Range Report 6x45, 221 Rem Fireball and 260 Rem

[quickdtoo]

Finally made it to the range with the new 6x45 and the 221 Fireball barrel that I bought over a year ago from Booyah!!!  Had more problems with misfires on the 6x45 and CCI BR4 primers, the 6x45 has an off center pin strike and it haunted me all day....until I ran out of 221 ammo and swapped the frame out and tried it with the second load I had with me, then it never misfired once!! Terrible accuracy with the 85gr Nosler partition with BL-C2, 2-4" groups with all of them that fired, but after swapping frames, the 80gr Speers with H322 shot great for the most part, at least the lower velocity loads did, most of the hotter loads were only acceptable, but the max load shows some promise with 2 together and a wide flyer that's not even on the same target!! That was my last shot taken after shooting since about 10:45am, I left the range at 4:05pm, so it could just be me gettin tired  , a follow up trip with the best shooting loads will confirm that.





The 221 Fireball sure is a joy to shoot, no recoil and great velocity, close to 3100fps with the top load of Rl7 under the 40gr Vmax, same BR4 primers, no FTFs, third shot flyers again tho. 




Same with the 260 Rem shooting 120gr Nosler BT on top of IMR4320, the CC1250s still aren't 100%, so I think I'm gonna have to step away from those primers in the data and try something a little easier to pop, most popped on the second hammer fall, but some never did, so I only got a two shot group, but again, they show promise if I can eliminate the 3rd shot flyers when I do get 3 to go. Also shot some more of the Bergers with IMR4320, same thing on the primers.

Tim

[dpe.ahoy]

That's lookin mighty fine on the 260.   The Fireball sounds like a blast, um, pardon the pun.   260 will make one heck of a deer getter!   DP

[Spanky]

I'd like to have a .260 handi. Would make for a great all around cartridge for my neck of the woods.



Spanky

[fredster22]

Looks like you had fun Tim, little work on the 6x45 and you'll get there. I have thought about a 260
myself but thats as far as its gone - thoughts    I do love my fireball I had done last year with help
from Booyah on advice and the FAQ's. It has turned into a sweet shooter, like it much better than my
Hornets and easier to load.   fred

[GrampaMike]

Nobody seems to be able to hit those pennies... 

[quickdtoo]

Maybe I'll start using a quarter, they're easier to hit and make the groups look smaller!!! 

Thanks,

Tim

[PawPaw]

My sister-in-law uses a 260 for our little whitetail deer and shot two with it last year.  Bang, flop.

Her shooting lane is about 100 yards long and they tend to come out around the feeder she's hung at the 60 yard mark.  The shoots 'em in the neck and they fall over DRT.

She doesn't like tracking deer.

[gendoc]

sho-wish we cud hunt on bait roun hear !!! id havta get rid of tha upright and chest freezers and invest ina walk-in freezer.......

[gstewart44]

My sister-in-law uses a 260 for our little whitetail deer and shot two with it last year.  Bang, flop.

Her shooting lane is about 100 yards long and they tend to come out around the feeder she's hung at the 60 yard mark.  The shoots 'em in the neck and they fall over DRT.

She doesn't like tracking deer.

are you allowed in LA to hunt a feeder that close?   In FL and GA we have strict prohibitions on that setup. 

[tacklebury]

sho-wish we cud hunt on bait roun hear !!! id havta get rid of tha upright and chest freezers and invest ina walk-in freezer.......

Yah, it blows here in MI for no bait.  Bad thing is that they are really glassing for people doing it proactively. 8(

[PawPaw]

It's perfectly legal here in Louisiana to hunt native game over bait.  Migratory game are a whole nuther set of rules.

And, because it's perfectly legal, everyone puts out feeders, food plots, corn piles.  It's part of the deal.

There are pros and cons, but most folks think it's actually good for the wildlife.  I routinely see half a dozen different species using my feeders.

[gendoc]

food plots here in my state, must be planted resident grass only..
i hunt in LA too, have land around fouchon and golden meadows.... can't hunt bait there either.
maybe its a parish thing ??

[petemi]

Tim, I'm glad to see you've got her shooting pretty well.  I'm thinking of one for myself.  the 6x45 should be a great gun for coyotes.  I think our season opened on 7/15.  I'll have to check the regs, but that's what it's been in the past.  Landowners can shoot them all year round "when causing or about to be causing trouble"................nver saw one that wasn't.

Your die resizes it to 6mm?

Pete

[quickdtoo]

Your die resizes it to 6mm?

Yup, just run 223 Rem brass thru just like resizing for 223, only it comes out of the die with a neck ready for .243" bullets!! I did use powdered mica on the neck to make the transition easier, it works better than Imperial even. 

Thanks Pete,

Tim

[petemi]

Tim, we are all glad you're enjoying it.  Lord knows, you've got enough deer rifles.  We just wanted you to have something new and unique.  I doesn't matter if you shoot holes in paper or coyotes with it, just so you have it.  Thanks for sharing.

Pete

[moorepower]

You might try some Remington 6 1/2 or federal match primers as they are both thinner and softer. You would have to ask Wayne, but another reputable smith mentioned that the offset pin strike was causing problems, and he would no longer stub a handi until he saw a primer hit on the original barrel.

[quickdtoo]

Thanks Pete, that's what will happen if I can't find what I think will work on a small deer. 

The 6x45 runs too much pressure for standard small rifle primers, that's why all data recommends primers with thicker cups, thinner primer cups will likely result in perforated primers from all the research I've done, my thought is the nickel plated primers may be harder than the plain brass primers making them less likely to work well in the Handi, I fired a bunch of WSR primers on the original 6x45 frame today that causes the off center strike, none failed, Winchester rates the WSR for magum small rifle and I can get them locally, have about 150 already, although its cup is .021" compared to .0225" for Fed 205M and .025" for Rem 7½ which I would like to use, but no one has any of either.  

Tim

http://www.jamescalhoon.com/primers_and_pressure.php

What does all this mean to the reloader?

- Cases that utilize small rifle primers and operate at moderate pressures(40,000 psi) should use CCI 400, Federal 200, Rem 6 1/2, or Win SR. Such cases include 22 CCM, 22 Hornet and the 218 Bee. These primers are also used in heavy handguns such as the 9mm., 357, etc. Other cases that use the small rifle primer can use the above primers only if moderate loads are used. Keep to the lower end of reloading recommendations.

- Cases that utilize Small Rifle primers and operate at higher pressures (55,000 psi) should use CCI 450, CCI BR4, Fed 205 and Rem 7 1/2.

[moorepower]

Did the WSR primers eliminate the fliers? The 6X45 is usually a real accurate and forgiving round. If you can figure out the flier it will be pretty sweet. I know some of the 6ppc guys run 6 1/2's and they for sure are high pressure. Hopefully the WSR will be a good tweener to fix the fliers. I can't recall, did that get a 1/8 or 1/10 twist barrel?

[quickdtoo]

1:10" twist, the 6x45 runs 50kcup which is 55kpsi as best I can tell, same as the 223 Rem, haven't shot the WSR primers yet, just the BR4 which were hit and miss on going off. If you look at the compiled data I attached in my previous reply, you'll see no standard primers recommended, just WSR or better, no 205, 6½ or 400. Winchester doesn't offer a Mag primer because they rate the WSM for either, would love to try some 205M or 7½ tho, but will have to work with what I can get. The flyers are likely me, I didn't take the LeadSled with me this time, used a sand bag and a Rock Jr front rest which isn't easy to maintain the same rest position each shot when I have to lift the rifle off the rest to reload, they weren't always 3rd shot flyers, usually, but not always. The sled maintains the orientation of the front to the rear each time the rifle is set in it.

thx,

Tim

[dk17hmr]

My 6x45 is built on an AR15 but I am running near max loads of H322 with CCI 400 primers with a 55gr Nosler Ballistic Tips, destroys p-dogs. 55-75gr work well in my 6x45, I havent tried heavier than that.  I am working with Tac and 55gr NBT's right now but havent gotten anything to brag about.  I am going to use my 6x45 with 75gr Hornady HP's on antelope this fall and have no doubt it will work well for me.

Its a great little round, hopefully I can put some fur on the stretcher this fall and meat in my freezer.