Wow! too much hype....I own the 8.6 Blackout...and fired it 130 times yesterday with various loads 200 to 285 eldm ...And found it unimpressive, and dangerous quite frankly. The 3 twist is too much, I'd prefer a 6 twist to get into supersonic. It's okay for subs but fair warning keep velocities in 900 to 950 for subs ...maybe 1000 fps max. And test your velocities without a muzzle break or suppressor, and be prepared to buy a new bayonet for your magneto speed chronograph. I had the first supersonic bullet come apart inside the muzzle brake on the third baffle out and destroying the muzzle breake. Took of the brake to run the rest of the testing. Can't get anywhere top supersonic speed with the 3 twist...they come apart soon as they leave the confines of the barrel. Shot the supers 10 feet from the target into the dirt to get fire formed brass...they had a 6 to 10 Foot pattern at that range throwing pieces of lead and jacket sticking in and through the cardboard backer....like an unpatternable shotgun...and ya have to try different combinations of bullets and powders to get standard deviations down the recommended load of 1680 and 285/300 gr had a 47 S/D velocities from 890 to 1020 in a few shots...not long rang accuracy. And starting to get in the danger zone with 285 grainers which never reached the target at 1400 fps I shot with no muzzle device. I found IMR4198 to be a good powder for the 285 eldm at 15.9 grains but I'd lower the velocity a bit if shot through a suppressor. Maybe this 8.6 case and twist has merit in the 350 gr sub loads...but for me it's not versatile enough with the 3 twist. I wanted some good super loads with more conventional bullets ...a 6 or 7 twist would seem more appropriate for most, as there is too much case capacity for just subsonic, and I'm not hunting anything with 8.6,...but I got it...and it's a very limiting cartridge for my use. My 300 blackout is way more versatile does subs and supers just fine... but this IMO, is subsonic hunting caliber with large 350 gr bullets designed to open at 900 fps ...but I don't do that. It's a one trick pony in my book...and I'd trade a 3 twist for a 8 twist so I could use some of the 8.6 case capacity in the supers...need more twist options for different strokes.8.6 Creedmoor or 8.6 BLK or 8.6 Blackout?
November 18, 2021 by AJ 8 Comments
8.6 BLK next to a 300 BLK (image from Facebook)
What is a 8.6 Creedmoor?
First off, it is now officially called the 8.6 BLK or 8.6 Blackout, dubbed such by the very creator Kevin Brittingham. Kevin, owner of Q and inventor of the .300 Blackout cartridge first came up the with idea of a .338 caliber cartridge like the .338 Federal, but better because it has a shorter 6.5 Creedmoor based case, so it could accommodate larger and longer bullets than the .338 Federal in normal magazines, which would mean it could provide for a cartridge that could be effective at both subsonic and supersonic muzzle velocities. Not only does this owe for interesting low-noise subsonic rifles, but also for short barrel, high-punch rifles and even a cartridge being able to feed in a semi-auto configuration.
Back in 2018 when Kevin initially developed the cartridge and worked with the idea, trying to get Hornady to start manufacturing the cartridge, he intended to call it the 8.6 Creedmoor, but in June 2021 when Q made the official announcement of the cartridge on their Instagram account, they dubbed it the more appropriate 8.6 BLK or 8.6 Blackout, owing to their own unique .300 Blackout, but necked up to accommodate the 8.6 caliber bullet, and also uniquely identifying it as separate from the Creedmoor sports developed cartridges like the 6.5mm Creedmoor and the 6mm Creedmoor.
The reason why Q and Hornady are only now officially bringing it to market in 2021, is mainly because of the ammo crisis that hit since early 2019, which meant that they could not even keep up with demand of current cartridge ammo, let alone start manufacturing or marketing a new cartridge.
Brass
Initially to create brass for 8.6 BLK cartridges, one could cut shorter and neck down high quality 6.5mm Creedmoor brass with a good full length sizing die and enough case lube. Thankfully though, if you are a litle patient, both Q and Hornady, should have brass available soon.
A rare and elusive 8.6 BLK case, Image from Facebook
Why a New Cartridge
Yes, it feels like every week someone is just necking some other cartridge up or down and “bringing out a whole new cartridge”, but this time, it is really a game-changer. The 8.6 BLK is not just an improvement on previous designs or a wildcat, it changes what was thought best for hunting cartridges and tactical military cartridges all together. It shows that large long bullets can work out of small cases, and even better, high energy effective hunt kills can be made out of short barrels, even at what would be considered long range distances for hunting.
Create Your Own
There aren’t really any large scale manufacturers making a 8.6 BLK Factory Rifle yet, however, if you jump on the waiting list now, you may be able to snag one of the early ones when they become available soon from Q, or you can even just buy a barrel conversion from them if you already have a Fix by Q.
The other manufacturers should jump on the band wagon offering 8.6 BLK chambered barrel pretty soon after Hornady starts making the brass available, and you can even have your own build on a .308 bolt face, standard-length action, by chambering a .338 / 8.6mm barrel in it once reamers become available (just remember the tight twist rate needed to make the most of this cartridge).
8.6 BLK Twist Rate
Very fast twist rates like 1:4 and even 1:3 are used for the 8.6 BLK, as this provides greater energy at supersonic velocities, and greater accuracy at subsonic velocities, thus enabling the use and stabilization of such long and large bullets out of such short barrels. The fast twist rate, also ensures good bullet expansion even at slower velocities.
8.6 BLK Ballistics
When loaded with a 210gr Barnes TTSX bullet at 2450fps from the short 12.5″ barrel, you only have around 1.4 MOA more drop at an incredible 300 yards than a usual 308 Win with a 168gr bullet would have, but with a whopping 300 ft/lbs more energy on target, and that all from a rifle short enough to fit in your backpack. That is just to show what it can achieve, however we doubt many people would hunt at such long range with it.
8.6 BLK for Hunting
Although very practical as a new do-all military cartridge, hunting is where the 8.6 BLK really shines. It redefines the general puspose hunting and utility rifle genre. Even during testing and R&D hunts, Kevin Brittingham and the guys from Q have been making waves online with their small Fix 8.6 BLK taking down everything from smaller CXP1 sized animals like a Black Backed Jackal, CXP2 sized game like deer, CXP3 sized animals like a large Kudu bull, all the way through to the very large and thick-skinned CXP4 sized African Cape Buffalo. Proving the versatility of the cartridge and rifle platform for a single, compact, do-it-all hunting rifle.
Yes we know top right is a Fix in 6.5 Creedmoor, but 8.6 BLK will do it to, and the rest are 8.6 BLK (images from Facebook)
8.6 BLK Barrel Length
Because of the aim of the whole 8.6 BLK development was a compact utility / hunting rifle, it is designed to work well in short, and I mean real short barrel configurations. With Kevin doing most of the 8.6 BLK testing in a 12.5″ barrel, like can be seen in the hunting photos above, they even have a ultra-short and compact 8″ barrel version, still apparently packing more energy at 600 yards, than a .45 ACP round has at the muzzle, unbelievable or in the words of the Q-team themselves, unpossible.
The 8 inch barrel for the 8.6 BLK (image from Facebook)
8.6 BLK vs .338 Federal
Most people that first read or heard about the 8.6 BLK, quickly asked why, given the similarity or superiority (as they thought) of the already available .338 Federal cartridge. Well, the 8.6 BLK is the quieter and more efficient version of a .338 Federal, basically with a trimmed back case and improved shoulder so you can get longer heavier subsonic bullets than you can with the .338 Federal. Overall it’s a more efficient and versatile design than the .338 Federal.
Whilst the case length of the .338 Federal is 2.015”, the 8.6 BLK case is 1.685” in length, allowing the ability to run heavy subsonic loads, 280 to 360 grains or more, whilst the longer 338 Federal case will put the ogive of those long projectiles back inside the case, which will perform badly.
Although having a smaller case capacity, the 8.6 BLK offers more consistent ignition of the powder, which gives you more consistent performance, especially with those heavy subsonic loads. Another big upside due to the shorter case and cartridge length, the 8.6 BLK will feed out of .308 Winchester length magazines, allowing greater compatibility. Even the fact that the 8.6 BLK uses the same bolt face as the .308 Win, means you can change your barrel on your Fix or other current rifle and have your own 8.6 BLK.
Lastly, when looking a long bullets like the Berger 300gr Hybrid with a nose length of 0.955 inches, but the case to OAL length of the .338 Federal is only 0.785 inches, meaning that those bullest or similar cannot be reliably fed from a magazine, whereas it can in the 8.6 BLK.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here is the original link complete with photographs. Beware of idiotic spelling mistakes:
https://www.loaddevelopment.com/8-6-creedmoor-or-8-6-blk-or-8-6-blackout/
Here are a couple of the photos attached to the above article:
View attachment 1312399
8.6 BLK next to the .300 Blackout
View attachment 1312400
8.6 BLK dimension drawing
Actually Bell was taking elephant with the 6.5 Mauser but the skinny long solids were bending in heavy bone so he went to the more sturdy 175 gr solid in 7 mm Mauser and continued killing a 1000 plus elephants with these small rifle cartridges. A feat few have accomplished. And Eskimos used a 222 Remington on Polar bear and Walrus by the thousands back in the day. And I knew a guy who killed elk with the 222 Rem...but I don't use any of those for my big game hunting...Just to Put things into perspective.ok lol
Its actually a .338 -300 Savage...the closest factory case available is the 300 Savage...little trimming needed and I used up some old 300 Savage cases I had, but was unable to acquire any on line. Better than the Creedmoor or 308...but I use them all even built a roughing die for cases takes 308, 30-06, 25-06 270 etc in a single pass. The long cases like 25-06 are down a few thousanths in the shoulder but will fire form to full diameter. But ya have to turn necks into the 30 degree shoulder...did mine in lathe and trimmed to exact length one time with a bored collet in the Bridgeport mill...take only a second to cut from 30-06 to 8.6 blackout fast feed to stop with a nice cut all the same length. But those with out machine tools should consider 300 Savage brass, for their 8.6 project. Always mike the brass to see how much clearance you have between the loaded round and the chamber...I found the brass tende to taper thicker toward the shoulder on your newly formed 8.6 brass the last half or so of diameter. So I just necked turned them all.8.6 Creedmoor or 8.6 BLK or 8.6 Blackout?
November 18, 2021 by AJ 8 Comments
8.6 BLK next to a 300 BLK (image from Facebook)
What is a 8.6 Creedmoor?
First off, it is now officially called the 8.6 BLK or 8.6 Blackout, dubbed such by the very creator Kevin Brittingham. Kevin, owner of Q and inventor of the .300 Blackout cartridge first came up the with idea of a .338 caliber cartridge like the .338 Federal, but better because it has a shorter 6.5 Creedmoor based case, so it could accommodate larger and longer bullets than the .338 Federal in normal magazines, which would mean it could provide for a cartridge that could be effective at both subsonic and supersonic muzzle velocities. Not only does this owe for interesting low-noise subsonic rifles, but also for short barrel, high-punch rifles and even a cartridge being able to feed in a semi-auto configuration.
Back in 2018 when Kevin initially developed the cartridge and worked with the idea, trying to get Hornady to start manufacturing the cartridge, he intended to call it the 8.6 Creedmoor, but in June 2021 when Q made the official announcement of the cartridge on their Instagram account, they dubbed it the more appropriate 8.6 BLK or 8.6 Blackout, owing to their own unique .300 Blackout, but necked up to accommodate the 8.6 caliber bullet, and also uniquely identifying it as separate from the Creedmoor sports developed cartridges like the 6.5mm Creedmoor and the 6mm Creedmoor.
The reason why Q and Hornady are only now officially bringing it to market in 2021, is mainly because of the ammo crisis that hit since early 2019, which meant that they could not even keep up with demand of current cartridge ammo, let alone start manufacturing or marketing a new cartridge.
Brass
Initially to create brass for 8.6 BLK cartridges, one could cut shorter and neck down high quality 6.5mm Creedmoor brass with a good full length sizing die and enough case lube. Thankfully though, if you are a litle patient, both Q and Hornady, should have brass available soon.
A rare and elusive 8.6 BLK case, Image from Facebook
Why a New Cartridge
Yes, it feels like every week someone is just necking some other cartridge up or down and “bringing out a whole new cartridge”, but this time, it is really a game-changer. The 8.6 BLK is not just an improvement on previous designs or a wildcat, it changes what was thought best for hunting cartridges and tactical military cartridges all together. It shows that large long bullets can work out of small cases, and even better, high energy effective hunt kills can be made out of short barrels, even at what would be considered long range distances for hunting.
Create Your Own
There aren’t really any large scale manufacturers making a 8.6 BLK Factory Rifle yet, however, if you jump on the waiting list now, you may be able to snag one of the early ones when they become available soon from Q, or you can even just buy a barrel conversion from them if you already have a Fix by Q.
The other manufacturers should jump on the band wagon offering 8.6 BLK chambered barrel pretty soon after Hornady starts making the brass available, and you can even have your own build on a .308 bolt face, standard-length action, by chambering a .338 / 8.6mm barrel in it once reamers become available (just remember the tight twist rate needed to make the most of this cartridge).
8.6 BLK Twist Rate
Very fast twist rates like 1:4 and even 1:3 are used for the 8.6 BLK, as this provides greater energy at supersonic velocities, and greater accuracy at subsonic velocities, thus enabling the use and stabilization of such long and large bullets out of such short barrels. The fast twist rate, also ensures good bullet expansion even at slower velocities.
8.6 BLK Ballistics
When loaded with a 210gr Barnes TTSX bullet at 2450fps from the short 12.5″ barrel, you only have around 1.4 MOA more drop at an incredible 300 yards than a usual 308 Win with a 168gr bullet would have, but with a whopping 300 ft/lbs more energy on target, and that all from a rifle short enough to fit in your backpack. That is just to show what it can achieve, however we doubt many people would hunt at such long range with it.
8.6 BLK for Hunting
Although very practical as a new do-all military cartridge, hunting is where the 8.6 BLK really shines. It redefines the general puspose hunting and utility rifle genre. Even during testing and R&D hunts, Kevin Brittingham and the guys from Q have been making waves online with their small Fix 8.6 BLK taking down everything from smaller CXP1 sized animals like a Black Backed Jackal, CXP2 sized game like deer, CXP3 sized animals like a large Kudu bull, all the way through to the very large and thick-skinned CXP4 sized African Cape Buffalo. Proving the versatility of the cartridge and rifle platform for a single, compact, do-it-all hunting rifle.
Yes we know top right is a Fix in 6.5 Creedmoor, but 8.6 BLK will do it to, and the rest are 8.6 BLK (images from Facebook)
8.6 BLK Barrel Length
Because of the aim of the whole 8.6 BLK development was a compact utility / hunting rifle, it is designed to work well in short, and I mean real short barrel configurations. With Kevin doing most of the 8.6 BLK testing in a 12.5″ barrel, like can be seen in the hunting photos above, they even have a ultra-short and compact 8″ barrel version, still apparently packing more energy at 600 yards, than a .45 ACP round has at the muzzle, unbelievable or in the words of the Q-team themselves, unpossible.
The 8 inch barrel for the 8.6 BLK (image from Facebook)
8.6 BLK vs .338 Federal
Most people that first read or heard about the 8.6 BLK, quickly asked why, given the similarity or superiority (as they thought) of the already available .338 Federal cartridge. Well, the 8.6 BLK is the quieter and more efficient version of a .338 Federal, basically with a trimmed back case and improved shoulder so you can get longer heavier subsonic bullets than you can with the .338 Federal. Overall it’s a more efficient and versatile design than the .338 Federal.
Whilst the case length of the .338 Federal is 2.015”, the 8.6 BLK case is 1.685” in length, allowing the ability to run heavy subsonic loads, 280 to 360 grains or more, whilst the longer 338 Federal case will put the ogive of those long projectiles back inside the case, which will perform badly.
Although having a smaller case capacity, the 8.6 BLK offers more consistent ignition of the powder, which gives you more consistent performance, especially with those heavy subsonic loads. Another big upside due to the shorter case and cartridge length, the 8.6 BLK will feed out of .308 Winchester length magazines, allowing greater compatibility. Even the fact that the 8.6 BLK uses the same bolt face as the .308 Win, means you can change your barrel on your Fix or other current rifle and have your own 8.6 BLK.
Lastly, when looking a long bullets like the Berger 300gr Hybrid with a nose length of 0.955 inches, but the case to OAL length of the .338 Federal is only 0.785 inches, meaning that those bullest or similar cannot be reliably fed from a magazine, whereas it can in the 8.6 BLK.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here is the original link complete with photographs. Beware of idiotic spelling mistakes:
https://www.loaddevelopment.com/8-6-creedmoor-or-8-6-blk-or-8-6-blackout/
Here are a couple of the photos attached to the above article:
View attachment 1312399
8.6 BLK next to the .300 Blackout
View attachment 1312400
8.6 BLK dimension drawing