I started using a 25-06 in 1993. Great caliber for whitetail. I bought my son one. Minimal recoil. Sight in 2.5 inches high at 100 and your MPBR is about 300 yards.
25-06 is a sleeper especially if you reload! Bullet weights from 75gr to 135gr. With the standard 10tw and an 87gr Bullet you can extend that mpbr out to 400yds on a 4" target an have a coyote killing lazer. Step up to a 7.5tw and the 130gr bullets and you have a mile target rifle for banging steel or a 800yd pronghorn/whitetail load. Disadvantage is that a 25-06 is very overbore and really shines with a 26" or longer barrel and slow burning magnum powders that are hard to find lately.
@@kirkmartin2223 I've got a tikka t3x lite stainless with a 22 in barrel in 25-06. 100grn speer btsp at 3234fps and 80grn mono's at 3500fps using AR2209 (H4350).
@@bruce6099 I have a Howa with a 26" preferred barrel blanks barrel. 75gr vmax @ 3675fps. MPBR is 410yds on a 4" target and it will cut a coyote almost in half lol. It will run them up to 3735fps @40°f but that's on the extreme upper end bordering disaster. Shoots factory Remington 120gr coreloks sub 3/4". Been thinking about a tikka build with a switch barrel setup for a 1:10tw and a 1:7.5tw. 10tw with a #2 sporter and the 7.5tw with a medium Palma. If I bought 2 more barrels they'd be 25-06AI or 25 Sherman for more speed.
@Kirk Martin The one thing that would worry me about building a fast twist on a tikka is mag length for the longer projectiles. That wouldn't be a problem if you used an ai mag system, though. If i ever burn the barrel out on this tikka, I'll probably go to a 24-inch barrel just so i dont have to push the loads so hard to get the velocity.
The good thing about took a is they offer one actin length. The bolt stop and bolt can be special ordered for different calibers. Oregon mountain does a lot of work on them and have barrel blanks to fit. If the bit face hasn't been altered, then it is a simple screw in barrel change.
I think a lot of people are afraid to get stuck with a rifle that has a "new and improved" cartridge they can't now, and eventually never, find ammo for, and if they can find it, it is an insane price.
@@HA51971 Right, but compared to any cartridge that is actually popular, the 6.5CM isn't all that popular or have that many rifles chambered in it. Plus, it benefits from basically existing in other forms for 100+ years.
@@D_Boone not sure where you got the idea that 6.5 creedmoor isn't popular? backfire had a article that said 6.5 creedmoor was #3 best selling cartridge only being beaten by 22lr and 223 by volume.
Pretty sure it’s the 7th best selling hunting cartridge as of a year or so ago. It’s more popular than most people think but it doesn’t seem to get much press
My 6mm Creedmoor is my most accurate rifle. I shoot 5 inch group’s regularly at 1000 yards. And my two 6.8 Westerns shoot well at 1000 yards with any bullet. Love these guns. Very happy to have them in my collection.
6.8 western was like metric system in USA, it was hyped up, the day came it launched, then it disappeared. No one promotes it at all now. Haven’t seen a rifle or ammo in long time. Crazy for how good it is ballistically.
I'm very glad that they're making fast twist rate rifles for .270 Winchester. I don't really care about the 6.8 Western, but I would love to have high-BC, heavy bullets available for my .270 when I eventually get it rebarreled.
Hello, I own the .300 rcm in the guide gun platform. When I bought my rifle I bought 6 or 7 cases of ammunition, all different styles all hornady made. Every load shot inside an inch at 100 yards, the heavier bullets and copper bullets did better. I have not ever been disappointed with my rifle or ammunition. I do have dies and and what not, but until I run out of factory ammunition, I have no need to reload, and I don't shoot it that much. Thanks for your videos!!!!
You know it's bad when Ruger doesn't even make a rifle chambered in 300RCM. After looking at this, it's a real shame you can't get it anymore. I think IF Hornady could reintroduce this under their name it would do much better.
After thought, the 6c would have made a great military round. I have taken elk, pronghorn, Mule deer, whitetail, and moose with a 30/06. I could have used a 30/30 in all cases with success.
I've had many 270 win rifles and I really like it and if I had one now I wouldn't change but now that I don't have a 270 win I'm definitely interested in the 6.8 western
I know why everybody wants more speed,and that speed is sexy.But that being said,speed is not always desirable.Here in the southeast,where shots at 300 yards is pretty rare,and the deer are smaller,speed often destroys more meat than desirable.I have shot many deer with 308,30/06,300 win mag and 257 Roberts.I actually prefer the 257,because it's going slower,uses lighter bullets and destroys less meat if you have to take a less than perfect shot broadside.Thus I think the 6.5 cm is better than the 6 cm.Im not one to always jump on the newest bandwagon,but I do think the 6.5 cm fits a perfect niche.Just my thoughts.
I wish 7mm08 was more popular. You can use it for basically anything with minimal recoil. Where I am I haven’t been able to find ammo for years now in 7mm08.
Finally someone else agrees! The 6.5 is a decent cartridge but it lacks velocity. The 6 creed/6mm remington both do about the same on game, but going much faster and flatter. If you want a short action that hits like a truck, go 308 or even 300wsm.
I think going light for caliber is overlooked as an option without requiring a new rifle. A 95 grain 6.5CM is flying 3100 feet/sec. So thats as fast as a 243 Winchester, for example but generally carrying a little more mass. And a 110 grain 308 is screamimg at 3300 feet/sec. Then both those calibers have tons of other load offerings. Just need to resight in for your particular hunt.
If you dally in the world of 25 cals for long you will fall in LOVE. Been shooting 257 Roberts for my whole life and I have never found a more pleasant cartridge to put a whitetail on the ground with.
I just bought an x-bolt in 6.8 western and what I'm noticing in my area (eastern Wyoming) is that the rifles are readily available almost everywhere I go, but NOT the ammo. I wasn't planning on handloading right away, but I might have to. 😖
Definitely a great list that you made there. It is sad to see the 300 RCM all but disappear 🫥. Sadly with Winchester and Browning horrible marketing the same might be true of the 6.8 Western. My youngest brother got one in the Browning XBolt Hell Canyon Long Range. Sadly it has been difficult here in the east to find ammo unless it’s the Power Point and maybe Copper Impact. He tried both and they shot terrible. It’s been impossible to find heavy for caliber .277 bullets so he found a good load for the Hornady ELDX 145s essentially making a .270 WSM. Speaking of WSM I do like my 300 WSM. I want to build a 7mm rifle someday to fit in between my 270 Win and 300 WSM, the 280 AI and 7 PRC. As for the 6mm CM, my Dad has a .243 Win so I wouldn’t mind a different 6mm so the 6mm CM fits the bill. The 25-06 is sweet from what I’ve heard and I wouldn’t mind one, but I am leaning toward the 257 Weatherby Mag aka the Death Ray.
6.5 CM, 280 rem, 300 wsm are my favs. All 3 have done well for me. And never have had feeding issues in my Browning Abolt II in 300 wsm I bought in 2003.
I have to disagree with you on the 6.8 Western and the 6mm Creedmoor being better than the 270 WSM or 270 Win, or the 6.5 Creedmoor.. I do like the old timer 25-06. It is a good cartridge. As for me, I'm a fan of 7mm Rem Mag, 30-06, 270 Win, 308 Win, 7mm-08. I also like the 6.5x55, 260 Rem and 6.5 Creedmoor. The little 243 has its place as well. Especially for women and younger kids learning to shoot and hunt. Be safe and good hunting.
I don’t know maybe it’s just me but I think the 270 Winchester with a fast twist barrel makes way more sense than a 6.8 western ever did 🤷🏻♂️ heavy bullets in a 270 Winchester make it the ultimate elk rifle in my opinion!
I've been thinking about building a 6mm creedmoor but can't decide if I should go bolt action or AR style. That could make for a pretty cool video... What calibers function better in each for hunting purpose! Another video idea is what calibers work better suppressed and in a bolt action or AR style!
I think the 6.8 western lost out because nobody else wanted to load for it. As far as I know only Winchester loads 6.8, not federal, hornady, nosler, remington. I also heard people saying when it came out that, it was just a 270 WSM with a faster twist barrel (I understand twist is not the only thing that changed). Interesting cartridge but it was like a flash in the pan, everybody was talking about it until two weeks later and it was on to the next thing.
I know that they aren't very popular, but at some point I'm going to get rifles in .338 Federal, .300 RCM and a .338 RCM. Even if it means having the rifles I have re-barreled into these cartridges. These just seem like fun, efficient and effective cartridges as long as you aren't shooting ridges out west.
I live out west, and the .300 rcm is a great western ridge rifle as is the .338 rcm, or if you prefer, a bean field rifle back east. The .300 rcm has more ass on it than the 30-06. The 7mm mag. Pushing a 175gr. and .300 rcm pushing a 180gr. are damn near identical in every way except one is a long action, the other short action.
It's not underrated though. Don't get me wrong - My next purchase will most likely be a 6 Creed, to pair a magnum in the future, although for me the 6 Creed would be more match focused, but for Springbok sized game it'd be a great option.
@@marcmoore4115 It’s definitely gaining popularity so people are getting on board. Hopefully more ammunition options will become available. It’s tough to find around here.
The Rifle that should have but never did in the 338 isn't the RCM it's the 338-06. It's an extremely efficient round. I think 338 cartridges flounder a little because I can reload 6mm cartridges (bullet+powder+primer) for less money than just the bullet costs when reloading 338.
His talk of the 25-06 got me thinking, I'd sort of like to see a roundup of popular hunting calibers of the 20th century that have fallen off. As much as people are redoing older stuff, it makes me wonder how many calibers got passed over in the past for one reason, but today would do well.
I love my 6 creedmoor! Its my go to rifle for coyotes which is my main game most of the year. the 87 grn Vmax hammers them and gives me more wind deflection than the 58 grns. I've taken several shots at coyotes past 350 yards and not a one has budged after impact. One Cartridge that I am not sure if Backfire has gone over is the 6mmARC. That is my AR15 platform and while I am still developing a good load for it ,the accuracy has been sub MOA form all factory offerings. I am exited to see how my handloaded 87 grn Vmaxs do out of it on coyotes but the accuracy is 3/4 MOA or better.
Big fan of 6.8 western poor timing to release mid pandemic and right before the 7 prc. It is an amazing cartridge but I don't know if I'll get it just due to the chance of it fizzling and me scrambling to get everything I need to reload for a life time.
I built a custom rifle in the early 1980’s with a 24” barrel. Nobody sold the ammo. No problem, I handload any way. I bought a 7mag and discovered you need 17gr more powder to get very little improvement in velocity. The 7mag only outshines the 280 is in the heavier 160+ bullets.
The Problem with the 6mm cm is that in Germany and in france u have to use minimum a 6.5mm caliber for "big Game" With the 6mm cm you can just shot deer or fox...
You like 25 caliber here, is one of the best lever actions I ever hunted with the 25-35 it would out shoot the 30-30 and knock down deer harder than the 30-30. But it's been declared to small for deer. That gun now it is a family gun past down.
Dude, with everything going on in the world and all the craziness of men being women and up being down....sometimes it's really nice to listen to a guy talk about bullets
your missing part of the point of the 6.5 cm. they used to talk about it in the gun rags when we were kids. like the .270 or the .30-06, it offers the dream. you COULD take it to shoot elk. you COULD take it to hunt sheep. one day you COULD join the guys at the 600 yard line. for most deer hunters with family and work and a mortgage, that really is as far as they get outside of a week of deer hunting. they get a happy daydream and occasionally read a story about a hunter using THEIR caliber to go off and take that elk.
I have a few unpopular (or less popular) rifles in different calibers. First the 243 WSSM. I call it the "Little Gun That Could" (95 or 100 grainers). It has taken a lot of deer. Second would be the 9.3x62 - it's has put meat on the table and knocks em down hard. And more recently the 300 RCM - which in considered a great find. I have found ammo so I had it out briefly last spring for initial sight in and, I had it out again yesterday to verify what I sighted in last spring; shooting the 165 SST grain bullets and will try the 178 grainers soon. A few other calibers that I won't go into here. But getting back to the 300 RCM. I'd prefer a longer barrel - like 24 inches. I've always liked the longer barrels on most rifles. I find the shorter barelled rifles has the blast of the ignition closer to the ears then I like. And four inches does make a difference. Ruger should have produced two 300 RCM rifles with two barrel lengths. Namely a 20 incher and a 24 incher. Kinda like what Marlin did with the 30-30 regular 20 inch and a 24 inch XLR. If a guy has problems hunting with a longer barrelled rifle. It's time to go the gym.
I think 6.8 western isn’t doing as well is because the rifles chambered for them are stupidly expensive. If only a handful of people are buying them there is no point in mass producing the rifles or the ammo.
The 300 RCM is basically a 30-06 in a short action with a 20" barrel. They should never have called it a magnum as that just makes people either shy away from it or compare it unfairly to the 300WSM and 300WM. I think it is a fine hunting cartridge, but wouldn't buy one unless I knew I could get my hands on a lifetime supply of brass for it.
I compare the .300 rcm to the 7mm mag. I know they are not the same caliber but look up the 175gr. 7mm mag. and compare it to a 180gr. .300 rcm they are near identical to each other.
In the Redding FAQ page there is a paragraph about the 280ai that's worth the read. SAAMI spec's and other 280 40deg shoulder are different. Redding even has a 14 thousandths shellholder...
Had you have added the 300 Win with like bullet or the 300 WSM with like bullet then the RCM comes up short. The 178 is a high BC bullet as the 200 is not in the configuration you're using. The RCM's were doomed from the start as I am sure the 6.8 Western is as well. Limited ammo and guns in those calibers will quickly discourage buyers from spending the money.
I love my 300RCM but because ammo is scarce and the gun is mint I have trouble using it. Ruger needs to make the budget American rifle in the RCM calibers
I live in commi CA and we cant use lead projectiles to hunt. I shoot the 6.5 using a 120gr cx, it's what my rifle likes the best. Despite that on average the velocity is closer to the 6mms. The 6.5 energy is about 200 ft lbs more. Do you think the 200ft lbs extra is a big deal when it comes to deer size game?
So, I've got a question for you. I'm in the early stages of starting to seriously look into my first good bolt action. Trying to decide between buying a factory or building something up. My main issue it trying to pick a good caliber. .308 and 6.5 creed are the obvious picks. I'm intrigued by what I see with 6mm ARC. But I've got a personal range I built where I've got easy space for up to 750 yards. My main interests are more PRS type shooting. Not really interested in hunting. What would you pick if you were to choose a caliber to knock 750-1000 yards easily but able to challenge myself and stretch further with some skill improvements? Also a consideration is the wind. I'm in southwest Oklahoma and today we are having sustained 22-30mph winds. The day I filmed my little Bud Light video it was blowing 30-40mph the whole day. Was worth it for how well that video is doing for my small and growing channel though!! But I'm looking for input from people who have done this longer. The main suggestion I get is .308 because of all the reasons. Longer barrel life, easier to source components to load with, lots of factory choices, etc. But I'm not sure I want to go with something "normal". I like to try new stuff to see what it's like. Main concern will be battling wind and I want to push myself to a mile eventually, but probably not with this first build. Let me know what you think if you get a chance please. Appreciate the videos and look forward to more!!
I love shooting but I`m not much of a hunter. Do we not already have all the calibers we need? Hard to find guns and ammo sounds bad from the get go to me. Great channel!
If the reloading companies would adopt the 6.8 western it would be way more popular and it’s the reason I’m not getting one. I reload countless oddball cartridges but have yet to seen brass for the western
I love the 25-06, used to have a savage 110 back when the bolts were the same size no matter the caliber, 1987-89. One hole 5 shot groups all day. Recently checked out on line some outfitters. Selection was abysmal.
Any way you slice it shot placement is the most important. If you have a rifle that fits and you enjoy shooting you will have a more accuracy. Really after this learn the animal you're hunting and where to put your bullet.
oh good heavens, this video is compelling me to at least search for a 300rcm rifle!!!!!!!!!! Granted, I have a 375Ruger that is AMAZING, handy,light, compact, accurate as in sub moa with reduced loads and superformance ammo. BUT NOW I WANT , I MUST HAVE , the 300rcm!
These are popular due to : 1) lack of firearms in these cal 2) lack of ammo company making these cal. With those two stack against them … it’s only a matter of time when they just fade out 3) maybe cost
.257 Roberts, 7x57mm, .300 Savage, .35 Whelen You only need 4. EDIT: I was speaking of centerfire cartridges. If I need some smaller than those 4 for any purpose it would be the .22 LR.
You might find this shocking. But any centerfire round can be used for hunting in New York. So we used 22 hornets, 38 special, 45 long colt, etc…on big game. Yet we have the strictest gun laws in the country
Love your stuff I agree with the 25 cal. I run light fast hammer bullets out of them and they are deadly. I also run 116 gr hammer out of my 270 wsm at 3700 and am pretty fond of that set up. I was wondering if you have ever played with hammers?
