NEW BUILD: 6X45 or 6X6.8???

BCD 45

BCD 45

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Ok guys, tell me which one & why please. I'm wanting to build something I don't have, a 6mm AR. I was sold on the 6x45 until I read a little about the 6x6.8. I'm still leaning towards the 6x45 because of brass & several lowers laying around with .223 BCG's. I guess I'm going with Rich for a barrel. I don't care about long range, I just want accuracy & want to shoot 55-80 grain bullets. What would you recommend on barrel length, 20 or 22. How about twist? Thanks for any information.
JD
 
I went through the same question, even got the 6x45 dies in advance.
Went with 6x6.8 to get the higher energy level produced, over 223 case volume.
Greg (GLshooter) has been a great resource to gain better performance over my time consuming trial-error effort.

This "forced" me into building a cheap 6.8spc upper for purpose of brass factory !

I've settled on 58 gr Vmax over 8208 XBR as my goto 6x6.8 yote load.
 
I started with a 6x6.8, sold it got a 6x45, sold it and just finished another 6x6.8. I personally noticed a difference in the 2 Chambers on shot coyotes. Some say a couple hundred fps aren't worth it, but to me it is. Plus I have a 68 now so I will have plenty of brass
 
Easy get a fullsize 6x6.8 die and its just one pass through it.
CH4D? makes the one I have, as soon as you decide on 6x6.8, get one on order.
Good luck either way.
 
I had the same questions earlier this winter. I went with the 6x6.8 and am very happy with it. Running 58 vmax's over 8208 also. I use the redding bushing dies to neck down. Once I figured out what it wanted for neck tension and shoulder bump it has been very accurate. As said before, talk to Greg or Ritch and they will get you set up. Good Luck
 
My 6x6.8 CH4D dies have been backordered for over 6 months. I hope they work great when they finally arrive!

I also hope BHW has their 6x6.8 barrel issue figured out soon.
 
The 6x6.8 is a faster shooting gun, and it does have clear advantages. But I hate losing valuable brass while I'm hunting! Seems like I spent more time looking for brass than I did for downed game... I had 2 6x45's and I never found them lacking. If I lose a piece of 5.56 brass I didn't really get to upset cause I've got 1000's of rounds of it. I also hate having bags hanging off my rifle so to me the 6x45 was more economical and worked as well as I needed it to. Something about the 6x45 is just works, the 16" carbine I built was the most consistently accurate AR I've ever owned. It shot 1/2" and usually less under just about all conditions day in and day out. If you really want the advantages a 6x6.8 offers you are gonna need at least a 20" barrel and 22-24" would be better. I found a 16-18" barrel was all I needed to get great speed out of the 6x45.
 
Ritch has been killing coyotes with an 18" 6X6.8 for three years. I like a 20-22 for a bit more speed. I also like the 1:9 twist for everything it shoots though a 1:10 works perfectly also.

Last I heard, last week, the 6X6.8's bought lately are shooting well out in the hinterlands.

Greg
 
Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOGMy 6x6.8 CH4D dies have been backordered for over 6 months. I hope they work great when they finally arrive!

I also hope BHW has their 6x6.8 barrel issue figured out soon.

What issues do you speak of?
 
I don't have either, but would lean towards the 6.8 variant for speed. It's not necessarily needed, but faster is flatter.

As for losing brass, a member here makes a really good brass catcher for $5. No weight, and I've caught more than 5 pieces at a time of 223 brass without dropping any. I plan to have it mounted to my 264 LBC constantly hunting or not.
 
Originally Posted By: yotehunter243Originally Posted By: DiRTY DOGMy 6x6.8 CH4D dies have been backordered for over 6 months. I hope they work great when they finally arrive!

I also hope BHW has their 6x6.8 barrel issue figured out soon.

What issues do you speak of?
Very short throat, irregular lands, poor accuracy from a brand new barrel. Also very similar brass damage as you see in the 22 Nosler thread. Deep ectractor imprints and bent case rims. 4 diff bullets, 2 diff powders, 2 diff scopes, etc. Drove me practically crazy trying to figure it out.

I discussed these issues at length with GLShooter and he generously offered advice. Ritch from RPG told me to send it back so I did. BHW said they found "chamber concentricity issues" and they are making me another one and flagged my order to skip to the front of the line. Been waiting 5 weeks...

There are currently several other BHW 6x6.8 shooters with similar problems that I am aware of. It's not a secret. I'm not convinced it's an unrelated coincidence either.
 
Thank all of you guys for your opinions. After reading all the comments I can see an advantage in the 6x6.8 but considering all the 223 brass, mags, & bcg's I have I've decided to go 6x45. Now, what barrel, length, & contour. I want a fairly heavy barrel but not a bull barrel. Anyone like x-caliber barrels, they offer 8,9,10,11,&12 twist. I was thinking 1-10 twist because I want to shoot 55-80 grain bullets. What do you recommend on a barrel & the twist? Thanks,
JD
 
Originally Posted By: GLShooterRitch has been killing coyotes with an 18" 6X6.8 for three years. I like a 20-22 for a bit more speed. I also like the 1:9 twist for everything it shoots though a 1:10 works perfectly also.

Last I heard, last week, the 6X6.8's bought lately are shooting well out in the hinterlands.

Greg

That is the setup I am using. It "came alive" and is one of the more accurate AR's I have now. Now If I can get my 6x45 (same set-up) to "come alive" and shoot similarly. I guess I just have a hard time getting AR's to shoot well for me.
 
Originally Posted By: CountryWildcatAs for losing brass, a member here makes a really good brass catcher for $5..

Who is that? You have pics? Thanks.
 
I use the original tactical brass catcher i bought for $85... I just looked online at them. My model is discontinued and the new model is $219???? ouch
 
I have built a few of each of the above calibers.
The 6x45 will do anything from p-dogs to antelope/deer with ease, (keeping the big game to 400 yards max), due to fast drop of energy after that.
I went with the 1/9"tw BHW bbls since they handle the 80-95g bullets better.
My 1st 2 were with 1/10" BHW bbls and after going 1/9" they seemed to tighten up groups.
I upped to the 6x6.8 for antelope/deer due to its factor of greater speed at longer distance for my use.
1/9" tw BHW bbls on them.
The AR15s I built in both calibers were 22" as I like to keep FPS up.
I did sell the AR15s and went back to bolt builds, 3 in 6x45 and 1 in 6x6.8.
 
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