6mm ARC vs 6mm Max

[Veracity]

Can you give some context to where you've seen dozens of ARC bolts break and got the average bolt life numbers from? Do you work for Geissele or something like that? Also, if you've broken dozens of ARC bolts, it seems like you're pretty well 100% jumped in already.

I have broken 2 personal bolts and 3 extractors, and had a few that weren’t mine fail. ARC has been fairly heavily used in QP and other gas gun competitions since it was introduced, as well as submissions and use in various units and agencies.

As far as not jumping in 100%, I meant by ditching my 223, 224 Valkyrie, 6.5CM and .260’s that I still compete and teach with. I would like to though.

 

[Tex68w]

I love the Proof 6ARC barrels with the heavies (103-108) but I can't get them to group better than 2" with the 80's and it seems to be a pretty common issue not just with Proof barrels but in general.

 

[Macht]

They did not decide that, the new mag is not for a GI-pattern AR.

Is it for that Grendel/ARC Surefire receiver set someone ran at the World Shoot this year?

 

[Gtscotty]

I have broken 2 personal bolts and 3 extractors, and had a few that weren’t mine fail. ARC has been fairly heavily used in QP and other gas gun competitions since it was introduced, as well as submissions and use in various units and agencies.

As far as not jumping in 100%, I meant by ditching my 223, 224 Valkyrie, 6.5CM and .260’s that I still compete and teach with. I would like to though.

Thanks for the info, out of curiosity do you remember the approximate round counts for your bolts when they broke? Also, if you were running reloads, were they something like LVR/CFE223/AA2520, or something like Varget/H4895/AR-Comp? Reason for the curiosity is I've heard a few folks who broke bolts early trying to get up to a decent velocity with temp stable powders like Varget, but I'm interested to hear if folks are breaking bolts early with the powders you don't have to lean on as much.

Might not be the prevailing opinion, but if I can get 2k-3k rds out of a $90 ARC bolt, I'll be pretty happy with that, more is better but for me that is probably good enough. One thing the ARCs and similar cartridges could really use though is basically a temp stable version of LVR/CFE223, I was really hoping Staball Match would answer that need when it was intro'd, but it's a bit too fast to be optimal. Ramshot has impressed me with Grand along those lines for a magnum powder, maybe they could bring out something like a temp stable Big Game, there's no shortage of cartridges that could benefit!

 

[Veracity]

Thanks for the info, out of curiosity do you remember the approximate round counts for your bolts when they broke? Also, if you were running reloads, were they something like LVR/CFE223/AA2520, or something like Varget/H4895/AR-Comp? Reason for the curiosity is I've heard a few folks who broke bolts early trying to get up to a decent velocity with temp stable powders like Varget, but I'm interested to hear if folks are breaking bolts early with the powders you don't have to lean on as much.

Might not be the prevailing opinion, but if I can get 2k-3k rds out of a $90 ARC bolt, I'll be pretty happy with that, more is better but for me that is probably good enough. One thing the ARCs and similar cartridges could really use though is basically a temp stable version of LVR/CFE223, I was really hoping Staball Match would answer that need when it was intro'd, but it's a bit too fast to be optimal. Ramshot has impressed me with Grand along those lines for a magnum powder, maybe they could bring out something like a temp stable Big Game, there's no shortage of cartridges that could benefit!

The JP extractors that have broken on me did it early, 500-800rds.
JP Bolts lasted 1400-1700~ rds
Rexus bolt now has just over 3000

Everything was factory Hornady Match 108 and TAP 106.

Competition barrels have been Proof, Krieger and Bartlein 20" +1 rifle gas, unsuppressed, VLTOR A5, Adjustable GB, 419 brake

 

[Tex68w]

The JP extractors that have broken on me did it early, 500-800rds.
JP Bolts lasted 1400-1700~ rds
Rexus bolt now has just over 3000

Everything was factory Hornady Match 108 and TAP 106.

Competition barrels have been Proof, Krieger and Bartlein 20" +1 rifle gas, unsuppressed, VLTOR A5, Adjustable GB, 419 brake

Really surprised to hear this, have any pics of these failures?

 

[ironhiide]

I'm interested in seeing the broken bolts and extractors too. I'm using Rexus Ultrabolts, 1400+ rounds on a 6 Arc shooting Hornady Black 105gr and maybe 300 rounds through a 22 arc, shooting Hornady ammo as well. The bolt and extractors look perfect after a thorough cleaning I did after my last range trip before xmas.

 

[Cascade Hemi]

I haven't seen dozens of broken Grendel bolts but I have seen a few over the years. There are plenty that come up with a search Google. The Grendel forum has no shortage of broken bolt reports too. I have an AA bolt that the undercut lug has broken off of but I believe it doesn't add support and it is still serviceable.

Rexus has Grendel bolts in inventory at this time. Their bolts are probably better designed than JP.