6xc ?

[Greg Duerr]

Does anyone have experiance shooting and reloading for the 6XC? In the Berger reloading book it shows a 95gr at right close to 3300fps. To me thats impressive. I see that you can buy the cases from Norma.
If I was doing my .243 AI over I would have gone in that direction.

G

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Greg,

bear in mind that it's a smaller case than the 243 Win, and even more so than the 243 AI. If you're getting higher velocities from the same bullet weight, with the same barrel length with the same powder choices . . . there's only one other variable that comes into the picture; pressure. It's a decent cartridge, but it won't do anything that any of several others won't do just as well. If you match these velocities with your 243 A!, you should be able to do so at lower pressures. No magic trade-offs here.

 

[Greg Duerr]

Kevin

Thanks for the feed back................In your opinion what would be your choice if you were to build a 6mm or .243 diameter bore

I have never cronyed my loads in my .243AI so I have no idea of a comparison...............Like I said I have run some high pressure in my loads and the Lapua cases just keep taking it.................Not sure I would ever go back to the Ackley as I dont like to Fire Form, just looking for another Cartridge that will do for Marmonts and Coyotes but would be great for Mule Deer, Antelope and Elk in a pinch. Your input would be greatly appreciated. My Action is a Remington 700 from short.

Greg

 

[Mikecr]

W/regard to muzzle velocity, I agree with Kevin. The 6XC is doing no more than similar cartridges, and nowhere near the potential of an improved .243.

But, the 6XC is purely for competition(not hunting). It's a step closer to a smaller 6x47(lapua SHOULD have offered), which would compete better, like the 6Dasher, which is totally whipping *** in competition.
The 6XC has a barrel life advantage over larger cases, at a cost in muzzle velocity/energy of course.
But in stepping slightly up to 6CM(Competition Match), cooler H1000 can be better used to increase barrel life over a 6XC, and without loss at 6XC performance levels.

There is more to cartridge selection than velocity. You said you didn't like fireforming. I say you gotta fireform everything anyway. But if you wanna try something other than an AI, good for you. Plenty of choices in 24cal.
I shot 6XC some with a Tubb T2k, and all was fine for me accuracy-wise. My developed load was 41gr IMR7828 w/105 Bergers @ 2980fps. This was a mild load.
I sold off the gun, even though it was my favorite, as it was just too heavy for any practical use.

 

[Lost creek]

Greg,
I have 2 6xc's that i use for competition,a 12lb. and a17lb rifles. I am running the 105 hybrid at 3200 fps. out of a 30 inch barrel and 3100 fps. out of a 26 inch barrel using the same load with no high pressure signs. Both barrels are Broughton 5c's. My load is a couple grains over what most people say is there max load and that is one of the reasons that i use Broughton's, i can get more velocity without pressure. My accuracy is also very good at these velocities.

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Greg,

Lots of options out there, and ultimately, you're the only one who can answer this one correctly. But I'd take in all the various factors of a particular cartridge before jumping on it based on velocity/performance alone. Things like how easy is the cartridge to form (if you need to make them), or how readily available are factory cases (a significant consideration in the XC itself)? What about dies? I haven't checked on these recently, but when I first set up for the XC, David's dies were the only ones available and he wanted a mint for them. Cases were an issue as well. He's had several lots of cases run for this, some not too bad, but at least one was real crap. Very soft and gave all sorts of problems when they hit the street. David developed the XC, as Mike points out, as a competition cartridge. Nothing wrong with that, but it means that some emphasis of the design is going to be focused on factors that may not be important to a hunter or a varminter, and in some instances, may even compromise what you're after. And that's exactly why we have so many options out there today. Just take your time, and look at all the various tradeoffs and advantages of each, and you'll come to the right conclusion for you.

 

[Greg Duerr]

I just want to thank you guys for the feed back I received. It a lot of food for thought. Makes me take a longer look back at my .243 Ackley. No perfect cartridge out there. I dont do competition but Im strickly a varmint hunter and Deer, Antelope, Black Bear, and Elk Hunter. I realize that the .243 AI is lite for the Elk but this year will be hunting for a Cow Elk and next year well, what ever happens to come along.
The Smith who put together my rifle used a really old reamer, as he told me, and thus ended up with a throut that was to long to seat the 95gr into the rifleing and from what I was told has a throut that is to wide to shoot boat tail bullets. Not sure if that problem can be fixed without shortening the barrel. Thus, my looking at getting it re-barreled. My first choice was the 6mm Remington but was told that I needed a long action to accomodate the longer VLD Berger Bullets, or else seat them farther in the case ................all this is new to me so I seem to be running in different directions. This sight is very helpful for a beginner to get a better feel of right and wrong and at least have a better direction to walk towards. Right now I just feel handicapped knowing that my rifle will only shoot flat base bullets, well.

Greg