6 TCU

[tipiguy]

I received my new 6 TCU from Fox Ridge and started to fireform my loads.  I was using 80 grain Winchester rounds.  I tried placing the bullet only a 1/16" into the neck, colored the bullet with a marker, and closed the action.  The bullet never reached the rifling.  

Is this normal?  I did insert the bullet into a proper depth and firformed.  It went ok but I still have this lingering question about the distance of the rifling.

Also, I saw that Nosler listed a max load of around 21 grains of IMR 4198 with a 70 grain bullet.  Most of the other manufacturer's max out around 24 grains and I think Speer list 24 grains as a starting load with a max of 26!!!  Why is there so much difference?  I was planning on working up to around 24 grains of IMR 4198 with a 70 grain nocler B-Tip.  Anyone else have experience with IMR 4198 and the 6 TCU?

Thanks for any advice.

Tipiguy

[Johnly]

All TCU barrels I own have long throats on them, but they will still deliver outstanding accurracy. 6mm TCU barrels are some of the best shooting barrels out there. My 6TCU barrels are solid sub-MOA shooters, long throats and all.

[Connecticut Yankee]

An easy to find your ideal cartridge OAL with the contender.
       Take the barrel off the frame.    Hold the barrel vertivally and drop the bullet you will be using down the barrell, it will stop in contact with the beginning of the rifleing.    Take your calipers hold the end on the breech of the barrel and run the extention down the chamber until it touches the base of the bullett and jot down the measurement This is the breech to base of bullet measurement.    Mesuure the length of the bullett.    Joad your cartridge to an OAL of the sum of the following two measurements less .005 and your bullet is .005 off the rifleing.  Works great on the contender.  My 6TCU with 70gr. Speer HP TNT's is definately sub-moa.
     In my 15" Bullburry the measurements are Breech to base of bullet 1.664" , Bullet OAL  .824" total length 2.488"  -.010 for a total cartridge OAL of 2.478"  2725fps.  Loaded with accurate 2200 24.5gr this load averages well less than 1 moa.  about half my groups are 1/2" with  a Burris variable set at 9X.   I always shoot 5 shot groups.
     In my 21" Virgin Valley 6TCU the same bullet with H335 has hit 3035fps but was flattening primers but gave 1/2" groups. 28gr. of the same powder gives 2836fps and the same groups.
     These two barrels and a 6.5JDJ I have are by far the most accurate firearms I have owned .

     John M.  A Connecticut Yankee