anybody Jump on the 6 X 68 upper yet.

Originally Posted By: newmexicokidI have talked to Mike before about the 6DTI and it is impressive but my problem with it is the barrel length required for it to perform at its best. He told me the ideal barrel length is 22". That is too long for me around here. I am shooting a 6.8spc right now with an 18" barrel and that is as long as I want to go. I have talked about it before here but where I hunt here in NM most shots are under 250-300 yards and really 90% are under 100 so there is really no need to have a long gun. So my question here is about the barrel length required for the 243lbc and the 6x68 to work best. I am pushing 90gr TNT to almost 3000fps right now with my 6.8. Is there any advantage with these other rounds over what I have now? I would prefer to shoot something much lighter. I used to shoot 55gr ballistic tips with my 243 over 4000fps. Can you approach that with any of these wildcats? I need a good balance of barrel length, velocity, and bullet weight.

Hi, broken record here chiming in again.
As a comparison to your 6.8SPC/90 gr. TNT @ 3K, my .25DTI will push a 90gr Sierra @ 2980 from that same 18" of barrel.

Essentially, as you go UP in bore size when using the same parent case, you can get away with LESS barrel length. This is due to a more efficient use of the powder capacity of that particular parent cartridge. Powder charger being equal, a bigger bore = less barrel needed to burn it fully.

True, the various 6mm based 6.8SPC wildcats want a 22" barrel to shine, especially the DTI since it hold more powder than the 6-6.8 or 6 WOA. Consider that a 6mm wildcat can throw a 75grainer ~3200fps with a 22" tube. Using the same parent case (same capacity), the larger bored .25 DTI wildcat can launch a .257 cailber 75 grainer @ ~3200 fps with only an 18" tube!

True, opting for the 6mm variety will offer a slighly higher b.c. Some might argue that increased b.c. is always an advantage! But in the real world, the increased b.c. of a .243cal 75Grainer over a .257cal 75grainer only translates into 0.4" less drop & 1.2" more drift @ 300yds with a 200yd hunting zero. That said, on a general hunting rig shooting from improvised field positions, I'll happliy opt for carrying & swinging 4" less barrel length and suffer the negligible 1/2" drop/ 1" drift disadvantage @ 300yds.

Again, bigger bore = less barrel needed! That's why the 6.8SPC works great with even a 16" tube...
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If most of your shots are close, it only makes sense (to me) to go with a the ease of toting a shorter barreled rig in the field. I've had/have ARs from 16" HBars, to 24" fluted bulls and the 18"er is the bees knees for me. Lighter, easier to carry, yets still holds & points steady. And the larger bore size (comparatively) will issue more "smackdown" on your intended quarry, which is never a bad thing...
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As for comparing ANY 6mm based 6.8SPC wildcat to a .243Win, there IS no comparison. Anyone reporting different is blowing smoke rings. Rightly so, ~36gr vs. ~54gr powder capacity is not a fair fight! The undeniable advantage of the .243Win might be lessened if you hamstring is with a ridiculously short barrel, but the .243 is still in a higer trophic level of horsepower. If you want that type of speed from an AR, you need an AR-10 in .243WIN, or an AR-15 in .243WSSM, since fps doesn't come for free
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And again, you'll need some barrel length to realize that potential...

Different strokes for different folks, just tossing some arbitrary numbers around to ponder!!!

Good luck with your decision & have fun deciding
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Originally Posted By: BurkyI have a grendel but not a 6.8, and looking for the long distance hunting gun. 6.8 offers more, but are looking at 6dti or 6x68.

If you have a 6.5G/.264lbc, you're not going to find a better LD hunting round for an AR15. The 6.8 isn't it, neither are any of the 6.8 wildcats. To get better you'll have to go up to a 10 or a bolt.
 
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I guess that depends on what to you mean by "better" and what is considered "LD". But even if I wanted an "LD" (past 600yd) reliable coyote rifle, it darn sure wouldn't be a 6.5G with its rainbow trajectory. Heck, you need a 24" tube just to reach 2600fps with a 123gr "LD" bullet...

Given that the vast majority of called coyotes are shot within 300yds, and more like 200yds, there are plenty of "better" (IE flatter shooting, hard hitting) choices than a 6.5G lobbing ~120grs, considering they'd net you about 10" of drop @ 300 with a 200yd zero.

Not my idea of a "better" coyote cartridge at all for 95% of the shots that are encountered on stand.

To each, his own...

 
Originally Posted By: venaticI have worked up loads for 3 6mmDTi's and nary a hiccup. You just run the brass thru your 6mmDti die and load'em and go hunting. My current load is the 70gr Nosler BT at 3350fps. I hunted predators last year with 55gr Nosler using a fireform load of AA2015 that was pushing them 3550-3600fps.

Here are a few critters that I and friends shot with mine.
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Shoots OK too.
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Thanks Venatic, for the load data. I shot this group this afternoon using the data posted. It looks like they are pretty close in preformance. This was shot out of a 22" Black Hole Weaponry 6X68. Group is 5 shots. Chronograph is a Pact at 10 feet.

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Originally Posted By: BOBTAILSIf my NF scope sells, I'm gonna order one of these. It looks great.

I think that the cartridge will serve you well. I cannot believe that it is so easy to make work.

Greg
 
I would mainly be interested in the light, fast, flat bullets. Does anyone have any ballistic information on 55-60gr bullets with an 18" barrel. What kind of velocities are they getting?
 
The first barrel tested was an 18" I was getting 3350 FPS from it with a 58 gr. Vmax using IMR 8208 powder. Accuracy was just like the rest, GREAT.
 
So I have a ton of 6.8 brass and Hornady dies. What else would I need to start with the 6x68? Where can I get full length dies? Also, if I have an upper that I like can I just get the barrel from this BHW group buy?
 
Originally Posted By: newmexicokidI would mainly be interested in the light, fast, flat bullets. Does anyone have any ballistic information on 55-60gr bullets with an 18" barrel. What kind of velocities are they getting?


The 58's are showing around 3350 + or - with an 18" tube. Accuracy has been stellar with them. Up to 3750 out of the 24" versions that have been shot.

Greg
 
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Originally Posted By: newmexicokidSo I have a ton of 6.8 brass and Hornady dies. What else would I need to start with the 6x68? Where can I get full length dies? Also, if I have an upper that I like can I just get the barrel from this BHW group buy?

A 6.8 Redding Type S FL Sizer bushing dies with an 287 and a 267 bushing. It will need a 223 decapping assembly swapped in. Total cost under $90.00 from Natchez or others like it. Pick up a Hornady 6 MM seater only for about $14.00 and you are GTG.

The barrels only should be available early next month. They wanted to finish of the group buy but I would hilt hem the first week in August. Ten days more or less. If you have 10 posts on the BHW Forum they will give you a 10% discount on your order.

Greg
 
I better sign up and get to posting. I saw the pricing for the uppers for the group buy but how much do you think the barrells only will be?
 
Originally Posted By: newmexicokidI better sign up and get to posting. I saw the pricing for the uppers for the group buy but how much do you think the barrells only will be?

Not certain but I would say in line with their 6.8's.

Greg

Greg
 
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I shot mine again in a match last weekend at 500 yards. My score was up a solid 5% over my previous attempts.

The conditions were good on the first two strings but the wind caused a full 3 MOA change in windage on the third one. 15" more windage is hard to believe but I wasn't the only one twiddling knobs!!

Greg
 
I have got a 6.8 yhm upperI am going to try first. I am wanting to stay with a 16 or 18in barrel This may be my best beat.
 
I was trying out the 87 VMAX earlier in the month and finally got around to looking over the days results. Too busy shooting matches and having fun I guess. RL15 was the days winner and the results on most days I have gone out give me a little more knowledge every trip. I want to work with this one a bit more in the future. I am not pushing hard to get these velocities from all indications and feel comfortable using the loads so far tried. With no published data the learning curve, for me, has been gentle and cautious.

I feel like the rifle/cartridge combo can produce all day long with a myriad of combinations to fit about any need short of the big big game in the US.

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Greg
 
I needed a Hornady type case gage so rather than use my good brass I picked up two R-P cases and shot them during an F-Class practice the other day.

The R-P cases are shown with my Silver State brass. The R-P was first firing while the SS was on #8 for the cases. LR primers were Federal and the SR's were R-P 7 1/2". Same load of CFE 223 under a 75 VMAX at 3330.

The R-P is about 2% less H2O volume less than the SS after the first firing so I figure the new stuff would be about 3% smaller. On the chronograph we have been seeing about 100 FPS more on the Remington vs the SS with the same loads so that seems to equate out about right withe the increased pressures etc.

I wouldn't go higher on the R-P case if this was my one foray into the reloading world with this one. The SR primers in the SS cases look mild compared to the bigger ones and I would continue up the charge weights on them.

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Greg
 
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