6mm ARC Velocities

[The Guide]

I have a Howa Mini with a 22” sporter barrel shooting factory 108 ELD-M’s at 2620 fps.

Factory ammo, or handload?
If hand…. Powder? Charge weight?
Please & thanks

I just bought the same. Waiting on rings, etc. Trying to accumulate data at the moment.

@MEdude read the first sentence slowly and the answer will come to you.

Jay

 

[TNHighlands]

Building an 18" over the Christmas holidays.
Hoping to get 2550 to 2600 with 103's and 108's in factory as i don't reload. Gets me to 1800fps at 500 or so.

Some of these pictures make me wish I went ahead and bought the proof barrel.

Will post back once up and running.

 

[KyleR1985]

2540 average in 16” gas gun with factory 108’s for me.

 

[mahonsr]

22” Howa mini spotter barrel shooting Hornady factory 108 ELDMs - I have about 200ish rds through the barrel

 

[mahonsr]

Any recommendations on freebore for a new 6 arc barrel on a tikka? Will be shooting 108 ELDMs and reloading. Had a smith ask me today regarding that and I wasn’t sure what to ask for as I normally just make work whatever I have. I’ll be reloading and shooting 108 eldms

 

[khuber84]

Any recommendations on freebore for a new 6 arc barrel on a tikka? Will be shooting 108 ELDMs and reloading. Had a smith ask me today regarding that and I wasn’t sure what to ask for as I normally just make work whatever I have. I’ll be reloading and shooting 108 eldms

Considering a 6cm has 0.183 freebore and that's about perfect for the 108 eldm jumping 30-40k, that's where I'd put it. I always choose a long throat reamer if possible, bullets shoot well jumping a ways.

Edit, after seeing the 6cm has a 0.030 longer neck, I'd prob go even longer with the freebore. However you get out there too far, and you do start to limit some bullet options(the lighter ones anyway). Some will be jumping extreme distance. That usually doesn't bother me as I primarily shoot all heavy for caliber.

 

[Northpark]

I’m in on this thread. 6 ARC has become my new favorite cartridge. Currently I’m shooting two different loads. The factory 80gr ELDVT runs at 2830fps and my 105gr Berger HVLD hand loads are very accurate at 2635 FPS.y handloads are just using Hornady brass with CCI 400 small rifle primers, CFE223 and the 105 gr. Berger. I definitely want to start playing with handloading the 80gr ELDVT but just haven’t had the time.

This is out of a 20” barreled AR.

 

[General RE LEE]

Most accurate load out of my Howa 6 ARC is 26.5 grains Varget 108 ELDM, but velocities are low at 2575-2600.

I ditched that load and went up a grain to 27.5. Accuracy can be really good or not. It’s a finicky load.

Would yall be happy with a load in a bolt gun that is 0.5 MOA accurate but gas gun speeds?

 

[spj0487]

Greetings! First post after joining, I have a Howa mini action 20 inch carbon fiber barrel in a J-tac industries elf owl chassis. I was shooting factory Horty 108 ELDM’s and the velocities were a little disappointing. The 20 inch 6arc gas gun that I shoot gets around 2668 with the same ammo. I’ve picked up some varget and some leverrevolution and hope to get a higher velocity out of this gun. If anyone has any other suggestions, I’m open to it. Thanks!

 

[General RE LEE]

Greetings! First post after joining, I have a Howa mini action 20 inch carbon fiber barrel in a J-tac industries elf owl chassis. I was shooting factory Horty 108 ELDM’s and the velocities were a little disappointing. The 20 inch 6arc gas gun that I shoot gets around 2668 with the same ammo. I’ve picked up some varget and some leverrevolution and hope to get a higher velocity out of this gun. If anyone has any other suggestions, I’m open to it. Thanks!

Surprised you got slower velocities out of thee Howa Mini unless it is a brand new barrel. I don't do any velocity readings or load development until the barrel has 100-150 rounds on it.

 

[spj0487]

Surprised you got slower velocities out of thee Howa Mini unless it is a brand new barrel. I don't do any velocity readings or load development until the barrel has 100-150 rounds on it.

I maybe have 50 though it, I built it so my friends young kids could shoot their first deer "he shot it in the head" lol. Ive been hunting all season with my first deer rifle " 1965 Remington 700 .243" out of nostalgia, its been sitting in the safe for 15 years and needed to stretch it wings. Im planing on shooting this rifle more post season and working up some loads with it.

 

[General RE LEE]

I maybe have 50 though it, I built it so my friends young kids could shoot their first deer "he shot it in the head" lol. Ive been hunting all season with my first deer rifle " 1965 Remington 700 .243" out of nostalgia, its been sitting in the safe for 15 years and needed to stretch it wings. Im planing on shooting this rifle more post season and working up some loads with it.

Lever = highest velocity, good accuracy, potentially temp sensitive

Varget = slower velocity, good accuracy, low SDs/ESs and more temp stable

I have good loads with both Varget and Lever. I gain almost 200 FPS with Lever over Varget and will likely use the Lever load for hunting.

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

I average 2578 FPS from a 20 inch Faxon-barreled AR with factory 108 ELDM after 40 rounds.

 

[spj0487]

Lever = highest velocity, good accuracy, potentially temp sensitive

Varget = slower velocity, good accuracy, low SDs/ESs and more temp stable

I have good loads with both Varget and Lever. I gain almost 200 FPS with Lever over Varget and will likely use the Lever load for hunting.

Thats what ive been seeing in other load data, Ive had steel targets set up out to 1000 yards for years but im waning to set up more of a prs range at our place. trying to get some of the other guys out to shoot more.

 

[spj0487]

I average 2578 FPS from a 20 inch Faxon-barreled AR with factory 108 ELDM after 40 rounds.

I have a 20'' faxon in my ar build, and its always been around 2668, the dope holds true to that velocity, dropped a pig at 640 yards with it last season.

 

[KyleR1985]

Ideal COAL FOR 108eldm in 6ARC is about 2.375”. Maybe 2.380”. CBTO 1.827” ish.

Both of my 6ARC AR barrels are well short of this. Mostly, because the cartridge is built around AR mag length.

https://static.hornady.media/site/hornady/files/load-data/6mm-arc-bolt.pdf

If I were building a bolt gun around 6ARC, and I also was intending on shooting past 4-500 yards, I would be adding .04-.06 of free bore to my chamber.

You could easily fit the listed max load of Lever with the extra room in case. And I suspect squeak out more velocity before exceeding pressure rec's adding more.



If they show back up - the 95TMK hit 2690 in a 16" barrel at 29.8gr listed max load for gas guns. The published max for bolt guns shows about 200fps faster in QL - I would expect to easily exceed 2800fps in a 16" bolt gun barrel.

 

[spj0487]

I'd be happy with 2650fps, my 20'' 6.5 creed is 2700fps with 140 Berger Elite hunter with 43.6g of n555, its not to fast so you can trace the bullet down range. I will see what the velocity does after some more range time but for the type of shooting I do that is my bench mark.