6mm Remington

[Jason_G]

Maybe someone can shed some light on this for me...
I've always wondered why the 6mm Remington isn't as popular as the .243. Seems to me like the 6mm would be a little more versatile for handloaders, and would be more popular, but when you look at gun offerings in the two chamberings, .243 is always more widely offered. As a matter of fact, I think Remington is the only one (at least that I can think of offhand) that offers rifles in 6mm Remington. Why isn't it more popular? Anyone care to enlighten me?

Jason

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Metric bias?

 

[Jim Watson]

The usual legend is that the original .244 Remington rifles had 12" twist barrels for 80-90 grain bullets while the .243 Winchesters had 10" twist and would handle 100 grain bullets. This was supposed to have gotten the .243 the reputation of a combination varmint - deer rifle while the .244 was thought to be only a varmint gun. By the time Remington caught on and increased the rifling twist, offered 100 grain bullets, and renamed the cartridge the 6mm Remington, it was too late for them to gain back the market they had lost.

Maybe so.
I wonder if it is not just that the Model 70 was a better looking rifle than the 722.

 

[Nhsport]

Historicly rifle (and pistol) companys would try and avoid chambering a round that had their rivals name as part of the cartridge . This is part of the reason we have many calibers that are almost identical

 

[woof]

Weren't there some shorter actions around the 60s that were chambered in .243 but not 6mm? I'm thinking models 88 and 100 Winchester and maybe the old Model 600 Remington?

 

[Husker1911]

Shhhh! I like it this way. 6MM>.243, but don't tell anyone!

 

[Jason_G]

The usual legend is that the original .244 Remington rifles had 12" twist barrels for 80-90 grain bullets while the .243 Winchesters had 10" twist and would handle 100 grain bullets. This was supposed to have gotten the .243 the reputation of a combination varmint - deer rifle while the .244 was thought to be only a varmint gun. By the time Remington caught on and increased the rifling twist, offered 100 grain bullets, and renamed the cartridge the 6mm Remington, it was too late for them to gain back the market they had lost.

Yeah, this is pretty much what I've always heard too. Kind of a shame, the 6mm is a real versatile round. It's flat shooting and great for varmints, and can be loaded to kill good sized deer as well. I guess when you get down to it though, there's a whole plethora of great calibers out there that just never quite caught on. Wrong place at the wrong time I guess. At least there's still a little bit of a cult following for the 6mm. I know this because after mentioning in just a single post that I had a 742 in 6mm, I had several folks wanting to buy it. I guess it's destined to be one of those "boutique" cartridges... not mainstream, but not extinct.

Jason

Shhhh! I like it this way. 6MM>.243, but don't tell anyone!

It looks as if the secret's safe...

 

[W.E.G.]

Simple.

When you say "two-forty-three," it has perfect I-IV-V-I tonal balance, and just generally sounds way more bad-azz than the hissy-lispy, pinched-sounding "six millimeter" - which also sounds vaguely un-American.

Which one would you rather have in the rack of your pickup truck?

 

[rangerruck]

also remmy wanted to hog all the rifles for it, so they wouldn't let anyone else make rifles for their new round. big mistake, Indy.
it is a killer of a round, and better for bbl life as well, because of the extra long caseneck.

 

[rangerruck]

I know what you mean Jason, I got a customized Mauser, right hand , in 6mm that i am trying to sell. I normally wouldn't but I couldnt dare to mess up the beautiful stock, just cuz i want to make it lefty, it truly has some beauty wood on it. if you check out all the top benchrest, long distance shooters, they all shoot something in between 6 and 6.5 milly , mostly.
http://www.6mmbr.com/index.html

 

[Jason_G]

also remmy wanted to hog all the rifles for it, so they wouldn't let anyone else make rifles for their new round. big mistake, Indy.

This is something that I never knew. Kind of explains the lack of popularity a bit.

Jason

 

[.45Guy]

Ranger, you're selling a 6mm? Please shootme a pm with info!!!

 

[rangerruck]

sure, no prob.

 

[usp_fan]

I've shot a ruger bolt gun in 6mm rem. that my buddy owns. His dad bought it to celebrate my friends birth. It has a two digit serial number. It is a very nice shooting round. Low recoil and very accurate in this rifle. Anyone know what the ruger barrel twist rate would be?

--usp_fan

 

[Jim Watson]

It is probably either 9" like Remington used or 10" as for the more common .243.
You can measure it with a swivel handle cleaning rod, a tight patch, and a couple marks on the rod. Just measure how far you have to run the patch through to make one turn of the rod.

 

[rangerruck]

I have only heard of the 6mm coming in a 1/10 or 1/12 twist. I'd be surprised if it was anything else.

 

[RubenZ]

I have an older Remington Model 722 in .244

The problem I have is finding AMMO in 80 grains or lighter. Yes I can run 100grain 6mm but I'm not using the full potential of the gun.

Anyways. I will agree that this caliber is a TACK DRIVEr!!! Very Low Recoil. I'm thinking of getting a new gun chambered in this round.

 

[Bluehawk]

I have only heard of the 6mm coming in a 1/10 or 1/12 twist. I'd be surprised if it was anything else.

My Remington 788 in 6mm Rem has a 1:9 twist. (if I remember correctly)

 

[Essex County]

Mostly Hype and advertising.......

Many .244's shot decently with hundred grainers. I don't think many Whitetail could give much of an opinion if they were wacked with a quality 90 grainer from a .244 VS. 100 grainer from a ,243. Lets argue about this till the cows come home from the upper pasture. Essex

 

[rangerruck]

Bluehawk, first if you have a 788 in 6mm, that is outstanding, and if it is a 1/9 twist, that has got to be about even with finding the Holy Grail, really, Dude!!!
That thing would put everything even 110 or 115 grainers, into the same hole!!!
wow.
the big diff, is that most 6mm are 200 to 300 fps faster , than a 243, especially if you handload.
Down range, if you are a long shooter, this will equate to about a 10 inch diff, starting at 400 yards. plus les winddrift, since it will get there faster.