6mm Arc for deer

[General RE LEE]

Given the history we have with the various 6mm cartridges there's no doubt a 6 ARC will be effective on deer. My question is, why would one choose it over, say, the 6 Creed or .243?

One answer might be action length/design. If I want to use the AR chassis or a mini-length bolt action, the ARC is the answer. If I'm using a short action bolt (.308) then why not choose something better suited, for the action and the application?

Given the same bullets what separates the various 6mms is mostly velocity... some cartridges may be slightly more inherently accurate but for 99% of deer hunting it doesn't matter. With 50% more case capacity the .243 will have higher muzzle velocities and flatter trajectories, and will have sufficient energy out to longer range. Within 300 yards it won't matter, past that it increasingly matters.

I have friends who go on their yearly whitetail hunt to a 160 acre property that is well-established with blinds and food plots. Typical ranges are known (under 200 yards) and max opportunities are not much further. A less powerful cartridge that is yet fully adequate makes a fine choice. I hunt deer and hopefully elk on public property in the mountain PNW, in the mid-South and Southeast hardwood forests, and across fields in the Deep South. I like bolt actions for big game hunting. For my purposes I want something more than the ARC. My 6mm hunting cartridge of choice is the .243.

Three main reasons I choose 6 ARC over a fast twist 243

1) Barrel life: 6 ARC is expected to get 5K rounds on the bore. My 6 ARC is my practice gun and hunting rifle. I shoot a lot and a 243/6 CM would get expensive on barrels.

2) Recoil: Spotting shots down range is super easy with 6 ARC. I watched all 3 deer I killed this past season take the hit and where they dropped.

3) Economy: My 6 ARC loads are 27.5-30.0
grains so more shots per lb of powder.

 

[Benjy Howell]

Have a new mini action howa with 22 inch barrel getting 2650 mv with the 105 hornady black and 2630 mv with the 108 match . Only 30 rounds down the pipe but it seems super slow

 

[wilkup]

What were you expecting? Factory rounds are loaded down at AR pressures.
Putting the ARC in a boltgun with the 20-22" barrel along with the additional operating pressure basically changes the cartridge.
But you'll have to handload to reach this nirvana.

 

[General RE LEE]

Edit to what he said above. Factory ammo loaded to be safe in a gas gun.

 

[Benjy Howell]

That's because Hornady has to load factory ammo to safely operate in a gas gun. The only way to get the full potential out of a bolt gun is handloading. Reloaders can add more powder to the case to increase pressure/velocity.

Hendershot ammo loads for bolt action 6mm arc I'm gonna try a few of there loads to see what the difference is .. with only 30 rounds down the pipe it still has some breaking in to go.

 

[General RE LEE]

Hendershot ammo loads for bolt action 6mm arc I'm gonna try a few of there loads to see what the difference is .. with only 30 rounds down the pipe it still has some breaking in to go.

Yep I'd put about 100-150 rounds on it.

 

[Wilderness Blacktail]

Ok I have to ask. I really like the CZ 527 Mini bolt action rifles (sadly no longer offered) in everything from 17 Hornet to 6.5 Grendel. So here is the question.

What would be wrong with a CZ527 Mini bolt action chambered in 6mm ARC? How many chambering would be more, suitable than the 6mm ARC in the little Mauser action for a midwest deer hunting rifle?

Think we can agree that the CZ527 is not a AR rifle, yet for the action size we may be hard pressed to find a more versatile round for the little Mauser action for hunting deer.

Nothing wring with it and so much is right. I went with the ARC over the Grendel because of range, the ARC loaded well carries velocity much further but if my ranges were likely to be less I may have chosen the 6.5 , and if for timber ranges I may havr chose a 300 BO.

Sure you can get more powder in a full size case in a standard action but you dont need to. The ARC is extremely efficient.

 

[wilkup]

We have taken big Mule deer out to 402 yards with the 6 ARC and a 103gr ELD-X.

Any pics of the deer?
Gas or boltgun?
Factory or handloads?

 

[BALLISTICJESUS]

Any pics of the deer?
Gas or boltgun?
Factory or handloads?

AR/ Gas gun. 22" barrel, hand loads.

 

[sdakotaguy]

AR/ Gas gun. 22" barrel, hand loads.

And what projectiles have you preferred for the 6mm ARC hunting bullets?

 

[BALLISTICJESUS]

And what projectiles have you preferred for the 6mm ARC hunting bullets?

I have shot Mule deer with the 90gr Accubond and the 95gr SST. The 90gr Accubond shot was point blank (40 yards) complete pass through. The 95gr SST shot was at 279 yards. High shoulder shot, complete pass through. I have had the same results out to 300 yards on Mule deer. With the 6.8 SPC and the 120gr SST. If I'm going to be shooting past 300. I prefer the 108gr ELD-M over the 103gr ELD-X for terminal performance on deer. Under 300 yards. I prefer the speed and bullet performance of the 90gr Accubond's. The 95gr Berger Hunters have shot very well but I have yet to shooting anything other than Coyotes and Rockchucks with them.

 

[wilkup]

I have shot Mule deer with the 90gr Accubond and the 95gr SST. The 90gr Accubond shot was point blank (40 yards) complete pass through. The 95gr SST shot was at 279 yards. High shoulder shot, complete pass through. I have had the same results out to 300 yards on Mule deer. With the 6.8 SPC and the 120gr SST. If I'm going to be shooting past 300. I prefer the 108gr ELD-M over the 103gr ELD-X for terminal performance on deer. Under 300 yards. I prefer the speed and bullet performance of the 90gr Accubond's. The 95gr Berger Hunters have shot very well but I have yet to shooting anything other than Coyotes and Rockchucks with them.

Just as a point of reference - What do you consider a big mule deer? 200lbs? 300lbs? Heavier?

 

[BALLISTICJESUS]

Just as a point of reference - What do you consider a big mule deer? 200lbs? 300lbs? Heavier?

Big!!! Roman nose, wheat fed fatties.

 

[wilkup]

Big!!! Roman nose, wheat fed fatties.

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Just saw you live in WA too! Where you at? I'm in Cle Elum. I took the biggest buck of my life 30 minutes from my house last year.