6 or 22 ARC - Now turned to 6x6.8 SPC Thread

Also components was EXTREMELY hard to get when I started so that's another reason I didn't experiment much. I have about 30lbs of 8208 so I'm in good shape currently!

GL Shooter (Greg) from here has done some pretty extensive testing with this caliber, great guy and helped me start down this road, maybe he will chime in.
 
Can't go wrong with a Shilen 6DTI 20"-24" light contour.
 

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Kino M said:
Sorry brother, my TO barrels have ZERO freebore, I'm stuck running 70s.

I know when the 6x6.8 first started gaining traction that BHW was in with Ritch, they had a falling out and BHW did use a couple different reamers. Ritch specs out a reamer and farms out the actual work, he doesn't make anything. Tactical Ordinance now makes "his" stuff which is what I have and honestly the chamber sucks ass compared to the Xcaliber chamber.

No way of knowing what yours actually is without measuring. When I started down this ride I started with 8208XBR and I have had zero reason to change. That powder has worked great in several of my buddies 6x6.8 Xcaliber barrels so none of us has strayed. That said, just looking at burn rate charts there are several other powders like 322 and Benchmark that definitely would work. Just be cautious and choose a TEMP STABLE powder to play with. Some guys had had good accuracy with 223CFE but it's one of the worst powders for temp changes (same as Lever Revolution).
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No worries. I was trying to get as much info as I can. This is not my first Wildcat. I don't have 8208XBR, but do have all kinds of other powders, etc. in a similar burn rate.

I am going to cast the chamber and use that information.

I appreciate the honest and quick response.
 
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TXCOONDOG said:
No worries. I was trying to get as much info as I can. This is not my first Wildcat. I don't have 8208XBR, but do have all kinds of other powders, etc. in a similar burn rate.

I am going to cast the chamber and use that information.

I appreciate the honest and quick response.
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I have an extra OAL case if you need one, holler.
 
You will need to load 58 vmax at 2.222 coal to stay out of the lands.
You can load the nosler bt's all the way out to max steel mag length. I shoot 70 BT's at 2.295 give or take .005" with 29.7 AR comp. We've had several that shot this load well. 30 grains is falling out of the case when you are putting a bullet on the case to seat but is as accurate. However it will take out primer pockets in a couple firing at least in Hornady brass. 29.7 AR comp is 3265 out of my 22" 10 twist. I didn't have much luck getting anything else to shoot but that 70 load is a coyote hammer.
 
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varminter .223 said:
You will need to load 58 vmax at 2.222 coal to stay out of the lands.
You can load the nosler bt's all the way out to max steel mag length. I shoot 70 BT's at 2.295 give or take .005" with 29.7 AR comp. We've had several that shot this load well. 30 grains is falling out of the case when you are putting a bullet on the case to seat but is as accurate. However it will take out primer pockets in a couple firing at least in Hornady brass. 29.7 AR comp is 3265 out of my 22" 10 twist. I didn't have much luck getting anything else to shoot but that 70 load is a coyote hammer.
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So the 58s was even less than that for me, something like 2.1 is.

I'm running Starline brass because it's decent and readily available. It has a tiny but more capacity and it's small primer pocket.
 
Kino M said:
So the 58s was even less than that for me, something like 2.1 is.

I'm running Starline brass because it's decent and readily available. It has a tiny but more capacity and it's small primer pocket.
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Are you using the 6.8 SPC brass or annealing and forming from the basic 6.8 case?
 
IMO, you were on the right path to begin with. The 6ARC is awesome, in my experience. I haven't shot a coyote with mine yet, but I shot 3 whitetail bucks with it. I was using Hornady ELD-X 103 ammo. The farthest one was 224 laser-ranged yards. Another at 170yds and one at 100. 2 dropped where they stood and the 3rd fell, then got back up and ran about 30yds and collapsed. I handload for 21 calibers, but haven't found the need to load for this one yet.
 
It doesn't sound like components are gonna be any easier to get in the foreseeable future. I would want a cartridge based on components I could hord up right now.
 
1stpitch said:
I handload for 21 calibers, but haven't found the need to load for this one yet.
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If you ever want to shoot a lighter bullet like the 65gr vmax you probably will have to. I'm happy with the 65s grouping so far. Haven't had the chance to hunt with them yet.
 
wolverines said:
If you ever want to shoot a lighter bullet like the 65gr vmax you probably will have to.
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That's true. My 243s and my 6Creedmoor shoot 70gr NBTs very well, so I may end up trying some of those eventually. But this gun is a little too heavy for a calling rifle, so I may not ever get around to trying them.
 
varminter .223 said:
You will need to load 58 vmax at 2.222 coal to stay out of the lands.
You can load the nosler bt's all the way out to max steel mag length. I shoot 70 BT's at 2.295 give or take .005" with 29.7 AR comp. We've had several that shot this load well. 30 grains is falling out of the case when you are putting a bullet on the case to seat but is as accurate. However it will take out primer pockets in a couple firing at least in Hornady brass. 29.7 AR comp is 3265 out of my 22" 10 twist. I didn't have much luck getting anything else to shoot but that 70 load is a coyote hammer.
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Thanks for the response.

I did some case comparisons (water weight in grains) and decided to start a grain below (just to be safe) the top 6 PPC load data and slowly working my way up until I get to 3400-3500 and/or see some type of pressure signs (primer flatting/cratering, swipes, burrs, etc.) with the 58 V-Max, H322 and BR4 primers. The bullet touches the lands @ 2.245" so will start with a 2.230" C.O.L.

All brass has been trimmed to 1.680" + or - .001".
 
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One small suggestion, run 450s instead of BR4s. They are cheaper and much easier to find right now in these crazy times and some people claim they are the same primer.

I don't know if there really is a difference between BR4s and 450s but I run 450s in everything, including my precision bolt guns and they produce outstanding results.
 
I don't have any 450's, (or 41, 7 1/2. etc.) and can't find any locally. I have lots of BR4's so that's what I'm going to use. If that doesn't work, then I'll try the 205's since I have those too.


Once I find a powder I need, I'll order that and 450's ,41's and 7 1/2" too (bulk)

Disregard: Powder Valley is running a promotion today for free hazmat with orders over $99 so I ordered enough primers to last me for a long, long, long time.


Kino,

You are costing me allot of $$$$$$$ so I need to find the block button.....LMAO

All teasing aside, I know you mean well and your feedback is appreciated.
 
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TXCOONDOG said:
I don't have any 450's, (or 41, 7 1/2. etc.) and can't find any locally. I have lots of BR4's so that's what I'm going to use. If that doesn't work, then I'll try the 205's since I have those too.


Once I find a powder I need, I'll order that and 450's ,41's and 7 1/2" too (bulk)

Disregard: Powder Valley is running a promotion today for free hazmat with orders over $99 so I ordered enough primers to last me for a long, long, long time.


Kino,

You are costing me allot of $$$$$$$ so I need to find the block button.....LMAO

All teasing aside, I know you mean well and your feedback is appreciated.
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HAHA! Your not alone, I can't tell you the amount of people that's walked in my shop recently and seen my V4 Autotrickler or Giruad trimmer run and ordered immediately!!!
 
Believe me, I know how you guys feel, Kino "coached" me to spend almost 4 grand from Nov. 22 to April 23 on a Thermion and an Icotec. BUT, money well spent. Maybe we should nickname him "The Influencer"-tehee.
 
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