Bolt action Yote/Dog/Target rifle in the 6mm range

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  • Hohn

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    I'd be interested to hear your thoughts on a bolt gun for dual-purpose target and varmint use. This is NOT about optic selection, just the gun.

    Here are my "requirements" (in quotes to reflect I could change my mind if a well reasoned argument is made). Rifle itself has to be under $1500 hard max with less being better, which should cover almost any production model and rule out all customs.

    -- 6mm caliber. Preferably .243 or 6mm CM. Why? Versatility. Speed with light bullets, range with heavies. Low recoil with all. Barrel life blah blah. I'll worry about that if I ever kill the original barrel.
    -- DBM mag, preferable AICS compatible similar.
    -- Decent Stock or Chassis that will work off a rest/bag and prone. Not necessarily manners or AI, but not a Savage Axis, either.
    -- As accurate as can be achieved with handloads (I will be loading for it).
    -- At-home barrel replacement with a barrel block, vise, and wrench. (like savage).
    -- Faster twist to handle 105s and 110s.

    Here's what I'm looking at so far:

    --Ruger Precision Rifle: Duh. Obviously this is a solid rifle for the money. These are under $900 all day now, and a tremendous buy. I don't like the bolt being captive until the stock folds, but this isn't a deal breaker.

    -- Savage Stealth Evolution. This is obviously Savage's answer to the RPR. But at a street price of $500 more? I really like the chassis it uses and the look. I'm partial to Savages. Factory trued action. Ugly muzzle brake on a 6mm is not cool. But $1400 on gunbroker? Bonus: real PRS gen 2. AICS mags.

    -- Savage 10 GRS. Awesome GRS Berserk Stock in the tried and true Savage side release model 10 action. Factory trued action as well. AICS mags also.

    -- Savage 110 desert tactical: not sure I want to jump into the "new shiny" of the new Savage 110, but this is a heck of value at $600 street in 6CM. Same AICS mags. Cheap stock, but not necessarily bad or inadequate. Exact same barreled action (minus "truing") as 10 GRS.



    What else is out there worth considering? It seems like 6CM is the way to go for heavier bullets like the new 110SMK, as they come with fast twists. With most .243s I'd be limited to 95s or so. And I don't think I'd be giving up much at the light bullet end with the 6CM (I can load longer if needed).

    Ruger is all-in on 6CM vs .243 as you don't see much .243 left in their lineup. RPR is moved to CM, as is RAR. Savage is offering some of each. Most others are sticking by .243.
     

    Ggreen

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    I vote for the savage 10grs. I had a stealth 10ba and the aluminum chassis would have made it a chore to hump around while hunting, not to mention that aluminum frosts over quickly and will punish you for touching it ungloved. The 10grs is a sick looking set up.
     

    Hohn

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    The 10grs and 110 desert each in 6CM are realistically my top two.

    i like the idea of upgrading the stock later on the 110, but why not get the GRS stock to begin with and pay less overall? The GRS alone is much more than the price difference between these two models.
     

    Hohn

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    An aside: is there an acceptable abbreviation for 6mm creedmoor that does look like 6 centimeters?
     

    halfmileharry

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    I'm not familiar enough with the 6MM cm but I know the .243 well enough to recommend it. For your varmints and range it's really hard to beat the .243 and components are plentiful and affordable.
     

    Hohn

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    I'm not familiar enough with the 6MM cm but I know the .243 well enough to recommend it. For your varmints and range it's really hard to beat the .243 and components are plentiful and affordable.
    The 6cm is essentially a modernized.243. Less taper in the case, shoulders bumped back. It works a little better with the heavy bullets. It’s a necked down 6.5cm is all.

    load data suggests it ballistically a twin of .243. Which is exactly what appeals to me.
     

    natdscott

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    Personally, I'd go with 6mm BR and call it a day.

    But I am a serious handloader.

    If factory ammo is the intent, then .243 Winchester is THE answer. 6 CM is just not as good there.
     

    Sniper 79

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    What about a savage action and put it together your self? Be a fun project.

    I found. 243 to be too much for yotes and bolt action too slow when multiples came running in. Use an AR now.

    I was previously using a Ruger 77. It was a 1-9 and shot heavy pills better. 80grn soft points blow a hole big enough you can put your arm through.
     

    halfmileharry

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    The 6cm is essentially a modernized.243. Less taper in the case, shoulders bumped back. It works a little better with the heavy bullets. It’s a necked down 6.5cm is all.

    load data suggests it ballistically a twin of .243. Which is exactly what appeals to me.
    So basically it's a .243 capable of holding a heavier bullet. Huh, never figured someone would see a need to tweek/improve on the old .243. I've also got a fair old 6mm ppc in the cabinet. These 6mms seem to be a nice round.
     

    churchmouse

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    So basically it's a .243 capable of holding a heavier bullet. Huh, never figured someone would see a need to tweek/improve on the old .243. I've also got a fair old 6mm ppc in the cabinet. These 6mms seem to be a nice round.

    A .243 will more than do a great job in the areas the OP is thinking about. Buddy busts yotes with one. He is considering a Semi now because multiples are a problem.
     

    Hohn

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    Personally, I'd go with 6mm BR and call it a day.

    But I am a serious handloader.

    If factory ammo is the intent, then .243 Winchester is THE answer. 6 CM is just not as good there.

    Savage offers the 12 LRPV in 6br. It’s likely the most accurate/Precise stock Savage gun. But it’s built off the Target actionwith the finicky “Target accutrigger” known to lock up (red dingus). And it’s not a repeater. But it’s left port/right bolt

    For Target only, this would be my first choice in a Savage.

    Another Savage model that appeals is the 12 LRP. They offer this in .243 with the excellent HS Precision stock. And I think it’s a DBM.
     

    Hohn

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    What about a savage action and put it together your self? Be a fun project.

    i love the idea of such a project. I like the idea of putting together exactly what I want for action/barrel/stock.

    And I could probably do it for $1500 if careful.
     

    two70

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    A quick look at ballistics chart shows that a it takes about 600 yards for a 115 grain high ballistic coefficient bullet from a 6CM to show an advantage over a low ballistic coefficient 90 grain bullet from a .243 win. Unless you are planning on competing at long range and/or have ready access to range longer 600 yards, there's not much point to getting the 6CM.

    Tikka has a chassis rifle with detachable mag for under $1000 and so does Weatherby/Howa but I'm not sure if either are chambered for .243 or 6CM.
     

    Hohn

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    My data indicates otherwise. The 110smk has a wind advantage at all ranges.

    I compared the 110smk at 2900fps to the Berger 105 hybrid at 3100fps and the 95smk at 3200fps.

    From a 100y zero on out, the 110smk is superior. At 500y, it has about 30% less windage than the 95smk— even though it starts 300fps slower.


    But your point is still valid: the advantage of the heaviest bullets is small enough that you have to be at very long range for it to really matter. And it’s definitely not something to rile at the awesome .243 over.
     

    Twangbanger

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    This thread reads like some people have .243s for sale.

    ;)

    He said he's loading for it. In the current discussion, that probably means 6CM. It has the potential to excel across the entire spectrum of centerfire distances, and gives you what used to be custom performance without a custom gun. If factory ammo isn't a consideration (and he specifically said it wasn't), it will do everything a .243 will do. The reverse cannot be said for a .243 with a non-custom twist rate.

    The reason the .243 is stuck with a stoopid factory twist rate (disclosure: my favorite rifle is a Win. Model 70 in .243) is because in addition to aerodynamics being a mystery in consumer products of the 1950s, the marketing goobers of the time sold everyone on the concept of "versatility," "look at all the boolits you can shoot," and "you need dis grain-weight for dis, and dat grain-weight for dat." But today, the science of aerodynamics has broken out of the SoCal aerospace industry into almost everything we do, and a prairie dog shot at 200 yards with a 6CM heavy is just as daid, Huck, as if he was shot with an 80 grain .243.

    To each their own. Every Podunk gun shop has a used .243 for sale. Usually with the Simmons still attached. This can be over for $500 very quickly. But it sounds like his budget runs farther than that...and if such is the case, I say get the modern sweetness. There's absolutely zero reason to do otherwise, within the constraints specified by the OP.
     
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