Cast boolit gun

[Powderpacker]

A vintage XP-100 wearing a Redfield 4X scope followed me home from the Indy 1500 show this weekend . It's chambered in 6mm-223 and it's the first gun I've owned with a 6mm/.243 bore. A search for molds in this diameter has produced very few possibilities . A quick check for load data for the 6mm-223 turned up recipies for bullets (the copper variety) ranging in weight from 60 to 100 grains so it appears this chambering is pretty versatile. Just wondering what experiences my esteemed colleagues have had with 6mm cast boolits in general and/or the 6mm-223 (6x45mm) chambering in particular. This is a completely new area for me so any tips would be appreciated . My search of the archives here produced no info for this size boolit . I realize that doesn't mean there isn't any info stashed away - just that my search wasn't successful. Any links to previous threads would also be appreciated .

[9.3X62AL]

My sole experience with the 6mm bore has been in 243, 3 examples in that caliber--all rifles. The latest example, a Rem 788, shoots VERY well with the RCBS 95 SP boolit. I have the Lyman 6mm Loverin design also, and it shoots nearly as well--but I haven't used it as extensively so far.

Hornady stopped selling 6mm gas checks this year, but Lyman seems to still have them on their accessories list.

[Buckshot]

..............Can't tell ya anything specific to that caliber, but a shooting buddy has a 6mm Remington and he said that would be the last of his guns to go if he had to give them up. It's a cast shooting essobee, and at well over 2,000 fps.

..............Buckshot

[Powderpacker]

Thanks for the info , guys. I took the gun apart to clean it and found that it was already clean and apparently well maintained . All of the loads I've found for 6-223 are over 2000 fps and I think the majority are closer 3000fps. For this reason I'm going to start out with jacketed bullets to see how well it shoots before I invest in a mold and checks. I bought the gun with the idea of having it rebarreled to 300 Whisper or 7TCU as I have experience with a number of guns in those calibers. However, after doing a little research on the 6-223 I'm kind of intrigued by it and if the gun shoots well I'll experiment with cast boolits .

[Buckshot]

...............If you do get a mould, I'm very partial to the RCBS 7mm-168. However the Lyman 150gr Loverin has done just as well at the same speeds (2450 fps) from a M98/08 Brazilian Mauser and a M1897 Rem RB. Both have 29" bbl and the powder was WC872. With your shorter bbl and much smaller case, the pressure would have to be higher I'm sure.

................Buckshot

[Powderpacker]

The load data for the 6mm-223 that I've found so far covers bullet weights from 60 to 100 grains. H4895 , H4198, H322 & H335 are all listed across the spectrum of those weights. I like the looks of the RCBS 95 grain and the Saeco 85 grain boolits . I'm a little concerned about the Lyman 84 grain Loverin - I think most of the lube grooves would be left outside the case. I ordered a die set from Sinclair on Monday so it should be here soon and I can start playing with my new toy. Wilson makes dies for the 6mm-222mag (6x47mm) but not the 6mm-223 (6x45mm) so I ordered a set of Redding dies . I really prefer the Wilson dies for working at the range.
Thanks again for your suggestions !

[HORNET]

Powderpacker,
Took me a while to get to it, but Handloaders Digest #10 had an article on the 6-.222 by Sam Fadala. He said the best powder that he found for it was BLC-2, in amounts from 25 gr with the 90 grainer to 27 grains with an 80 grainer. You've got a little more boiler-room but those should be fair starters. You could also look at the data for 77-80 grainers for the 223/5.56. Again, you've got a larger bore for a higher expansion ratio. Probably ought to do almost as good as the .25 Copperhead. Check the throat and see if that 84 gr Loverin looks like it'll fit.

[FWAddit]

I have experience only with the Lyman 84-gr. Loverin bullet, and only in 6mm Remington, so this may not help much, but FWIW. . . .

Taking to heart all those sources that say bullets should be sized as little as possible, as long as they are not more than .002 oversize, I bought a .245 sizing die, which just barely kissed the driving bands. Rem. 700 wouldn't shoot worth a hoot, no matter what powder or velocity level I tried. In light plinking loads it wouldn't shoot them unsized and without gas checks, either. When a .244 sizer turned up in a Herter's clearance bin, I figured it was worth a try, and it was. The rifle would shoot bullets sized to that diameter just fine, at any practical velocity level.

Then I tried a Rem. 600 Mohawk. It didn't care whether the bullets were sized .244 or .245; both shot well. Unsized and tumble-lubed, without gas checks, they were still OK in light plinking loads.

Then I tried them in a custom barrel on a Rem. 721 action, and once again they would shoot acceptably only if sized to .244. Not tack drivers, but OK.

It will be interesting to see how your rifle reacts, using other bullet designs.

[Ricochet]

Taking to heart all those sources that say bullets should be sized as little as possible, as long as they are not more than .002 oversize
There's nothing magical about .002" oversize as a limit. Sometimes bullets considerably more oversized than that can be shot safely and well. Other times, sizing to exact groove diameter works best. (As in my Swiss K-31.)

[felix]

It is the percentage of over/under size more so than the absolute value. ... felix

[Freightman]

Look at this site.
http://stevespages.com/243_9_100.html

[Powderpacker]

Thanks for the additional input, guys. All good points to consider. I'm still waiting for my die set. I was promised delivery 'early this week' - that has now been change to 'early next week'.


Look at this site.
http://stevespages.com/243_9_100.html
Thank you ! Lots of possibilities to try on that page.