6mm favorites...

[HogginHank]

I currently have a 6 mm that does well with IMR 3031 and 85 gr Sierra Spitzers. I have used the 3031 for about 15 years now for this gun but I was wondering what might me a newer improved powder I could try out. I am going to try some new bullets as well. I would like to stick with the 85 gr projectiles. I am only shooting deer/hogs in the texas hillcountry so I don't need a ton of knock down energy. I just want to be able to put 3 shots in less than an inch. The gun shoots about 7/8" at 100 yards and that is fine for a hunting gun for my standards. The bullets are seated out so far that they barely fit in the magazine and everytime I chamber a round , it comes out with a semi- flattened tip.. I think I am going to try some ballistic tips.(any advice here??)

I thought about seating the bullet a little deeper in the case but the gun shoots so well seated out that close to the lands.. :confused:

I know I kind of rambled here but if you have any input or can figure which parts of this thread are questions, give it a go and tell me what you like or know..Thanks..

[Evan03]

im not positive what balistic tips you could try.
i think 90gr nolser are hunting bullets intended for deer and the like all the 85s i know of are varmit inteded.

[Lone Star]

Years ago I got best accuracy with 87-grain Hornadys using IMR4350 rather than IMR3031, and higher velocity too. Today I'd use the Nosler 85-grain Partition, it is designed for deer-sized game out of 6mm handguns. The 90-grain Ballistic Tip may work okay, but I'd prefer the 85 Partition.

[Jack]

Not sure if the 85 Sierra is constructed as a game bullet, so I might hesitate to use that on a deer or a hog.
If you want to stay with 85 grain bullets, try the 85 Nosler Partition.
Another relatively light bullet that is constructed for game is the 90 grain Speer Spitzer.
Once you get to 95 grain bullets or heavier, they're pretty much all designed for deer rather than varmints.
For powders, I'd use something slower than 3031. 4831(anyone's) , AA3100, any of the 4350's. WW760 or H414 if you want a ball powder. Or Reloder 19.

[Bounty Hunter]

you might try 46grns. RE-19 w/ 95nosler b/t, and a fed 210m primer. this has been a good deer killer for me.

B H

[Cal Sibley]

I have a Remington VLS in 6mm Rem. It does very well with the Hornady 95gr. SST pushed along by Rel-19 42.0grs. It groups at .5" (5 at 100yds.) as most of my loads for this calliber do. This same powder load with the Sierra 100gr. PSP. gives the same group size. Both are seated out to 2.930". I've only been shooting the 6mm Rem. for about a year, and really like it.

Cal - Montreal

[HogginHank]

Thanks for all the input. I didn't get a chance to read the replies before I went shopping. I did get a box of the Nosler Partition in 85 gr. I don't have a Nosler Book so if any of you can post the MAX powder for this bullet I would appreciate it. I like to start a little down from the max and work up to it. I did get some of the 80 gr Ballistic tips as well. I would like the bullet to stay together enough to make a good pass through.. I will try some of your suggestions on this thread. I have lots of 4831 ,WW 760 and a little bit of 4350(I think??) I will try a few combos and let ya'll know... Thanks again for the info...and if any of ya'll can post up what the nosler book says about the 80 gr for the 6 mm I would really appreciate it..The max powder and FPS would be great..Thanks again...

[Evan03]

nosler book reads

load data---85/90 grain

imr 4831(most acurate powder) 47.5 grs is the most acuarate load and also the max with this powder. looks like you may get to make some good use of the 4831. this load is at 3300.

80grain load data
imr4064 was theyre most acurate powder. 38grs was the most acurate load and went only 3179fps. max load is 42grs at 3451

the fastes loads are h414 and imr4350
h414 46grs is at 3472
imr4350 47 grs 3472. not typo

both loads are max loads


good luck
Evan

[RUMLUVER]

If your looking far an all around accurate and flat shooting bullet you would be hard pressed to find something better than the 90gr Swift Scirocco. It has impressed the hell out of me! I use them in my .300 and .338 RUM's and they fly fast' flat and hit like the hammer of Thor. They are very accurate and easy to load though I found in my work with them that they like flying fast. I would also suggest using Reloader 19 &22 behind these bullets max loads for these two 48gr and 50grs respectively in this order. Hope this helps

[Cossack]

Try the Barnes 85 grain TSX. It'll make your 6mm perform like it's on STEROIDS. Accurate, controlled expansion, near total weight retention and penetration like no other bullet I've shot (I load for 16 chamberings).

[RUMLUVER]

Cossak

Good suggestion I agree 100% those bullets are just fanominal when it comes to bone crunching power and wieght retention. I'm using the 210gr TSXBT in my .338 RUM this year for deer season. The load I'm using leaves the muzzel at 3379fps and groups at 5/8" at 100 yards. I load the TSX's in my .300 RUM also using the 168 and 180 and get great results.

[Evan03]

or possibly the lighter tougher faster bullet like the TSX will fail to exspand at speed. otherwise not performing as well as hunting balistic tip or heck id bett even core lokt would before better at close range.

this is just a hunch though. wouldnt small tough bullet punch through at the same speeds as say 165gr bullet easier. same bullet construction but less surface area causeing resintince against the bullet inside the animal.


on a side note. I love baliastic tip hunting bullets specifiacly noslers. but im also going to give the tsx a tryin a few calibers. if theyre acurate as all get out they may replace my hunting loads in my smaller rifles. if theyre the same then they may be used for tougher critters bigger than deer. if i fail to easily get acurate with them theyl be dropped faster than my girlfreind dumped me and that was fast and outa the blue. ;)

[HogginHank]

Thanks for the info Evan03.. I looked at the Barnes bullets but they wanted $30 for 50 rounds!!!:eek: :eek: .. I'm not hunting trophy elk or 200 B&C Whitetails..Dang.. I just want a mid-range piece of lead that will hold up on hogs and 150# deer.. Thanks again for the info. I will be reloading Wednesday and shooting on Friday. I will post up some pics of nice tight groups hopefully. Adios' for now..

[Evan03]

ohhhhhhhhh yeah i know what you mean i picked up box of 224 tsx pills awhile back. think i had to give my left arm to get the cashier to hand them over to me

[RUMLUVER]

If your being charged that much for those Barnes bullets in your guys area I would go Midway online or other such sites. I don't pay $30 a box for my bullets and thats for mine on up to 30cal. Mind you I don't shoot them for just everyday plinking because they are spendy. But you shouldn't br paying near that much for those bullets ecspecially in 22 and 24cal!

[HogginHank]

Originally posted by RUMLUVER
If your being charged that much for those Barnes bullets in your guys area I would go Midway online or other such sites. I don't pay $30 a box for my bullets and thats for mine on up to 30cal. Mind you I don't shoot them for just everyday plinking because they are spendy. But you shouldn't br paying near that much for those bullets ecspecially in 22 and 24cal!

can you post the URL for that site..Thanks

[RUMLUVER]

The site is www.midwayusa.com I order from them when I can't find other stuff I'm looking for also. Just a tip order in larger quanities it saves on shipping or make an order with friends and split the shipping. Hope you find what you want!

[Cal Sibley]

I get excellent results with the Sierra 85gr. bullet, but it's the HPBT not the SP. MY Remington VLS groups .460" (5 at 100yds.) with IMR4895 37.9grs. It gives me 3100fps, and I load it out to
2.93". This bullet also works very accurately in my .243Win. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[RUMLUVER]

Cal what kind of performance do you get on game using those Sierras? Never used any and thought I'd ask. Also what game do you shoot with them? thanks

[Kirkned]

I really like the Remington Core-lokts in 100 grains for the larger animals speedgoats and deer they preform very well in the 6mm and for the price you can not beat them at $0.068 a each. Why pay more, my rifle will make nice little ½" groups with these. :D


Kirkned

[Cossack]

They don't blow up in a "small caliber." Friend of mine just loaded 85 STX for his friend's 243. He and his kids recently shot 5 large (read Northern Minnesota) deer with 5 shots; 30 yards is the furthest any of them went. One of the bullets went the length of a big buck with no percievable loss in weight. (That was the only bullet they recovered). He liked them so well he took them out west and shot two big mullies with them too. He can't say enough good about the STX.
I've been using Barnes X for years with the same results in 25/06, 260, 7/08, 284 and 280. My personal string of one-shot kills with them just climbed to 19. Expensive? Sure, but worth it. I practicve with Hornady loaded to approximately the same pressures but hunt only with Barnes.

[Paul5388]

I bought a M600 new in 1965 in 6mm Rem for $75. We didn't have a lot of choice in bullets back then, but we never had a problem taking deer with a 100 gr Rem Core Lokt. Even though there was only 18 1/2" of barrel to work with, it would get the job done. When the gun was newer and I was much younger, you could cover a group with a dime at 100 yards

It didn't take long for the speed bug to bite and I switched to an 85 gr Nosler Zipedo with 50.0+ gr of H4831. Then I discovered N205 and used 52.0 gr with the same Zipedo.

Alas, the Zipedo and N205 are history now, but the 95 gr solid base Nosler is similar and is designed for hunting, not varmints, plus it won't break the bank to buy some and it has a ballistic tip.

There still isn't anything wrong with the Rem 100 gr. My granddaughter is using the 600 this year for hunting with the Rem 100 gr bullet.

While I was poking around in some old 1960s brass, I found some of that cheap foreign brass I bought when I couldn't find R-P brass. It was called Norma. A 17.2 gr load of Blue Dot with the Rem 100 in Norma brass will shoot <3/4" at 100 yards out of a 40 year old gun.

A lot of folks just have to fix something (bullets) that isn't broke!

[redjonson]

I use reloader 22 in the 6mm Rem with bullets in the 80-100gr range.....87 Vmax for varmints.....This powder gives good velocity with low pressure in 24 and 26 inch barrels...Red

[Cal Sibley]

One problem with my Remington VLS in 6mm that I didn't mention and should have is its weight. It's a brute to lug around, a bit over 10lbs. with the scope. I still like the Hornady 95gr. SST but would prefer it in a lighter rifle. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[bsterns]

I had a 6mm Remington I gave to my grandson. I found the best performing deer and hog cartridges were the 95gr. Nosler partition and 100 gr. Hornady interlock. That is a 1 in 9" twist. Larger bullets for 6mm seemed to perform better. My 243 was 1 in 10" twist and shot smaller bullets very accurately while the 6mm seemed to like the larger ones.

[bigkevmorgan]

hank took the time to look up some 6mm bullets i know what you mean with the prices of some of the top end bullets heres some in i'm a hornady fan for shootin hoggs 95-100grs spire point or the sst will do hte job quiet nicely with imr 4064 37.9grs or spice things up a bit rl-22 47.8 same bullet ive never had a hornady to fail me of course thers always siera bullets !!! 90grs match grade bthp i use too reload htis cal but sold my gun hang on to that 6mm what a good &fun cal ive looked every where for one will have to order a new rem or go to a 243 in a ruger #1 stnless
good luck on the hoggs and the loads......

[Cal Sibley]

Hello rumluver,

There are two Sierra 85gr. bullets. One is a SBT, the other is a HPBT. I think both do an excellent job, even on deer. They're also pretty comparable in the accuracy department. I use IMR4064 and IMR4895 for these bullets while preferring a slower powder for the 100gr. bullets. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

[pistolchamp]

I had a heck of a time finding a load that my very small for his age step son could handle.

It turned out to be the Barnes 75 gr "X" bullet over 52 grains of R-22. A wierd load, but, it works and shoots into 3/4" from his now unused Rem Model 7.

My Ruger #1 wouldn't shoot anything well... and as many of us know a lot of #1s just aren't super accurate. All of that changed just by using the 95 grain Combined Tech moly coated bullet over 48 grains of R-22. It will now easily put five shots under 1" at 200 meters... I am very pleased.

[Cal Sibley]

For the smallest groups I use Sierra 70gr. HPBT bullets pushed along by IMR4895. It'll give me 3300fps and group into .397" (5 at 100yds). The rifle is a Remington VLS. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal