So it looks like the 6mm Rem has quietly died...

[mshootnit]

Looked on gun broker and could not find new models other than maybe a remington 700. And that model listed at close to 900. I was not impressed.
Its a shame thats a fine old cartridge. Too bad you can't get a nice reasonable ruger or savage in this caliber ( with plenty of mag space for loading out to the lands)

 

[Ranger30-06]

It's a shame. It's one of those calibers that should have been a huge success, but was killed by the magnum craze. If ammo wasn't so darn expensive I would think it would be a nice alternative to a .243 for whitetails...

 

[Rancho Relaxo]

Those of us that own 6mm Rems sure aren't in any hurry to give them up!

 

[MistWolf]

The 6mm was not killed by the magnum craze. It was killed by the 243.

When the 6mm Remington was introduced as a commercial offering, there were three basic action lengths, Magnum, Long and Short. There were four common cartridge cases. These four were based on the the 300 H&H, the 30-06, the 7x57 and the 308 Winchester. The 6mm Remington was based on the 7x57 case.

If you notice, all calibers based on the 57mm case have lost their market since the rise in popularity of the short action designed for 308 length cartridges and light as possible rifles back late 80's or so. The 57mm case is too long for the short action. It can be made to work, but bullets need to be seated deeper which intrudes on case capacity, especially with longer bullets. The 57mm case had plenty of room in long actions but there wasted length. Why chamber a long action for a 7x57 when a 280 Remington has better performance?

6mm Remington, 257 Roberts, 7x57 and 8x57 are all fine calibers. But their 57mm case places them awkward position. Too short for long actions and too long for short actions

 

[Ky Larry]

The 6mm/.244 Rem was the victim of bad decisions by Remington. The .244 Rem and the .243 Win were both introduced in 1955. Rem saw this round as a varmint cartridge and rifled the barrels with 1-12" twist for 70-80gr bullets. The Win .243 had 1-10" twist for bullets up to 105grs. Consumers liked the idea of one rifle for both deer and varmints so sales took off.
In 1963, Rem reintroduced the round as the 6mm Remington. The barrels had 1-9 " twist. By then, the .243 Win had such a big lead in sales and popularity, it was too late to catch up.It's a shame because the 6mm is an excellent combo round.

 

[jmr40]

^^^^ This!

 

[mshootnit]

you can get to the lands in an old Ruger with some bullets, but not a Remington and still fit in the magazine in my experience. I think Sako makes some varying action lengths and that might be a perfect rifle to chamber the 6mm in.
As far as performance the 6mm bests the 243 Win not only in terms of speed, but also in pressure uniformity. Especially in the heavier bullets. That has been my experience.

 

[DUNEZRUNNER]

I just picked me a Ruger Mark II in 6mm the other day. I worked up some loads for it that night and went to the range the day after. All I can say is WOW and I need a new scope. I am in love with this little gun. 3 shot groups under an inch with a 4 power scope. And it doesn't kick hardly at all. I can't wait to try it during hunting season.

Thomas

 

[Red Tornado]

The marketplace is littered with products which offered superior performance, yet had inferior marketing. How many of you had a Betamax? Who ran DR-DOS before Microsoft released MS-DOS? Many great products become footnotes in history while many adequate products become beloved by the masses. (I'm sure there's an appropriate Latin phrase that should go here, but I never had Latin.)
RT

 

[Rem.222]

My son found a used Rem. 760 pump thanksgiving time he desired a pump over a bolt. He is 12 and a hunting fool. I have never had a center fire pump but cannot wait to try it. 6mm maybe dead but I know of a dozen or more that still protect and feed families.

 

[viking499]

The 6mm/.244 Rem was the victim of bad decisions by Remington. The .244 Rem and the .243 Win were both introduced in 1955. Rem saw this round as a varmint cartridge and rifled the barrels with 1-12" twist for 70-80gr bullets. The Win .243 had 1-10" twist for bullets up to 105grs. Consumers liked the idea of one rifle for both deer and varmints so sales took off.
In 1963, Rem reintroduced the round as the 6mm Remington. The barrels had 1-9 " twist. By then, the .243 Win had such a big lead in sales and popularity, it was too late to catch up.It's a shame because the 6mm is an excellent combo round.

Exactly.

I took a half step up and enjoy playing with the 6.5mm's. My 243 is "confined" to the truck and the 6.5's get all the action and playground time.

 

[UNCC Grad]

The 6mm Rem and 257 Roberts were two great cartridges that were both killed off by the 243...the 257 has stuck around a little better than the 6mm though. A shame really...

 

[303tom]

Actually the 6mm Rem. was doomed in the beginning, because Savage already had that niche filled back in the teen`s with the .250-3000 then .300 & then on to Winchester & the .308 & the .243...........It did not have a chance.

 

[joed]

The 6mm Rem was indeed killed by the .243 Win. I've been watching it die for years. In 1978 I bought a brand new 700 VS and had the hardest time deciding on cartridge. I went with the .25-06 and thought it wouldn't be around. Second choice was the 6mm, for once I did right.

 

[TexAg]

It may be "dying", but it's not dead and it's been "dying" a long time, so I'm not too worried that death is immanent. There are enough of us still shooting them and we'll continue shooting them and pass them down; it'll survive a bit longer.

 

[wxjeep]

I've got a Remington 600 in 6mm that is still seeing consistent use. I used it this season and harvested a whitetail with it. I love the rifle but am looking for something new that I am not afraid to beat up.

 

[solvability]

I have heard long range shooters say the 6mm Rem has longer barrel life than the 243 and is a better cartridge for 1000 yds - I have a 243 and yes it is time for a new barrel.

 

[T.R.]

6mm has gone the way of 257 Roberts. Fading into list of "has been" cartridges. Sad but true.

Years ago, I was stationed at Wurtsmouth AF Base, Michigan. My buddies and I often hunted within the adjacent Huron Nat'l Forest. One time we invited our 1st Sergeant. He showed up with a very rare 6mm. This one was a Remington auto-loader with basket weave checkering fitted with a spendy scope. The guys put on a drive while me and "the shirt" overlooked opposite sides of clearing bisected by a long finger of frozen swamp. Although we were approx 125 yards apart, we had a clear view of each other.

After a time, I heard deer coming through the forest. I got ready to shoot as a nice buck and couple does enetered the clearing. Through my scope I saw the buck flinch; a micro-second later I heard the sharp report of his 6mm. The buck stumbled and fell. Two quick shots followed. A running doe nose dived into the snow. He missed one shot.

The buck was a heavy beamed 7 pointer and the doe a full size mature animal. Each taken with one 6mm bullet through the chest organs. I gained fresh respect for our 1st Sergeant and his handsome rifle. A month later, he invited us all to his home for venison chops and all the fixings. Great memory of a fine Leader and his 6mm rifle.

TR

 

[MistWolf]

The 6mm/.244 Rem was the victim of bad decisions by Remington. The .244 Rem and the .243 Win were both introduced in 1955. Rem saw this round as a varmint cartridge and rifled the barrels with 1-12" twist for 70-80gr bullets. The Win .243 had 1-10" twist for bullets up to 105grs. Consumers liked the idea of one rifle for both deer and varmints so sales took off.
In 1963, Rem reintroduced the round as the 6mm Remington. The barrels had 1-9 " twist. By then, the .243 Win had such a big lead in sales and popularity, it was too late to catch up.It's a shame because the 6mm is an excellent combo round.

While this hurt the 6mm, it's not what caused it's death knell. It's the fact the cartridge is based on the 57mm case. The 6mm, as pointed out in an earlier post, is a better round than the 243. I can tell you from experience the 6mm is much easier to reload. I've owned and shot the 6mm Remington and the 243 for several decades.

Take note that some of the newest cartridges are based on the 308 case. No new cartridge based on the 57mm case has been introduced since the 244/6mm back in the fifties. All cartridges based on the 57mm case are dead or languishing. It's the popularity of the short rifle action that killed the 6mm and the 57mm case