[ogrepraxy]

I went to buy a Tac 6 barrel and it shows as sold out. Are their really none available? Does any one here know of someone who might have an extra they aren’t using? Thank you for your help!

 

[constructor]

I went to buy a Tac 6 barrel and it shows as sold out. Are their really none available? Does any one here know of someone who might have an extra they aren't using? Thank you for your help!

I'll check tomorrow morning, just need to match orders to barrels in the bin to make sure.

 

[Squeeze]

Light bullets in the TAC-6

I'll check tomorrow morning, just need to match orders to barrels in the bin to make sure.

I think I have one on the way. It said 2 were in stock at order time.

Anyway, I don't shoot steel, but I do shoot P-Dogs, G-Hogs, coyotes, and northern whitetails, with my 6mm WOA(another 6mm cat based on the 6.8 SPC), and this new TAC-6 barrel is meant to replace the 6mm WOA barrel, when it is ready to recycle. So in the 6mm WOA, I have 65 gr. VMax, and 80 gr. TTSX loads, where the VMax loads handle the varmints and predators, and the TTSX loads are for deer. Any recommendations on powder choices for these two bullets? IIRC I have been loading the VMax loads with Benchmark, and the TTSX loads with RL-10x, but I have a number of Hodgdon, Alliant, and Vihtavuori powders that should match up nicely with the TAC-6 launching 65-80 gr bullets. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated.

H, if you see this, you can ignore my e-mail.

FWIW, I have three 6.8s(two ARP barrels, and one RRA...before I knew better), one 6mm WOA, and soon a TAC-6. So far my experience is all are nicely accurate(sub-MOA with handloads), with the 6mm WOA turning some impressive groups(.2-.3 MOA) with the unimpressive VMax bullets. If I can get close to those group sizes with the TAC-6, I will be a happy P-Dog shooter.

Squeeze

 

[wash]

Keep in mind these measurements are from another barrel/bolt combo and your measurements may vary. That being said, you should use this information for reference only.

Example:

Fired case measures 1.307 using .350 and 1.321 using .330 bump gauge.

Sized case measures 1.302 using .350 and 1.316 using .330 bump gauge.

I have started my brass production in earnest and have starter sizing to 1.316". I was aiming for 1.316" but I got a few as large as 1.317" and a few as small as 1.3155" but the great majority measure 1.316" or 1.3165". I think that is a reasonably narrow window but I'll sort them and pull out the high and low to probably use them for a sizing consistency test later on.

I measured my chamber with a modified (resized and modified again) case, Berger 105 bullet and got a CBTO of 1.744".

I was thinking about starting my load work up with 1.725" CBTO for a 0.019" jump.

I didn't check to see where that puts my COAL and if it fits my magazines (PRI 6.8).

I bit the bullet and ordered a box of Berger 105s and S&B primed brass a while back. I wanted to find a nice load for some RDF blems I bought and use my once fired old SSA brass but I decided to more closely mirror previously worked up loads with the Berger-S&B-CFE223 combo and play around with the RDFs and SSA brass after I have figured out the first combo.

I was nervously depriming cases last night using a Lee universal depriming die, no problems and no popped primers.

On the cases I finished, I pressed in Federal Gold Medal AR primers with my new Lee Bench Prime. I think I have to develop some finesse with it. I was using the #1 priming shell holder instead of the #21 which I don't have. The #1 seemed to work but I got one primer that started a little sideways and one completely sideways. I did notice that the primer feeder put one (probably two) primer sideways on the priming ram, I think a more consistent press or release of the priming lever might make that sideways issue go away and the #21 shell holder probably is better too.

I have to re-read this thread again and figure out my first ladder but I should be throwing charges and seating bullets within a week.

 

[wash]

I got my first 50 cases sized and primed and just re-read this thread to figure out what my ladder test should be with 105 grain VLD/RDF and CFE223 powder.

I think I have decided to start at 27 grains with 0.3 grain increments to 28.8 grains and from 28.8 to 29.6 grains I'll load 3 cases each load with 0.2 grain increments and one each of 29.8, 30, 30.2 and 30.4 grains.

Hopefully I will get a clear idea of how much powder I can use before seeing pressure, get some ES and SD info in the area where I expect to find an accuracy node and hopefully don't have to pull down too many (too hot) charges.

I think I'll do the same ladder for the Berger 105 VLD and the Nosler RDF 105 so I will use all 50 of my prepped cases.

If 30.4 grains isn't too hot to shoot I'll wind up with 50 once fired cases to start a once fired OCW ladder with seating depth tests next time.

If anyone sees a problem with that, let me know.

Details are virgin S&B brass (deprimed, resized and neck turned), Federal Gold Medal AR small rifle primers and Hodgdon CFE223 powder.

 

[wash]

Oh, I also helped a friend set up an auto trickler yesterday. It is pretty slick and my charge weights will be within 0.02 grains of the target weight.

I'll collect my velocity data with a Lab Radar so my data should be fairly high quality.

 

[Gatorshark]

I started forming my once-fired S&B brass today for new Tac6 barrel. 1
.57 trimmed before sizing would NOT chamber when checked.

I had to trim to 1.55 to get an empty case to chamber.

As observed earlier, leaves very little case neck. Will start loading for testing tomorrow.

 

[Gatorshark]

Does anyone have a minimum trim length and/or case dimensions?

what should be considered too short for case neck to provide adequate support?

 

[Ten Rounder]

I have a long chamber based on an older nitride bolt. If you go through the beginning pages there is enough information that you can find what you are looking for.

My fired cases measure 1.307 headspace. "This based on MY BOLT". You need to measure the shoulder with a .350 "B" Lock n Load headspace comparator. It can be as short as about 1.293 depending on your bolt combo. If I change back to a NIB bolt I would expect to be near this short headspace.

From H, the wall length on case length is 1.580 as per chamber specs. I won't get into how long I'm actually using as it is long.

It sounds like you are not gaining headspace and blaming it on case length.

I am going on memory as I have not gotten back to my bench since my recent move.

 

[constructor]

I started forming my once-fired S&B brass today for new Tac6 barrel. 1
.57 trimmed before sizing would NOT chamber when checked.

I had to trim to 1.55 to get an empty case to chamber.

As observed earlier, leaves very little case neck. Will start loading for testing tomorrow.

You tried to chamber a case with a .277 ID neck in a .243 ID chamber?

 

[Gatorshark]

thanks Ten, I have some more work to do.

Yes the brass was formed with the Tac6 hornady dies.

 

[Ten Rounder]

If you are kinking your brass just below the shoulder your bolt won't close no matter the headspace. I switched to Hornady One Shot and found that fix.

Don't form all your brass in the beginning. Establish all the working parameters first. I added .003-4" to the trim length as I was losing that much after my first firing. Then sizing and trimming again.

Depending on working loads, some liked Old SSA, while other loads worked with the new S&B. Hornady was problematic. Have yet to try FC or Nosler/SSA

 

[constructor]

My custom special purpose 85gr Solid bullets came in yesterday. The Bc is calculated at .420 and I should be able to push them to 2900 out of an 18" barrel so they should be great for 0-600yd engagements.

 

[crowkiller]

Anybody else seen this notice from Warner tool for a new 6mm target bullet? "6mm 88gr flatline, BC like nothing else in the industry with a G1 of 0.512 and G7 of 0.258." Not for hunting unfortunately?

 

[dfleury]

I bought my barrel and dies 2 months ago and I was finally able to put together the rifle last week. thanks Harrison for helping me out with the dies, I'm the one who called because i forgot to order them with the barrel. making the brass was super easy . I used the lee drill adaptor then took a grinder to a the lee 6.8 case length gauge to shorten it down the tac6 length. trimming was a breeze after that. I bought some speer 100 grain spbt and hornady 105 bthp bullets. I had some varget at home, so I figured I would try that out since its burn rate is close to cfe 223. I only tried the speer soft points, but I got see decent results. I need to have hornady make a modified case , so I can measure where they contact the lands. for the speer bullets, I pushed them into the chamber with a little pressure then I tipped the gun back to see if they would fall out with just gravity, if they didn't I assumed the bullet was sticking into the rifling. not sure is this is best method, but a it's all i could think of till I get the modified case. once I got the oal under 2.23 they started falling out with just gravity, so I loaded them to 2.20. I was shooting off a knee as 75 yards and wasnt really trying to get good groups I really just wanted to check velocity and pressure signs. I did 2 shot groups of each charge and they were typically .5 - 1 inch apart. here is the velocity results

tac6 18" barrel
varget
s&b brass
wolf primers
speer 100 spbt
2.20 oak

26: 2572
26.5 : 2620
27: 2650

I didn't have any pressure signs so I'd like to see if I can get up to 2700 fps. next time I will also be shooting at 100 yards prone to see what kind of groupings I can get. lastly here is a pic of my rifle, I like how it came out but I need to get another thread protector that is the same diameter as the barrel.

 

[greentick]

May want to get that scope mount off of the handguard before shooting for groups.

 

[dfleury]

May want to get that scope mount off of the handguard before shooting for groups.

thanks, I didnt even notice that. I borrowed the scope from my 223, threw it on fast and ran out shoot.

 

[pipeliner]

Has anyone tried benchmark or varget? I’m guessing you can’t get enough varget in the case to make it usable? I was thinking benchmark would be a good powder to use though. I just ordered a 22 inch tube and I’m wanting to run 87 vmaxes and 90 GameChangers.

 

[Squeeze]

I took a 6mm WOA load, using Benchmark, and down loaded it to 26.0 grains, to use to fire form with 70 gr. Nosler BT loads, in my new TAC 6. No signs of pressure, and I am getting some pretty nice groups, without even trying. I am going to work up some Benchmark loads, as soon as I get enough of a supply of fire formed TAC 6 brass, and some time to work with it. There is case room left, with 26.0 grains, so I can work up some. Not too focused on velocity, but I will chrony once I get something interesting group size wise. My intention is to get this TAC 6 in the prairie dog rifle rotation, and maybe some coyote/ground hog work, on the east side of the Mississippi. So my bullet choices are going to be in the 65-70 grain range.

Squeeze

 

[hbr49]

Would you be willing to share some of your 6MM WOA loads, especially for the 95 to 105 bullets ?Thank you.