• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

He thought he was safe

I saw a ghog's den just inside this barn. Barn pigs are very smart and can see you a mile away. I positioned myself with the sun at my back. Glassing the gate with the den, I saw motion and a face. I zoomed my Sightron to 32 so I could hopefully identify a ghog's head. There was grass in the way and this critter was staying low, sunning himself. His face was between two horizontal parts of the gate and there was a slight 9:00 breeze. He moved and I identified a head. I sent a 60 gr old Berger 6mm MEF bullet out of my new modified 6x45 at a speed of 3500 fps. I saw impact and then the tail salute! 6x.jpg 6x.jpg
 

Attachments

  • 7u.jpg
    7u.jpg
    316.8 KB · Views: 381
  • 20180909_221433.jpg
    20180909_221433.jpg
    2.2 MB · Views: 353
It is one thing to hunt rural hogs, but ones that have taken up an abode inside are even more fun. SWEET shot, great photos.
 
SW Virginia

Very nice shooting!!!! How far are you from Natural Bridge??? I have a cabin there, but there doesn't seem to be any woodchucks around. One of the locals said, "it's way too rocky here in Rockbridge county for groundhogs, they don't like it because they cant dig." Any truth to that??? We have a lot of bears coyotes and bobcats {and of course the usual hawks and owls}...I just thought with all those predators they didn't have much of a chance.
 
3500 out of the 223 case is smoking! What length barrel? I'd also be interested in the case "modification" and load. Thinking it's more than just the TCU?
 
20180819_100352.jpg tod.jpg I hunt ghogs and prefer fast accurate cartridges. I had a 6x45(223 parent) but could not get enough speed to fight the wind that is a given where I hunt. Powder choice was partly to blame. The 6x45's neck is short and i like no freebore barrels and enough neck to test a variety of seating depths. I had JGS make a 6x45 reamer that pushed the shoulder back .047, changed the shoulder angle to 30° and remove all but .010 case taper. Chamber neck is .268, so I had to turn necks, esp since lower neck is now thick shoulder brass...A little reaming also...by now I was not sure about this project. I had previously modified the 222 Rem and found LT 30 to be a superb propellant, so it was tried, starting around 25 gr with 60 gr old Berger MEF bullets. Accuracy was fantastic with many groups in the ones. MV was 3350+- , bolt lift very easy and cases didn't need bumping. My barrel is a 26 " , 14 tw Kreiger. Charges were gradually increased till at 26.8 I got 3500 with the Berger's and no excess pressure signs! This case still has enough room for .3-.5 more LT 30, but I resisted. I've tried 61-62 gr match bullets and the accuracy is amazing. LT 30 seems to be largely responsible, while case shape must have a lot to add. Bolt lift is so easy and primer pockets are staying tight. I'm currently trying custom bullets for accuracy while hunting with the MEFs.
 
View attachment 1065179 View attachment 1065180 I hunt ghogs and prefer fast accurate cartridges. I had a 6x45(223 parent) but could not get enough speed to fight the wind that is a given where I hunt. Powder choice was partly to blame. The 6x45's neck is short and i like no freebore barrels and enough neck to test a variety of seating depths. I had JGS make a 6x45 reamer that pushed the shoulder back .047, changed the shoulder angle to 30° and remove all but .010 case taper. Chamber neck is .268, so I had to turn necks, esp since lower neck is now thick shoulder brass...A little reaming also...by now I was not sure about this project. I had previously modified the 222 Rem and found LT 30 to be a superb propellant, so it was tried, starting around 25 gr with 60 gr old Berger MEF bullets. Accuracy was fantastic with many groups in the ones. MV was 3350+- , bolt lift very easy and cases didn't need bumping. My barrel is a 26 " , 14 tw Kreiger. Charges were gradually increased till at 26.8 I got 3500 with the Berger's and no excess pressure signs! This case still has enough room for .3-.5 more LT 30, but I resisted. I've tried 61-62 gr match bullets and the accuracy is amazing. LT 30 seems to be largely responsible, while case shape must have a lot to add. Bolt lift is so easy and primer pockets are staying tight. I'm currently trying custom bullets for accuracy while hunting with the MEFs.
A personal best with this gun. I'm trying 60-63 gr bullets and had some 62 gr Brady Knight 7 ojive on .790 jackets, J4s. I have two batches of these. One has a slightly more open meplat, thus a slightly longer bearing surface...ones shot today. I had wind but flags dropped and I shot fast. Granted a 3 shot group is not standard but this is my smallest "group" ever. I'm reloading these cases and adding two more then we shall see...20180914_120054.jpg
 
So from what I can see, it is a short bodied, long necked 6TCU?
The 60-65 grain bullet are where the speed is coming from I suppose.

2800fps is as fast as I see with a 65 grain Vmax out of a 14" 6TCU. 550 fps+ more out of 12" more barrel those are some very impressive numbers.

I will have to study over the LT 30, I think I have a pound or a partial.
 
Wonder how the LT30 would work in a regular 6x45?
This barrel was a regular 6x45, 700 rounds fired before being rechambered. Previously, i tried LT 30 with the 60 MEFs, 25.4 gr max getting 3380 fps but no small groups. Same charge with these same Knights, 3350 with groups in the high ones...a few smaller. With this new chamber Barnes Varminator, 58 gr under 27 gr LT 30 clocked 3550 fps, 3 shots .25" . Norma 200 works very well being very slightly slower. FWIW...I noticed my reamer did not cut a sharp juncture where neck meets the shoulder... my other JGS reamers cut a very sharp obtuse angle. Thought my brass wasn't fireforming until i checked the reamer. I'm not sure if this is a factor in this gun's accuracy. Bolt lift is easy and cases rechamber easily( stripped bolt) and no loose primer pockets.
 
A personal best with this gun. I'm trying 60-63 gr bullets and had some 62 gr Brady Knight 7 ojive on .790 jackets, J4s. I have two batches of these. One has a slightly more open meplat, thus a slightly longer bearing surface...ones shot today. I had wind but flags dropped and I shot fast. Granted a 3 shot group is not standard but this is my smallest "group" ever. I'm reloading these cases and adding two more then we shall see...View attachment 1065502

Nice....
 

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.

Forum statistics

Threads
166,283
Messages
2,215,506
Members
79,508
Latest member
Jsm4425
Back
Top