Brand new to the forum.....6XC

[Damon555]

but not new to shooting and reloading. This site was recommended to me by a friend and I must say that the wealth of knowledge here is quite impressive. I look forward to picking your brains some......Which leads me to my question.

I'm in the final stages of building a 6XC on a Savage short action using a 28" Criterion barrel with a 1-8 twist. I've seen many different threads requesting load data but I'd like to get a little more component specific based on what I have on hand as far as bullets and powder goes. Can someone point me in the right direction with some load data for 105 Hornady BTHP, 105 A-max and 107 Sierra match bullets using H4350 and R17 powders? I've got other powders but as far as I can tell from what I've read these are the 2 preferred propellants for this particular cartridge.

From what I've read so far on this forum I think I stumbled on to the right place! Thank you very much.

 

[zipollini]

Here is my info

Gun - Tubb 2000
Barrel - 27" Krieger - 1:7.5 twist
Brass - Norma or 2nd generation Tubb FL sized
Primers - Wolf LR
Powder - H4350 or IMR 4350 or H4831SC
Bullets - DTAC 115 Bn coated or Lapua Scenar L 105
Neck tension - .0015 to .002"

Charge - 39.5 grains of either H4350 or IMR 4350 with either the DTAC 115 or Lapua Scenar L 105 yields a MV of 3000fps and SD and ES in single digits at an ambient temp. of 75-80 deg. F

Charge - 45.2 grains of H4831SC yields a MV of 3000fps with the DTACs and a SD and ES in single digits

Charge - 40.2g of RL-17 gave me a MV of 3052 with very high SD and ES. Did lots of testing at different MV with the RL-17 but always got much higher SD and ES so gave it up and went back to the H4350 and H4831SC.

 

[r bose]

I built my 6xc with a 7 1/2 twist 31" Krieger. I use R-17 only and with the 105,107, 108 class bullets I'd start about 38.5g and and work up to 40.5g uncoated bullets (bare).

I was running Berger 105g Hybrids "warm" at 40g giving me 3170 FPS but backed down to 39g. Still at 3060 FPS and very accurate. Also saves primer pockets on my Norma brass. For prone 600 and 1000 yd shooting you don't need anymore than that.

 

[Frankr]

Welcome Damon555.
I have just been working with a new 6XC the last two months. I guess my question would be what do you plan to do with the rifle. Hunting,fun shooting,match shooting.
I have been using naked berger 105VLD Hunting bullets. 26" 1-8 twist. I would suggest starting around 38grs with either H4350 or RL17 and work up.
H4350 in my 6XC has shot best at 40.5GR with the bullet just touching the lands. easy under 1/2MOA with a few 3 shot groups under 1/4 MOA at 100yrds.But mine is a hunting rifle first and a fun target shooting rifle second.
H4350 was giving 3,060 FPS around 80 Deg F but at 37 Deg F it droped to 2,980 FPS and it was a hot load.that was just no good for me. I went to RL17

RL17 has shot very well in mine . I shot up to 41.0 grs and was getting heavy bolt lift(ejector marks) at 3,219 FPS so I backed down to 40.5 grs and even at 37 Deg F I was getting 3,150 FPS. now it does not shoot quite as tight as H4350 but I would say 1/2 MOA. cutting bullet holes at 200 yrds. ES around 17 FPS with a 10 FPS SD so shot it at 200,300,400,500,600,700 yards. and every shot was a kill shot at every yardage. holding 1.5" to 3" at 500 yards. my last 3 shot group fired at 700 yards was no vertical at all 3 shots horizontal outside to outside 3"
So RL17 is my go to hunting powder. Using a CCI200 LR primer with the RL17 and a fed 210M with H4350
using Norma brass and the primer pockets are holding up good. they have loosened slightly but still holding primer tight with 5 or 6 firing's on the cases now. working great! Shoots Great! lol....

But I have shot RL17 in quite a few other cartridges and I have seen high ES like 115 FPS ES and could not figure out how to fix it. But Never has it not produced more velocity than any other powder in it's class. allways 100 to way more than 100 FPS than any powder in the 4350 burn class.


http://www.6mmbr.com/reloder17.html

I just love posting that in there.

I have also found since I have had High ES numbers with RL17 that increasing neck tension .001,.002,.003 and cleaning the inside of the neck can reduce the ES to decent numbers. also necks turned,cleaned inside and annealed will also reduce the ES. So if you find a real high ES you can verify your neck thickness is the same case to case clean inside of neck and up the neck tension.

 

[Damon555]

Sorry I didn't specify what the primary use for the rifle is.....I'm loading for long range (600+) target shooting mainly with the possibility of some long range varmint hunting thrown in from time to time. That's why I've got some of the heavier bullets to try out.

I appreciate the info that you guys have provided thus far.....any other tips would also be greatly appreciated.

 

[averh2o]

4350 powder is usually what most shooters use in the 6xc I can't comment on R17 since I haven't used it. In my experience with several 7.5 and 8 twist barrels and 105- 108 gr bullets you will usually find a node around 38- 39 gr The case will hold more powder but if you load much more than this your primer pockets won't last. I will be using 38 gr in a 1000 yd match next weekend and I expect the load to perform very well. I don't feel I need that extra 50-75 fps that will put things on the ragged edge. Good luck Check out the 6xc page on this forum David Tubb has some good info there

 

[jcampbellsmith]

David Tubb uses N160 and 107 SMKs.

http://www.davidtubb.com/Articles
http://www.davidtubb.com/index.php?route=account/download/free&download_id=26

I've been using N160 with some success.

Regards JCS

 

[zipollini]

David Tubb uses N160 and 107 SMKs.

http://www.davidtubb.com/Articles

I've been using N160 with some success.

Regards JCS

Which article in your link says that Dave Tubb uses N160 and 107 SMK's ?

 

[jcampbellsmith]

David Tubb uses N160 and 107 SMKs.

http://www.davidtubb.com/Articles

I've been using N160 with some success.

Regards JCS

Which article in your link says that Dave Tubb uses N160 and 107 SMK's ?

http://www.davidtubb.com/index.php?route=account/download/free&download_id=26

 

[GrocMax]

Believe it or not the 105 amax is pretty darned good varmint bullet, but dedicated varmint slugs work better, see if the 87 vmax will work.

 

[Frankr]

I have some 87 V-max's. I have shot them in a 6 Dasher at 3,250 FPS they are explosive But after shooting the 105 VLD hunting bullets at 3,050 to 3,150 I can really see no reason to shoot them anymore. I have been very impressed how fast the 105' gets out there and have been able to mark my own misses at 900 yards a good bit of the time. so for me sticking with one bullet and learning the drop and drift .

 

[Damon555]

I've shot the 87 Vmax bullets in a 243 before...I'll give them a try....thanks

 

[Hager Custom Rifles]

I just finished a 6xc for my father. Blueprinted 700 receiver, PTG bolt, Bartlein 7.5 #13 Rem Sendero Contour, Jewell Trigger. I set out to shoot the 115 Berger hunting bullets from the beginning. He'll be using the rifle during next week's deer season so we decided on H4350 due to temperature stability. Last week was 80 degrees and Saturday morning was 32 degrees and snowing so temperature stability is as must.

We used David Tubb custom rounds to line up and fire form the brass. Started at 38 gr and worked up 1/2 grain at a time to 40 grains (touching lands). All loads were 3/4-1/2 MOA. 40 gr didn't show any signs at all of excessive pressure and posted the best group. I started from there backing off the lands 0.005 and 0.010 with 39.5gr and 40gr. I'll post a picture of the 40gr group 0.010" off the lands.

Side note: We are getting around 2950 fps out of 115 Berger Hunting and 115 DTAC's with no signs of excessive pressure.

Hager Enterprises
Stanford, KY

 

[Damon555]

I managed to test a few more loads earlier this week....Shooting 105 Amax and 105 HPBT Hornady bullets and 107 Sierra MK's using H4350 as my propellant the rifle shot pretty darn good. The loads tested were from 38-40 grains of powder. I had tried some lighter charges and didn't see any issues so I decided to throttle it up a notch. Everything checked out...the 40 grain charge didn't show any pressure signs but the best accuracy showed up with the 38 grain loads. I was shooting 100, 300 and 800 yards but didn't really hunker down and shoot many paper targets....I shot a couple paper targets and eggs at the shorter ranges and steel plates at 800. Having never really stretched a rifle out that far it was great fun. What was even better was the fact that I was able to get the shooting in before the cold weather hit middle TN.

 

[Breakshunter]

Glad to see you have found the site and info you needed, there is a ton of knowledgeable people here that are lots of help.