Another little loading story, this time a 6mm Creedmoor

[jeffreybehr]

I've been fantasizing about having a companion for my incoming 6mm ARC-chambered AR15, and I've found it--a new Savage 110 Tactical Desert in 6mm Creemoor...

110 Tactical Desert Rifle | Precision Shooting | Savage Arms

The 110 Tactical Desert offers precision with AccuFit, AccuTrigger, heavy barrel, 20 MOA rail, detachable 10-round magazine, and left-hand availability.

www.savagearms.com

I had at least three requirements for this rifle, those being not expensive, a 6mm, and using small-rifle primers.. With StarLine's 6mm Creedmoor cases* sort of saving the day, I got all three and I don't have to buy more loading components except a few pounds of powder.

With the understanding that I have no specific goals for this rifle other than enjoying shooting and developing loads for it, I suppose I'll use mostly my heaviest 6mm bullets, the 103s and 105s, maybe a new box of MK107s, etc.. I'll use, at least temporarily, my Nightforce 12-42X56 scope on it, and we'll see how I enjoy this 11-pound combination.


* I love Lapua cases, and I believe their '6Creed' cases are available with small primers, but I couldn't find any.. I've used MANY StarLine cases over 60 years and love them, too, and these were inexpensive--$298 delivered for 500.

 

[std7mag]

I believe Peterson is making the SRP cases also. Just another option to throw out there.
Good luck with your project!

Oh,
What is the twist of the Savage?
Meaning is it a fast enough twist rate to stabilize the 107s?

Had a 243 Win that the wife shot. Was told by Hornady rep that their 105 Match would not stabilize in the 1:10 twist barrel.
Seated over a charge of RL26, had no stability issues to 500 yards.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

Definitely on the Peterson 6 Creed SRP. You won’t regret trying them. Grafs is one place that stocks them.

 

[jeffreybehr]

I believe Peterson is making the SRP cases also. Just another option to throw out there.
Good luck with your project!

TYVM.

Oh,
What is the twist of the Savage?
Meaning is it a fast enough twist rate to stabilize the 107s?

Savage indicates 'One in 7.5'; that certainly is fast enough...I'm pretty sure I won't be shooting any 115s.

... and '5R'.. Does that mean it uses the tapered-sidewall lands?

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

TYVM.


Savage indicates 'One in 7.5'; that certainly is fast enough...I'm pretty sure I won't be shooting any 115s.

... and '5R'.. Does that mean it uses the tapered-sidewall lands?

R for Ratchet

 

[jeffreybehr]

Just ordered a scope, a Vortex Strike Eagle 4-24x50 from eorooptics.com, for my Savage rifle, a 110 Desert Tactical.

Vortex Strike Eagle 4-24x50 with EBR-4 MOA Riflescope SE-1627

All time low pricing on the Vortex Strike Eagle 4-24x50 with EBR-4 MOA Riflescope SE-1627 at EuroOptic!

www.eurooptic.com

 

[Dusty Stevens]

R for Ratchet

R is for canted lands. Shilen makes ratchet barrels

 

[jeffreybehr]

R is for canted lands. Shilen makes ratchet barrels

Thank you.

 

[jeffreybehr]

Received the 500 StarLine 6mm Creedmoor ('6Creed') small-primer cases--I was really lucky to find these--and 'calibrated' the Forster Ultra Micrometer Seater for the first-three bullets I'll be shooting in the Savage 110 Tactical Desert rifle which is coming...IF the selling dealer ever ships it.


Left to right the bullets are the Midway factory-second 103, Nosler RDF105, and Midway factory-second lead-free 90, AKA the Hornady GMX 90.. Unfortuately the first and third bullets are NLA but I did get 500 of the GMX.. The right-hand pair are the Hornady factory cartridges in 6mm ARC ('6ARC') for my '15.

I set the OAL--and noted the length on the indicator--so that the bottom of the ogive is at the base of the neck which results in very little of the combustion chamber being occupied by the bottom portion of the bullet.

Still on its way is a Hornady L-n-L Trio case-prep machine.

 

[Tokay444]

Bottom of the ogive at the base of the neck?

 

[jeffreybehr]

Bottom of the ogive at the base of the neck?

Yes, so that only the BT portion of the bullet--or none at all for a flat-base bullet--is in the combustion chamber.

 

[Tokay444]

The bearing surface and the boat tail junction?

 

[Tokay444]

The ogive shouldn’t be anywhere near the neck shoulder junction. It shouldn’t even be anywhere near the case mouth.

 

[jeffreybehr]

The bearing surface and the boat tail junction?

Yes.

 

[beemanjohn]

I bought 300 Midway "seconds" 95 gr SMK's a couple years ago. It is clear that they were made when they were setting up the press. I measured them BTO, and they varied .065"!. I had to sort them into a bunch of little piles. A handful of this, a handful of that. Still have a few of them left, just not worth it to me!

 

[jeffreybehr]

Rifle shipped today the 8th, to be delivered Monday the 14th.. Yippee!

 

[jeffreybehr]

Today the 11th I got 100 site-in/break-in cartridges loaded.. Used the Hordandy HPBT105s pulled from Hornady '6ARC' Black cartridges.. Will get my test loads assembled Saturday and Sunday.

Will disassemble the rifle, clean and lube it, etc.. Will check the scope-mount-rail screw tightness, mount the scope, etc. Will get the rifle broken- and sited-in Tuesday and get to Ben Avery Wednesday for two 2-hour sessions, I hope at the same bench.

My break-in procedure will be to shoot one 3-shot group, clean the barrel, then another 3-shot group, then clean the barrel, ad nauseum.. Wed. @ Ben Avery, Perhaps I'll clean it after two trios, preceding each new pair of trios with a fouler.. I have 21 3-shot recipes to shoot.

We'll see how it goes.. I'm confident I'll enjoy the days.

 

[jeffreybehr]

Got it broken-in and sited-in.. Got to Ben Avery for 3 hours and shot 18 trios.. Had trouble siting-in with the rail on backwards and couldn't see the bulletholes @ 100 yards. :-( Got a little frustrated until I remembered I had a NightForce 12-42X56 scope at home to use. Reloaded more ammo, turned the mountplate around, installed the NF...

...cleaned and cleaned the barrel which seemed to have lots of copper in it, and today got to the range on the east side of town ('Usery Pass') which also is public and has concrete shooting tables.

Sited-in the new scope quickly, could see ALL the bulletholes @ 100 yards, shot 12 trios which produced 4 groups of 0.7" or smaller.. Got home, rejected two bullets I had been testing, added two new ones--Hornady GMX80s and Sierra TMK85s--and after a bunch of my-and-wife's medical dates, will be back to Ben Avery Wednesday.. FWIW, the bipod for me is too shaky, but it sure makes the rifle easy to work on, so it's staying on.

Velocities with the 103s and 105s are into the 3100s with room to grow.. Still using only SUPERFORMANCE but will use StaBALL6.5 with the GMX 80 and Sierra TMK95.

 

[jeffreybehr]

Have the Vortex Strike Eagle 6-24X50 mounted again, this time with the mount-plate pointed in the right direction, and I'm pretty sure I'll have better results from it than I had last time.. Have about 20 more trios to shoot...

...over three hours and I'm sure I'll have a fine time.. Ordered a box of Berger Long Range Hybrid Target 109s; they'll be in my next batch.

Tomorrow I'll be shooting Midway factory-second 103s, RDF105s, GMX80s, and Sierra TMK95s.. Ought to be a great day.

 

[jeffreybehr]

Well...the wind Thursday morn. in north-central Phoenix, where I live, was nonexistent when I left the house for the shooting range in the east side of our large valley.. At the range, it was a bit gusty, but I got started.. Didn't get far--just the scope focused, sited in, and three of 21 groups shot, with terrible results...I think...but there were other shooters' holes in my target, so I went home.. Was again a little disappointed in the scope; researched them more and ordered a Burris 3-15...

Burris Veracity 3-15x50mm Riflescope, Rear Focal Plane, Black, 200638​

...from OpticsPlanet.. FWIW, my 12-42x56 NightForce is optically perfect, but the 12X (lowest) power is a good bit too long.. Also have ordered a Pic. plate without 20MOA tilt to it.. If I ever restart shooting long, I'll reinstall it.. Brought an inexpensive rear rifle rest that I've had for years, this time filled with lead shot--#8 and 8-1/2--it now weighs 17 pounds.

It and the inexpensive bipod helped create the best-rested rifle I've shot since my Savage 12BR on my big Farley (sp?) front rest and the Protector Dr. Bag years ago.

Will be shooting those 19 groups left probably Wed. the 30th @ Ben Avery, but I might drive to the Usery Rd. range Monday.

Cleaned the rifle tonite; barrel apparently wasn't too copper-fouled.