I am putting together a rifle using a Savage model 10 action I have. It will be used for shooting 200-600 yds at paper and steel for fun. It will most likely be going in a Oryx chassis with AICS pattern magazines. If I dont care for the chassis it will go in a B&C medalist style 6 and use the factory Savage magazines. I'm wanting good barrel life and lower recoil than the 6.5 Creedmoor and 260 rem that I mostly shoot now. I've always wanted a 6BR because of the exceptional accuracy and ease of tuning that I read about and was set on going with it until I read about feeding issues in repeaters. I also considered the 6x47 but read that it can be finicky. The 6GT seems to be my best option but I haven't read many reviews on the accuracy potential compared to the 6BR. Would I regret going with the 6GT over the 6BR because of its ease of tuning and accuracy? Is the 6GT just as accurate and easy to tune? What is everyone's experience with feeding the 6BR from a Savage short action repeater? Thanks for any advice.
6br, 6gt, or 6x47 for repeater?
- Thread starter 6.5grendel
- Start date
Ranger188
Silver $$ Contributor
I've been shooting a 6x47 for about a year and I don't find it "finicky"
You see that over on another site. Maybe those people don't know how
to reload. Peterson now makes brass for it and it's great stuff.
It's one of the most consistent shooting rounds I've had. It's just as accurate
as my 6br in a tactical chassis. I ran the 6br with Magpul mags and never had
a feeding problem. Maybe it was my action.
If your only shooting paper and steel to 600 yds. the 6br is hard to beat.
You see that over on another site. Maybe those people don't know how
to reload. Peterson now makes brass for it and it's great stuff.
It's one of the most consistent shooting rounds I've had. It's just as accurate
as my 6br in a tactical chassis. I ran the 6br with Magpul mags and never had
a feeding problem. Maybe it was my action.
If your only shooting paper and steel to 600 yds. the 6br is hard to beat.
Lone Hunter
Silver $$ Contributor
Look at a 6XC. I have had one since January but due to shoulder Surgury I haven't been able to do anything with it. I was going to go with the 6 Creedmore or the 6x47 but a buddy talked me into the 6XC. I can't say how mine shoots yet but his shoots awful good. He shoots 6-1000 yds and it is very accurate . Peterson also makes brass for it and it looks to be just as good as Lapua. I have a 6 BR and they say the XC is easy to tune and shoot. When I heal I will know. Good luck with your choice, it is hard to go wrong with any of the cartridges we have,even the old ones perform great.
I have not had issues with a 6br feeding/extracting from Magpul mags, but it's a R700 with a sako style extractor. Not sure how well the Savage-style extractor will work with it. I have heard the BRX is easier to get to feed and extract. I have both and both work great, so I can't really speak to the BRX solving any issues.
If you want to step up capacity I would go with the 6XC. It's proven, tons of data, and very easy to tune.
Another option would be to drop down to the 123's in your 6.5's (assuming you're running 140+ now). My 6.5x47L running 123's is very pleasant to shoot and you're not giving up much in the wind. If you're sticking to <600 yards then the 6.5 107's would probably work too.
If you want to step up capacity I would go with the 6XC. It's proven, tons of data, and very easy to tune.
Another option would be to drop down to the 123's in your 6.5's (assuming you're running 140+ now). My 6.5x47L running 123's is very pleasant to shoot and you're not giving up much in the wind. If you're sticking to <600 yards then the 6.5 107's would probably work too.
Lonehunter, I did consider the 6XC and the similar 6 Creedmoor but the furthest distance this will be shot is 600 yds. My wife and son will be shooting this one when they go shooting with me so I was trying to stick with the smaller case capacity cartridges for better barrel life and lower recoil. I have access to 1200 yds but would use the 6.5 Creedmoor or 260 at that range.
Buzz, you're assuming right, I shoot the 140-142's in the 6.5 and 260. The 260 is chambered with a long freebore for the heavies so the 123's or 107's would be jumping a mile but could probably use them in the 6.5 creedmoor.
My wife and son really enjoy shooting my ar in 6.5 grendel with the 100's because of the lower muzzle blast and recoil. I even considered doing this rifle in the grendel but I'm sure it would have worse feeding issues than the 6 br. I also really wanted to go 6mm something with this one. Thank you guys for the advice.
Buzz, you're assuming right, I shoot the 140-142's in the 6.5 and 260. The 260 is chambered with a long freebore for the heavies so the 123's or 107's would be jumping a mile but could probably use them in the 6.5 creedmoor.
My wife and son really enjoy shooting my ar in 6.5 grendel with the 100's because of the lower muzzle blast and recoil. I even considered doing this rifle in the grendel but I'm sure it would have worse feeding issues than the 6 br. I also really wanted to go 6mm something with this one. Thank you guys for the advice.
dstoenner
Silver $$ Contributor
I shoot F-Class with a guy that shoots his 6BR at 600 and less. He tried once at 1000 and the wind took him all over. But at 600 it is a little better. However it is limited on how much velocity you can get and 115 DTAC I think are pretty much out of the question.
I had shot F-Class 1000 for the last 5 years with a 260 Remington but as the second barrel was gone, I switched to 6x47 Lapua. Easier recoil (I am 71 and the joints ain't what they used to be) and enough boiler room to get a 115 DTAC moving 2900+. It can easily be downloaded to a 90 Berger for yet lighter recoil for shorter yardages. So far I am very happy. I have 2000 rounds in the current barrel and had expected it would be gone by the end of the season. Since we haven't shot 1 match yet and no idea when we start up again I think this barrel is going to be pulled in 2021 at I would guess 2800 rounds. That coincidentally was where my 260's were pulled because groups were not consistent especially at the end of a 60 to 80 round match day. I think the longer neck of either a 6BR or the 6X47 helps with barrel life.
So I am sold on 6x47. I have a 6BR also but it does duty at 100 to 300 yards. I already have my second barrel and I broke it in over the winter so it would be ready to go as soon as I needed it. Last thing I did was to check accuracy and velocity of my current match load with the 115 DTAC. A little better groups and velocity was within 10 fps and the SD were like 7. I am good to go.
My only issue with the 6GT is that reloading stuff is either custom and definitely fewer options. Now you can get 6x47 Lapua brass from Peterson which is just as good as Lapua without having to do all of the make from case issues I had to do initially with the 6X47.
HTH
David
I had shot F-Class 1000 for the last 5 years with a 260 Remington but as the second barrel was gone, I switched to 6x47 Lapua. Easier recoil (I am 71 and the joints ain't what they used to be) and enough boiler room to get a 115 DTAC moving 2900+. It can easily be downloaded to a 90 Berger for yet lighter recoil for shorter yardages. So far I am very happy. I have 2000 rounds in the current barrel and had expected it would be gone by the end of the season. Since we haven't shot 1 match yet and no idea when we start up again I think this barrel is going to be pulled in 2021 at I would guess 2800 rounds. That coincidentally was where my 260's were pulled because groups were not consistent especially at the end of a 60 to 80 round match day. I think the longer neck of either a 6BR or the 6X47 helps with barrel life.
So I am sold on 6x47. I have a 6BR also but it does duty at 100 to 300 yards. I already have my second barrel and I broke it in over the winter so it would be ready to go as soon as I needed it. Last thing I did was to check accuracy and velocity of my current match load with the 115 DTAC. A little better groups and velocity was within 10 fps and the SD were like 7. I am good to go.
My only issue with the 6GT is that reloading stuff is either custom and definitely fewer options. Now you can get 6x47 Lapua brass from Peterson which is just as good as Lapua without having to do all of the make from case issues I had to do initially with the 6X47.
HTH
David
If you're just shooting paper then the 6br is the way to go. Only burns about 30gr of powder and recoil is minimal. I use it for P-dogs and coyotes as well as steel and paper. I would say the only real knock is that it runs out of horsepower at about 600 if you have any wind and you have to be set up properly to feed from a magazine. Some setups just don't like to feed. Same with the Dasher for that matter.
If you plan on hunting with it, the 6x47 is a bit more versatile as far as bullet weight goes. I use them for prairie dogs through pronghorn and they would certainly work on deer. You can easily push the 115 DTACs with it or move down to 87gr Vmax for nuisance critters. You also have some brass options. Necking down 6.5x47 brass is stupid easy and Peterson is also high quality.
I think that eventually that the 6GT will be a winner, but that time is not now. People have had a bunch of problems with them and getting them to run due to the standard issues when a new cartridge comes out. The brass doesn't match the dies, that don't match the chamber.
If you plan on hunting with it, the 6x47 is a bit more versatile as far as bullet weight goes. I use them for prairie dogs through pronghorn and they would certainly work on deer. You can easily push the 115 DTACs with it or move down to 87gr Vmax for nuisance critters. You also have some brass options. Necking down 6.5x47 brass is stupid easy and Peterson is also high quality.
I think that eventually that the 6GT will be a winner, but that time is not now. People have had a bunch of problems with them and getting them to run due to the standard issues when a new cartridge comes out. The brass doesn't match the dies, that don't match the chamber.
Are you shooting your 6br on a Savage action?
I don't think I would have issues feeding from the magazine if I use a 6br aics magazine. I just worry about extraction and ejection without falling off the bolt head. I might see if I can find someone with a scrap piece of 6br brass and see if I can get it to extract and eject without any issues and let that be my deciding factor. I've been wanting a 6br for a while and want to see what all the hype is about. I might even just remove the ejector from the bolt head and run it like that and pick the brass off the bolt head. I know that defeats the purpose of a repeater but it won't be used in competition and it will be shot from a bench 90-95 percent of the time most likely. I'm sure the 6Gt is a great cartridge but it worries me being so new and I haven't been able to find many opinions on it. I like the fact that the 6br has a lot more history and is a proven performer. I like the idea of the easy feeding of the 6x47 but then anything bigger than that is more than I need for 600 and under. I guess I just need to decide if I really need it cycle without picking the brass out by hand. Thank you everyone for the advice.
The problem is with the short brass length. They will certainly fall off the bolt face and into the action. I was plagued with this problem with my model 10 and for that very reason I now shoot a 6XC. i'll never go back ; ) There are "fixes" for this problem. Go over to savage shooter forum and do some research. It involves lengthening the ejector pin in your bolt. Seems like it works for those who do it.
Dan
I run my 6br on a Bighorn Origin action. Magpul mags will run fine up to 6 rounds in a 10 round mag, more than that you take a chance of the follower tilting. Savage's will not run reliably, meaning extraction. As far as hype goes for the 6br, it's not hype, it's proven. I like the idea of the 6GT, but the 6GT has to step up to simply tie the accuracy of the 6br. For paper and steel out to 600, the 6br easily accomplishes your demands. I'm a Competition Match guy and have been since February '07, on that note I would shoot a 6XC, 6GT, 6x47, 6 something, you get the idea. 6's are accurate, some a little more than others. I'll end with this, I believe when I burn this 6 Competition Match barrel out I will try a 6GT. I shoot Savage, Bighorn Origin, ARC Nucleus, all 3 take Savage small shank prefits.
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