Preferred bullet when reloading 6mm ARC & Why

[CZ527 Guy]

Must be a few guys out there reloading this 6mm Arc cartridge now. What bullets are you getting most favorable results with thus far? Why did you opt for the bullet, suppose task intent like target, coyote round or deer round for example. Do you intend trying other bullets for a specific task?

[SBRSarge]

Must be a few guys out there reloading this 6mm Arc cartridge now. What bullets are you getting most favorable results with thus far? Why did you opt for the bullet, suppose task intent like target, coyote round or deer round for example. Do you intend trying other bullets for a specific task?

Hey CZ Guy,

I’m not reloading so can’t help, but there is a FB group dedicated solely to 6MM ARC reloading.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/6mmARC.R...&ref=notif

Hope this helps you!
SBR

[41bear]

Must be a few guys out there reloading this 6mm Arc cartridge now. What bullets are you getting most favorable results with thus far? Why did you opt for the bullet, suppose task intent like target, coyote round or deer round for example. Do you intend trying other bullets for a specific task?

Hey CZ Guy,

I’m not reloading so can’t help, but there is a FB group dedicated solely to 6MM ARC reloading.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/6mmARC.R...&ref=notif

Hope this helps you!
SBR

Thanks for that Heads Up SBR I'm now waiting for their approval to join.

[trianglevelvet]

I just received some 110gr SMK's.
Its got a g1 BC of over .600.

[SvenGar58]

Must be a few guys out there reloading this 6mm Arc cartridge now. What bullets are you getting most favorable results with thus far? Why did you opt for the bullet, suppose task intent like target, coyote round or deer round for example. Do you intend trying other bullets for a specific task?

Hey CZ Guy,

I’m not reloading so can’t help, but there is a FB group dedicated solely to 6MM ARC reloading.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/6mmARC.R...&ref=notif

Hope this helps you!
SBR

I don't play in the FB sandbox, so was happy to see the thread here.  I've been busy building a pile of 1x brass from 108 gr ELD Match factory stuff (Ive acquired 200 rds).  Haven't started loading yet but have HDY 108 gr ELD M, 105 gr Barnes MB, Nosler 105 gr RDF, and 107 gr SMK bullets to work with when I start.  The factory ELD Match started out ok, but I shot five 5-shot groups at 100 yds this morning and was not impressed.  I think I'm just experiencing growing pains since I only have about 80 rounds down a new barrel.  Hoping things will improve with load development.  But please don't redirect all your good input to FB 'cause I won't see it.  I'll be posting my results here -- to the extent they are worthy of posting.

[grayfox]

Yeah, not a FB guy here either... stayed off of it in the past b/c of security reasons (job-related) but there's even less reason to be on it now IMO. Not to hijack anything just thought I'd throw this in.
Time spent on these forums (here and 65 Grendel-com) well worth it.

[alwie]

I have everything to reload (except bullets and powder) and now am researching bullets and powder for the 6 ARC.

Bullets considering:
- Hornday 87gr VMax for Varmint
- Hornady 108 gr ELD for deer and target
- Berger 105 gr VDL hunting for deer and target

Powders to try:
- Accurate 2495
- VV N540
- LeveRevlution
- AR Comp

[grayfox]

In general nowadays, your "favorite" bullet is what you have or what you can find...
Those are good ones, though, maybe also the 75Vmax if you have 'em.
Lever powder has been the go-to for mine, 90 gr and up.
105 Hdy bthp, 90 tgk, 95 Nosler's, 95 sst, 103 eldx.

[alwie]

In general nowadays, your "favorite" bullet is what you have or what you can find...
Those are good ones, though, maybe also the 75Vmax if you have 'em.
Lever powder has been the go-to for mine, 90 gr and up.
105 Hdy bthp, 90 tgk, 95 Nosler's, 95 sst, 103 eldx.

Maybe a bit off topic but bullet and powder go together in my mind.... There are multiple considerations for powder selection, repeatability(#1), clean burning and temperature sensitivity are in my mind important.  I have heard good things about LeveR. Does it burn cleanly? And is it temp sensitive?

[CZ527 Guy]

Still waiting on a Pacnor barrel for a CZ527 & expect this to be another 6 to 10 weeks.

Bullets I intend to give a go include the Hornady 100 gr SP boat tail for a cost effective deer bullet that will do well for targets & coyotes inside of 200 yards or perhaps a fair bit more.

Also looking at the 103 gr ELDX to see if it outperforms the above for the same purpose.

Then I have some Berger 108 GR Elite hunter comming that will likely shine a little more at long range.

Hornady 80 gr GMX looks to be a good option for deer in close & perhaps a better low recoil option for youth & or recoil shy individuals.

Last I wish to give the 65 gr V-max a try in this fast twist to see how well it may perform on paper and on Coyotes.

Time will tell which propellants ill come to rely on though I am expecting the following to do well.

propellants for heavy bullets.

- CFE 223
- Leverevolution

-Ramshot TAC will be a propellant ill trying 80 gr GMX.

Propellants for light bullets.
-Accurate 2200
-Benchmark
-Accurate 2230

[grayfox]

Akwie, there may be several opinions on powders, the factors you mention are important.
Due to the smaller case capacity and need for a slower burn (relatively speaking), the best performing ones (for heavier bullets) seem to be ball powders like Lever, CFE (altho I don't lean towards that one much) and AA2520,and PPV... these are not real temp- insensitive. On the lighter ones Varget, h4895 and at times the XBR work and are much less temp sensitive. But for the 90 gr+ you will be hard pressed to find a charge that meets all of your three top considerations.
CFE tends to be dirty, lever and 2520 somewhat... but better than the cfe imo.

[SvenGar58]

I was also going to add CFE to the list even though I've heard that it's dirty.  Actually, it's the only 6ARC appropriate powder I have on hand having scrounged it from a friend.  I don't know if it can be any dirtier than whatever HDY is putting in their ELD Match loads!  In any event, it seems to work well in the cartridge and I'll use it until I can lay hands on some Lever.

I'll also offer the caveat that my 6mm is a range toy, so I'm not considering hunting bullets unless they're analogous to high BC target rounds.  I'd be a bit under-gunned in my hunting neighborhood with an ARC.

[Trashy]

No FB for me either and I have not figured out how to quote someone yet, so to try and answer your question alwie, yes lever burns cleaner than CFE223 but it is not temp insensitive.

I had real good luck last year with 95 gr SST and lever (this combo took 22 hogs and 1 buck).  If you will look back through some of the older pages of this discussion area you will find several threads on A2520, Leverevolution, 8208XBR and Varget.

When I started loading the 6 ARC there was no published data for it and my search is still ongoing, like you I am looking for a temp insensitive powder that gives good velocity and moa accuracy.  I can tell you that it is not Varget, H4350 or IMR4166. Next up is StaBall 6.5, I will post it if it works.

Trashy

[skyrep]

No FB for me either and I have not figured out how to quote someone yet, so to try and answer your question alwie, yes lever burns cleaner than CFE223 but it is not temp insensitive.

I had real good luck last year with 95 gr SST and lever (this combo took 22 hogs and 1 buck).  If you will look back through some of the older pages of this discussion area you will find several threads on A2520, Leverevolution, 8208XBR and Varget.

When I started loading the 6 ARC there was no published data for it and my search is still ongoing, like you I am looking for a temp insensitive powder that gives good velocity and moa accuracy.  I can tell you that it is not Varget, H4350 or IMR4166.  Next up is StaBall 6.5, I will post it if it works.

Trashy

Trashy,  
for the lighter bullets, I have been great results with AR-Comp and 8208XBR.  Not Leverevolution speed, but good enough for accuracy.

[Dino11]

BL-C2 works well, velocity is down a little from Lever but it is extremely accurate. Just picked up another 8# jug of it Friday.

The go to powder is Lever, so far I have not found a better one for the 6 ARC. Shot some bullets yesterday loaded with CFE223, man that stuff is dirty. Shot 10 rounds loaded with Tubbs final finish and CFE223, cleaned the barrel and it was as dirty as if I shot a hundred rounds through it.

[skyrep]

Dinno,
how much cfe223 did you use for the Tubbs final finish and what COAL did you use?
thanks

[Dino11]

25.5gr. of CFE223 and the OAL was 2.240.

I only shot the last three sets in the kit, the first two are to be used if you have a barrel that is in bad condition in conjunction with the last 3 sets.

I put over a 100 rounds down it yesterday and I have next to no copper building in the barrel, it is nice and smooth all the way from the throat to the muzzle. The other bullets were loaded with Lever. I was hitting 600 yard steel with 100 gr. SPBT Speer pulled bullets I got from American Reloading.

[CZ527 Guy]

Dino11: Good to see you are getting out. Thanks for sharing all! Great to see you are doing relatively well with those SPBT Speer pulled bullets. Think ill HBN impregnate the 500 I picked up & use those for fire forming Lapua 6.5 Grendel & 220 Russian brass to 6 ARC.
Have a 300 range here where I may ring steel While breaking in the barrel & fire forming brass in a month or two when my barrel arrives.

Really appreciate everyone sharing their experience with this round.

[Dino11]

I got lucky the other day and scored 100 Hornady 6.5 Grendel cases from Cabella's.

I resized one of them and was amazed at how buttery smooth and easy it was. I don't think they will need fire formed, but I have not shot any yet. It did chamber in the barrel, and the barrel I used has a tight chamber, it is the tightest one I have out of four offerings I have available.

You will have to trim the necks after resizing. I had to trim .030 off the one I did to get a case length of 1.480. Thank God I have a power trimmer.

[Old Bob]

I have a few reloads started with down-sized but not fire-formed Grendel brass. I'm using AA2520, Lever, CFE223 & SW Match powders & mostly Hornady 103gr ELD-X bullets but also have some with Nosler 100gr Partitions. I have AR-COMP & Win 748 I wanna try as well. Other bullets I've acquired are Berger 108gr Elite Hunter & 88gr varmint & Sierra 80gr varminters.

I've got over 200 rounds of resized brass I'm gonna fire-form before reloading for accuracy/velocity. Some of that brass is Lapua & AA Grendel brass, some are Remington brand 7.62x39 with small primer pockets & some are up-sized Lapua 220 Russian. I guess I'm gonna have to divide them up for shooting in my AR & bolt gun. I don't now how much difference there might be in the two rifle's chambers if any. I'll measure fired brass & figure it out. I've no doubt what works best in one rifle might not be as good in the other. I'll figure that out too...

But... due to unforeseen problems, I don't know when I'll be able to do any shooting at all. My brother had an accident on his bicycle last Sunday & will be laid up for quite awhile. He & I were taking turns caring for our 97 year old mom. Now, I'm having to take care of both of them. I don't know when I'll have any free time. I wanted to do some gold prospecting as well. Had to cancel that outing... Oh well, family comes first.