6x45?

[BoilerUP]

After reducing the cartridges I load for down to just the 223 and 260, I'm thinking about adding something 6mm.

I've considered the 243, 6BR and 6XC...but I'm curious about the 6x45. Use inexpensive brass, no time-consuming brass prep with commercial dies available, and very low recoil & report. Not going to compete with it, just paper/steel punching with maybe some whitetail and predator hunting.

Anybody running one? If so, I'm curious to hear your thoughts...especially compared to other 6mm offerings as well as the 223/223AI.

Is 2800fps with a 95gr SMK achievable in a 22" bolt gun? I plan to use AICS 223 mags which allow 2.55" OALs.

 

[KevinThomas]

Sierra's manuals have data for the 6x45mm, and it's a good little cartridge. Easy to load for, not at all tempermental, a good little workhorse. I built one up several years ago to use of PDs in an area where we occasionally ran into coyotes as well. Wanted more horsepower for the coyotes, but didn't want to step up to a 22-250 or something in that range due to barrel life issues. That, and the fact that I had tons of 5.56mm brass sitting around made the 6x45mm an ideal choice. Never regretted it, and have owned three more over the years. The gun used in the Sierra manual (a Win M70) is one of mine.

 

[trentalan34]

I don't have a bolt gun in this caliber, but I have shot thousands of rounds through an AR.
Pros: barrel life; easy to tune loads; accurate
I consider it to be pretty efficient also. It certainly doesn't have the velocity of something like my 243's, but it is a fun round.

 

[BoilerUP]

I've heard 2800fps might be optimistic for 95 grain bullets, but 2700fps is achievable...?

 

[tbird1960]

I have two AR's in this caliber and both of them shoot under an inch at 100 yards. I really like this caliber and the ease of making brass is a plus.

 

[Catfish]

I`ve got a friend with an AR in 6 x 45 and he really likes it for couote.

 

[Browningguy]

I had an AR in 6x45 for several years and really just considered it a plinking or medium range varmint cartridge. I did kill plenty of small texas whitetail does/spikes with it when culling on a friends ranch (generally 50-100 yard shots) but would not have used it on mature bucks unless really forced to. It's just not quite enough gun from my view. I could not get acceptable velocity out of my AR using the heavy bullets, the one I settled on for culling was the Sierra 80 gr and I was getting about 2750 fps on a 20" barrel. It also really liked the Sierra 70 gr. for coyotes.

The upsides were good accuracy and easy to load for, downside for me was just not enough velocity/bullet wieght for hunting. And I'm not that hard to please, I do most of my deer hunting with a 7x57 running 154-175 gr. bullets at around 2600 fps or a .308 running factory 150's.

 

[5spd]

I've heard 2800fps might be optimistic for 95 grain bullets, but 2700fps is achievable...?

I shoot the nosler 95g Hunting BT at 2653 average fps out of 20 rounds over the chrony. Dropped my antelopes this year with that load, 1 shot kills & pass throughs, both about 120yd shots. Targets 400 yds it hovers at 3".
I have since gone to the sierra 85g gkhp bullet @ 2800 fps & these are just mild loadings, but super accurate.

 

[BoilerUP]

Thanks 5spd...how long is your barrel?

 

[darrenk75b]

I just recently cobbled together a 6x45 on a Rem 700 SA action. It has a 22" Benchmark #2 1:9 twist barrel, and sits in a Bansner Sheep Hunter stock. Really handy little rifle.

I have just started load work-up, so I can't provide a ton of info. The first 3-shot group that I shot out of it though with 85 SGKs was sub 0.4".

I built mine as a caliber-restricted state friendly rifle (like WY), and something that would be perfect my my kids as well,

I have a 223ai that is nearly its twin. Any centerfire is legal here in California.

I also have a 6mmBR heavyweight, and another sporter configuration in the works. I've had 243's, 243ai's and a 6x47L.

The mild report, minimal recoil, simply brass prep, cheap components and reliable repeater feeding make it a great contender IMHO.

Here's a pic of the one I just built

 

[5spd]

Thanks 5spd...how long is your barrel?

It is a McGowan SS, 24", 1/10" twist, .820" at the muzzle (varmint) bbl. I put on my Savage build.
This is about the best pic I have of it.