6x45AI Reamer with short freebore

[AllThingsAI]

I’m tinkering around with a new prairie dog gun and I’ve pretty much decided on a 6x45AI. I’m trying to track down a reamer to cut a chamber. Does anyone have one to rent or buy used? Just a fun little project for me to spend a little time on the lathe.

I think I want to shoot up to 80grain FBHP pdog vaporizers.

Any advice or tips are appreciated. If I can’t find one can I use a 223AI reamer with a 6mm pilot then use a Neck & throat reamer? I’ve used throating reamers to build longer freebore 223AIs, but I haven’t done any neck work.

Ryan

 

[JSH]

You may have better luck finding what you seek in 6TCU.

 

[AllThingsAI]

Looking at the TCU drawings it seems to have a shorter body and longer neck. I was hoping to stick with the AI improvement, but we will see

 

[AllThingsAI]

I think I figured out a way using a standard 6x45 reamer, then I can set it back and give it the AI treatment. Worth a shot and should be fun.

 

[Ggmac]

Go TCU and don't worry about a couple of thousanths. I've got 7-8 different reamers in the 6-45 case and the TCU is the best , fastest , easiest to load for and most important, most accurate. After 30 plus yrs of using it with almost every barrel manufacturer made . That's why I call it the best . A few other reasons , such as easy case forming , long life , reload data , though older , still applies and feeds from a Ar based rifle also . All but 2 of my TCUs have been bolts but decided to try the ar platform with both .

 

[AllThingsAI]

Go TCU and don't worry about a couple of thousanths. I've got 7-8 different reamers in the 6-45 case and the TCU is the best , fastest , easiest to load for and most important, most accurate. After 30 plus yrs of using it with almost every barrel manufacturer made . That's why I call it the best . A few other reasons , such as easy case forming , long life , reload data , though older , still applies and feeds from a Ar based rifle also . All but 2 of my TCUs have been bolts but decided to try the ar platform with both .

Thank you very much for the wisdom...I appreciate it. I'm going to start with a standard 6x45 and see how it shoots. Something tells me that the benefit of going to AI or TCU are minimal compared to a standard 6x45. Thoughts?

 

[Ggmac]

Thank you very much for the wisdom...I appreciate it. I'm going to start with a standard 6x45 and see how it shoots. Something tells me that the benefit of going to AI or TCU are minimal compared to a standard 6x45. Thoughts?

I'd have to look at my reamers to examine the difference in leade , throat angle etc . I had started with the 6tcu then ( young and wanting every fps ) tried others with longer bodies ( more powder ) , tighter necks requiring neck turning . So , my journey was long , frustrating and disproved a lot of gun magazine writers BS ( remember , Internet wasn't yet available)
When and if you get to the ' try other designs and compare ) always use new brass , hopefully of the same manuf. don't expect to use once fired range brass and expect repeatable results .
Good luck , all the 222,223,222mag based 6mms are fun and accurate . Just not as accurate as A PPC. But that's another story.
Gary

 

[AllThingsAI]

I'd have to look at my reamers to examine the difference in leade , throat angle etc . I had started with the 6tcu then ( young and wanting every fps ) tried others with longer bodies ( more powder ) , tighter necks requiring neck turning . So , my journey was long , frustrating and disproved a lot of gun magazine writers BS ( remember , Internet wasn't yet available)
When and if you get to the ' try other designs and compare ) always use new brass , hopefully of the same manuf. don't expect to use once fired range brass and expect repeatable results .
Good luck , all the 222,223,222mag based 6mms are fun and accurate . Just not as accurate as A PPC. But that's another story.
Gary

Thanks Gary! Just looking forward to try something different. I have a couple of 6BRs, and several 224 caliber rifles. Accuracy and precision are my thing, not so much speed. I’m not a benchrest guy either, but I like to apply what they do to my rifles. What do you think about a 6PPC as a repeater for varminting? I’ve had this thought several times and it would make for a very interesting build. I really know nothing about the cartridge other than it’s the gold standard in accuracy/precision.

 

[Forum Boss]

6PPC is fireformed from .220 Russian brass. For Varminting, I'd seriously look at a 22 BR or 22 BRA. Use a standard bolt face, simply neck down and shoot. I used a borrowed 22 Dasher at a match a few years back. It was more flat-shooting than my 6BR out to 585 yards or so, and the recoil was noticeably less, shooting 80 grainers vs. 105s in my 6BR.

For varminting, I like to shoot a 17 rimfire for close stuff, and a 6BR-based 22 for things further out.

If is had to be an AR, the .20 Practical is a great way to go. But I did my time with ARs. Got tired of the cleaning, dings on the brass, and messing with magazines. I think with my ARs I spent an hour cleaning for every hour shooting. Waste of time. With my bolt guns, I spend maybe 10 minutes cleaning for every hour shooting.

 

[AllThingsAI]

Bolt face for the PPC is a deal breaker, I didn't realize it was not 308 based. I previously had a 20x45AI....it shot ok, but I had rented a reamer and it was garbage. I've long considered a 22BR, It might be my next 224. I think I can get a 22BR to feed in a repeater (Tikka T3 Bolt Gun) with a MDT chassis. I rechambered an "used" 6PPC Bartlein barrel in 6BR paired with 58g Vmax bullets....its a monster.

I don't shoot AR's, not my thing. Thanks for all the advice....I think I enjoy learning from others about new calibers and lessons learned. I also enjoy the machine work more than shooting...well maybe not!

Ryan.

 

[JSH]

My first 22BR this year. 30 rounds through it as of now. I am going to start the search for a no turn reamer already. It is as much and more than folks told me.

 

[AllThingsAI]

My first 22BR this year. 30 rounds through it as of now. I am going to start the search for a no turn reamer already. It is as much and more than folks told me.

Last silly question: Can my 6BR Type S Dies be used for 22BR if i change to the appropriate bushing?

 

[JSH]

I can’t answer that as I got a deal on a set of 22BR dies.

 

[RussellJ]

Last silly question: Can my 6BR Type S Dies be used for 22BR if i change to the appropriate bushing?

I use a 6mm DASHER Type-S die for my 22 DASHER so, I would say "YES" you can.

 

[AllThingsAI]

I use a 6mm DASHED Type-S die for my 22 DASHER so, I would say "YES" you can.

Thanks, that’s good news. I’ll give it a shot

 

[AckleymanII]

6mm Reamer pilots fit on 223 AI reamers. Then use appropriate neck reamer, then throat accordingly with unithroater.

Going off of memory, 7.7mm drill opens up seater stem on 223 AI seater dies so you can use a 6mm seater stem, like Redding Competition. Easy fix for a supurb seater. Redding 223 AI S dies in FUll length and Neck can be used for the 6mm.

I am using the same approach for the 22 and 6-204 Ruger cases...Forster 204 Ruger and Redding comp seaters modified for each.

I would love to know if the 6x45 AI feeds from a Rem std magazine without mods.

 

[AllThingsAI]

6mm Reamer pilots fit on 223 AI reamers. Then use appropriate neck reamer, then throat accordingly with unithroater.

Going off of memory, 7.7mm drill opens up seater stem on 223 AI seater dies so you can use a 6mm seater stem, like Redding Competition. Easy fix for a supurb seater. Redding 223 AI S dies in FUll length and Neck can be used for the 6mm.

I am using the same approach for the 22 and 6-204 Ruger cases...Forster 204 Ruger and Redding comp seaters modified for each.

I would love to know if the 6x45 AI feeds from a Rem std magazine without mods.

So I finished my 6x45AI build using a MDT Chassis, Tikka T3x received, and a Green Mountain 1:10 I profiled myself. I even made my own bolt body to change my Tikka from 308 to 223 (that was an adventure). The rifle shoots like a dream. Fireforming loads are sub 1/2 MOA....Loads will be even better. Currently shooting 58g VMaxs, plan on moving up to 80g Berger Varmints. So far I absolutely love this rifle...soft shooting and super accurate. Zero feeding issues using the MDT 223 mag.

 

[AllThingsAI]

 

[AllThingsAI]

Using SBK 55g my 6x45AI is shooting in the 3s consistently (28g of Benchmark) and is limited by me, not the gun. The 6x45 Ackley Imp feeds perfectly using with my MDT chassis, center feed mag, and Tikka T3x receiver! My new favorite gun! Build one, it’s great fun! Prairie Dogs beware this weekend! I’m shooting for eyeballs!

 

[JSH]

I ran out of the SBK 55’s and have not picked anymore up. I do have some Noslers, seems they get mixed reviews.
I was using 70 grain TNT’s to fireform. Digging around and found a can full of 65 grain VMax. This thing shot really well before, but the Vmax really made me smile.
When I get these formed up I will start more load work with the 55’s and 58’s.
2200 is said by many to be great for speed and pretty good accuracy. I am going to try some CFE 223, ridiculous speed and accuracy out of my 17 Remington.
Look forward to more of your work.
Jeff