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Old December 31, 2011, 12:35 PM   #1
Marty Hayes
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Join Date: September 16, 1999
Posts: 244
6mm x 45mm patrol rifle article

I was interested in reading Ned Christiansen's write-up of the 6mm x 45mm patrol rifle concept. Back in the mid-90's, I worked with Olympic Arms' technician Rob Vance on just such a concept. We settled on building the upper using an 18" barrell with a Vortex flash suppressor, but using a carbine gas system in order not to put the gas system too close to the muzzle. The purpose behind the rifle was to have a patrol rifle/sniper rifle combination, as I was working the street as a small town cop, and had just compelted a law enforcement Sniper course. I wanted a rifle that could be used as a close quarters weapon, along with MOA accuracy in a sniper role.

Once we decided how the upper would be configured, I needed a scope. I did my research and decided to put an ACOG 3.5 x 35 with donut reticle on top. It worked well, both as in close quarters role, (althogh the magnificaiton was really to much for real close work) but it also was sufficiently clear to work in a long distance application. In fact, to prove the concept, I took and passed the H+K precison rifle course with the rifle/scope combination.

Of course, there was no commercial ammunition for it at the time, so I was left to make my own. RCBS had dies for it, and the cartridge was listed as a wildcat cartridge in the Sierra Reloaders manual. It listed a very promising load using the 85 gr Game King bullet, so I started experiementing. Eventually I settled on pushing the 85 gr. bullet at 2700 fps, and could routinely shoot sub MOA groups, even with the ACOG.

I also wanted a rifle to hunt with if the occasion presented itself, and I used it one fall to take a button buck from a tree stand at 70 yards, hitting a clean neck shot. (Didn't want to waste even one ounce of that tender venison.

When Jim Cirillo came out to my school to teach, he saw the rifle and fell in love with it. A trip to Olympic Arms resulted in putting one in his hands for T+E, after he had a chance to play with it at my range for a day. So happens that Paladin Press was also here to film his "Modern Day Gunfighter" video, and I and the rifle got about 10 minutes of film in that video.

I am happy to see that others are thinking as I was back in the 90's, and with Cor-Bon and Black Hills now making the ammunition commercially available, perhaps it will actually go somewhere.

It is a great rifle/cartridge combination.

Thanks SWAT for a great write-up. Think I will go load some ammo for it and shoot it a little!

Marty Hayes, President
The Firearms Academy of Seattle, Inc.
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Marty Hayes, President
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Last edited by Marty Hayes; December 31, 2011 at 12:59 PM.
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Old January 5, 2012, 10:41 AM   #2
Denny Hansen
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Thanks, Marty.
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