6ARC or 6.5 Grendel?

[KMW 1954]

Not about chasing records but getting the best rifle for your money and using that money smart. He is already planning a custom set up with a good action in a few months. That Howa money would be better spent on a barrel for that set up.

Still it is all relative. My whole point was that I built a low cost rifle and it has done very well. At the same time spending another $2k to $3k on a custom rifle was not going to improve my scores. Spending money does not always bring success.

Besides I seen no harm in purchasing an entry level item just to get a feel for it. Who knows, he may have quickly learned that the ARC/Grendel wasn't what he was looking for either. In my case I spent nearly a year before deciding on building an ARC over a 6BR.

Then, even now I get people telling me a 6ARC bolt rifle is a waste of time and money.

 

[Rob01]

Get that OP? Don’t bother building that custom rifle next year. Won’t help you. lol

 

[KMW 1954]

Get that OP? Don’t bother building that custom rifle next year. Won’t help you. lol

Thanks for the Sarcasm. I was trying to be civil.

 

[Rob01]

Thanks for the Sarcasm. I was trying to be civil.

It was a joke. Lighten up Francis.

 

[TxBowHunter409]

I have now bought several Howa Minis in 6ARC and 6.5 Grendel. All started out as barreled actions. If you plan to use a suppressor then you want to buy the barreled action featuring a 20” barrel. The 20” barrel is maybe a No. 7 profile, which is a medium-heavy sporter profile (approx .7” diameter at muzzle) that comes threaded. By comparison the 22” version is a light weight barrel profile that is not threaded and too thin to have threaded later.

Sure wish I wouldn't have missed your comment before I bought that Howa mini. Would have saved me some grief. Because you were dead on accurate. I bought the 22" for the speed and got this little gun in with a barrel about the size of a McDonald's drinking straw. LOL.. live and learn. And to make it even better, it shoots like crap.

 

[TxBowHunter409]

Yes, Berger 105 Hybrid over 27.7gr of Leverevolution with Starline brass through a Shilen 28" 4groove 7.5 twist no brake.

Thought I'd give an update on that little Howa mini 6ARC. Well... Shoots like shit. So I've about decided I'll punt and just spin a new barrel on. Right out of the gate, with the limited factory ammo that's available in 6ARC, the smallest group I shot was like 1.2". Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. What kind of speeds are you getting out of that 28" barrel? I haven't quite decided what length barrel to go with yet. Or what chassis for that matter. At least without spending more money on the chassis than the while gun is worth.

 

[KMW 1954]

What kind of speeds are you getting out of that 28" barrel? I haven't quite decided what length barrel to go with yet. Or what chassis for that matter. At least without spending more money on the chassis than the while gun is worth.

I am hitting around 2800fps though I have been able to reach 2930fps but the groups really started to open up. I was originally looking to go with a 26" barrel but NSS had this 28" on the shelf and I had it in 4 days.

Right now I am shooting this on a Boyd's At-One stock has has just a front pillar and glass bedded.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

1st, thanks for the kind words!



As for the cartridge and loads, The 6PPC and the 6 ARC are the same case and nearly the same case as the 6.5Grendel. I have Grendel brass that has been sized down to shoot in my ARC. Difference between the ARC and PPC is freebore and barrel twist rate. As to the ARC and the 6BR/BRA. No one I am shooting against is loading the BR to max pressure and I am able to load the same 105gr bullet to within 25-50FPS as they are loading.

An ARC and a PPC are very close but are not quite the same body dimension wise. I can never keep the numbers straight in my head but a Grendel is a .070 long PPC and the ARC is either .030 or .040 longer than a PPC and shorter than the Grendel. All else equal, probably functionally the same but with a tad bit more room in the ARC and a tad more still, in the Grendel. For now, I give the Grendel the edge due to Lapua brass and its small primer/small flash hole configuration vs the ARC. Otherwise, the 3 are all very close to one another.

I will add that a ppc is the only wildcat of the bunch and being a wildcat, it can be just about whatever ya want it to be. Lol! But my post is based on a "typical, standard length PPC case/chamber length. There are plenty of prints available as well as saami diagrams for the ARC and Grendel cases.

 

[Rob01]

Thought I'd give an update on that little Howa mini 6ARC. Well... Shoots like shit. So I've about decided I'll punt and just spin a new barrel on. Right out of the gate, with the limited factory ammo that's available in 6ARC, the smallest group I shot was like 1.2". Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. What kind of speeds are you getting out of that 28" barrel? I haven't quite decided what length barrel to go with yet. Or what chassis for that matter. At least without spending more money on the chassis than the while gun is worth.

That sucks but not surprising for a cheaper factory rifle. They are a crap shoot. Why I recommended the route I did but fix it and hopefully a new barrel will take care of the problems.

 

[TxBowHunter409]

An ARC and a PPC are very close but are not quite the same body dimension wise. I can never keep the numbers straight in my head but a Grendel is a .070 long PPC and the ARC is either .030 or .040 longer than a PPC and shorter than the Grendel. All else equal, probably functionally the same but with a tad bit more room in the ARC and a tad more still, in the Grendel. For now, I give the Grendel the edge due to Lapua brass and its small primer/small flash hole configuration vs the ARC. Otherwise, the 3 are all very close to one another.

I will add that a ppc is the only wildcat of the bunch and being a wildcat, it can be just about whatever ya want it to be. Lol! But my post is based on a "typical, standard length PPC case/chamber length. There are plenty of prints available as well as saami diagrams for the ARC and Grendel cases.

I couldn't get Lapua brass for the 6ARC, but I was able to get Alpha brass, so there is still quality brass out there for it.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I couldn't get Lapua brass for the 6ARC, but I was able to get Alpha brass, so there is still quality brass out there for it.

Maybe...I haven't tried the Alpha brass yet so can't say either way. I'd like to think it's good but only if they made it like their PPC brass. I've seen brass from reputable companies, presumably make brass based on saami or cip pressures that wasn't close in quality to a very similar case from them. Lapua 7.62x39 brass is an example...It is crap but the parent Lapua 220 Russian is top shelf.

I'm well stocked in Lapua Grendel brass for a while so I'll take your word for it for now. I predominantly shoot a 6 Grendel in BR and load it for what it is...a PPC on steroids. From all I hear, if Alpha simply makes their ARC brass just like their PPC brass, but longer, I'd say it's good enough..but I haven't seen it to say, yet. Only point I guess I'm making is not to assume all brass from a given maker is equal between different cartridges.

 

[Rob01]

I couldn't get Lapua brass for the 6ARC, but I was able to get Alpha brass, so there is still quality brass out there for it.

I use Hornady brass and load very accurate ammo in my 6ARC.

 

[DHD]

Maybe...I haven't tried the Alpha brass yet so can't say either way. I'd like to think it's good but only if they made it like their PPC brass. I've seen brass from reputable companies, presumably make brass based on saami or cip pressures that wasn't close in quality to a very similar case from them. Lapua 7.62x39 brass is an example...It is crap but the parent Lapua 220 Russian is top shelf.

I'm well stocked in Lapua Grendel brass for a while so I'll take your word for it for now. I predominantly shoot a 6 Grendel in BR and load it for what it is...a PPC on steroids. From all I hear, if Alpha simply makes their ARC brass just like their PPC brass, but longer, I'd say it's good enough..but I haven't seen it to say, yet. Only point I guess I'm making is not to assume all brass from a given maker is equal between different cartridges.

PPC has the small flash hole, and 6ARC has the sewer pipe in the Alpha. I haven't had either in my hands, but that's what the boxes have on them.

Lapua Grendel brass sizes down nicely to 6ARC when you take it slow without too much lube, but 98.7% of folks on here would already know that. Wildcatting a factory offering, brass wise, is a pain but I do like that small flash hole. My inner scientist tells me it has to be better, but Starline 6ARC argues with my premise about the flash hole size.

Rambling on, off topic again....

 

[KMW 1954]

Been shooting the ARC in a bolt gun for about a year now for a bench league and have been using both Hornady and Starline brass with so far good results. Seeing now that Nosler, Peterson and Alpha are now all offering ARC brass but haven't tried any of it.

Once tried some Hornady 223 that was given to me by a friend and after the second loading it all went to the garbage, all 200pcs, most of which had not been touched by me.

 

[Rob01]

Something isn’t right if you only got two loadings from Hornady .223. I have Hornady .223 I have been using on its 4th firing and still going strong. Started as factory. How many times your friend shoot it?

 

[KMW 1954]

Something isn’t right if you only got two loadings from Hornady .223.

Hence it went into the garbage. It was all once fired from his bolt rifle. He doesn't reload.

 

[Rob01]

Hence it went into the garbage. It was all once fired from his bolt rifle. He doesn't reload.

But why? Once fired from his bolt gun doesn’t make it garbage unless his rifle is screwed up somehow.

 

[KMW 1954]

Don't know why, didn't spend time on it. First reload shot fine, second shot garbage.

Where I work I have unlimited access to brass and have more 223 than I will ever use. Right now I am only shooting Norma and PMC brass in my 223. That Hornady was tried only because it was all from the same Lot# and I knew the gun it came from.

 

[WyleWD]

We've been shooting 6 ARC in SR BR for a year now using Alpha 6ARC brass and find no issues what so ever with the larger flash holes. Primer pockets are still tight, brass is still in great shape.

Having shot the PPC, 6 Grendel, and now the 6 ARC the difference between the 3 at club level shooting that we do doesn't show a lot of difference. It still comes down to wind reading, bench manners, barrels, bullets, and reloading prowess.JME. WD

 

[KMW 1954]

Having shot the PPC, 6 Grendel, and now the 6 ARC the difference between the 3 at club level shooting that we do doesn't show a lot of difference. It still comes down to wind reading, bench manners, barrels, bullets, and reloading prowess.JME. WD

Having shot a 6ARC against a good number of BR's, BRA's and Dashers with most shooting the same bullet I have to readily agree with your assessment. We are shooting between 100 - 300yds.