6mm ARC Velocities

[Tobe_B]

95gr tmk, 29.4gr CFE223, Hornady brass, CCI 41 primers, 14.5” barrel. I’m getting 2611fps at 38°. I haven’t gotten to shoot it for a few months now that it’s warmer. But hopefully soon I can see where it’s at with higher temps. Groups were about one MOA, good enough for me.

 

[ckt3]

Anyone running XBR in an 18-20” bolt gun?

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Definitely not getting that out of CFE223. What primer are you using? I’m using Hornady cases and CCI450s.

My best groups with 108 ELDMs are 28.5 CFE223 at 2433 fps, and 29.0 of CFE223 with the 95 TMKs at 2500ish. Not very exciting. However, they are tight groups.

I did have good luck with some 70 gr Nosler BTs humming around 2900. I ran out of those, so I ordered up some 80 ELD-VTs to try out. Maybe it likes the lighter bullets better?

I’m feeling this rifle will be pushed into a yote gun sitting on a tripods. Thats ok, as I don’t have a dedicated rifle for that purpose…

I'm using GM205MAR primers.

My first batch of reloads with this rifle was 89 degrees out and 28.8gr CFE223 gave me 2558 fps with the 108's and 29.5gr gavme me 2658 with the 95 TMK.

You said it was 50 degrees when you shot, I'm really curious to see if yours speeds up at all with higher temperatures. I should be shooting again on Tuesday, should be in the 90's, but I'll be shooting Lever and Staball Match, both gave me better groups than CFE and Lever was faster I believe. LVR and SBM both gave me groups with first 4 shots touching and 5th shot slightly off (I didn't know about empty mag shift). I'm going back with 10 rounds of each and will keep a dummy round under them to negate any empty mag issues.

 

[bnsafe]

ckt3, yes, 2630 out of my 20 inch with 107 gr tmk's. im traveling right now so my son in law did the work up and I dont know the load. I know he got to 2670 with no pressure but groups opened up a bit so we stopped.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

I'm using GM205MAR primers.

My first batch of reloads with this rifle was 89 degrees out and 28.8gr CFE223 gave me 2558 fps with the 108's and 29.5gr gavme me 2658 with the 95 TMK.

You said it was 50 degrees when you shot, I'm really curious to see if yours speeds up at all with higher temperatures. I should be shooting again on Tuesday, should be in the 90's, but I'll be shooting Lever and Staball Match, both gave me better groups than CFE and Lever was faster I believe. LVR and SBM both gave me groups with first 4 shots touching and 5th shot slightly off (I didn't know about empty mag shift). I'm going back with 10 rounds of each and will keep a dummy round under them to negate any empty mag issues.

I’ll be interested in your results. I have to go out of town for work for a week+. So it’ll be a bit before I can start testing again. But…maybe those eld-VTs will show up.

I don’t have either of the other powders…perhaps I’ll need to pony up and buy some other powders. I’ve always had good luck with BLC2. Maybe another I could try as i have a bunch on hand.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Is anybody loading the 107 TMK's in a gasser? I'm really curious about the velocity and load differences from the 95's.

 

[ckt3]

Any recommendations for a 6 ARC sizing die?

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Any recommendations for a 6 ARC sizing die?

Interested in responses as well. I'm using RCBS small base die because it seemed like a good idea for the gasser. I like it so far and seems to be putting out good ammo, but I'm new at this so FWIW. I also have a cheap Lee set for my wife's RAR but I've not used it yet.

 

[ckt3]

Yea I’ve only used a cheap RCBS set for a 6.5 Creed. Not sure what really differentiates that vs. a Hornady, Redding, etc for a standard die loading for bolt guns.

 

[WestTN2288]

Interested in responses as well. I'm using RCBS small base die because it seemed like a good idea for the gasser. I like it so far and seems to be putting out good ammo, but I'm new at this so FWIW. I also have a cheap Lee set for my wife's RAR but I've not used it yet.

I used the cheap Lee dies and they work great. I found a bunch of clamp rings used at a LGS for $3/dozen. I put those on my sizing die

 

[HairyScandinavian]

Yea I’ve only used a cheap RCBS set for a 6.5 Creed. Not sure what really differentiates that vs. a Hornady, Redding, etc for a standard die loading for bolt guns.

I like my RCBS dies for the CM, but I don't crimp them. I'm crimping the 6 ARC for the gas gun and I'm on the fence with it, thinking about using the Lee dedicated crimping die afterwards instead of the RCBS since I already own the Lee. So far crimping with the RCBS seems to be consistent though it just worries me doing it all in one motion.

 

[bruceleroy]

Im using Starline brass, CCI primers, CFE223 at 29.7 gr, and 108 ELD-M from a 16" and getting 2550 fps.

 

[Taudisio]

Resizing dies can vary a little. Your main goal is consistency. They all have their own pros/cons and quirks. For example, I do not like Hornady dies for their pull through stem design, but again, that is just a quirk I personally don't like. It doesn’t mean that it wouldn’t resize the brass consistently. I haven’t found one brand that has performed poorly. I’ve heard stories of some one off dies that haven’t been reamed correctly, but that seems to be very here or there. I’ve seen some videos of burrs inside dies and people cleaning them up. I generally lean towards whatever is easiest to come by and I’m not a brand loyalist. Redding/rcbs/forster are all the same in my experience.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

Any recommendations for a 6 ARC sizing die?

As of now, I use a Lee collet neck sizer and a Redding body die. Eventually, I’ll get a load I like and start mass producing on my Dillon 650. I’ll look at using Dillon dies for full length sizing.

 

[UnckleBob]

Any recommendations for a 6 ARC sizing die?

I have a set of Small Base Dies from RCBS I used to use with my gas gun. They worked fine for reliability which is what I wanted. I still have tge dies, but I only reload for my bolt gun now.

I use Hornady dies for my bolt gun. For sizing, it works well. I am not going for benchrest accuracy so no collets, mandrel, etc are used. I want good accuracy and reliability which I get from the Hornady dies.

 

[DeepMauka]

Anyone running XBR in an 18-20” bolt gun?

I was getting 2600ish with 108eldms. It was the most accurate powder for my gun and that bullet. At the time I was trying to maximize my range so I ended up shooting lever and 95tmks. I will revisit it in a couple months because I want to shoot the 108s on some deer next.

I also use Hornady dies and a 21st century mandrel and don’t see any need to change.

 

[ckt3]

I’m thinking of trying Sierra’s published load for 95 TMKs and XBR and hopefully get a bit over 2700 from an 18”

 

[bnsafe]

we got 2800 ish, cant remember exactly but know it was over 2800, with the 95s. they were not as accurate. I admit i went back an forth between 95s at 2800 vs 107s at 2630 but more accurate. my gun shot a legit 3/8th group with the 107s and shot 108 eldm factories at 2580 pretty much thru the same hole so i went with the 107s. right or wrong i dunno

 

[ckt3]

I'll be in the same boat and take whichever groups better between 107s and 95s, even if that means taking a velocity hit. I wont be shooting past 400 and likely not 300, so doesn't really matter.

 

[doverpack12]

I gained distance with the 95 due to speed increase over my 108 ELDM load and factory 108 ELDM.