any fans of the 22-6mm?

[oscer]

Hi folks , I was wondering if anyone here is a fan of the 22/6mm. I'm considering it for my first attempt at cobbling together a bolt action rifle. I don't know when I'll get started on the project, trying to read up and tool up for it is time consuming. I'm in the process of reading "The Complete Illustrated Guide to Precision Rifle Barrel Fitting" by John Hinnant. It has answered many of the questions left in my mind from reading bits and pieces of the process on the internet. Any comments on this wildcat would be appreciated. Thinking of the Hornady 80 Gr. v-max and a 1 in 9 twist.
Thanks, oscer

 

[J E Custom]

Hi folks , I was wondering if anyone here is a fan of the 22/6mm. I'm considering it for my first attempt at cobbling together a bolt action rifle. I don't know when I'll get started on the project, trying to read up and tool up for it is time consuming. I'm in the process of reading "The Complete Illustrated Guide to Precision Rifle Barrel Fitting" by John Hinnant. It has answered many of the questions left in my mind from reading bits and pieces of the process on the internet. Any comments on this wildcat would be appreciated. Thinking of the Hornady 80 Gr. v-max and a 1 in 9 twist.
Thanks, oscer

There is a guy at Hornady that helped develop the 22/6mm Also called the "Texas trophy Hunter"
Maybe someone can remember his name. I think it is Lonnie Hummel (Probably not spelled correct).

He loaded and shot it a lot and could be lots of help to you. PT&G should have the reamer or could
make one for you. I would recomend that you use a standard 6mm head space gauge so
loading/sizing would be straight forward using the 6mm cases.

There should be dies for it and there is load data so you should not have any trouble loading.

Not a lot of help but maybe it will help.

J E CUSTOM

 

[oscer]

Thanks for responding JE, I saw a reamer on Dave Manson's site but it was 22/.244 Ack Imp. It's not the way I want to go though I agree with your advise to stick with the 6mm Rem. go gauge. I'll check out PT&G.

 

[HARPERC]

I haven't any direct experience with the 22/6mm, but would like to ask why 1:9. It seems 1:8 is becoming more common, and even some 1:7 for the heavier Bergers. I'm not saying 1:9 is a problem, just curious how you came to that decision. It will be interesting to see your results down the road. Thanks

 

[J E Custom]

It will be interesting to see your results down the road. Thanks

+1

Just a comment on this Question.

The 223s need a 1 in 7 or 1 in 8 twist due to the velocity with the bigger bullets.

The 22/6mm is faster than the 22/250 and they normally work best with a 1 in 12 or 1 in 14 twist.

The 223velocity is way down from the 22/250 (It can push the 75 grain 2910 ft/sec and needs
the 1 in 8 twist). some have made the 1 in 7 twist work for them and others have not. That tells
me that a 1 in 7 is marginal.

The 22/6mm pushes the 80 grain bullet over 3500 ft/sec and a 1 in 9 or 1 in 10 should work good
In my opinion.

Also this is a good place for a 3 groove barrel in my opinion.

Just some comments.

 

[oscer]

Thanks fellas this is the kind of discussion I was trying to generate.

HARPERC, I read in the Hornady manual that their test rifle had a 1 in 9" twist and it says that the 1 in 10" twist would not stabilize the 80 gr. v-max.

J E, what your saying sounds logical, with more velocity the same twist would generate more rpm. There are probably formulas to find parameters but the varminters and especially the bench rest crowd probably have this already worked out.

I looked on TPG site and only saw reamer for the Ackley Improved version.

 

[screech]

Look up the culp and Greenhill formulas

 

[J E Custom]

Another indication of velocity and twist rate combinations- A while back I wanted a super fast
cartrige and did the research before I started the project.

My findings were interesting to say the least. The guys that had tried it with the fast twist barrels
had problems at the higher velocities. I had a long barrel 7 STW that shot 140 grain bullets past
3800 ft/sec. The problem was after I exceeded 3700 ft/sec accuracy went out the window in the
1 in 9 twist barrel. I switched to 160s that would just barely exceed 3500 ft/sec and accuracy
returned.

After recovering a few of the bullets and ending up with mutable holes in paper with one shot
I deducted that the bullets were sheding the jackets and separating the jacket from the core
when the bullet impacted the rifling at the throat.

Armed with my experances and other peoples experance I decided to go to the other extreem.
The rifle Is a 22WSSM and the barrel is a 3 grove Lilja with a 1 in 15 twist (I had thought
about a gain twist).

To date I have exceeded 4600 ft/sec with good accuracy and no problems using the 40 grain
Ballistic tip. I have also tried 55 and 60 grain bullets and they worked good. I intend to try 70
and 80 grain bullets next to see if they will work.(This is an on going experiment).

I have loaded some 35 grain bullets but have not fired them through a chronograph .

I am just trying to find out just how I can push a 22 cal bullet.

J E CUSTOM

 

[oscer]

Interesting J E, I always seem to prefer the heaviest bullet that makes any sense for what I'm doing. In the .243 I am using the 87 GR. V-max but am thinking of trying the 105 gr. A-max. I'm usually willing to trade a little velocity for the higher B.C. and for chucks I believe the 87s hold them at longer ranges better than the the 75s I used to use.

Do you think Remington's 1 in 9-1/8 twist ( I think thats what my twist rate is, if memory serves) will stabilize the 105 gr. at 22"barrel 243 velocities?

 

[HARPERC]

oscer
Berger bullets has a Twist Rate Calculator on their site. Large icon looks easy to use.

 

[J E Custom]

Do you think Remington's 1 in 9-1/8 twist ( I think thats what my twist rate is, if memory serves) will stabilize the 105 gr. at 22"barrel 243 velocities?

Originally the 6mm rem came out with a 1 in 12 twist and there were problems immediately
with accuracy.

Winchester brought the 243 out with a 1 in 10 twist and the rest is history. (The 243 was almost
the demise of the 6 mm Rem in factory rifles. the the 6mm Rem fans were forced to go with the
1 in 10 twist to revive the cartrige.

The 243 Winchester does well with the 105 grain bullets in a 1 in 10 twist so I see no reason that
the 1 in 9&1/8 should not shoot them well.

Velocity seems to be the culprit in fast twist barrels and as long as you dont push the bullet
beyond its limits they work ok. sometimes the bullet shape and body length can have an effect
on twist rate by the way they engrave in the rifling. So your rifle may like one 105 and not another
so try several different bullet shapes.

J E CUSTOM

 

[oscer]

Thanks HARPERC, I'll check that out as well, and I think I try some of the 105s in my .243 it's the time of year to belly up to the ule loading bench

 

[acloco]

I own and use a 22/6mm AI with a 1:8 twist barrel. 75 gr AMax at 3950 is no problem....and accuracy is there as well.

But, I throttled this back to a simple 3600 FPS with excellent accuracy and splat factor as well.

Personally, I would go the AI route. You will wear out the primer pockets before you have to FL size or trim brass to length.


Know this...at 400 yards, there is NOTHING like watching a bull prairie dog getting tossed 25 feet high and 25 feet backwards. Lays them out like a bear skin rug.

Do NOT start a beginning reloader or prairie dogger on this caliber, they will search the rest of their life looking for similar performance.

 

[oscer]

I own and use a 22/6mm AI with a 1:8 twist barrel. 75 gr AMax at 3950 is no problem....and accuracy is there as well.

But, I throttled this back to a simple 3600 FPS with excellent accuracy and splat factor as well.

Personally, I would go the AI route. You will wear out the primer pockets before you have to FL size or trim brass to length.


Know this...at 400 yards, there is NOTHING like watching a bull prairie dog getting tossed 25 feet high and 25 feet backwards. Lays them out like a bear skin rug.

Do NOT start a beginning reloader or prairie dogger on this caliber, they will search the rest of their life looking for similar performance.

Thanks for the input acloco, sorry it took me so long to reply, my computer has been down for a couple of days.
That is a very encouraging plug for this cartridge, the splat factor comment definitely got my attention! I only hunt chucks though so it may not be as dramatic. One of the things I want to accomplish, if and when this build ever gets going, is to be able to see the bullet impact in the scope, I often am alone with no spotter. Any advise on achieving this goal? I really don't want to use a brake. How heavy is your rifle? Where do you come up with features for a stock that might help send recoil straight to the rear? I am thinking of using a non contoured barrel 1-1/4" straight to the muzzle, that ought to help hold er down.