6ARC Tikka

[MThuntr]

I'm struggling to get anything safe over 2575 in my 20" Howa using 106 TAP bullets. So far fastest and most consistent is CFE223.

I think my next one will have a 22" barrel and it's starting to look like it'll be a Savage conversion or I'd go 6GT with a Tikka purely so I don't have to fiddle with bolts

 

[ElPollo]

… but at some point when I get back to reloading…

I’ve told myself that a lot.

 

[wind gypsy]

Makes sense.

The factory ammo cost is the other main driver but at some point when I get back to reloading that becomes a non issue I think.

I’ve shot a bunch of solid factory 6 creed ammo over the past couple years that was 1.15-1.40 per round

 

[General RE LEE]

A Tikka in 6 ARC probably is the one gun solution.

The 308 is a great cartridge all around- way better than most now think. It’s one of the few options for a cartridge that has enough barrel life to be used as a trainer as well. It can be a one gun choice, but recoil is higher than one really wants for full time use.

The 6.5cm is what people thought the 308 was. But, barrel life is enough lower to be a problem for a true one gun solution, and it still recoils a bit more than optimum.

The 6cm is great, but its barrel life is short enough that it is not really usable as a trainer, and it is more a replacement for a “magnum” for most hunters.

The 223 is the trainer cartridge, everyone should have one, and it is good for hunting to around 450’ish (yes, it can kill well at much longer ranges). However, there are a couple of states that don’t allow it- this only actually matters if you currently hunt in those states- buy guns for what you actually hunt, not what you may hunt.

Enter 6 ARC: near 223 and 308 barrel life- true practice gun capable. Well below 6cm recoil, 600-700 yard terminal range, $20 a box good factory ammo. Easy modification to bolt to work in a Tikka.

I’m coming to this conclusions as well. Barrel life is an important consideration for me cause I don’t do barrel swaps and turning my gun over to a smith to be gone for 5 months to get rebarreled is pretty inconvenient.

I got my Howa Mini 6 ARC barreled action from Brownells for under $500. I’m keeping a round count and I just passed 1K rounds. I’m expecting 5K rounds at least. When it’s shot out, I’ll just buy a new barreled action and toss it in my stock.

I’ve got a 108 ELDM load in my 6 ARC that rivals my Tikkas in accuracy. It’s more than adequate for hunting and my self imposed limit on an animal is 500 yards. I’m still at 1900 FPS with my load so I should be good.

6 ARC brass is easy to work and reload. It also doesn’t eat up a bunch of powder. My 27.5 grain load of Varget gives me about 250 rounds out of a lb of powder.

6 ARC is now my favorite cartridge.

 

[khuber84]

I’m coming to this conclusions as well. Barrel life is an important consideration for me cause I don’t do barrel swaps and turning my gun over to a smith to be gone for 5 months to get rebarreled is pretty inconvenient.

I got my Howa Mini 6 ARC barreled action from Brownells for under $500. I’m keeping a round count and I just passed 1K rounds. I’m expecting 5K rounds at least. When it’s shot out, I’ll just buy a new barreled action and toss it in my stock.

I’ve got a 108 ELDM load in my 6 ARC that rivals my Tikkas in accuracy. It’s more than adequate for hunting and my self imposed limit on an animal is 500 yards. I’m still at 1900 FPS with my load so I should be good.

6 ARC brass is easy to work and reload. It also doesn’t eat up a bunch of powder. My 27.5 grain load of Varget gives me about 250 rounds out of a lb of powder.

6 ARC is now my favorite cartridge.

So you're around 2650 mv with Varget after reverse calculations on your impact velocity?

But here's a suggestion, find a new gunsmith. One barrel cut, and the smith should have the information, thread class size, headspace, thread timing, everything needed to be able to send you a barrel in the mail. There are a lot of nominal headspaced actions now too, where they are fully prefit capable, no action ever needs go to the shop.

 

[General RE LEE]

So you're around 2650 mv with Varget after reverse calculations on your impact velocity?

But here's a suggestion, find a new gunsmith. One barrel cut, and the smith should have the information, thread class size, headspace, thread timing, everything needed to be able to send you a barrel in the mail. There are a lot of nominal headspaced actions now too, where they are fully prefit capable, no action ever needs go to the shop.

I live 15 minutes from Southern Precision Rifles aka Bug Holes. He has a pretty good reputation and I’ll leave my barreled actions with him. His turn around isn’t quick.

 

[General RE LEE]

So you're around 2650 mv with Varget after reverse calculations on your impact velocity?

But here's a suggestion, find a new gunsmith. One barrel cut, and the smith should have the information, thread class size, headspace, thread timing, everything needed to be able to send you a barrel in the mail. There are a lot of nominal headspaced actions now too, where they are fully prefit capable, no action ever needs go to the shop.

Chrono and drops verified out to 1K

Muzzle 10 shots. SD 2 ES 6




600 yards with approximate velocity via Shot Marker

 

[Tmac]

I just got a suppressed Howa Mini 6ARC dialed in with 108’s for my oldest grands cow elk hunt this week. The recoil suppressed is so gentle, I hesitate to call it recoil. He shoots it well. The action on this one stinks, very rough, binds about 1/4” from being fully to the rear if you are not very deliberate. But we are going to hunt it. My other mini in 6.5 G is very smooth. So we’ll see.

The idea of a 16.1” 6 ARC on a Tikka action may have to happen. My only hesitation is the magazine. I can about go through a couple Ruger American Gen II Ranch rifles in 6ARC for what it would take to convert a SS Tikka, especially if I have to use an aftermarket stock to get a magazine to work.

If there is a relatively easy or good aftermarket magazine solution for the 6ARC in a Tikka, I’d really like to know because I could easily rebarrel a Tikka I already have.

 

[waspocrew]

I'm really liking my 6 ARC as well. I went the Howa mini route, but if I had an extra Tikka with a .223 bolt laying around, having the bolt opened up to the correct bolt face would be the direction to go.

I'm really more interested in 90 gr to 105 gr projectiles with the 6 ARC. Anything heavier will be fed to my 6 CM.

 

[BLJ]

Chrono and drops verified out to 1K

Muzzle 10 shots. SD 2 ES 6


View attachment 775080

600 yards with approximate velocity via Shot Marker

View attachment 775081

20” barrel? Thanks.

 

[Spoonbill]

I just got a suppressed Howa Mini 6ARC dialed in with 108’s for my oldest grands cow elk hunt this week. The recoil suppressed is so gentle, I hesitate to call it recoil. He shoots it well. The action on this one stinks, very rough, binds about 1/4” from being fully to the rear if you are not very deliberate. But we are going to hunt it. My other mini in 6.5 G is very smooth. So we’ll see.

The idea of a 16.1” 6 ARC on a Tikka action may have to happen. My only hesitation is the magazine. I can about go through a couple Ruger American Gen II Ranch rifles in 6ARC for what it would take to convert a SS Tikka, especially if I have to use an aftermarket stock to get a magazine to work.

If there is a relatively easy or good aftermarket magazine solution for the 6ARC in a Tikka, I’d really like to know because I could easily rebarrel a Tikka I already have.

A couple companies make aics conversions that fit in a ctr inlet. Not sure if that helps or not.

 

[khuber84]

I live 15 minutes from Southern Precision Rifles aka Bug Holes. He has a pretty good reputation and I’ll leave my barreled actions with him. His turn around isn’t quick.

Greg has a solid rep yes. He shouldn't need your actionback after it's first barrel. He's either not collecting/recording enough data on the first cut, or he's just old school. Likely the latter.

 

[Tmac]

A couple companies make aics conversions that fit in a ctr inlet. Not sure if that helps or not.

None of my current ones CTR’s. But appreciate the idea.

 

[HandgunHTR]

A couple companies make aics conversions that fit in a ctr inlet. Not sure if that helps or not.

Still nothing but 10 or 12 round mags in the ARC/Grendel persuasion right now. If someone comes out with a legit 5 rounder (not just a 10-round mag body with a limiter), I will build 2 chassis Tikkas, one in 6ARC and one in 22ARC.

 

[wind gypsy]

I just got a suppressed Howa Mini 6ARC dialed in with 108’s for my oldest grands cow elk hunt this week. The recoil suppressed is so gentle, I hesitate to call it recoil. He shoots it well. The action on this one stinks, very rough, binds about 1/4” from being fully to the rear if you are not very deliberate. But we are going to hunt it. My other mini in 6.5 G is very smooth. So we’ll see.

The idea of a 16.1” 6 ARC on a Tikka action may have to happen. My only hesitation is the magazine. I can about go through a couple Ruger American Gen II Ranch rifles in 6ARC for what it would take to convert a SS Tikka, especially if I have to use an aftermarket stock to get a magazine to work.

If there is a relatively easy or good aftermarket magazine solution for the 6ARC in a Tikka, I’d really like to know because I could easily rebarrel a Tikka I already have.

The waters 6 BR tikka mag lists ppc and grendel cases as compatible. Only 6 and 10 rd though.

 

[General RE LEE]

20” barrel? Thanks.

22” sporter

 

[Wyoming Shooter]

I suggest you consider the 6GT. My latest is built on an Impact action, Stocky's carbon VFG stock, and 20" Carbon Six barrel. This rifle feeds reliably from 5 and 10 round AICS mags. It's very accurate with minimal recoil. I'm shooting the Hornady 109 ELDM over 33.6 grains of RL 15.5 at 2820 fps.

 

[TX_Diver]

@Formidilosus
Idk if others would get the same value out of it, but I’d be interested in a short Friday podcast on the various 6mm flavors.

I have an extra standard tikka bolt face, varget and h4350 which leans 6gt or creed but the arc is pretty compelling too because of cheaper 108 eld-m factory ammo, but it requires a bit of $ up front for the bolt face work and offset some factory ammo savings…

But… I have a .223 already also too, and while not legal for some states I actually hunt in, it seems like the arc overlaps it a bit in terms of a trainer? And even inside 600 the creed would do a hair better in wind?

With a .223 already on hand with does the creed (or a GT if I feel like reloading) make more sense and just shoot the .223 for practice more rather than the “one gun” 6 arc?

Someone else mentioned downloading the 6cm which I didn’t really consider either. Not something I’ve done before but at face value that seems like that could lower the recoil (and increase barrel life although I don’t think that’s the deciding factor for me)?