6 mm Rifle + Ammo Availability

[H2901]

I’d been thinking about stepping down to a 6.5 cm from my 16” .308 because, though the recoil is manageable with a can, it doesn’t compare to the unsuppressed 22” 6.5 I had previously as far as ability to stay in the scope on deer and pigs.

So I happen to stumble on all the small caliber discussions here, spend more time reading/listening to @Formidilosus’s posts/podcasts than I do working, and come out with a hard on for 6 cm and TMK’s. So I’m jacked to the tits, ready to go buy some shit I don’t need, then realize there’s not a 6 cm T3X in the country as far as I can tell, any boutique 6 cm TMK ammo is out of stock, and I’ll probably have to start reloading if I want reliable ammo supply for the rifle that I don’t have and can’t find.

Mostly just came here to bitch, I’m sure everything will come back in stock eventually. But damn! Would’ve been easier to stay ignorant and keep getting hammered by my $600 Ruger.

If you read this far though, what’s the realistic cost of a barebones but adequate setup to start reloading 6 CM?

 

[omicron1792]

I’d been thinking about stepping down to a 6.5 cm from my 16” .308 because, though the recoil is manageable with a can, it doesn’t compare to the unsuppressed 22” 6.5 I had previously as far as ability to stay in the scope on deer and pigs.

So I happen to stumble on all the small caliber discussions here, spend more time reading/listening to @Formidilosus’s posts/podcasts than I do working, and come out with a hard on for 6 cm and TMK’s. So I’m jacked to the tits, ready to go buy some shit I don’t need, then realize there’s not a 6 cm T3X in the country as far as I can tell, any boutique 6 cm TMK ammo is out of stock, and I’ll probably have to start reloading if I want reliable ammo supply for the rifle that I don’t have and can’t find.

Mostly just came here to bitch, I’m sure everything will come back in stock eventually. But damn! Would’ve been easier to stay ignorant and keep getting hammered by my $600 Ruger.

If you read this far though, what’s the realistic cost of a barebones but adequate setup to start reloading 6 CM?

6cm tikkas are coming out every day. You should have one within a week or two if you want one.

Someone on here got a SS tikka 6cm for 797 out the door today or yesterday online.

 

[BishBeCool]

howdy dude. there actually is a 6cm t3x. check out some of euro optics posts and I believe you can still get on the pre order for one of those rifles. That said you could probably find a 1:8 twist t3x in .243 locally to you or on an online store to have shipped to your FFL. Getting into reloading/handloading from nothing id say under to around $1000 I say that because theres a lot of variables.

 

[H2901]

I saw them on EuroOptic but they were out of stock. Just looked again and it said available for backorder so went ahead and did it. No telling when I’ll get it but it’s paid for!

Praying some TMK hand loads come back in stock online. I want to jump into reloading eventually but not this month.

 

[TradLife406]

I saw them on EuroOptic but they were out of stock. Just looked again and it said available for backorder so went ahead and did it. No telling when I’ll get it but it’s paid for!

Praying some TMK hand loads come back in stock online. I want to jump into reloading eventually but not this month.

I think the white box Hornady 108's are Rokslide approved. Those seem to be easy to find.

 

[Moose83]

I’d been thinking about stepping down to a 6.5 cm from my 16” .308 because, though the recoil is manageable with a can, it doesn’t compare to the unsuppressed 22” 6.5 I had previously as far as ability to stay in the scope on deer and pigs.

So I happen to stumble on all the small caliber discussions here, spend more time reading/listening to @Formidilosus’s posts/podcasts than I do working, and come out with a hard on for 6 cm and TMK’s. So I’m jacked to the tits, ready to go buy some shit I don’t need, then realize there’s not a 6 cm T3X in the country as far as I can tell, any boutique 6 cm TMK ammo is out of stock, and I’ll probably have to start reloading if I want reliable ammo supply for the rifle that I don’t have and can’t find.

Mostly just came here to bitch, I’m sure everything will come back in stock eventually. But damn! Would’ve been easier to stay ignorant and keep getting hammered by my $600 Ruger.

If you read this far though, what’s the realistic cost of a barebones but adequate setup to start reloading 6 CM?

Lee classic cast press, rcbs balance beam scale, lee powder thrower, lee pilot trimmer for 6 cm, lee hand prime tool, a set of 6 cm dies of whatever flavor you want... that's about as basic as it gets. Shouldn't be much more than a couple hundred bucks. Add some tmk's, H4350, lrp's and whatever brass suits your budget and you should be off to the races.

 

[H2901]

I think the white box Hornady 108's are Rokslide approved. Those seem to be easy to find.

Yeah you’re right. And I think I remember reading the ELD-M’s were slightly preferred for hunting over the ELD-X?

 

[WhoGarrDen]

Yeah you’re right. And I think I remember reading the ELD-M’s were slightly preferred for hunting over the ELD-X?

Look up what guys are saying about 105 hpbt Hornady black too. $1.30/rd ain't bad. Lots of people killing with the 105 Berger hybrids it seems too... Not trying to dissuade you from TMK carnage, but if your complaint is that you don't reload and can't find the ammo loaded, the consensus is not that everything else sucks. Maybe avoid monos and bonded though? There's no need to practice with hunting ammo if budget is a concern, unless you're practicing at 800yds with flat base spire points I guess?

Form recently stated Eld-x is slightly more consistent due to the larger cavity behind the tip. Eld-m can be murderous or somewhat unlredictable depending on lot to lot variation.

There's some good threads on the reloading forum for starting - intermediate - buy-once-cry-once setups. maybe budget $1,000 to fall somewhere in the middle depending on if you need a bench, capilers, etc. How many rounds a year do you shoot?

 

[wind gypsy]

The most unnecessary step in the hole works is insisting on TMKs.

ELDm, ELDx, sig makes a 100 gr plastic tip hunting bullet too.

 

[H2901]

Lee classic cast press, rcbs balance beam scale, lee powder thrower, lee pilot trimmer for 6 cm, lee hand prime tool, a set of 6 cm dies of whatever flavor you want... that's about as basic as it gets. Shouldn't be much more than a couple hundred bucks. Add some tmk's, H4350, lrp's and whatever brass suits your budget and you should be off to the races.

Dude- thank you. Any specific brass to stay away from, recommendations, etc?

The most unnecessary step in the hole works is insisting on TMKs.

ELDm, ELDx, sig makes a 100 gr plastic tip hunting bullet too.

good to hear- I’ll broaden my horizons.

 

[RockAndSage]

I saw them on EuroOptic but they were out of stock. Just looked again and it said available for backorder so went ahead and did it. No telling when I’ll get it but it’s paid for!

Praying some TMK hand loads come back in stock online. I want to jump into reloading eventually but not this month.

Be sure to reach out directly to Jake @EuroOptic , he'll take care of you on your order. If nothing else, make sure he knows you're a Rokslider and that the purchase came from a convo here. It helps him internally and with outside vendors in getting them to listen on special things our community is asking for.

 

[wind gypsy]

Lee classic cast press, rcbs balance beam scale, lee powder thrower, lee pilot trimmer for 6 cm, lee hand prime tool, a set of 6 cm dies of whatever flavor you want... that's about as basic as it gets. Shouldn't be much more than a couple hundred bucks. Add some tmk's, H4350, lrp's and whatever brass suits your budget and you should be off to the races.

Even the Lee classic cast is usually pushing $200 for just press now days. Good press though, only single stage I’ve ever owned.

 

[Moose83]

Dude- thank you. Any specific brass to stay away from, recommendations, etc?

good to hear- I’ll broaden my horizons.

Lol... I'm probably the wrong guy to ask for that. I'm Canadian so the boutique stuff is pretty spendy up here, I usually use whatever I can get my dirty little hands on the cheapest.

 

[Moose83]

Even the Lee classic cast is usually pushing $200 for just press now days. Good press though, only single stage I’ve ever owned.

Good to know. I haven't looked in a while. I'm still using mine I bought as a kit for $150 Can around 2013ish. I would've recommended the kit but the lee scale is a pos imo. Everything else is still in use and works great.

 

[IrkedCitizen]

Can't go wrong with a Forster Co-ax, Redding T7, or if you stepped up the Short Action Customs Nexus.

 

[Sponge]

I think you should expect to spend ~$500 getting started reloading for a good but basic setup. Could do it cheaper, Lee challenger kit is ~250, but reloading tends to quickly accrue ancillary costs in $50-100 increments.

I would read the painless load development thread, and the 107 and 116 tmk load data threads. start there and keep it simple.

I use Starline brass in two calibers, I like it. In your shoes, I would buy 500 pieces, that should last the barrel if you don't load silly. May only have to trim once (trimming sucks). I wouldn't anneal. when barrel is toast toss the brass.

Also, loading in large lots reduces the amount of time you spend confirming zero, velocity, etc with 100 round lots. Say 10-15 rounds to zero/confirm zero and get veolicty data...if loading small lots a significant amount of your shooting is data collection. load large lots, you do that several times in the life of the barrel. It doesn;t sound like that big of a deal but I've found it is for me.