Similarly, the 6mm Creedmoor compares to the 243 Winchester.

As most of us know, Winchester unleashed its 243 Win. in 1955, the same year Disneyland opened, gas cost 23 cents per gallon and we launched the world’s first nuclear submarine.

The 243 Win. was and still is the 308 Winchester (detailed in this article) necked down to 24-caliber, just as the 260 Rem. is the 308 Win. case necked down to 26-caliber, albeit with a slightly longer body to prevent accidental chambering in 243 Win. rifles.

As you can figure out, all these similarities suggest the new 6mm Creedmoor should perform about like the 243 Winchester.

It does. Both cartridges throw 100-grain to 108-grain bullets about 2,950-fps to 3,000 fps MV from 24” to 26” barrels. So will the old 6mm Remington (circa 1955.) If you want to go faster than that, grab the 240 Weatherby Magnum or 243 WSSM for another 100 fps.

If you want to go slightly slower, there’s the 6x47mm Lapua and even the 6mm Bench Rest Remington.

Why all these 243-caliber (6mm) cartridges? Fine tuning. Truly. Any and all will suffice for taking game.

It’s when you start tweaking performance in order to get a leg up on your competition that you justify these cartridges.

And that’s why I’m probably not getting a 6mm Creedmoor. I’m not a competition shooter.

I’ve already got a 243 Win. and a 6mm Rem. I use both for hunting and just a bit of fun target shooting.

Both routinely group MOA, often half that with certain bullets and loads. Both match the ballistic performance of the 6mm Creedmoor. So the Creedmoor — balanced, accurate and mild shooting though it may be — offers me nothing I don’t already have.