6mm ARC Lightweight Backpacking Rifle Build

[Marshfly]

Has anyone cut one of these (or any other 6ARC) to 18" or so and ran it through a chronograph? Wondering what you could expect below the back of the box number on Hornady ELD-M.

 

[4090Sharps]

Has anyone cut one of these (or any other 6ARC) to 18" or so and ran it through a chronograph? Wondering what you could expect below the back of the box number on Hornady ELD-M.

I got an average of ~2650 fps with factory 108gr ELD-M out of an 18" CarbonSix barrel.

 

[Marshfly]

I got an average of ~2650 fps with factory 108gr ELD-M out of an 18" CarbonSix barrel.

So should hold 1800 FPS out to over 650 yards at 5000ft. That's pretty awesome. I need build one of these.

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

I'm getting just under 2600 fps with a mild load out of a 17" suppressed barrel
105 Hornady bthp and AA2520

 

[mahonsr]

Just got a notification the 6 arc barreled actions are back in stock at Brownells and marked so they’re a little more reasonably priced. All the flavors are in stock. I built one with the stockys VG for the mini and the 22” version- shooting suppressed and man it is nice and light. I like shooting it and my 14 yr old daughter loves shooting it - way more than the 7-08 she has been. Only “problem”is now she shoots A LOT more $$

 

[Marshfly]

Well well... I was able to use an old email address and get another 10% off that $399. Looks like there is a 22" barrel 6ARC on the way. How did that happen?

Now what am I going to scope this thing with?

 

[turbobrick]

Has anyone cut one of these (or any other 6ARC) to 18" or so and ran it through a chronograph? Wondering what you could expect below the back of the box number on Hornady ELD-M.

I know your question is a little old now and it looks like you bought one, but I do have a ton of data on this, I tried to get numbers with factory ammo in each configuration of ARC I had. In a 12" AR I built, factory 105s were 2298, 108s were 2271. In my first Howa Mini cut to 16" the 105s were 2497 and the 108s 2479, my second Mini cut to 16" with the 105s was 2536, no 108 data. The original Mini when it was 20" was 2598 with the 108s, 2631 with the 105, and 2631 with the factory 103 ELD-X. In my original Mini re-barreled with a 19" Carbon6 barrel the 105s were 2640, my 108 reloads 2682 and reloaded 105s are 2705.

 

[turbobrick]

If anyone buys one of the barreled actions and needs/wants a plain Howa stock, I still have the one that my original came in sitting around taking up space. It’s on the heavy side but in good shape and cheap.

 

[Marshfly]

For those that have fitted Stocky's stocks to the shorter version, which barrel contour stock did you get?

Does the sporter version have enough room or should I just go with the varmint one?

 

[waspocrew]

I already have a 6 ARC gasser, but the price on a Howa is definitely tempting...

 

[turbobrick]

For those that have fitted Stocky's stocks to the shorter version, which barrel contour stock did you get?

Does the shorter version have enough room or should I just go with the varmint one?

My original Mini was the 20" heavy barrel and needed the Stockys Varmint/Tactical channel. I had to open it up a good amount beyond varmint/tactical later on to fit the new Carbon6 barrel.

 

[Sundodger]

If Howa offered this mini action in stainless steel I would probably do a similar build, so odd they don't...

I need a cheek riser, does anyone make an ultralight carbon fiber stocks that have a cheek riser?

 

[PistolPete]

If Howa offered this mini action in stainless steel I would probably do a similar build, so odd they don't...

I need a cheek riser, does anyone make an ultralight carbon fiber stocks that have a cheek riser?

Amen! I'd buy one each in 6 ARC and 223 if they came in stainless.

 

[ThatDUDE]

If Howa offered this mini action in stainless steel I would probably do a similar build, so odd they don't...

I need a cheek riser, does anyone make an ultralight carbon fiber stocks that have a cheek riser?

They have started offering the 6.5 Grendel and 7.62x39 in Stainless Steel. Brownell's sells them.

 

[Te Hopo]

You all need to work on Legacy to get them to offer the stainless options as they already make them for smaller markets like here in NZ where they're popular but all up they've probably only sold a few thousand here.

 

[GearForce1]

Love the Tiger Stripe-esque camo! Looks awesome

 

[mahonsr]

You all need to work on Legacy to get them to offer the stainless options as they already make them for smaller markets like here in NZ where they're popular but all up they've probably only sold a few thousand here. View attachment 728456

I called them up a couple months ago on the 6arc and they said there were no plans to bring it in - but that might have just been the “company line” or available info at the time. Makes no sense to me as stainless is the predominant choice in the US. So far I’m really enjoying mine - sure wish it was stainless though

 

[jpk724]

Saw a few comments regarding barreled action weights. I got this info directly from Brownells so I figured I’d share for future reference:

“Here are the weights on those 2 Howa actions:

M1500 Mini 6mm ARC BL STD 22" T/C 1/2X28 3PS

Brownells #430102217

Weights 3.85lbs.

M1500 Mini 6mm ARC BL HB 20" T/C 5/8x24 3PS

Brownells #430102218

Weights 4.3lbs.

Thanks for contacting Brownells.”

Hope this helps!

 

[mustelid_master]

Anyone running a mini action with a Maven RS1.2? Any issues with both throw interference? A 1200 dollar scope is kind antithetical to a build like this, but it is tempting.

 

[The Guide]

For folks shooting the factory 103 Precision Hunter in their ultralight Howa builds, check the velocity on your new lots of ammo. I bought 2 boxes of ammo when I built the gun and it shot well so when I found it on sale at Brownells for $26 a box, I bought a case of it. The old lot shot at 2724 fps with an 11 SD from my 22" barrel and the new lot is 2614 fps with an 8 SD. Consistent ammo but much slower than the first lot I got. Still at 1800 fps at 510 yards whereas the old lot was 1800 fps to 570 yards. I'll run through these loads while proofing out this shooting system and then load my own. I think 2800 fps is very obtainable from my 22" barrel pretty easily which will get me 1800 fps to 650 yards which is plenty for this package.

Jay