6mm SLR....worth the investment?

[XTR]

When you push the shoulder back the brass that was at the neck shoulder junction is now in the neck. On some brands that brass is very thick so you get a big doughnut. If you look at the pictures of the turned brass that Russ posted above you can see where the thick part is.

 

[RustyPin]

I'm not an SLR shooter, but if Donuts are an issue the Reamer is not spec'd correctly. It appears there is a flaw apparently in this design. The reamer should be designed to have a deep enough Chamber where the new location for the Base of the Neck to use the same location on the Brass. Also due to the .243's inherent short Neck It's not a good Candidate for this conversion. This is why I developed my "RPC" design based off the TC Shoulder Width. By Widening the Shoulder to .462 - .465" and raising the shoulder location enough to actually lower the Datum of the old Neck Base on the Brass. This is Theory at this point but it's actually already been proven with other Improved designs. The user would be better off using a True "Improved" design and keep the Neck location similar to an AI albeit 30 Degree instead of 40. / So I'd Skip the 6mm SLR, seeing the best brass is said to be 260 and requires mandatory Neck Turning..

 

[Dgd6mm]

I'm not an SLR shooter either, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn express last night. Seriously go with the 6SLR, do not let donuts bother you. I m a 6CM (Competition Match) shooter. I'd shoot the SLR in a heartbeat! If you watch Robert's video and read his information it's an easy cartridge to go with. Joe Hendricks did the same on the Competition Match, all the leg work was done. Most domestic brass will not give you donuts. If you go with Lapua or similar with the thicker shoulder you will eventually have to turn the brass (donut) or my favorite that works for me inside neck ream.

 

[dbduff]

I'm not an SLR shooter either, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn express last night. Seriously go with the 6SLR, do not let donuts bother you. I m a 6CM (Competition Match) shooter. I'd shoot the SLR in a heartbeat! If you watch Robert's video and read his information it's an easy cartridge to go with. Joe Hendricks did the same on the Competition Match, all the leg work was done. Most domestic brass will not give you donuts. If you go with Lapua or similar with the thicker shoulder you will eventually have to turn the brass (donut) or my favorite that works for me inside neck ream.

What are you using for an inside neck reamer that just touches the donut and not the rest of the neck? Haven't shot my slr enough to decipher donuts yet, but see the time coming. Is the inside reaming once and done, or a periodic task like trimming?

 

[Laurie]

Most domestic brass will not give you donuts. If you go with Lapua or similar with the thicker shoulder you will eventually have to turn the brass (donut) or my favorite that works for me inside neck ream.

Yes, when I had an SLR I never had the least trouble with doughnuts using Winchester or R-P 243 brass. I was (pleasantly) surprised to find that the Redding bushing FL sizer made a near perfect re-forming job on this brass as I'd always read that bushing dies won't size necks down far enough in this task.

I intend to have another SLR barrel in due course and will probably try Lapua brass and if necessary neck-turn and/or inside-ream cases. Peterson small primer 243 or 260 brass may be another possibility, but IME its 260 necks are as thick as Lapua's or if thinner, not by much.

 

[XTR]

Another "I haven't done it" post but what I have read from some good shooters is that inside reaming the reamer will find it's own center and you'll still need to turn.

I've always been leery of turning necks till I tried it with my 21st Century lathe, it's nothing. You can actually do 100+ cases in an hour. (I'm sure K&M and some others make lathes that work just as well)

 

[Laurie]

What are you using for an inside neck reamer that just touches the donut and not the rest of the neck? Haven't shot my slr enough to decipher donuts yet, but see the time coming. Is the inside reaming once and done, or a periodic task like trimming?

I can't comment on SLR, but in Lapua 6.5-284 necked-up to 284, I found that the standard dia. Wilson 7mm inside reamer used in that company's case trimmer worked very well, only taking the doughnut out and not touching the rest of the neck wall above. My experience was two goes needed on (fired) brass. The first use took more metal out; the second just a little. 10 firings on, the cases still seem fine although I've not checked them again after recent firings. (There is no trace of a doughnut causing resistance in bullet seating though.)

 

[RustyPin]

But Why? Why go SLR when the 6XC exists?

 

[Laurie]

But Why? Why go SLR when the 6XC exists?

Around an extra 5gn water case capacity over the XC whilst having the latter's neck and shoulder dimensions.

Both excellent designs.

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Most guys I shoot with run XCs and the XC cant keep up with the SLR when you really step on the gas. Ill shoot a XC in a heart beat but when you really want to launch heavy for caliber bullets with slow/cool powders the XC is just a little “short”.

 

[dbduff]

I can't comment on SLR, but in Lapua 6.5-284 necked-up to 284, I found that the standard dia. Wilson 7mm inside reamer used in that company's case trimmer worked very well, only taking the doughnut out and not touching the rest of the neck wall above. My experience was two goes needed on (fired) brass. The first use took more metal out; the second just a little. 10 firings on, the cases still seem fine although I've not checked them again after recent firings. (There is no trace of a doughnut causing resistance in bullet seating though.)

Thankyou for your quick response. When I first tried what you're describing I was concerned about the amount of inner neck material being removed, in addition to the donut. Will pursue this further.

 

[1shot]

But Why? Why go SLR when the 6XC exists?

I moved up from the XC to the SLR for simple HP. The SLR is essentially a 6BR top with a 243 body. With a .322 long neck it is an easy task to throat the chamber above the donut area and still have lots of neck for bullet grip. As many have already said W-W and R-P are thin enough in the shoulder that you don't need to turn. Unfortunately, their quality leave something to be desired. I use Lapua 243 brass and turn them past the donut area, and to clean up the necks. Besides, I like turning necks!
I hope this helps,

Lloyd

 

[Laurie]

Besides, I like turning necks!

Yeah .... neck-turning is addictive isn't it??!

 

[Dgd6mm]

Yeah .... neck-turning is addictive isn't it??!

I have a K&M I've turned 1 piece of brass with. I'm not addicted yet. Now if I was to buy a Century 21, oh yeah....

 

[AckleymanII]

K&M, use a variable speed 1/2" drill, grip the back end of the mandrel with the drill chuck. You can get exhausted turning 6 a minute, excellent run out.

The older 1/2" drills with the speed control wheel on the trigger is the drills you want to use. Most of the current drills where the more you depress the trigger, the faster the rpm's are the drills you want to avoid.

 

[Dgd6mm]

K&M, use a variable speed 1/2" drill, grip the back end of the mandrel with the drill chuck. You can get exhausted turning 6 a minute, excellent run out.

The older 1/2" drills with the speed control wheel on the trigger is the drills you want to use. Most of the current drills where the more you depress the trigger, the faster the rpm's are the drills you want to avoid.

I seen that video years ago.

 

[AckleymanII]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Toolman-Va...231239?hash=item3b2abf0147:g:Wq4AAOSw~6hcYdvw

Problems over with K & M turner!

 

[urbanrifleman]

Most guys I shoot with run XCs and the XC cant keep up with the SLR when you really step on the gas. Ill shoot a XC in a heart beat but when you really want to launch heavy for caliber bullets with slow/cool powders the XC is just a little “short”.

Tubb posted on Facebook the other day. He is shooting his 115 DTAC at 3250 fps with small primer brass from Peterson and the 7 1/2 Remington primer. H4350.

His first cold bore shot caught the right edge of the "x" and the second landed at the dead center intersection of the "x". And I don't mean the ring... I mean the X.

 

[Laurie]

Tubb posted on Facebook the other day. He is shooting his 115 DTAC at 3250 fps with small primer brass from Peterson and the 7 1/2 Remington primer. H4350.

Interesting that David has joined the herd and now uses small primer brass. Critics of the [SR] type often quote his early results and conclusions that LR primed cases gave better results in the XC and extrapolate that to claim use of SR brass in anything bigger than the 6.5X47L is poor practice. (H4350 isn't a hard powder to ignite in normal temperatures.)

When I had an XC I got my best results (like many others) in group size terms / ES values with Reload Swiss RS60 (US Alliant Re17 in its original European clothes). Even running 105s I was never at 3,250 fps (from a 30-inch barrel). Despite that, Norma LR brass, only lasted a few firings before primer pockets expanded and they went into the scrap bin.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Interesting that David has joined the herd and now uses small primer brass. Critics of the [SR] type often quote his early results and conclusions that LR primed cases gave better results in the XC and extrapolate that to claim use of SR brass in anything bigger than the 6.5X47L is poor practice. (H4350 isn't a hard powder to ignite in normal temperatures.)

When I had an XC I got my best results (like many others) in group size terms / ES values with Reload Swiss RS60 (US Alliant Re17 in its original European clothes). Even running 105s I was never at 3,250 fps (from a 30-inch barrel). Despite that, Norma LR brass, only lasted a few firings before primer pockets expanded and they went into the scrap bin.

Just to be clear, I didn't say he has "gone to small primers".... but he is testing them. And the Peterson brass with the small primer will take a lot of pressure apparently. I am no expert on the 6XC, I was just passing on what I saw... I asked him about the small primer and he said he is using Rem 7 1/2. Must be working.