6 Max? Jury still out.

F

flowj

Member
Hey guys. It’s been a while since I’ve posted. I’ve been hunting coyotes for several years now with a 20 inch 6 X 6.8 AR. I ordered a new 20 inch 6 Max barrel, dies and 500 brass from B C Precision. Been working up loads for it. At present it’s been fired 100 times. So far it won’t shoot with the 6 X 6.8 but close. I run 58 vmax in the 6 X 6.8. Wanted to move up in weight with 6 Max because I get some splashes with the 58s. Been loading 75 vmax in the 6 Max. Several powders in I can get up to 3100 fps with no signs of pressure. No swipes or flattening of primers. When working up the 6 X 6.8, swiping was quickly reached when loading the wagon. My problem is when processing the 100 rounds of once fired brass, about 2/3s of the primers came out easy and new primers went in very easy, they probably won’t make a 3rd firing. I have 300 rds of Hornady brass loaded for their 4th firing and the pockets are still good on 6 X 6.8. I know when the 6 Max first came out they had brass issues but don’t know what it was. The brass bags say made by Starline, but that name is a sticker and under the sticker the bag is printed Nosler. I’ve used a lot of Starline brass and it has been good. So I don’t know if I have a brass problem or a cartridge design problem. At 75 cents apiece for brass this might be an expensive gun to shoot. Anyone shooting the 6 Max or have an opinion?
Thanks in advance.
 
It’s a 350 Legend necked down to 6mm. It has roughly the same H2O capacity as the 6 X 6.8, about 35grs. It was designed to compete with the 6 Arc. It uses a std. .223 bolt face. Apparently the 6 Arc has issues with bolt face failures when loaded to the max. Not a lot of info on it other than YouTubers that probably got one for free to test!
 
Only 1 factory ammo option and they are sold out most of the time. You can reload but only a small percentage of the market they are targeting reload. Alot of hype, but its dead
 
flowj said:
It’s a 350 Legend necked down to 6mm. It has roughly the same H2O capacity as the 6 X 6.8, about 35grs. It was designed to compete with the 6 Arc. It uses a std. .223 bolt face. Apparently the 6 Arc has issues with bolt face failures when loaded to the max. Not a lot of info on it other than YouTubers that probably got one for free to test!
Click to expand...
I have fired thousands of rounds of 6 ARC in a 16", 18" and 22" AR's.... zero failures. I do have extra bolts just in case. But if you use the JP enhanced bolt, Rexus ultrabolt or the Craddock HD bolt, as long as you keep pressures in the realistic range, any failures will be negligible.
 
Well I jumped in head first. I spent over $1100 for barrel, brass and dies. My guess is I’ll have to back off the velocity to get any brass life and that means I’ll have 6x45 performance with expensive parts and a fancy name. I love this hobby!
 
It's a pity there wasn't more support for the 6 Hagar, twas the perfect platform for the varmint hunter.

I've had three ARCs & 2 Hagars, all gone now, but have settled into the 6x6.8 as a perfectly acceptable alternative.
 
I’m a big fan of the 6X6.8 mine has about 1200 rds thru it. It’s taken a lot of coyotes, coons, possums and a few bobcats. I shoot 58gr Vmaxes in it. It does not like heavy bullets and I get the occasional splash with it using the 58s. I wanted to try something that would run a heavier bullet. I guess I should have just built another 6X6.8 with a different barrel for heavies. I also shoot 6.8 and have around 1500 rds of brass so feeding another 6X6.8 wouldn’t be a problem. Another problem with the Max is the cheap Lee dies. This gun likes compressed loads. Both H4895 & Varget loaded to where the gun performs well end up being very compressed. The bullet seater compresses a ring around the bullet when seating. Not just a mark but a compressed ring you can feel with your nail. So far these loads will shoot .8 five shot groups at 100, but open to 3.5 at 200. I’m thinking maybe the bullet is distorted enough to affect ballistics. I got in on a special run of custom Hornady dies for the 6X6.8 and they work flawlessly, but I don’t run a compressed load with it.
 
I would maybe try a different powder. I get over 3200 with 70gr BTs in my 6x6.8 with leverevolution, CFE223 and BLC2. Varget would be about the last powder I would run in mine. With either Varget or H4895 youre going to hit pressure before max speed which is why youre losing primer pockets. I would think if the case capacity is the same then the powders would be about the same.
 
I can get good speed with 8208. I was trying to use something a little cleaner. I got 9 lbs of varget. It shoots good groups with it at 2936 fps. My baiting spot only has a max 275 yd shot and the baits at 100 so I guess this will be my bait gun. The 6X6.8 will out shoot this gun with 58s but with the odd splash here and there.
 
flowj said:
. Apparently the 6 Arc has issues with bolt face failures when loaded to the max.
Click to expand...
it has issues with bolt failures in the ar when you load bolt gun only pressure loads and try to run them in an ar.

with standard factory ammo, or reloading to gas gun pressures/velocities - the standard loads for the caliber - you will only have bolt issues if you have a defective bolt.

there i fixed it for you. :)
 
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