6x45

[The Guide]

For anyone else looking for a cheap point of entry on an action that suits the 6x45 well:

HOWA MINI ACT 350 LEG 16.25' HVY TB

<p>Howa Mini Action, Bolt Action Rifle, 350 Legend, 16.25' Heavy Threaded Barrel, Black Polymer Stock, Right Hand, 3 Round Mag, Manual Safety HMA350B</p>

dahlonegaarmory.com

I needed this like I need another hole in my head, but couldn’t pass up that price. 100 bucks cheaper than the cheapest barreled action at Brownells.

Figure I can get a few bucks for the stock and barrel.

As much as I want to jump on that train with you, I'm going wait on the portless 6x45 barrels. Can't wait to see your build.

Jay

 

[Megastink]

Despite the Amazing accuracy, I'm considering rebarreling my 6x45. I'm sticking with the cartridge, but I want to take the rifle hunting and its about 10lbs. that just heavy enough to be a PITA carrying around the PA woods. I'm thinking of a 16.5" carbon or a simple sporter barrel. I bought a 26" Shaw, had it cut down to 20", but its a bull contour, so still very heavy. I thought about maybe cutting the barrel further, but I dont know that I'd get the weight savings I'm looking for. Just about zero recoil from the bench. Hell, maybe I'll just build another!

 

[longrangelead]

The way we did the stub didnt work.

My idea was to take an AR 6x45 barrel, spin off the extension, and bore/thread the handi .223 barrel stub to accept it. Leave extractor and breech of barrel intact, and just have an internal shoulder the AR barrel lands on.

The point of that was to make it simple, easy, and fast. The barrel already exists, just need to bore and thread the stub. Then set internal shoulder back until it headspaces.


First miss was head spacing - this one could be overcome by using once fired brass from my other .223’s and then setting up sizing die to accommodate a slightly longer wildcat 6x45. Not even a problem - more case capacity!

The bigger issue was the “split” in the chamber where the barrel met the shoulder of the stub. I’m sure there’s a way to execute this joint where the gap is imperceptible and perfect. But in our case, the first round fired in the gun shoved brass into that gap and locked the case in the chamber.

It took pulling it apart to see what the issue was.

So we’re going to do a normal stub job and run the barrel all the way through the stub and cut an extractor groove. It was a cool idea, but trying to make it easy made twice the work…

I've seen a tapered joint work for that. If you angle the joint so it tightens like a hydraulic fitting and then chamber it, you won't have that issue.
you might be able to save what you have if you have enough metal to work with, then ream the chamber forward.

 

[KyleR1985]

Thread 'ULUL Stainless/Portless 6x45 16" AR15 Barrel Group Buy NOW CLOSED'

May 28, 2025

***UPDATE: THIS GROUP BUY IS NOW CLOSED***

With blessing from @hereinaz who had this idea, I'm going to move forward with a group buy for the above barrel. Dimensions will be similar to the Shaw but ~0.020" larger to account for the 6mm barrel, 16.5", 1:8 twist. This will be to fit bolt action AR15 "ultralight ultralight" rifles described in other threads.

I'm not interested in making money, or risking money, so I'll need to collect it beforehand. I'm also not interested in much tweaking of this design, since this is what I want, ha. If you have any suggestions I'll listen, of...

• PistolPete
• Replies: 80
• Forum: Firearms

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[ezwy]

Got a rock chuck this morning with the 6x45 at 288 yards. 87 v max. Accuracy isn’t quite where I want it, so I’m going to mess with seating depth but I think I’ll have to back off the velocity to get my groups to tighten up. Using CFE 223.

 

[Taudisio]

Got a rock chuck this morning with the 6x45 at 288 yards. 87 v max. Accuracy isn’t quite where I want it, so I’m going to mess with seating depth but I think I’ll have to back off the velocity to get my groups to tighten up. Using CFE 223. View attachment 886957

Show me your chuck and I’ll show you my squirrels.
Seriously though, curious what damage the 87 did to flesh at that yardage/velocity. My squirrel photos “are not suitable for children”

 

[ezwy]

Show me your chuck and I’ll show you my squirrels.
Seriously though, curious what damage the 87 did to flesh at that yardage/velocity. My squirrel photos “are not suitable for children”

I’m ashamed to say I didn’t hike up there to get a close look. but with a suppressed 6x45 I did see impact through the scope.
I’ll go shoot another one to get some gory pictures. It made the wet blanket sound so probably laid him open pretty good.

 

[Harronek]

Here's my Tikka 6x45
I am going on a Chital Deer hunt next week here in Queensland Australia and will be taking the 6x45 as a second backup Rifle .My main Chital gun I will be using is a 6.5 CM , not because the 6x45 is inadiquate , but because the 6.5 CM weighs a lot less and I will be doing a lot of walking .

 

[longrangelead]

Here's my Tikka 6x45
I am going on a Chital Deer hunt next week here in Queensland Australia and will be taking the 6x45 as a second backup Rifle .My main Chital gun I will be using is a 6.5 CM , not because the 6x45 is inadiquate , but because the 6.5 CM weighs a lot less and I will be doing a lot of walking .

if you end up using it, share some pics if you have time.
Happy hunting!

 

[Jimbee]

Mcgowan has 20% off barrels. I have a 22" 6x45 #7 coming.

 

[KyleR1985]

Mcgowan has 20% off barrels. I have a 22" 6x45 #7 coming.

What rifle?

 

[Jimbee]

What rifle?

I'm buying a tikka prefit

 

[30338]

Just got out to test some loads for the 87 vmax in my 18" barreled 6/45 today. I used TAC and at 25.0 grains I was getting 2,740 fps. Have not hit pressure signs yet.

So far it shoots 95 vld berger, 95 classic berger, 90 grain eld, 87 vmax and 75 vmax exceptionally well. Going to pursue the 87 vmax for a while due to the recommendations on this thread. Pretty sure 87 and above bullet weights will work on larger game.

Good thread, have enjoyed reading back through it all. I opened up magazines to allow for 2.56 or so OAL lengths for the VLD. Looking back, it would be easiest to focus on 95 Classic, 90 eld and 87 vmax at shorter lengths. Really like the cartridge so far but need to use it on something soon lol.

 

[Jimbee]

Any insight on freebore? I have a Waters Rifleman 2.6" 223 mag. Will the magazine, or freebore likely limit my cartridge length? I'm not set on a specific bullet yet. This will probably just be a range toy but it might get used on some whitetail deer. (As posted above, I have a PBB Tikka prefit barrel ordered) TIA

 

[KyleR1985]

Any insight on freebore? I have a Waters Rifleman 2.6" 223 mag. Will the magazine, or freebore likely limit my cartridge length? I'm not set on a specific bullet yet. This will probably just be a range toy but it might get used on some whitetail deer. (As posted above, I have a PBB Tikka prefit barrel ordered) TIA

Saami spec Youll hit lands around 2.45” with the vmax.

@83cj-7 has experience with running extra freebore to load a little longer and get a little extra sauce. I thought he said loading over 2.5” if I recall correctly.

95tmk was about 2.56” to the lands on same barrel. It’s .6” tip to Ogive.

 

[83cj-7]

Whenever I’m building a new 6x45 I just make a dummy round that is maximum magazine length and ask my gunsmith to make it touch the lands.
The last one I had chambered was from PBB and I emailed them and asked if they could do the same. The had me send in a dummy round with my order number. It turned out perfect and shoots amazing.

 

[Taudisio]

Whenever I’m building a new 6x45 I just make a dummy round that is maximum magazine length and ask my gunsmith to make it touch the lands.
The last one I had chambered was from PBB and I emailed them and asked if they could do the same. The had me send in a dummy round with my order number. It turned out perfect and shoots amazing.

Can you refresh my memory on which bullet you prefer, and which ones you have tried? I feel like I recall you liking the 87gr vmax and the 85gr sierra hpbt. I have shot hundreds of the vmax, and used them to finish 3 bucks last year. I have a box of the hpbt and may try them out on some squirrels soon to see what they do to flesh.

 

[The Guide]

Can you refresh my memory on which bullet you prefer, and which ones you have tried? I feel like I recall you liking the 87gr vmax and the 85gr sierra hpbt. I have shot hundreds of the vmax, and used them to finish 3 bucks last year. I have a box of the hpbt and may try them out on some squirrels soon to see what they do to flesh.

The Sierra Gameking 6mm 85 grain HPBT are great on game. My wife has killed several deer and antelope with her 243 from 75 to 300 yards. I would call their wounds similar to Bergers/ELDM/TMK in my opinion.

Jay

 

[Taudisio]

The Sierra Gameking 6mm 85 grain HPBT are great on game. My wife has killed several deer and antelope with her 243 from 75 to 300 yards. I would call their wounds similar to Bergers/ELDM/TMK in my opinion.

Jay

Do you know what MV? I will crunch the numbers, I’m sure my MV will be around or slower than your 243 at 300.

 

[The Guide]

Do you know what MV? I will crunch the numbers, I’m sure my MV will be around or slower than your 243 at 300.

HSM factory ammo with box speed of 3000 fps. Never cronoed it as it is a point and shoot rifle.

Jay