Does anyone have any real world experience using faster powders in the 6xc with 95-107 class bullets? Specific powders would be RL15, H4895, N140, and 8208xbr. I know H4350 is tough to beat, but I want something that meters better. Primary use is inside 600yds.
6xc powders
- Thread starter Dave Marshall
- Start date
kolar55
Silver $$ Contributor
You might want to give WW 760 a try. It works well for me in my 6XC with 70 gn Noslers to 95 Berger HVLD's. Give good velocities along with accuracy, and meters well. As always YMMV!
Last minute addition to some load testing samples I’d prepared years ago had me making up five rounds at three charge weights with the newly introduced IMR 8208XBR. I’d bought some thinking of trying it for Palma loads (155 grain in 308WIN) then wondered if it’d work in 6XC.
This was in a 30” 1:7.8 Bartlein chambered with the original 6XC chamber profile (not 6XC II) using Berger 105VLD thin-jacket bullets.
Of the five propellants I tried that windy afternoon at 600 yards the XBR stuff gave me the smallest vertical of all, at the lowest charge weight I’d brought. Up a grain gave stiff bolt lift, I only fired two rounds. Up two grains got pulled apart later, all unfired.
I have those test results as a PDF file, anyone interested please PM me here, include your e-mail address & I’ll send you a copy. Please mind the <all caveates apply> regarding what’s safe in my equipment may not be in yours, so act accordingly.
Used 8208XBR for Palma for a few seasons until I got my head turned to Benchmark, which works a bit better. Might work in 6XC too but I haven’t tried it... yet.
This was in a 30” 1:7.8 Bartlein chambered with the original 6XC chamber profile (not 6XC II) using Berger 105VLD thin-jacket bullets.
Of the five propellants I tried that windy afternoon at 600 yards the XBR stuff gave me the smallest vertical of all, at the lowest charge weight I’d brought. Up a grain gave stiff bolt lift, I only fired two rounds. Up two grains got pulled apart later, all unfired.
I have those test results as a PDF file, anyone interested please PM me here, include your e-mail address & I’ll send you a copy. Please mind the <all caveates apply> regarding what’s safe in my equipment may not be in yours, so act accordingly.
Used 8208XBR for Palma for a few seasons until I got my head turned to Benchmark, which works a bit better. Might work in 6XC too but I haven’t tried it... yet.
urbanrifleman
Site $$ Sponsor
Tubb used to use n160 at first. If it were me I would take a hard look at w760/h414, or plain old h380. I would take w760 over Ramshot Hunter which is essentially commie w760 and I found it to be dirty as crap in 243. I bet w760 would shoot great and use mag primers.
urbanrifleman
Site $$ Sponsor
R16 would be good but it doesn't meter much better, all those powders you listed are too fast. I think.
IMR 4166 showed a lot of promise. Find my 6XC powder testing thread for details. Drop 2 grains from whatever I had going and work up. I betcha you find over 3k fps before pressure. Meters well enough for me. BL-C(2) is a ball powder, meters like water and it looks like it's going to be your friend. Also H380 and H414.
urbanrifleman
Site $$ Sponsor
W760 is the same powder as H414.
If Bl-c2 is good them W748 should work good too because I think they are the same or almost exactly the same.
I used to shoot W760 in 22-250 with mag primers and it was amazing.
If Bl-c2 is good them W748 should work good too because I think they are the same or almost exactly the same.
I used to shoot W760 in 22-250 with mag primers and it was amazing.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
In a 31" barrel using Palma brass in the 6 XC, I got nodes at 3050,3150, and 3270 with R#17. Accuracy was amazing to say the least, 107g sierra's.
Pockets would last for 5 firings at 3270 in the Palma brass, and I shot groups that were below .200 with a tuner. I will not say how small because no one would even believe it, even if I posted the target.
Pockets would last for 5 firings at 3270 in the Palma brass, and I shot groups that were below .200 with a tuner. I will not say how small because no one would even believe it, even if I posted the target.
3270!? Your pressures must be through the roof. Why push it so hard? The wind drift difference is really not that much.
I got similar velocities with RL17 when I started testing it in a then-new 30” 6XC build late in 2008. Was using DTAC 115’s at that time, LR primers literally fell out of just-fired cases. Later load testing had me settle on Berger 105VLD’s and 8208XBR.
In my experience there's only ever one of two reasons. Racing paper for fun and profit or trying to edge out other competitors any way one can at the expense of hardware.
I have a .223 rem load I run for certain matches. It's a 75gr bullet at 2950. The net effect is ALWAYS a core sampled primer and one-hitter-quitter brass. I have to tear the bolt apart every 3rd round to pull the built up primer core samples out of it. If I want to place then that's what I have to do. I'm only making up for my inability to keep my head tightly focused in the game and whatever skill deficit there is with 20K psi more than would otherwise be needed. I suspect he is too. It's totally not uncommon in competition circles to run loads at high to stupid high pressures. The extra wear and tear are already budgeted in.
That is a lot of pressure for a mostly perceived advantage. I shoot highpower Rifle, mid and long range prone where most people keep their loads reasonable. In a match there is not time to tear bolts apart and at that point people would start becoming reluctant to be too close.
If more speed is needed/desired than what can be done within reasonable pressures it’s time for another caliber ( Palma and F-TR don’t have that option)
If more speed is needed/desired than what can be done within reasonable pressures it’s time for another caliber ( Palma and F-TR don’t have that option)
Oh, it's a real advantage. 50fps is a nothing gain. 250fps is actually a big deal. It's the difference between missing with a wind call that's off by 2mph and not missing. FWIW, it only takes me 15 seconds to pull a bolt apart, shake it out and reassemble. Practice makes perfect and all.
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