I have just purchased a 2nd hand Savage model 12 in .223 and I am going to use it as a project rifle for a 6mmX45,6mm-.223) can anyone tell me what sort of results they have had with it ? I am intending using it for 100 and 200 yard benchrest shooting. I did notice someone says to go with the improved version. My problem with that is I live in Australia and dies for the improved will be hard to get and very expensive too. I have limited barrels I can chose from over here too as not much comes into Aus I can access some Shilen & Lilja barrels but there are a couple of very good Aussie ones too. So any info you can give me on this little round would be much appreciated.
6mmX45
- Thread starter AussieDoug
- Start date
Why this cartridge? IMO there are better options:
1- Stay with the 223 and use a high quality bbl and a reamer with either a .250 neck or even a neck requiring turning. With some BR quality bullets this would be very accurate, probably as good as the 6x45
2- Open up the bolt head to the 220 Russian-PPC dimension. You would probably have to tinker with the extractor. Or you could change out the bolt head to the 308 size and this will extract the PPC case most of the time [ actually it extracts the case from the chamber 100% of the time but occasionally the case falls out of the bolt head before the bolt is fully to the rear so you have to pick the case out from the front of the rec opening ]. SSS here in the USA makes a longer extractor that makes extraction 100%.
3- 308 bolt head and go with the 6mmBR. Way more versatility than the 6x45.
1- Stay with the 223 and use a high quality bbl and a reamer with either a .250 neck or even a neck requiring turning. With some BR quality bullets this would be very accurate, probably as good as the 6x45
2- Open up the bolt head to the 220 Russian-PPC dimension. You would probably have to tinker with the extractor. Or you could change out the bolt head to the 308 size and this will extract the PPC case most of the time [ actually it extracts the case from the chamber 100% of the time but occasionally the case falls out of the bolt head before the bolt is fully to the rear so you have to pick the case out from the front of the rec opening ]. SSS here in the USA makes a longer extractor that makes extraction 100%.
3- 308 bolt head and go with the 6mmBR. Way more versatility than the 6x45.
I replied to your post about my thread on this same caliber in the assorted 6mm's sub forum.
The reasons that I decided to choose this over a 223,which was also under consideration, along with swapping bolt heads and going to 22-250 or 243, etc.)
1) My girlfriend likes shooting this rifle in 204 bcause it's comfortable to her and no recoil. The 204 has low barrel life, I needed something with a long barrel life just in general.
2) The brass used to make 6x45 is incredibly prevalent, I have about 10,000 cases just in my closet and a full 1k of a single lot of FIOCCI brass which isn't that popular at the range. This is the brass I chose to use for the round, dedicated headstamp that I know is a 6x45 instead of a 223.
3) Tube life is much better than a 243, 6PPC, 6BR, etc etc
4) Powder consumption is much lower than the 'overbore' 6's and it likes H335 which I have about 26 lbs of. It shoots the same charge as a 223 essentially.
5) It will shoot light 60 grainers faster than the 223, but it can handle a heavy 105 at the same velocity as a 223 shoots the 90's and the BC's are almost dead even.
6) Back again to no recoil to deal with, even a 243 with 90's in it, she won't like to shoot,no worries about sharing 30-06 ammo with her...)
Instead of a large capacity 6mm I took this for bore life and that I only had to buy a neck die. My 223 dies work for FL resizing the FIOCCHI brass, then neck it up with the 6mm universal die, then seat the bullets with my 223 die. I would have had to buy a full set of expensive dies for anything else.
Total cost of the project, including the reamer, barrel, die, and first box of bullets,75 Vmax) is 240 bucks.
The reasons that I decided to choose this over a 223,which was also under consideration, along with swapping bolt heads and going to 22-250 or 243, etc.)
1) My girlfriend likes shooting this rifle in 204 bcause it's comfortable to her and no recoil. The 204 has low barrel life, I needed something with a long barrel life just in general.
2) The brass used to make 6x45 is incredibly prevalent, I have about 10,000 cases just in my closet and a full 1k of a single lot of FIOCCI brass which isn't that popular at the range. This is the brass I chose to use for the round, dedicated headstamp that I know is a 6x45 instead of a 223.
3) Tube life is much better than a 243, 6PPC, 6BR, etc etc
4) Powder consumption is much lower than the 'overbore' 6's and it likes H335 which I have about 26 lbs of. It shoots the same charge as a 223 essentially.
5) It will shoot light 60 grainers faster than the 223, but it can handle a heavy 105 at the same velocity as a 223 shoots the 90's and the BC's are almost dead even.
6) Back again to no recoil to deal with, even a 243 with 90's in it, she won't like to shoot,no worries about sharing 30-06 ammo with her...)
Instead of a large capacity 6mm I took this for bore life and that I only had to buy a neck die. My 223 dies work for FL resizing the FIOCCHI brass, then neck it up with the 6mm universal die, then seat the bullets with my 223 die. I would have had to buy a full set of expensive dies for anything else.
Total cost of the project, including the reamer, barrel, die, and first box of bullets,75 Vmax) is 240 bucks.
The reason I am going to the 6x45 is that I all ready have a .223 with a Pac-Nor barrel in it. I don't want to go a 22 PPC is I all ready have a .22 BR. I have been advised that the opening up of the bolt to accept the PPC round is not a good option for a .223 sized bolt. I only got this rifle becasue it was a real bargin.
I have another project rifle for a 6mm BR. I wanted the best option for what I have for something diffrent that will shoot well and not be too complicated or expensive to have built.
I want to hear from anyone who has one & how well they shoot.
I have another project rifle for a 6mm BR. I wanted the best option for what I have for something diffrent that will shoot well and not be too complicated or expensive to have built.
I want to hear from anyone who has one & how well they shoot.
You need this like you need a hole in the head.
The only thing I have read is that the 6x45 is touchy when you start getting near max loads. I think this is the nature of this type of cartridge where you have a relatively small case dia when compared to the bullet dia.
I think you might could find some info with an internet search.
I went the other way with my 223 case head wildcat which is a 17 Shrew. 222 family case shortened to app 1' and necked down. I am still working on refining the skills to make the cases !!!
The only thing I have read is that the 6x45 is touchy when you start getting near max loads. I think this is the nature of this type of cartridge where you have a relatively small case dia when compared to the bullet dia.
I think you might could find some info with an internet search.
I went the other way with my 223 case head wildcat which is a 17 Shrew. 222 family case shortened to app 1' and necked down. I am still working on refining the skills to make the cases !!!
rayjay. Thanks for your comment, I rarely us max loads unless they are the ones that shoot the best. I am not interested in a 17 Cal rifle. I like the 6x45 because it is economical to run and with a good match grade barrel it should shoot really well & with a .223 & a 22 BR the 6X45 should fit in nicely there until I get my 6 BR built. I may even think of the improved version.
ok you have me interested in a 6ppc with a rebated rim. Tell me more about it. How much trouble is there to get the rebate on the rim? I would be very interested in going this way if it is not a huge drama doing the cases.
Ok that is where the problem will be I don't have access to a lathe. I am going to see my gunsmith on Tuesday & I will ask him what is involved in opening up the bolt face to accept the PPC round.
How available are Savage replacement parts in Oz? I am using a 308 bolt head with my 6mmBeggs and the std extractor works well enough for target shooting. If you purchase a 308 bolt head you will still have the 223 bolt head for other uses.
If you go to the PPC how available is good brass ?
If you go to the PPC how available is good brass ?
I have not looked into the availability of a bolt head.I guess they are available but don't know about cost. I am thinking I should just keep with my original plan of a 6X45. I may even decide to sell it and go with something else . Although a 6PPC would realy be nice.I have had plans for a 6 BR for a while. I will shoot this as a .223 for a while and decide if I want to keep it or sell it & get a 6 BR or even a 6.5X47Lapua
Here in the USA a stripped bolt head is less than $30 so having others in different sizes is an easy choice to make. I have a Savage I converted to 6.8SPC and we opened up a 223 bolt head. It did require some simple work on the extractor with a metal file to get the extractor properly snapping over the case rim.
Spook
Captured too late to be fully domesticated.
Sharp Shooter supply does PPC bolt heads for Savage.Savage bolt heads
There is only app .030' difference between the PPC case head and the BR case head. This is .015' on the radius. Not much. Many of the current BR rifles only come with the BR bolt face as it works perfectly for the PPC also. The Savage extractor will pull the case out of the chamber but sometimes the case falls out of the bolthead before the bolt is fully to the rear making the case difficult to fish out of the rec opening. The PPC special extractor that SSS sells solved this issue.
NOTE. All the above is assuming no ejector !!! Non of my target rifles have ejectors so I don't have any idea what effect it would have on the extraction cycle.
NOTE. All the above is assuming no ejector !!! Non of my target rifles have ejectors so I don't have any idea what effect it would have on the extraction cycle.
I have been to my gunsmith today & he tells me that there is a possibility of opening up the bolt of the model 12 to accept the PPC round . Otherwise I am going to try to get a .308 sized bolt head for the model 12 and go that way that is IF I can get the bolt head here in Australia. We don't have the luxury of being able to get gun stuff here too easily.
Sorry I have not been able to answer everyones messages on here. I see a question about getting good brass and I can get Lapua brass even though it is expensive I can get it here in Aus. I use Lapua in my .22 BR and it is really good stuff.
I did have a look at the site Sharp Shooter but did not see the Savage PPC bolt head listed anywhere.,Probably didn't look in the right place). The problem would be getting it here to Aus if I purchased it over there. A lot of red tape to go through, so I will see what I can get here on Aus before I go down that track. I will go the 6mmPPC in one way shape or form . Either opening the bolt up or getting a new bold head.
Next project will be a 6.5X47 Lapua. I am still looking for a project rifle there. I may have a Tikka M55 lined up for it though .
I did have a look at the site Sharp Shooter but did not see the Savage PPC bolt head listed anywhere.,Probably didn't look in the right place). The problem would be getting it here to Aus if I purchased it over there. A lot of red tape to go through, so I will see what I can get here on Aus before I go down that track. I will go the 6mmPPC in one way shape or form . Either opening the bolt up or getting a new bold head.
Next project will be a 6.5X47 Lapua. I am still looking for a project rifle there. I may have a Tikka M55 lined up for it though .
It seems I have found a solution to my problem I have emailed Sharp Shooter Supply and they are able to supply me with a .308 bolt head for my Savage model 12. and enquiries I have made through my firearms registry is that I am able to import a bolt head no problems at all. So I have decided to go this way for the time being & I will convert the model 12 from a .223 to a .22 BR until I wear the barrel out in it, then I will get a 6mm BR built on this action.
All I need now is an action to build a 6.5x47 Lapua on.
All I need now is an action to build a 6.5x47 Lapua on.
Upgrades & Donations
This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.