Is the 6XC dead

[806guns]

I called and talked to Brad at Urbanrifleman. He knows his stuff and has Remage barrels at a unbeatable price. He talked me into a 6XC for now, put my order in and shipped it the same day. Had 6XC dies and bushings in stock, he even sent me results of the same batch of barrels another shooter is using. Lead me to david tubbs website for brass. Great guy to talk too and will give you advise and guidance on where to go. This is a Remage build on one of my Remington 700 actions in a chassis.
Will be using a 26" 1-8 barrel tubb 160 freebore and he swears by the 112gr match burners. My only issue is h4350 is hard to find currently but on the lookout. Anyone used varget or imr 8208 with 105 or 107gr ?

 

[anon]

Sierra, Nosler, and Hodgdon publish load data for the 6XC.

There's this; https://precisionrifleblog.com/2019/09/22/6xc-load-data/

I've never loaded nor shot 6XC, but I do have a couple of barrels and components for it, when I get around to installing them.

The Sierra data does list Varget, but it's a light, slow load. Think 6br range. Sierra shows the R16 loads as their accuracy loads.

 

[pinhead]

Your title asks if the 6xc is dead, but you talk about getting a 6xc. It sounds like you’re getting into it. I love the 6xc. Tubb has some loaded 6xc ammo for sale on his website with the 115 DTAC w/ nose ring, which I’ve shot some of my smallest groups with and bang-flopped several whitetail with. I wanted a shorter rifle profile this year so I tried my 260 with some Badlands 125gr bullets this year, and they worked well, but Im using my 6xc with DTAC nose rings next whitetail season.
The Berger load manual has a section for the 6xc; Varget is listed with the 105/108 at a start of 33.5 and a book max of 37.4 gr, though I’ve never used Varget.
I have H4350 so anything between 39.0 and 39.5 just plain works with the 105/108/112/115. Did you look in the Reloading Depot thread for additional loads?
I’ve also settled on 41.0 gr of H4350 with the Barnes 95 LRX @ 3150 fps in my 27” 6xc but haven’t used them in the field yet.
Start low, work your way up; every barrel is different.

 

[Namekagon]

6XC is a great cartridge. You will not be disappointed. I have a remage 6xc from NSS and it’s consistently sub half MOA gun with the right load. It is a little finicky when it comes to loads, but once I find one it’s a dependable sub-half moa gun. For the money I spent on it, I couldn’t be happier.

 

[806guns]

Build is complete! Weighs roughly 14lbs

 

[806guns]

Shots on the right were a lower charge to test function and sight scope in. Shots on the left were 112gr barnes match burner H4350 running 2820 fps. It was 60 degrees out with a 15 mph wind. This barrel is a shooter and will improve with further load development.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

I have seen one in the last 2 years of prs matches and he switched to a dasher.

There is really no point unless you are just trying to go as fast as possible but then a 6PRC with access to better brass would probally be a better choice. Burning up a barrel in less than 8-900 rounds probally not the best choice either.

Running a xc at BR or dasher speeds means you picked the wrong cartridge.

 

[Namekagon]

I have seen one in the last 2 years of prs matches and he switched to a dasher.

There is really no point unless you are just trying to go as fast as possible but then a 6PRC with access to better brass would probally be a better choice. Burning up a barrel in less than 8-900 rounds probally not the best choice either.

Running a xc at BR or dasher speeds means you picked the wrong cartridge.

I agree with you if you are considering guns strictly for match use. But for more multi-purpose shooters, I’d take the 6xc over the other 2 any day. More velocity never hurts, except for barrel life. Guys that shoot 1-2 matches a year, but also hunt yotes, pronghorn, prairie dogs, etc with the rifle aren’t as concerned with barrel life, and gladly trade a little for another 250 fps. Just my $0.02.

 

[806guns]

I have seen one in the last 2 years of prs matches and he switched to a dasher.

There is really no point unless you are just trying to go as fast as possible but then a 6PRC with access to better brass would probally be a better choice. Burning up a barrel in less than 8-900 rounds probally not the best choice either.

Running a xc at BR or dasher speeds means you picked the wrong cartridge.

I dont shoot matches so barrel life isnt an issue for me, plus these barrels are under $300. I can get brass .82 and Its peterson srp. Plus david tubbs facility is within two hours from me, it makes components cheaper for me. Im after consistency not speed. My 2 cents.

 

[Shoots 700's]

how far is that zero?

 

[806guns]

how far is that zero?

100 yards.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

I can only imagine how good a sub $300 barrel shoots LOL.

 

[806guns]

I can only imagine how good a sub $300 barrel shoots LOL.

He uses wilson blanks. Heres a barrel from the same batch.

 

[Fasttimmy]

I am a 6xc fan for to many reasons to list. 6xc with a 200 yard zero should be putting down .100” groups All day long just sitting at bench.

 

[806guns]

Build number 2 had begun, bought this one for $300 mid 2000's date code. I might be on the naughty list for this one. Barrel will be here on Monday plus other goodies.

 

[806guns]

Five shots at 100 yards. Always has to be that one, totally me.

 

[Hondo1]

6xc is great but in all honesty with the popularity and availability of 6mm Creedmoor I don't see the point in it anymore.

 

[jwood1284]

I just retired my 6XC barrel after ~2280 rounds. I shot DTACs exclusively, with 39.8gr of H4350, 2950 out of a 26” 1:7.75 Mullerworks barrel.

It died on me during a team match. Oddly enough I was hitting larger targets at distance, but was all over the place on smaller targets inside 400yds.

Great cartridge. Easy to load with 115s. IMO that’s where it at, and that’s what Tubb developed it with. I initially had 200 pieces of Norma LRP brass that would not quit, and only had to buy more because of losing them. Recently I bought some Petersen SRP brass. They’re decent, but if you can find Norma, buy it.

 

[spife7980]

6xc is great but in all honesty with the popularity and availability of 6mm Creedmoor I don't see the point in it anymore.

I know I won’t be going back to 6xc with mismatched reamers and dies and clicker brass.

 

[jwood1284]

6xc is great but in all honesty with the popularity and availability of 6mm Creedmoor I don't see the point in it anymore.

To add to my post above, I used a Proof cert on a 6cm barrel to replace the XC…mainly because of factory ammo, and I found a good deal on a pile of Lapua brass.

If Proof chambered 6XC AI prefits, I would have gotten another one.

 

[806guns]

A local guy makes prefits for it, is the biggest plus for the 6XC. Will be comparing to my buddies 6CM on speeds and barrel life.

 

[Lightning8]

My 6XC barrel (Accurate Ordnance from Winder GA - RIP) shot well but died mid-match. I had it rebarreled into 6BRA. Do not think I would buy 6XC or for that matter 6CM for my purpose which is PRS competition east of Mississippi. I like 6XC, easy to load, shot well but do not need the case capacity.

 

[spamassassin]

It's far from dead. In all of my 6XC's RL23 produced the same velocity as H4350 in a 6XC with >100gr bullets, same charge weight same speed. 39.5gr of H4350 or RL23 with a 105-115gr is usually a pretty killer place to start.

 

[spamassassin]

6xc is great but in all honesty with the popularity and availability of 6mm Creedmoor I don't see the point in it anymore.

About 500-700 rounds of barrel life.

 

[Hondo1]

About 500-700 rounds of barrel life.

2 grains more case capacity equals 500-700rds less barrel life?

 

[spife7980]

About 500-700 rounds of barrel life.

Tell that to mine that died at 1200

The 6xc and the 6 creed are so close there’s no point splitting the difference.

 

[Lightning8]

I slowed down my 6XC to extend barrel life but even then it took more powder. Once the 6XC barrel was finished I moved to 6BRA as a more efficient solution for my purpose.

 

[Tbaxl]

I enjoyed my 6xc, it had no issue shooting my mule deer 2 years ago. I always shot Berger 105’s through it. I sold it not because I didn’t like it, but because I standardized the rifles in my safe a little more. I would happily have another 6XC and ES tactical chambers a great barrel on a K&P blank.

 

[806guns]

Built a second 6XC and swapped barreled actions around.

 

[MJC]

The 6XC was developed by David Tubb for shooting NRA across the course matches. It feeds well, has mild recoil and is easy to load for. There is information on his website that covers the reasoning behind the cartridge. So, for that purpose I'd say it is, in my opinion, a GREAT choice and not dead. He explains that the shoulder angle and less powder helps to increase barrel life over cases such as .243 Win. Shooting across the course at 2 & 300 yd you don't have to push it hard to get good accuracy and easy bolt lift is of utmost importance in the rapid fire stages. My 6XC/T2K rifle feeds and extracts very smoothly. You can increase the velocity for slow fire at 600-1000 yd but for convenience I have always ran one load for everything.

 

[TylerN]

The tough argument for 6XC is why select it for a new build over 6 Creedmoor? Or even why select 6XC over a 6 GT or 6x47.

 

[EotS]

Thing is, there's so many 6-whatever, no one 6mm will ever get ultra popular, so while some may die, a half dozen or so will putter along in popularity without any one 6mm coming out as the undisputed king.

 

[spife7980]

The tough argument for 6XC is why select it for a new build over 6 Creedmoor? Or even why select 6XC over a 6 GT or 6x47.

No idea anymore. I tried the 6xc my first couple years of heavy shooting just to be different and non mainstream. Now it’s not worth the hassle to me.

6xc- with 39.4 of rl16 and a 105 rdf I was getting 3027

6 creed- with 39.4 of rl16 and a 105 rdf I’m getting 3087

Different lots of powder and bullets but close enough.

 

[Lightning8]

Thing is, there's so many 6-whatever, no one 6mm will ever get ultra popular, so while some may die, a half dozen or so will putter along in popularity without any one 6mm coming out as the undisputed king.

Maybe a regional thing but in the Southeast PRS - seems like 6 Dasher is dominant except with those shooting factory ammo using 6CM.

 

[Average guy]

I’m still shooting an xc. I’m invested in dies and brass. Barrel maker I use has the right reamer. David Tubb is a great source for Peterson brass.

 

[Scottnoidea]

I had one built about 8 years ago. They were and still are quite uncommon in Australia. I was shooting High Power and thought it ticked all the boxes but I soon regretted my choice. First of all the reamer was a poor match for my Redding dies and I had to get another barrel chambered. Then brass became unobtainable (I was using Norma which was the only choice but good brass) so I had to reform from Lapua 22/250. That was a bad choice as donuts were an issue after only 2 reloads.

Started reforming Winchester 22/250 and ended up with an easy to reload, accurate and low recoil rifle so happy days. Except for the fact that I had bought into the whole 6xc has much greater barrel life than a .243 due to the 30° shoulder and longer neck. Barrel was toast at 1600 rounds running 107 SMKs over AR2209 (H4350).

Lessons learned - living on the wrong side of the world, far away from where stuff is manufactured means I'll be far more cautious in future regarding availability of components before I commit to something not commonly available here. Also I don't believe about shoulder angle affecting barrel life. It's all about case capacity and load. Next 6mm (if there is one for me) will be Plane Jane .243 Win as previously I had 2000 rounds of barrel life out of one.

 

[Rugerjim]

I had one built about 8 years ago. They were and still are quite uncommon in Australia. I was shooting High Power and thought it ticked all the boxes but I soon regretted my choice. First of all the reamer was a poor match for my Redding dies and I had to get another barrel chambered. Then brass became unobtainable (I was using Norma which was the only choice but good brass) so I had to reform from Lapua 22/250. That was a bad choice as donuts were an issue after only 2 reloads.

Started reforming Winchester 22/250 and ended up with an easy to reload, accurate and low recoil rifle so happy days. Except for the fact that I had bought into the whole 6xc has much greater barrel life than a .243 due to the 30° shoulder and longer neck. Barrel was toast at 1600 rounds running 107 SMKs over AR2209 (H4350).

Lessons learned - living on the wrong side of the world, far away from where stuff is manufactured means I'll be far more cautious in future regarding availability of components before I commit to something not commonly available here. Also I don't believe about shoulder angle affecting barrel life. It's all about case capacity and load. Next 6mm (if there is one for me) will be Plane Jane .243 Win as previously I had 2000 rounds of barrel life out of one.

Hey man,
I'm about to pull the trigger on an XC too. Reason being you can literally just run Creedmoor brass (lapua has HEAPS of 6mm SRP Creedmoor brass available.) plus any horndaddy 6 or 6.5 brass, hell you can even size down and turn ADI or other 308 brass. If your neck turning anyway it's a no brainer. Having said that I was going to go a GT but you simply CANNOT get it if the 1 company stops selling it. I didn't ever want to wait 11 months for creedmoor brass again so I figured the XC is a good choice as you can neck down or fireform up from 22-250 also as you did.

Having said that, I'd probably prefer a GT... but I just can't level with the 280 dollars per 100 pieces of brass, especially for hunting trips too if one goes out the window. I'm going to use lapua SRP 6 creed brass sized down for competition, and 6 and 6.5 brass sized down and neck turned to the same thickness for the 22.7" shorty thermal barrel sending down 80's.

Yes yes, I realise the 6 creed can mostly be done the same, but the THROAT on it... oh my god the throat, even with heavy bullets if you ever need to catch the throat you're boned. I'm also working on a pre-form die that will be available soon to pre-size 308 into GT, when I get that, maybe I'll re-chamber and switch over.