6mm Remington Ack.Imp. Thoughts

S

sqrlgtr

Member
Looking for some input on this cartridge
(6mm ack.imp.).Thinking about getting a new barrel,probably Shilen,for my savage model 10.Varmit and predator puposes mostly and really like the 55gr ballistic tips in my 243win.Would like to hear from people who are familer with this cartridge useing the lighter bullets.Twist rates that u have used and anything that might need to know as far as any surprises about loading or any quirks that they have run into with this cartridge....
 
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IMO, if there was ever a cartridge that was begging to be "improved" it's the 6mm. But, for me, and I'm a big Rem 6mm fan, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to improve the 6mm when you can do a 6-284 a lot easier and with MUCH better brass. My 6-284 is built on a Rem 700 SA and it has a 1-12tw Lilja. I shoot the 75gr Vmax at 3600fps out of a 26in tube and that's a pretty mild load.

If you want to shoot 80 grainers and less, a 1-12 twist barrel will suit you well, if you think you'll want to ever shoot heavier bullets you may want to consider a 1-10tw.
 
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If it is a short action, stay with the 243, you really need a long action for a 6mm Rem AI if you want to get the most out of it.
 
Originally Posted By: AWSIf it is a short action, stay with the 243, you really need a long action for a 6mm Rem AI if you want to get the most out of it.

I too was going to go with a 6 Rem AI but after discussing it with someone that has built a lot of "outchonder" rigs I went with the .243 AI. Only 100 fps or so slower than the 6mm AI is and brass is a bunch easier to come by as well. I have not regretted my decision.

I shoot a lot of 55 grain bullets. Used one of those to take a Nevada ground squirrels at 580 yards last year. I had to hold over a bit but at 4000 fps coming out the barrel it was not too bad. Hit him with a bit of authority too.

I was having lot of fun earlier this year taking ground squirrels with 20 grains of Blue Dot and the 55 grain Nosler. Great accuracy, nice tosses and pretty quiet too. Made it that much more fun.

My barrel is a 1-10" twist X-Caliber.
 
B23 makes a good point.

I have had several of the 6 AI's, all on long actions. Here is what I used

14 Twist, 26" shilen, zero freebore reamer
60g sierra at 4400 fps
70g Nosler at 4100 fps
80g sierra Blitz at 3800

10Twist Douglas stainless match-26"
70g at 4000 was the max load, most accurate also

I shot Winchester 760 in the 60 & 70g bullets, R#19 with the 80g bullet

with the 60g at 4400, rock chucks splattered like paint balls on black rocks!

I had two 6/284's that I shot out with 85g Sierra's at 3600, and then went to a 25/284.

Anything on a 284 case is better served in a long action so you can seat the bullets way out as the leade grows.

If you want to go a 284 on a short Rem 700 action, it is best to have a Wyatt's magazine box installed where the gunsmith mills the mag box .110 longer to allow the use of longer OAL's.

Still best idea is to go with a long action unless you are using a Tikka which is a long action to begin with.
 
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I'm not that familiar with the specs of a Sav. model 10 action but if they are a bit limited on OAL, the 243 or 6mm Creedmoor will likely be you best options.

Not trying to talk you out of a 6mm AI because like I said, I'm a big Rem 6mm fan, have a 22-6mm in fact, but if you are limited on OAL in that model 10 action, the 6mm Creedmoor may be your best bet.

Ackleyman, I wasn't responding to you per say, like it shows, but rather the OP. Clicked reply on the wrong one, sorry about that.
 
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Ok let me throw some measurements at u guys see what you think.I have a rem 700 cdl in 6mm Remington and the ejection port measures 2.395" and have the savage mod 10 with a measurement at ejection port of 3.045" and the dbm of right at 3".This was the reason I was thinking that the savage would be a good platform to build the 6mm AI on.Also was going to get throat cut to a dummy round with the bullet I had planned on useing,(probably a 55gr or 70gr of some flavor).Do y'all see any reason that wouldnt work.Thanks for the help.PS the more I read up on this cartridge the more I like it lol.
 
Couple questions, how long of a barrel are you looking at using and are you dead set on the 6mm AI as the cartridge???
 
sqrlgtr, what you are looking for in your throat is zero freebore for those 55-70g bullets.

CDL is too short...forget that!

While I have 3 savages, I know that a used 700 in 270 can be had cheap at a pawn shop.

6 AI = 6/284

Both are best served on long action repeaters. I know the Rem 700 will NOT have an issue feeding, but know nothing of the Savage. All my Savages are single shots.

B23 briefly touched on a nugget of wisdom, the quality of the brass on the 6/284 can be Lapua, and it is tough...really tough.

If you decide to go 6 Rem AI, let me know, I will turn loose some old Winchester blue bag brass that is tough brass, also.
 
You can run up to 80 grainers in a SA 700 6-284 and still be able to seat the bullet out about as far as you want, but when you start getting past the 80's, and you want to squeeze all of the performance you can from the case, like Ackleyman said, a long action is going to be the better choice.

If a person wants a hotrod 6, the 6-284 is just so darn easy and offers a lot of performance with very little case prep work.

For me, as I get older and acquire more and more projects, I really appreciate the ones that are an easy neck down and load, versus the ones I have to fireform for.
 
Good feedback guys sure appreciate it.I am really settled on the 6ai.Best i can tell its getting pertty close to 6/284 performance wise and everything I've read is supposed to be a lot easier on barrels IDK never had neither but have loaded for the 243win and 6mmrem for a few years now and really like both of those cartridges.

Really have the 6mm bases covered but you know how it is when you get that itch lol..

Have a buddy that uses a 6/284 alot and he was telling me he could see a difference at 1000 to 1200 round count on his barrels.Just thinking about having my cake and eating it too...

BRASS is the only downside to the 6ai in my eyez anyway.
 
With them having pretty similar-ish performance, treated the same, I don't believe there is going to be much difference in barrel life between the two and don't forget, you have to first fireform the 6mm and that means sending more powder down the barrel. It's not a big deal, but if you are concerned about barrel life it's something to consider.

My point about suggesting the 6-284 over the 6mm AI is a couple things.

You're improving/fireforming the 6mm case and basically turning it into something with the same-ish performance of the 6-284, why not avoid that extra step, take advantage of the MUCH better brass and have a cartridge that'll suit you SA better???
 
Yup them good points b23 plus the lapua brass is bout as good as it gets also.I was just thinking that the savage mod10 action was just right for the 6ai its quite a bit longer than rem700.If I remember correctly its almost .150"longer and mag almost that much longer.I wanted to go with short freebore also for the shorty bullets.Guess I might ought to think about it a little more lol.
 
Just a thought:

The older Savage VLP's with the blind magazine allow one to seat
the bullets as far out as anyone would ever need. I have three
in different calibers and can seat to the lands in all three.

If one could find a used one for a decent price, it would make
for a great build.

And no, mine are not for sale until I can no longer fog a
mirror.
 
That cartridge would be fun....with a tight twist.

Honest question...if one is [beeep] bent on shooting 55s, why a 24 and not a 22? I really can't see a simple benefit other than a (very) little bit of speed.
 
2" means a lot to a man!!
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Originally Posted By: pyscodog2" means a lot to a man!!
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Har! Har! Har! Ain't that right, Bill!!

I'm laughing so hard that I'm having trouble catching my breath....... You're killing me with the comedy routine, you sly devil you.
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My sides are aching... I hope I can quit laughing soon. If I can't, Rusty might get his wish.
 
It doesn't matter what you want to build, some will be for it and some will be against it. There's always something better. And you should have built it this way. Its going to be your rifle and your the one footing the build cost so I say build what you want and let the haters hate.
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogIt doesn't matter what you want to build, some will be for it and some will be against it. There's always something better. And you should have built it this way. Its going to be your rifle and your the one footing the build cost so I say build what you want and let the haters hate.

Well said as usual, Bill. When I had my first custom rifle built I told the gunsmith that I wanted a .220 Swift. He tried to talk me into building a .22/250 AI or a .22 BR but having had a Swift before I wanted another one. Sure was glad that I stuck to my guns (no pun intended). Of all my .22 centerfires that one is still my favorite. Dont get shot as much as it once did but for sure, it makes me smile when I do.
 
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