a 6XC. But have shot alot of 243 Winchester. Since you have the brass AND the dies, that would get my vote. But it sounds like you WANT to do the 6XC. You cant really go wrong and I believe you will be happy whichever you choose.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

IF you want to make, 6 XC Cases out of .22-250 Brass, USE the 6XC II Reamer,. IF using, New Norma Brass and Forster Dies ( That was, MY easy Peasy, NO Headache, choice ) use the Standard, 6 XC, Reamer,.. T-Rust me,.. I've done my "Home Work" on THIS, subject ! Watch the "Neck thickness and Diameters" or,.. you will HAVE,.. Pressure / extraction, "Problems" !
1-8 Twist, is a "Good" one and the 1-7.5 Twist, shoot's the 80's to 110's into, "Bug Holes" for me ! IF wanting to shoot, the 115's go 1-7 Twist.
The 6 XC will get you about 1,000 MORE shots on the Barrel than, the .243 Win will, as the Case is, a way BETTER, Design and the sharper shoulder / longer Neck,..Keeps the Powders "Turbulence Point" further away from, the Throat !

 

[Griffith187]

I used to have a 6-22-250. I just necked up my 22-250 to 6mm and I ran 37.5 grains of h- 4350 velocity was 2935-2950 ish with the 115 non coated D-tacks. I got 3000 plus round out of it and when I got bored and changed it to a 6 creed it was still shooting 1/2" groups. I think that this is a non sexy but very useable combination. I think that it is very underrated. That case capacity is perfect in my opinion.

 

[Kimber.204]

@xsn10s

When I got back into rifle shooting a few years ago I was shooting a lot of .308win out of a couple different guns - both light weight and heavy weight.

I was looking to get into NRA Highpower and I had heard how John Whidden did so well so often with a straight .243Win. I asked around and everyone said to go with a straight 6mm BR......So, naturally, I bought a Ruger Precision Rifle in .243 Win - shot great, but not built for NRA Highpower. The .243 is so light recoiling compared to the .308 it's amazing.

Then I moved to an Eliseo Chassis (built for NRA Highpower) and after meeting Joe Hendricks (NRA National Champion) who designed and used a 6mm Comp Match I decided to chamber my Eliseo in that. The 6mm Comp Match is a .243win with a steeper shoulder and a minimum dimension chamber. With the 6CompMatch I could easily run a 115gr DTAC bullet at 3100fps....using between 47 - 50grs of some magnum powder (H1000 or Ramshot Magnum....Joe and his son us VV powders). Barrel life was awesome. Joe's son won a CMP national match a few years ago with something like 3100 or 3200 rounds on his barrel.

I began to think it was crazy to stuff 50grs of powder into my case just to shoot paper between 200 and 600 yards. So I started looking at other cartridges. I moved to a 6XC using the David Tubb reamer (he has an explanation of 6XC vs 6XCii on his website). My 6XC loads use between 37 and 40grs of powder. The difference in recoil from a 6CompMatch and a 6XC was night and day. A .243 is mild recoil, but I've got a skinny build, and at the end of a day laying in the sun straining to put 80 rounds plus sighters in the x-ring....the lower recoil of the 6XC really help. I ended up being sponsored by Peterson Cartridge Co using their factory loaded 6XC ammo. The first lot of ammo that I had used H4350 and the barrel only lasted 1800 rounds. The second barrel was similar. The 3rd (and present) barrel has only been shot using rounds loaded with 6.5StaBall. (Side note: with 6.5StaBall, I've never seen any copper on my patches...but they are black as coal at first.).

Well, I got the itch to try something new and stumbled into a 6BRA prefit for my action. Using Peterson 6BR brass I fireformed some brass - super accurate. Recoil is like shooting a .22LR. Using my fireformed brass I loaded up some 112gr Barnes Match Burners and I was able to safely get those bullets within 20fps of my 6XC load, but using 10gr less powder. 20fps doesn't translate to very much on target at 600 yards in the conditions that I have been shooting matches in the last few years.



So, for you.......243win all the way. Who wants to bother prepping 22-250 brass for the 6XC when folks like Peterson have both Large and Small rifle primed brass? You mentioned saving powder, and you could get an extra 20-30 rounds from a pound of powder with the 6XC. You'll have to decide if that is more important than easy initial brass prep.

Good Luck,
Ross

 

[Idaho Lefty]

I'm thinking the 6XC makes good sense because of the lower charge weights and near 243 win performance. Seems like longer barrel life and you can get a criterior barrel in it.

The Criterion Barrels ARE Chambered CORRECTLY for, the 6XC Version ONE, so buy some Norma Brass, Forster Dies and,.. ENJOY !
If wanting to, use, .22-250 Brass, you may want to "turn the Necks" to, a Bit thinner, Dimension ( depending on, the Manufacturer of, Brass ).
There have been some instances of, PRESSURE / extraction "issues" using older / thicker .22-250 Brass as documented in Posts on Accurate Shooter.
The Criterion Barrels have, a .104 Freebore which seem about, "perfect" for most, Bullets !
The .243 Win is OK for Hunting ( Not, a lot of Ammo, expended ) BUT it's an Antique, as far as,.. Design goes and NOT,.. "efficient" !
I HAVE, a .243 Win for Hunting and, .the .6XC is for,.. Varmints, Steel, PaperTargets and some LR Hunting with, the 108 Grain, Elite Hunter, Bergers !
My .243 Win is a Light weight, T-3 Tikka and the 6 XC is, a Bit heavier Barreled / Braked, Rem 700 SS "Lefty" RemAge and,.. a Tack Driver !
The 24 Inch, Criterion, "Heavy Sporter" bbl. with, a .710 Dia muzzle, will weigh,.. 9.5 Pounds so pick YOUR Barrel,.. carefully !
You will want at least, a 6.5 X 20 Scope,. minimum for, LR Targets / Varmints !

 

[BallisticsGuy]

6XC from my personal experience. 243AI if you want to stay with .243 base brass. Better barrel life and case life with the Ackley. 6XC gets pretty significantly better barrel life than either. Velocity penalty from the 243AI or .243win to 6XC is not enough to cry about. Case stretch with .243win bugged me. Case forming with 243AI was irritating since I had to change my load once all cases were formed to get the best grouping and velocity consistency.

 

[xsn10s]

SO I educated myself on the various 6mm offerings yesterday. There is a GA Precision interview on youtube explaining why they made the 6GT. Then I found the 6XC and wondered why the 6GT if there is the 6XC.

They are both pretty awesome. I think it boils down to which is easier to tune.

 

[xsn10s]

I cannot weigh in on the other seemingly endless selection of 6's, as they seem to be "all the rage" these days. I have yet to venture deep down the rabbit hole of these modern offerings, so I will certainly not say anything negative about them.

Having said that, I will throw out a huge nod toward the "good old .243 Win" - as I still believe it to be exceptionally capable and versatile. I happen to load for 6 of them, from lightweight varmint bullets, into mid-weight deer hunting bullets, and all the way up to the modern Heavy-for -caliber high BC bullets in the 105 - 110 gr range.

Again, I will never knock the newer chamberings. I know of many folks that shoot them very well and have great luck with them.

I simply feel that if you already have components and - especially, with today's ability to re-barrel a rifle to get exactly the twist and throat that you desire, that makes my decision soooo much easier to stick with a cartridge I already know and love. Especially since I already have a bathtub full of all required components to custom tune a .243 to do whatever I need it to.

I'm stupid simple, that way. It's just tough for me to get into a new caliber when there have been so many crazy advancements in the calibers that I already own and load for.

I think you'll be great no matter what decision you make, but my vote is for the .243 Win.

The 243 is the easiest choice. The only reason why I was look at smaller cases was for less powder consumption. I have a 260 AI coming soon so a lot of overlap there in performance and powder consumption. I do love the 243 win though.