6XC ground truth as of Jan 2020?

[Clavius-Walker]

So if someone wanted to have a rifle chambered in this round in the next few months or so, what would be the correct combination of reamer/brass/dies?

Also I haven't seen mention of Alpha brass for this, does it have the same .200 measurement as the Peterson or something based off a 308 family case?

 

[Hoot]

from post #25...snip... same shoulder datum location (1.506)...snip...

Whoops, can't read my own notes. S/B 1.516. FWIW, once fired cases average 1.519. Sorry

Hoot

 

[DTubb]

So they are soft like the Norma’s ( that seem to run a bit on the soft side, not like Federal but..). What I found was the bus brass was very uniform and for me yielded very good accuracy.

1. Over the years that SSS handled Norma their head hardness was comparable to the Peterson.
2. Compare prices - SSS prices are 30-40 cents less. Large or small primer.

 

[boltfluter]

It's a shame that such a good cartridge is so confusing with all these variations. I was considering doing a 6XC but just gave up and went with a 6x47 Lapua. So far so good.

Paul

 

[DTubb]

My recommendation would be sole sourcing - if possible- for any product you have an interest in. I designed the 6XC (6x48) so it would be logical (at least to me) to buy all my components/reamers/dies from a single source (not to mention better component pricing).
Even has a CIP designation - the other offshoots do not.

 

[Evan]

It's a shame that such a good cartridge is so confusing with all these variations. I was considering doing a 6XC but just gave up and went with a 6x47 Lapua. So far so good.

Paul

Bill Alexander's approach with the 6.5 Grendel makes a lot of sense in this light. Patent it and lock it down until it's SAAMI so you can help reduce the confusion.

 

[Kurz]

My recommendation would be sole sourcing - if possible- for any product you have an interest in. I designed the 6XC (6x48) so it would be logical (at least to me) to buy all my components/reamers/dies from a single source (not to mention better component pricing).
Even has a CIP designation - the other offshoots do not.

There are times when we, as shooters, are our own worst enemies. Sole source supply often irritates some folks because they think it's a monopoly and the owner is making rapacious profits. So we shop the idea around looking for alternatives ways to save money and disconnect from the sole source supply.

But, and this is a big but, this instance has one of the best shooters in the country who has been refining this cartridge and bullet design on his own dime while offering to supply us with the products he finds to be the best for the money and for performance.

I have one of the original chambers for the XC which was done with a reamer from a second source. I bought Norma brass and I was able to make it shoot as advertised. But I spoke with David at one of the shows, probably S.H.O.T., discussing the II version of the XC cartridge. I ordered the reamer, dies, brass and bullets for a rifle I finally got built this last summer. It shoots as advertised with the load work up and loading suggestions from David. This is a very mild yet accurate cartridge for 600 to 1,000 yard competition. It's just plain enjoyable to shoot.

 

[Dgd6mm]

^^^^^^^ spot on!

 

[F224]

My recommendation would be sole sourcing - if possible- for any product you have an interest in. I designed the 6XC (6x48) so it would be logical (at least to me) to buy all my components/reamers/dies from a single source (not to mention better component pricing).
Even has a CIP designation - the other offshoots do not.

I followed David's advice on this and am happy I did. My Blaser R93 barrel is not set up for competition as it was set up as a walk around varmint rifle even with the suppressor attached. I have two friends shooting it through Blaser R8 factory rifles and they are seeing the same thing. I know some who are using the small rifle primer cases, but for winter coyotes I use Norma brass to ensure positive ignition in sub-zero temperatures. As I add more brass I'll be getting my supply from David and will move away from Norma brass.

The 6XC has also shot every load into sub 3/4 MOA from 70 gr BlitzKings to factory Norma hunting and target bullet ammo. Sometimes we get cartridges that are just inherently accurate when fired in quality barrels. The 6mmBR, 222 Remington, the 6.5x55SE, and now the 6XC are nearly perfect examples of this phenomena. The latter three are naturally easy to make feed through nearly any kind of action.

Darrel Holland love's the 6XC and his shooters and rifles are doing some amazing things with this cartridge.

 

[Dave Marshall]

So if someone wanted to have a rifle chambered in this round in the next few months or so, what would be the correct combination of reamer/brass/dies?

Also I haven't seen mention of Alpha brass for this, does it have the same .200 measurement as the Peterson or something based off a 308 family case?

I fire a few thousand rounds of 6xc every year in Highpower and PRS competitions. I will NEVER put another piece of Alpha Munitions brass in any of my rifles. I had two very serious case failures that cost me $1k in damage and almost my vision.

Norma is good brass. Petersen is even better and priced right from SSS.

 

[shotdown]

Norma brass gave me nothing but donuts. Almost left the 6XC because of that. Luckily, Alpha and Peterson released 6XC brass. I have no issues with Alpha 6XC SRP brass, just like others haven’t had issues with Norma brass.

 

[J.d. Popkes]

Seat above the donut. Leave that area for powder. In any chambering. Even if ya gotta single feed.

 

[shotdown]

Seat above the donut. Leave that area for powder. In any chambering. Even if ya gotta single feed.

Yeah that doesn’t work for a PRS match rifle. Most people don’t know they need enough freebore to be able to seat above the donut and feed via magazine. They don’t find out until the brass has been fired 2-3 times either.

 

[DTubb]

When designing the 6XC one of the main design parameters was being able to seat a 115 gr 6mm bullet into the case and still be able to feed it out of the magazine box while allowing the OAL a reasonable length to grow with throat erosion.
Keep in mind that the 6XC is approximately .050" (2 millimeters) shorter than a creedmore case. This is a "BIG" deal of the 6XC design.
With a .130" straight section and a 1 1/2 degree lead the 6XC with a 115 DTAC allows over a .020" clearance distance between the full diameter at the base of the bullet and the neck shoulder junction of the 6XC case ( it will never encounter the DONUT). The sets a newly chambered 6XC's OAL starting seat length to 2.780".
In most short action magazine boxes the internal useable length is 2.850".. This allows the 6XC user to be able to seat their bullet .070" longer as their throat grows over the life of their barrel and still reliably feed out of their magazine box.

A creedmoor based case as starts out .050" longer than a 6XC case. So from the get go the magazine is beginning to approaching a OAL seating length issue. The creedmoor can grow .025" before encountering the magazine box internal length issue.
Also the extra .050" of the creedmoor case length doesn't yield any appreciable velocity increases when compared to the 6XC.

I tried the 6XC with a 6.5 bullet (7mm also) when I was doing 6XC developmental work. My parameter with the 6.5XC was to allow a 142 sierra to be seated as above and still have room to grow .070" as well as full bases diameter clearance of the neck shoulder junction. The 6.5 creedmoor case exhibits the .050" (2 millimeters) so it will be crowding the OAL box mag length.

And you ask - Why didn't I pick a 6.5XC from my testing years ago.. in every respect (other than barrel life) it cant hold a candle to the 6XC.

 

[Dave Marshall]

Yeah that doesn’t work for a PRS match rifle. Most people don’t know they need enough freebore to be able to seat above the donut and feed via magazine. They don’t find out until the brass has been fired 2-3 times either.

6xc has been winning matches from short actions since before PRS was a thing. There may be one or two specialized reamers for utilizing lighter bullets with a shorter freebore, but the most commonly used reamers all have enough freebore to seat a 105-107 class bullet beyond the donut while still remaining magazine length. The “donut issue” has been over inflated and exaggerated for years.

 

[shotdown]

6xc has been winning matches from short actions since before PRS was a thing. There may be one or two specialized reamers for utilizing lighter bullets with a shorter freebore, but the most commonly used reamers all have enough freebore to seat a 105-107 class bullet beyond the donut while still remaining magazine length. The “donut issue” has been over inflated and exaggerated for years.

Call it what you want, but it happened to me. I later found out the reamer used only had .090 freebore, putting the 105gr bullet in the donut area. I had JGS make me a reamer with .140 freebore to avoid that now. No issues now but ended up switching brass too.

 

[zipollini]

I typically shoot my 6XC's over 3150fps with 115 DTACs and reload the brass with snug primer pockets. ALL of the 6XC Peterson brass sold by SSS was never any part of the 1st batch that Peterson ran.
I told them to scrap the 1st batch.. and they sold it to grafs. What a f%$*mess they created IMO..

If you know anything about 6XC resize dies and peruse what is offered there is NO comparison between SSS 6XC S7 tool steel resize die with integral neck shoulder bushings. Every other 6XC resize die(s) are like comparing a "Volkswagon to a Ferrari" (Redding employee comparison years ago at the SHot SHow)
But what do I know..

David - You stated above that you shoot your 6XC over 3150fps with DTAC 115s. I use 39.5g H4350 and can usually get up to 2950-3000fps which works great. I know you have stated that you have used this load for years. I can jam a little more of this powder using a drop tube but not so much to get up to your velocities. What powder are you using and how much to get to 3150fps ? What is your usual SD and ES at these velocities ?

Thanks as always

 

[Clavius-Walker]

So still kinda looking for the right info on this, does anyone have a reamer print that will work with the Peterson and or Alpha brass, or what would work with brass formed from Lapua 22-250 or 308 Palma? I'd rather not play soft head roulette with Norma brass, I've been through that on too many occasions. I can get a FL sizing die made or honed to fit once I have some fired cases.

Just looking to build a live varmint rifle that'll feed from a magazine, I've given up on fighting the 6x47L, wasted too much time on that finicky little bastard (3 barrels and 3 different chamberings) and I really really really don't want to run a crudmore.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Call it what you want, but it happened to me. I later found out the reamer used only had .090 freebore, putting the 105gr bullet in the donut area. I had JGS make me a reamer with .140 freebore to avoid that now. No issues now but ended up switching brass too.

So, are you saying that 0.90 short freebore is what gave you an issue with donuts?

 

[J.d. Popkes]

So still kinda looking for the right info on this, does anyone have a reamer print that will work with the Peterson and or Alpha brass, or what would work with brass formed from Lapua 22-250 or 308 Palma? I'd rather not play soft head roulette with Norma brass, I've been through that on too many occasions. I can get a FL sizing die made or honed to fit once I have some fired cases.

Just looking to build a live varmint rifle that'll feed from a magazine, I've given up on fighting the 6x47L, wasted too much time on that finicky little bastard (3 barrels and 3 different chamberings) and I really really really don't want to run a crudmore.

Make a dummy round and tell him to make it touch. Say please though.