6x45

[Moose83]

That's about it, after the initial bore cleaning to a sterile condition I never touch the cleaning rod again. Though I may clean a chamber if it really needs it.
Moly is a lubricant and you will see a pressure / velocity drop, so you will add powder till you reach your operating velocity window. I don't Hot Rod my stuff anymore I loaded a half a grain over the load I settled on and didn't see any pressure or velocity issues, shut her down and went into mass production mode...

Would you say that Moly reduces the initial pressure spike caused by your loads being right at the lands? If you had to run naked bullets would you back them off the lands some and drop a couple of grains and start there? Also.. have you ever tried leverevolution in this cartridge? Sorry for all the questions .... I'm learning new stuff here. Thanks!

 

[ridgeline]

Would you say that Moly reduces the initial pressure spike caused by your loads being right at the lands? If you had to run naked bullets would you back them off the lands some and drop a couple of grains and start there? Also.. have you ever tried leverevolution in this cartridge? Sorry for all the questions .... I'm learning new stuff here. Thanks!

Ok. With reloading, never come out swinging for the fence on the first pitch ... grin. I always start in the Lands as that is where I want to stay, "providing the bullet of intent will fit mag box latitude" there is no pressure "spike" because I made sure to start with a modest charge weight regardless whether it be a naked bullet or Moly slicked and creep charge weight along in accords !

Now. Laying down Moly, depending on the barrels bore condition it may take six or more rounds to slick up and stabilize. If shooting at paper and in conjunction with a chrono you will know it has because velocity becomes way consistent and groups will tighten up dramatically, from there it's work up to a velocity number that lines up with your barrel length. IE: Too high of a velocity is high pressure and low velocity is low pressure.

Also, all my virgin brass is positive head spaced with a false shoulder to my chamber ( I do NOT want brass rattling in my chamber) so I never get a false read on "traditional" pressure signs at the case head., along with a host of benefits for your brass and precision. In conjunction with a powder that grants a high load density schit will shoot into knots. I've shot a LOT so I tend to circumvent some of the procedure above and cut to the chase, that meaning no chrono or shooting at paper in those initial stages of the load. Think Bangity bang bang bang. grin.

I do have Lever' and it will work like a charm, but I have it slated for a 6ARC I'm waiting on.

 

[ridgeline]

Should add pics! though not 6x45 obviously. This is my 264 Creed'. Strip the bolt striker assembly "for a more deft feel" and sharpie mark a bullet...



Again not 6x45 ! Sizing a piece of Sako 30-06 brass down, leaving a false shoulder for crush fit in my 280 Ackley chamber "NO rattle rattle". grin.

 

[ridgeline]

Now both in conjunction. A bullet kissing lands and a shoulder kissing a chamber.

 

[Moose83]

Ok. With reloading, never come out swinging for the fence on the first pitch ... grin. I always start in the Lands as that is where I want to stay, "providing the bullet of intent will fit mag box latitude" there is no pressure "spike" because I made sure to start with a modest charge weight regardless whether it be a naked bullet or Moly slicked and creep charge weight along in accords !

Now. Laying down Moly, depending on the barrels bore condition it may take six or more rounds to slick up and stabilize. If shooting at paper and in conjunction with a chrono you will know it has because velocity becomes way consistent and groups will tighten up dramatically, from there it's work up to a velocity number that lines up with your barrel length. IE: Too high of a velocity is high pressure and low velocity is low pressure.

Also, all my virgin brass is positive head spaced with a false shoulder to my chamber ( I do NOT want brass rattling in my chamber) so I never get a false read on "traditional" pressure signs at the case head., along with a host of benefits for your brass and precision. In conjunction with a powder that grants a high load density schit will shoot into knots. I've shot a LOT so I tend to circumvent some of the procedure above and cut to the chase, that meaning no chrono or shooting at paper in those initial stages of the load. Think Bangity bang bang bang. grin.

I do have Lever' and it will work like a charm, but I have it slated for a 6ARC I'm waiting on.

Cool.. this all makes a lot of sense. Do you False shoulder all your virgin brass? Or is this only for wildcats and non factory chambers?

 

[83cj-7]

Loved mine for my little sister for a 300 yard deer and antelope rifle. The 87gr VMax at 2775 was an absolute pole axe. That gun taught me how little energy matters. It was a 20 inch benchmark barrel on a tikka t3x and was by far the most accurate rifle I’ve ever shot. 10 shot groups were consistently under or at an inch.

I will second this! The 6x45 and the 87 Vmax taught me a lot about what it truly takes to achieve lethality on a deer. I’ve built so many 6x45s on so many platforms and I’ve not been disappointed in a single one. I currently have a 6x45ai (6 TCU) and a plain jane 6x45. My go to bullet is always the 87 V-max but I am also fond of the Nosler 70 grain BTV. Both are absolute deer hammers.

Both of these were shot with a Fixed 6x on my Kimber Montana with two different powders.

 

[Timberline001]

I will second this! The 6x45 and the 87 Vmax taught me a lot about what it truly takes to achieve lethality on a deer. I’ve built so many 6x45s on so many platforms and I’ve not been disappointed in a single one. I currently have a 6x45ai (6 TCU) and a plain jane 6x45. My go to bullet is always the 87 V-max but I am also fond of the Nosler 70 grain BTV. Both are absolute deer hammers.

Both of these were shot with a Fixed 6x on my Kimber Montana with two different powders.

View attachment 702031
View attachment 702033

You’re the one that put me onto the 87s and you weren’t kidding. They flat out kill.

 

[83cj-7]

Right on!

 

[ridgeline]

Cool.. this all makes a lot of sense. Do you False shoulder all your virgin brass? Or is this only for wildcats and non factory chambers?

First thing to do with ANY chamber and given lot of brass is to establish where you are at with head space control. That will determine your next move, with the bolt stripped down it is very easy to FEEL whether the brass has resistance against the bolt face or not. If it does that's good. If it don't, you can neck it up then size back down to a crush fit. Often times I will start with the parent case of a larger bore diameter, example in the previous pic 30-06 to 280 or 308 to 7-08, 260, ,243 etc etc.

An analogy would be similar to an engine not liking it's pistons and rings rattling in the bore as they are both pressure vessels wanting to achieve combustion efficiently.

 

[robtattoo]

Man, I wish I could find a decent, lightweight 6x45 AR barrel. It seems like they just don't exist anymore & I can't warrant spending custom money.

 

[30338]

After I built mine, I went on a blackpowder and archery spree. The 87 vmax is interesting to me. I love bullet performance at modest impact performance have always have routinely boring performance from all makes of Berger vld. But I bet that 87 would do well. It may be a bit softer than my current choices. I need to grab some rifle tags again soon.

 

[Rainierrifleco]

Something to think about the old 6x45 is still a fantastic chambering
You can build any twist you like for your bullet needs
It sure appeals to me for a coyote calling rd you can get the brass for free and you don’t feel too bad about loosing a few in the snow
6 mm arc however I doubt brass will ever be so plentiful it’s free for the picking. It new and may die off
And brass may become scarce as hens teeth like 17 hornet and some others you just can’t trust the mfg these days to support there offerings

 

[Taudisio]

I have been playing with mine for a few months now. I absolutely love it. Shooting 87gr vmax at 2750 from a 16” barrel with x-terminator powder. Brass is cheap. One pass over an expander mandrel. Small rifle primers are plentiful right now. Bullets are cheap. About 270 shots per pound of powder. I’ve shot mine out to 675 yards so far. I wish the chamber/barrels were still as plentiful as they used to be.

 

[Megastink]

You’re the one that put me onto the 87s and you weren’t kidding. They flat out kill.

How does the 87gr VMax perform on Deer out of the 6x45? I'm shopping bullet choices for my virgin 6x45.

 

[83cj-7]

The best deer bullet I have ever tried in the 6x45, period!

 

[Taudisio]

How does the 87gr VMax perform on Deer out of the 6x45? I'm shopping bullet choices for my virgin 6x45.

Sample size of one for my 16” suppressed. Photo is of the hide cut off. Entered the back of the neck, shattered spine, exit on the throat a little bigger than a golf ball. No bullet fragments found. Looking to get a second data point this weekend.

 

[Megastink]

View attachment 780876
Sample size of one for my 16” suppressed. Photo is of the hide cut off. Entered the back of the neck, shattered spine, exit on the throat a little bigger than a golf ball. No bullet fragments found. Looking to get a second data point this weekend.

Dang! Let me know if you find that data point!

 

[Moose83]

Anybody tried the 95 tmk or 90 eldx on game yet?

 

[Taudisio]

Dang! Let me know if you find that data point!

I forgot about this thread!

Had a junior hunter use my 6x45 to finish off his buck. 20 yards back of the neck, same as above. Bang flop, 87gr vmax exited the throat again.

I got a nice buck closer to the end of the season at 60ish yards. Shot number one hit rear ribs and he dropped. Farther back than I would prefer, but he was partially blocked by a tree limb and we made eye contact when I lifted the rifle. I picked up my brass and was walking up to him. He got up and was wobbling over the hill and I put another one in him. Through the paunch and it exited. He went about 40 yards off the hill and crashed. I shot him in the brisket when he was down. Too big of a deer to risk not getting another round into.
Was it necessary? I don’t think so. Was the second shot even necessary? It was in the moment, looking back, probably not.
What was left of the onside lung was about the size of a baseball. The liver came out in 3 little chunks. Guts came out in “globs”.

I need another data point, preferably one straight into the lungs and or heart only and not angled.

First entrance in the back of the ribs. Second shot exit above that in the paunch. 3rd entrance into the sternum. The other side was clean except the entrance for the second (paunch) shot.

 

[Taudisio]

Anybody tried the 95 tmk or 90 eldx on game yet?

I got the 95 TMK up to 2664fps when pressure testing with my 16” barrel and using H335. Above a max load, but still No pressure signs observed. I don’t have enough left to properly accuracy test and I don’t have any more big game tags for this year.