New member, new gun 6mm-06

[OzRanger]

Hey all, new member from down under. Just wanted to say hi, long time reader and first time poster.
I've been hunting, shooting and reloading for a long time, also have many years experience as a machinist, but sadly had to sell my lathe and mill a while ago for reasons I won't go into. I finally delved into a custom caliber, the 6mm-06. I have to say, what a varmint cartridge this is. I just wanted to share my velocity and powder data in case someone else was interested.

I'm shooting a 27" SS 5R barrel in a 1/14 twist.
Brass was Remington 25-06 necked down with a CH4D full length sizer. No trimming needed, just chamfer, load and shoot.
I'm getting 4300 FPS with a 65gr Vmax with room in the tank.
59.5 grains of 2209 and a WLRM primer sends it on it way.
Not only is it sizzling fast, it's also incredibly accurate, and devastating. Drop is almost nothing out to 400 yards. Insane. **** the barrel life, I wanted a lightning rod.

Now I am looking for a new lathe to make some more custom chamberings in an ultra flat shooting magnum cartridge, and can't wait to get another lathe.
Maybe a 270wsm necked to 25 or 6.5, who knows.

There isn't a lot of data for this cartridge, the 6mm-06, so I thought I'd post my so far tested load data and chronological data if anyone was interested in PDF. I couldn't find anything similiar so I did it myself, hoping to help someone else that might come along one day.

Thanks for having me and I love the chats here.
Oz

 

[Clay Target Guy]

First off, welcome
My buddy has a 6-06 and he is getting stupid speeds out of it. I was with him when he shot a deer with a 90 gr Accubond, which after doing the autopsy, we nicknamed them Accubombs. At the speeds he was pushing, you need some kind of a Barnes type bullet.
Reloaders nest has some wildcat reloading info that might be helpful to you.
Good luck in you wildcat adventures

 

[therifleman556]

Maybe a 270wsm necked to 25 or 6.5, who knows.

What the hell, why not a 6mm-270 WSM? Who needs barrel life, lol

 

[OzRanger]

I think I need a 22-243 next. Guys are getting 4600 from a 40gr vmax haha. I'm actually starting to think at these speeds bullets don't expand quick enough in a 14 twist. I have a feeling the nosier 70 gr varmigeddon start expanding after they leave the bodies of smaller game. Don't get me wrong I've vapourised a few things but I think they were bone strikes, maybe I should try a varmint grenade....

 

[Frog4aday]

6mm-06...man, that's a lot of powder to be pushing a small bullet. I'm glad you posted the velocity you're getting as I was curious. Seems like you have a seriously flat shooting, hard hitting varmint/deer/kangaroo round.

A .22-243 is intriguing to me, too. 4,600fps for a 40gr 'pill' is just screaming along. Almost seems like one of those situations where the rotational velocity at that speed could cause the bullet to 'fling' itself apart and leave a dust cloud before hitting anything.

I'm sure barrel life is nothing to brag about, but if a person could care less about that, why not? Seems like fun. Something 'different'.

 

[Liberator]

Welcome ! From Eastern Washington !

 

[joseph singleton]

Welcome Oz is that a new scent control hunting suit you wearing??? LOL joe from central FL..

 

[OzRanger]

Fun you have never smelt a dead koala, it's more than one can bear! *pun haha

 

[joseph singleton]

No that is not on my bucket list..

 

[AZShooter]

That 65 gr bullet is screaming!

I got the 55 gr nosler ballistic tip to 4200 fps with a 6mm-284 and a 24" barrel using varget. It held together with a 1 in 9.25 twist. From what I have read they will hold together regardless of velocity, something that some lightweight bullets won't do. Nosler says this about the varmint bullet:

Optimum Performance Velocity:
Minimum: 1600 fps (488mps)
Maximum: Unlimited

So that is an option for an ever flatter trajectory!

FYI the G1 BC of that bullet is slightly higher than the 55 gr .224 diameter ballistic tip. 6mm 55 gr is .276 vs 22 cal 55 gr is .267

 

[HobieH3]

 

[Wedgy]

There was a guy a while ago that did a 6mm-06 and custom 130 grain bullets. What a fun project. I'm working on a 6mm-284 as soon s I can get my 6 twist barrel for the 110 grain Hammer Hunters.

 

[Naymola]

I don't have any information about your 6mm-06. You'd have to compare it to maybe a 240 Weatherby for a starting load.

I do however have a few wildcats set up as dedicated Coyote rifles, one of which is a 22 Middlestead. Being a resident of California, I'm being forced to shoot non lead bullets. The barrel I have on it now is a 14 twist that I've used 55 grain Nosler Ballistic tips. That's barely enough twist for a 40 grain non lead Cutting Edge bullet. Too close to call, better to play it safe and re barrel to a 12 twist. So I'm about a month away from receiving a new 12 twist from Bartlein for a re-barrel job. I'm planning on using Hammer Hunter Dead Blow 44 grain bullets, If they don't shoot, then 45 and 50 grain TSX will be tried.

I have a 20-250 that I use 40 grain NBT's at 4300 fps, they are the only bullet that will stay together and not "splash" on coyotes.

As for barrel life, I've had my Middlestead over 10 years and have killed over a 1000 coyotes with it and still has plenty of throat left. Probably because I seldom shoot it more than once at a time. That would certainly be different if I was shooting multiple shoots at Prairie dogs etc.

4600 fps with a 22-243? That's a bit optimistic, let us know how that one goes....

Cheers, Gary

 

[Wedgy]

I have a 20-250 that I use 40 grain NBT's at 4300 fps, they are the only bullet that will stay together and not "splash" on coyotes.

As for barrel life, I've had my Middlestead over 10 years and have killed over a 1000 coyotes with it and still has plenty of throat left. Probably because I seldom shoot it more than once at a time. That would certainly be different if I was shooting multiple shoots at Prairie dogs etc.

4600 fps with a 22-243? That's a bit optimistic, let us know how that one goes....

Cheers, Gary

That Middlestead has to be a favorite gun !
I read somewhere at one point a 22-243 held a speed record and one that broke 5,000 fps was a 22-284..... LOL
That's some fun guns right there !
I think with newer powders and low engraving pressure monos like the Hammers some higher velocities can be hit. Steve at Hammer can make something for you if you can dream it up.