Which 6MM cartridge to I choose

[shoot4fun]

I have the following on the way:

BAT MB multi flat RBLPR
Bartelin 6mm 1 in 7.5 twist 5R finish at 28"
McMillan MBR

I am trying to make the final decision between 6xc and 6 Dasher. I want to shoot 115 DTAC bullets and the gun will shoot mostly at 600 yard matches.
If you are now shooting either, or both, let me know why I should pick one over the other. I have easy access to both reamers with no turn necks.
Hint...... I am leaning toward 6xc.
Should I or shouldn't I?

 

[rcw3]

IMO - Dasher is under capacity for the 115 DTAC's - not that you can't shoot them from a DASHER but it's kind of like a small pick up truck hauling a big horse trailer - just not an optimum balance of things.

 

[Laurie]

IMO - Dasher is under capacity for the 115 DTAC's - not that you can't shoot them from a DASHER but it's kind of like a small pick up truck hauling a big horse trailer - just not an optimum balance of things.

+ 1 on 115s.

BUT ... do you really want to shoot 115s? You say 600yd matches but not whether that'll be bench rest or F Class. In BR, many people who start out intending to use the DTACs often end up reverting to 105-107gn bullets because they group tighter. (That applied to me with the XC.) The external ballistic benefits of the 115s are not as great as you might imagine either in F-Class in terms of wind drift in either of these cartridges. You need a bigger model around .243 Win size to get the full benefits.

As to the two cartridges, the XC is a little bigger and hence gives slightly higher MVs. It's a great precision cartridge, but maybe not as great as the Dasher for up to 600 yards comps. Both have good brass, but the Dasher starts with Lapua 6BR and its small primer / small (1mm) flash-hole, better for the charge weights involved.

For many, the main issue is workload - the XC just involves case preparation and they don't want the Dasher's fireforming step.

 

[Gman]

Personaly if it were me, for 600 yards, I'd go with a plain jane 6BR. Now if you were competing in 1000 yard BR, I'd go Dasher or better yet, the 6SLR.

 

[shoot4fun]

I already have a great shooting 6BR BR gun. I just want something different. Something that will give me an edge over the 6BR in wind and something that I could, if I desire, shoot a 1000 yd match with. As for F Class, I prefer to shoot of a bipod there so it is a 308 for that.
It is odd that you say that about the DTAC vs 107SMK. I have found the 107SMK to be extremely accurate; so much so that several of the guys I shoot against have switched over from other higher priced brands. And the DTA does give me a very high degree of performance in my 243. I think that is the reason I wanted to apply it to BR.
I guess I will need to look up the 6SLR, as I am not familiar with it. May also look into the 6 Creedmoor, although it is formed from 22-250 brass and is a lot like the 6xc.

 

[MarkS]

shoot4fun,

Brass is the key to accuracy, the 6BR is some of the best. I did a 6XC for 600 yd benchrest, and did not cut it for accuracy. Got with the Dasher. You may want to look at the 6BRX. I size the shoulder with a 7mm08 or 308 f/l die, then bump the shoulder and neck size with a redding f/l S die. The BRX is so close to the Dasher, just flip a coin. Don't build for one bullet, it may not shoot, I have been there. Go with the Dasher over the 6XC, but look at the BRX.

Mark Schronce

 

[Laurie]

It is odd that you say that about the DTAC vs 107SMK. I have found the 107SMK to be extremely accurate; so much so that several of the guys I shoot against have switched over from other higher priced brands.

I expected to use the DTAC in 6XC, but have since switched to the 107 SMK as it performed much better. It was also slightly better than the 105 Berger VLD in my rifle, but the chamber was cut with a Henrikson number optimised for the 107. In any event, I agree the 107 is an impressive bullet especially for the price.

 

[Joe C]

Personally I looked at several of the ones mentioned above and ended up going with Randy Gregory's .240NMC which is just a .22-250 necked up to a 6mm and blown out, during fire forming, to .308 case diameter with a 28degree shoulder. It should shoot the 87-115g bullets out of my 1-7.5 Rock barrel just fine out to 1000 yards...now to get some dry weather so I can get it broken in properly!

Might consider looking into it...

 

[brxbrad]

As you can tell, I shoot the BRX. There are several advantages to using this case design. I now have a 6BR too that my daughter shoots and I use the same BR dies for both Cartridges. Each has a 1:8 twist and I can use the same Powder for both. I can use the same Primers. I can use the same Bullets and since the lack of components that now plagues us, I have found a powder and primer substitute for the 6BR without having to give up the accuracy. The cost for reloading is "inexpensive". The barrel lasts for years and the BRX is extremely competitive at 600 or 1000 yrd and I never get tired of shooting it.

 

[Immike]

I have been shooting the 6xc for the last 5 yrs with good results. But now that the dasher is here and breaking all the bench records with the 105's well I guess it's time to join them. So I just got one last week. The 6xc is very adequate for Fclass but I can't beat the dasher's ability to shoot small groups in bench.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Dasher with 105 hybrids.

 

[shoot4fun]

So far it looks like Dasher will do best for small groups.
I have plenty of 6BR brass and 107SMK on hand, along with Varget and RL15.
Keep the info coming.
Thanks!

 

[Killshot]

Dasher, Dasher, Dasher

 

[shoot4fun]

OK, so I do have access to a 6 Dasher no-turn (for blue box Lapua) so that looks like the way I'll go. Only ? now is about barrel twist. I already have a 7.5 5R on the way and since I have been informed that the 105-107 bullets are the way instead of the 115 DTAC am I going to be overstabilizing that bullet (worrying about blowing them up)?

 

[Gman]

I don't believe that you will be pushing them fast enough to blow them up with a Dasher. Now if you were shooting a large case capacity wildcat, then you might have issues.

 

[shoot4fun]

Action arrives today, barrel tomorrow and stock on Thursday. 20 MOA rail arrives this week as well as the Jewell trigger. This project is coming together very quickly. Also, I am going to have an old PPC barrel chambered for fire forming.
Now for dies. I see Whiddon has a nice looking set. Any experience with them? Where are you Dasher shooters getting the best dies?

 

[Killshot]

I had used the Redding S F/L Bushing Die for a year before replacing it with the Whidden die. Same design, perhaps a bit finer machining on the Whidden. Uses the Redding bushings. Zero issues with post-sizing runout.

I still use the Redding Competition seater with the micrometer top. Only mod was to polish the inside lip of the seating stem where it contacts the bullet.

 

[shoot4fun]

Thanks for all the input. Action and barrel showed up today and stock is on track to arrive Friday. I am really looking forward to this project.