.223 to a 6x45?

[huntokanogan]

What would it take to make a bolt gun in a 6x45?
Say I started off with a bolt action .223, would I then just need to re-barrel it and away I go? Or would I need to do a little chamber work?

[EddieHarren]

Savage?

[shortgrass]

You're going from .223 Rem. which is a 22 cal., to 6x45mm, which is a 6mm. You need a 6mm barrel, which needs to be chambered for the 6mmX45mm cartridge. A 1 in 12 twist will shoot 75g.-80g. bullets @ around 2800fps. A very 'forgiving' and easy round to load for. Cases are made by full length sizing new .223 brass with a 6 x 45 sizing die, one pass will do it. Normally, there are no major magazine/feed issues.

[Fiftydriver]

Generally it will add roughly 100 fps to the top velocity potential compared to the 223 shooting the same weight bullets, say 55 gr compared to 55 gr.

Barrel life also increases significantly but that is not a huge concern in the 223 anyway.

There should relly not be any need for receiver modifications, new barrel, I would recommend getting it fitted by a quality accuracy minded smith using a top quality live piloted match reamer.

Depending on what you want for this rifle, you may want to get the receiver accurized as well. If you want extreme performance, you would be wiser to start with a custom receiver from the start if you plan on doing a complete rebuild on a factory receiver. In the end, its money very well spent to go with a custom receiver based rifle.

Just depends on what you want out of this rifle, economical shooter or extreme precision. The 6-45 will do either very well.

[huntokanogan]

thanks for the posts. I was just looking for an economical plinking rifle. I liked the idea of going with the 6x45 over the 223 as I've got a couple 223's already and here in WA minimum bore restrictions on deer is .24 cal. Not that I was thinking this would be my deer gun anyway but thought it would be nice to have another 24 cal, and I like the idea of the round.
So for a basic rifle, I could take a savage bolt in a 223 ad just put a .243 barrel on it ad shoot it right? No reaming?
Whats a good "middle" twist rate that would allow me to shoot both light and heavy bullets? I know not choosing one or the other will kill my accuracy with either.

[shortgrass]

Originally Posted by huntokanogan

So for a basic rifle, I could take a savage bolt in a 223 ad just put a .243 barrel on it ad shoot it right? No reaming?

Huhhhhh? The 6mm X 45mm is the .223 Rem. case necked up to 6mm. Yes, Reaming. For your Savage you will either need a pre-threaded & chambered (in 6x45mm) barrel or a barrel blank (in 6mm). In the case of the barrel blank, REAMING REQUIRED! 1 in 12 twist will handle up to 80g. bullets. Any heavier bullet (with a barrel of proper twist rate) really slows velocities and hurts bullet performance (like lack of expansion).