Tuned feed lips with a mag tool and they’ve been 100% reliable.
6gt
- Thread starter Dthomas3523
- Start date
AICS mags for two seasons without a single problem in my Impact. I did tune the feed lips but just to make feeding smoother.
MDT 12 round metal AICS. Only issue is that I can only run 11 rounds reliably. If I run 12, the first round doesn't like to load every time. Generally not an issue as I usually only run 10 rounds when competing. When running 10 I don't recall ever having any feeding issues. I never had any feeding issues running 12 rounds when I was shooting 6.5 CM using the same mags.
Quick brass question
Is anyone running the Hornady GT brass? With Lapua on the horizon I'm thinking about grabbing a few hundred to get me started.
I don't really want to spend money on Alpha just to replace it with Lapua.
Is anyone running the Hornady GT brass? With Lapua on the horizon I'm thinking about grabbing a few hundred to get me started.
I don't really want to spend money on Alpha just to replace it with Lapua.
Well, this took a lot longer to get back to than I had hoped. However, I learned a ton.
I redid the ladder test and went higher than I ever plan on running it to try to learn to identify pressure better. The last 3 charges started to have a heavy bolt lift.
Pics of the ladder and the last few charged cases closer up.
Groups were better than I expected:
I dialed some elevation on the white target so I didn’t chew up the aim point.
I have the chronograph data, but made some mistakes with the OCW sessions, so I have to separate them out correctly. Otherwise I’d put up the pics.
33.0: Avg - 2867
2865
2857
2866
2874
2881
SD 8.3, ES 24
33.5: Avg - 2901
2885
2901
2909
2905
2906
SD 8.6, ES 25
34.0: Avg - 2939
2922
2939
2949
2927
2956
SD 12.7, ES 34
I planned on running the speed around 2800-2850. Thinking I’ll drop the charges down to 32.0-33.0 and retest in that range. Also will need to do a seating depth test at some point. This was just a guess on the seating depth.
Overall, I’m am pretty happy with the results, being the first time I have ever tested my own reloads for groups and beyond just a ladder test. I’d love additional insight from anyone willing to offer it. Thanks a ton for all the help!
Thought I had cross posted this here as well, but must not have.
Original thread on accurate shooter:
I redid the ladder test and went higher than I ever plan on running it to try to learn to identify pressure better. The last 3 charges started to have a heavy bolt lift.
Pics of the ladder and the last few charged cases closer up.
Groups were better than I expected:
I dialed some elevation on the white target so I didn’t chew up the aim point.
I have the chronograph data, but made some mistakes with the OCW sessions, so I have to separate them out correctly. Otherwise I’d put up the pics.
33.0: Avg - 2867
2865
2857
2866
2874
2881
SD 8.3, ES 24
33.5: Avg - 2901
2885
2901
2909
2905
2906
SD 8.6, ES 25
34.0: Avg - 2939
2922
2939
2949
2927
2956
SD 12.7, ES 34
I planned on running the speed around 2800-2850. Thinking I’ll drop the charges down to 32.0-33.0 and retest in that range. Also will need to do a seating depth test at some point. This was just a guess on the seating depth.
Overall, I’m am pretty happy with the results, being the first time I have ever tested my own reloads for groups and beyond just a ladder test. I’d love additional insight from anyone willing to offer it. Thanks a ton for all the help!
Thought I had cross posted this here as well, but must not have.
Original thread on accurate shooter:
6GT is about as easy as Dasher.
Any reason you're going so long?
26" is common. 28" seems a little more lengthy.
I personally have used 22" for 2+ years. No desire to go longer.
Just buy Alpha. Shoot it until it dies, then buy Lapua. Hornady is trash and your primer pockets will loosen quick.
I have Alpha brass that has 25+ firings on it, and I still use it for local comps just fine.
What's your purpose? BR, PRS, or just for fun?
If you're doing the latter 2, I wouldn't even bother with seating depth test. You're wasting time and components at that time.
Choose the speed you want, load, and shoot it.
Good question. Latter 2 mostly. Local PRS competitions is primary focus. Something to ring steel with friends secondary.
Although, I would like to try out mid range to 1000 yd f-class at some point as well. More for fun than trying to be serious about it. Also as a way to judge how I do at the reloading bench more than just the hit or miss of prs/steel plinking.
If you have a lot of new brass, you may as well pick one of those loads and shoot it all at once. You'll need to rework your load for the second firing. Expect a 40fps increase and reduction in ES/SD.
Yeah, part of what I was doing with the learning to reload process. Figured I would get through the new brass and learn the process, try to learn what matters and how to improve my efficiency. These speeds are faster than I wanted to run, but if the lower speeds produce similar results with groups I’ll probably load the rest and have a good day at the range.
Having loaded less than 100 rounds total, I am probably waaay overdoing the measuring and recording of data. But, I don’t know what I don’t know yet.
Yes, I was an early adopter of 6GT. Prior to alpha and alpha OCD.
I have upwards of 20k rounds fired in 6GT and numerous barrels and builds in it.
Cool
I know it's nothing special, but I'd think it'll last a dozen or more firings based on my experience with Hornady 7 wsm brass.
I'm not into running over pressure loads
When you get a chance to reload some of your brass that was loaded to higher pressure let us know how the primers seat. That's Hornady yeah?
I got 6 firings out of hornady before I got case head separations with 6gt. Not ever getting close to pressure.
You don't need to run high pressure to realize the Hornady brass sucks. I got 4 firings out of one batch going 2725 and then primers were falling out.
Spend the extra cash, get Alpha (or wait for Lapua).
Yes, mine is hornady. I’m curious how they will be. I looked at this as a cheap way to start climbing the reloading curve. It’ll do what I need it to for now. When this brass is shot out, I’ll prob move to Lapua or Alpha if the lapua isn’t out yet.
My first barrel I ran HDY brass and 108bt bergers with rl16, it was an extremely accurate combo. HDY brass will not hold you back precision wise. I was running it warm at 2960 from a 26" 236 bore. I started getting loose primer pockets 3-4 firings. I have been using 600x pcs ocd brass last 3 years, and it's on its it 12th cycle, and it still has pockets as tight when HDY was new. I went to 28" barrels and still run heavies around 2860-2920 with dtacs and 109s, so prob less pressure than that first barrel.
That being said, if I were jumping into GT, and plan to reload, I'd go alpha gt all the way, it's an excellent product. I now have near 1500 pcs of it, and I can mix and match brass from the 4 different lots and it all shoots the same sorted separately or mixed, as I tested this prior to mixing it. Lapua will be great, but when and how often will it be available? If you find it, buy 6+ boxes, that should get you through at least 3-4 barrels, cuz who knows when you'll find it in stock again
That being said, if I were jumping into GT, and plan to reload, I'd go alpha gt all the way, it's an excellent product. I now have near 1500 pcs of it, and I can mix and match brass from the 4 different lots and it all shoots the same sorted separately or mixed, as I tested this prior to mixing it. Lapua will be great, but when and how often will it be available? If you find it, buy 6+ boxes, that should get you through at least 3-4 barrels, cuz who knows when you'll find it in stock again
Same issue I have with my MDT 12 Rounders in my MPA Matrix Pro.
Curious what are you running load wise? I got only 200rnds on mine so using 32.8grns or Varget and 109's getting 2820 all factory setup.
Berger has 109load data for 540 start 30.2 max 33.2 2830fps 92% fill
What length barrel? When I was first breaking in my GT, I was using factory ammo with a 105 hybrid. It shot lights out. I tested the last five shots with about 175 rounds down the barrel, and it ran 2,964 with an ES of 12, and SD of 4. My barrel is a 27" Krieger.
The powder was 33.5gr of what looked like either N150 or RL-16. I have both, and am going to start testing now that I have my hands on some hybrids finally.
I'm looking at screwing an 18" 6GT barrel onto an action I have lying around.
Aiming to get 2750 - 2850 with the 108ELDM & Varget.
Looks like most of this thread is running 26 inch barrels - anyone have results from an 18 inch?
Aiming to get 2750 - 2850 with the 108ELDM & Varget.
Looks like most of this thread is running 26 inch barrels - anyone have results from an 18 inch?
So how do you decide what length to seat the bullet? Just mimic overall length of the commercially loaded bullets and start shooting?
Eagle Eye Precision. Frigging expensive. However it shot great. I did have to seat the bullets .005 in because it threw (4) consecutive 4+1 groups during my expedited barrel break-in...afterwards it printed (3) consecutive 5-shot groups between .390 and .438.
I bought it during the dry-up of 6 GT components...which just happened to coincide with my trying a 6 GT.
If you're getting case head separation it's a reloading issue not the brass..
Get the headspace gauge out and stop pushing the shoulder back beyond .002
Seat bullet to neck shoulder junction. Check to see if it fits magazine. Check to see if it feeds. Go shoot.
Hornady is known for shitty 6GT brass, it's been documented since 2019ish... One of my shooting partners had case head separation on day 2 of a team match, on reload #2. 2850 with 105 hybrids, so very mild load.
No you get the proper gauges hornady makes them comparator sets and then you adjust based off that most people start 10k off the lands just depends on many variables. Might want to look in the reloading section they have specific threads and step by step guidance
Without measuring headspace anecdotal stories are useless, I'm not defending Hornady by any means but I've had the same thing happen with Peterson and Lapua brass.
One instance was my fault bumping the shoulder too much, the other either excessive headspace of .010 or brass out of spec.
Now I always measure case growth on the first firing, you'd be surprised how often virgin cases are short of proper headspace.
Stretch them once you might be ok, twice and you're done.
You asked in this post: https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/6gt.7053224/post-11523601
About brass options, a few of us chimed in... Hornady brass in 6GT is WELL DOCUMENTED to suck balls. So, anecdotal stories are what you're gonna get. YMMV.
This particular person is a known gunsmith and ammo FFL (and a member here)... So, I'm pretty damn sure he knows what he is doing.
Like I said, I have multiple seasons and tens of thousands of rounds with 6GT, so take that as a clueless opinion. I ran my first season in 6GT with Hornady brass. I learned my lesson the hard way, I'm simply promoting that people don't make the same expensive mistake.
Good luck
Only pushed back .002 every time. Annealed every time. SAC dies and SAC comparator.
One rifle I was running hornady brass and one alpha. Hornady brass gave out alpha didn’t. Using sac sizing die for each(not using the same die for both). Hornady gave out. Alpha is still going strong. Basically same loads in both rifles. I did push the alpha brass more with some higher speeds. But only a few times.
NiteQwill,
What does it mean to seat bullet to neck shoulder junction? It sounds like you are saying to line up the bottom of the bullet with the area where the shoulder becomes the neck? Is so, how do you do that?
I do understand what this means, although I am going to need to watch some Youtube videos of folks doing it and read more here using the search function about which tools to get. I bought the Hornady Lock N Load OAL gauge and the modified case (in 6mm GT) that GA Precision sells. That case is Hornady, but I am loading Alpha. I have not yet bought any comparator sets because I still need to figure out which ones I need to get and how to use them, but that is the very next item on my road to starting reloading (finally, whew! it's a lot to learn).
I suggest reading this article to understand a bit: https://precisionrifleblog.com/2020/04/28/bullet-jump-research-and-load-development-tips/
If you want consistent CBTO measurement that can repeatable, I suggest skipping the Hornady comparators, and look into SAC or Area419 instead. Use a good set of Mito calipers.
So everyone using Hornady measuring tools doesn’t have a repeatable CBTO measurement ?
Interesting…..
You can quickly figure out a rough idea if your bullet is seated with the bearing surface even with the neck shoulder junction by looking at a loaded cartridge with a bare projectile next to it. I'm attaching a quickly found image *that would be better if the same bullet were used*...but hopefully you get the idea. Some bullets will protrude more or less depending on jump, bullet length, and chamber dimensions.
There are a lot of discussions that revolve around this relationship. I am not trying to enter any...just trying to help you understand what he is talking about.
Also, when you use that Hornady OAL comparator gauge with the special cases it will not make a difference whether your case is Hornady or Alpha. It is taking a measurement from the bottom of the case to the point in the bullet's ogive where it makes contact with the lands in your barrel. Please also understand that you are going to be measuring jam and not touch. I bet you'll find out that you leave your bullet stuck in the barrel more than not with the Hornady gauge.
Correct, so if I used my Hornady comparators and got measurements off said bullet and gave you MY measurements, it wouldn't be the same that you get. The SAC and Area419 allows it to be repeatable from shooter to shooter. That is the selling point of the latter.
The Hornady gets you there, it's just sloppier.
So if my shooting buddy and I are shooting a team match, we live in different states, and want the same load and length to our rounds... All we do is send numbers to each other. We arrive at said match and have exactly the same ammo.
I have noticed a few thousandths variation when I use my Hornady comparator...which is why I do three measurements and take the median one. I also never start load development at jam, so I have a little wiggle room just in case.
I would venture to guess that how hard you push on the rod would have a little say in the overall measurement you get.
If you have 500 virgin cases (especially Alpha), I'd just mandrel the case neck (or run over an expander ball), chamfer, and load.
Actually, 500 Alpha cases are probably going to outlast your barrel by quite a bit.
They are Alpha, and Brownells is shipping me a .241" TiN coated mandrel and expander die as we type, but I still need to select some sort of seating depth for the bullet, which is what sparked my question last night, above, in post # 1,849.
I got that. I quoted and responded to your question in #1,867.
If you've never fired a round down the tube, load a couple rounds to whatever spec you are getting your load data from (Hodgdon, Hornady etc...). Use those rounds to confirm zero and start whatever break-in you do or don't believe in.
I now determine my OAL by putting a small amount of blue loctite around the bottom of a bullet's bearing surface and load it LONG in a freshly fired case (not resized, but deprimed), wiping off any excess. I then carefully chamber it - closing the bolt fully - and let it be for at least a half hour. You've effectively pushed that bullet forward into the lands and have found one way (there are multiple) of figuring out where jam is in your chamber. When you open the bolt, the bullet is glued inside the case. It doesn't take gorilla strength to separate, and you can just run a case mouth brush in the neck and scrub off the dried loctite.
I stopped using the Hornady OAL finding gauge because I WAS getting inconsistent readings by a few thousandths.
There are videos showing the method I described. If you can remove your barrel easily, there are other ways.
Thanks.
I have put a 120-130 rounds down the tube, almost all Hornady Match commercial ammunition, along with some reloads of 110 grain A-tips that were intended for Robert Brantley's rifle. The Hornady commercial ammunition experienced the dreaded primer piercing due to my .068" firing pin. The reloads using 205M primers did not.
So now I have been buying up what I need to reload (dies, brass, bullets, powder, primers, RCBS chargemaster link, and more) starting from scratch with no experience.
I have put a 120-130 rounds down the tube, almost all Hornady Match commercial ammunition, along with some reloads of 110 grain A-tips that were intended for Robert Brantley's rifle. The Hornady commercial ammunition experienced the dreaded primer piercing due to my .068" firing pin. The reloads using 205M primers did not.
So now I have been buying up what I need to reload (dies, brass, bullets, powder, primers, RCBS chargemaster link, and more) starting from scratch with no experience.
