|
Forum Rules | Firearms Safety | Firearms Photos | Links | Library | Lost Password | Email Changes |
Register | FAQ | Calendar | Search | Today's Posts | Mark Forums Read |
|
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
April 16, 2021, 12:11 PM | #1 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
It's Alive! Franken-ARC born
My 6mm ARC Monster barrel arrived from sixfive this morning, so I was able to put the rifle together. Credit goes to Mel80 on this forum, I was inspired to try the barrel based on her spectacular results.
I was able to put the thing together with all parts that I had on hand, so it is a bit of a "mix and match" affair--no points for style. I've put quite a few Grendel/lbc's together over the years (still have some type 1 parts) so I had everything needed already. The one thing that was kinda interesting/disappointing is the the heavy-duty type 2 NB bolt I have for my 6mm predator will not engage with the feedramps/extension. Oh well, I still have several conventional thin-walled ones. The biggest problem is that there is no 6mm ARC brass or ammo available anywhere--I'm lucky in that I have a pretty ample supply of left-over Grendel brass that I can convert.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! Last edited by stagpanther; April 16, 2021 at 04:09 PM. |
April 16, 2021, 01:59 PM | #2 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
I decided to ditch the off-color stuff having found black stuff. Here's my first go at reloads from Grendel brass sized down, using 90 gr vld's.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
April 16, 2021, 03:10 PM | #3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: October 15, 1998
Location: Sherman, TX USA
Posts: 3,750
|
You using the dot sight just for reliability testing?
Upper looks good, but I'd want a little bit of magnification for accuracy testing.
__________________
Make mine lean, mean, and 9x19! |
April 16, 2021, 03:15 PM | #4 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
We're in the middle of a raging rain/sleet/snow storm--what better time to go out and do a function test, right? Loaded the mag up and shot them all--everything worked perfectly. Love it when that happens on the first try.
In regards to the brass, I had a mix of different case lengths due to trial and error when first resizing the Grendel brass. I was (unnecessarily) worried about having too little space for the neck as a result of flowing metal up from the shoulder when resizing. As it turns out there was more than enough slack between the case neck OD and the chamber's wall--almost too much, I forgot that hornady generally makes their dies size towards minimum case measurements specs even if they don't call them small base. I noticed that the 3 cases under 1.49 tended to have signs of gas leaking. Other than that, I'm very happy--also noticed it's remarkably soft in recoil though the brake may have helped that. I can see for that reason alone this may become very popular, proving that maximum velocity attainable isn't always the most attractive feature of a cartridge, this cartridge joins a busy crowd, but it just might catch on as a soft-shooting high performance bullet cartridge. Them Hornady folks are pretty savvy bunch of rascals.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! Last edited by stagpanther; April 16, 2021 at 03:28 PM. |
April 16, 2021, 03:21 PM | #5 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
Quote:
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
|
April 16, 2021, 03:37 PM | #6 | |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Austin, CO
Posts: 19,578
|
Quote:
Other than that I am deeply offended that you have brass and I don't, congrats on a fine rifle. Is the brake from the same company as the barrel?
__________________
Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley |
|
April 16, 2021, 03:59 PM | #7 | ||
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
Quote:
Quote:
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! Last edited by stagpanther; April 16, 2021 at 04:26 PM. |
||
April 16, 2021, 04:37 PM | #8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
BTW--Brownells has stock of Bart's 100 count 66 gr match flat base bullets in stock at a low price--I just snatched 3 boxes. I have no idea how well they work in the ARC, but Hodgdon has data all the way down to 58 grs, and the smallest bullets I have in 6mm are 90 grs. having bought most of my 6mm bullets intending on using them for 6mm Creedmoor.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
April 16, 2021, 05:33 PM | #9 | |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: June 25, 2008
Location: Austin, CO
Posts: 19,578
|
Quote:
I may grab some of those Bart's anyway though as I've seen a review or two that say they shoot great. That is a pretty gnarly looking brake for an ARC but I bet she kicks like a .22 I would concur that it is almost certainly unnecessary, but sometimes "I think it looks cool" or even "I've got it, why not" is all the necessary we need. I'll shoot you a PM on the brass, glad to pay a fair price if you've got spares.
__________________
Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley |
|
April 16, 2021, 06:42 PM | #10 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 15, 2010
Posts: 8,235
|
As a former varmint hunter, these little-bullets-with-a-fat-cartridge type ARs are intriguing to me, but alas, I’m not adventurous enough.
I plan to move back to Texas in the next year or two. I’ve currently lived in Washington for 7 years now I’m ready to move back to freedom and varmint hunting lol. |
April 16, 2021, 06:54 PM | #11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
I was actually a bit surprised it fed flawlessly, Grendel cartridges can be a bit finicky feeding in AR's with bullets "way out there."
You might find this interesting: http://bartsbullets.weebly.com/6mm-grinch.html
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! Last edited by stagpanther; April 16, 2021 at 07:17 PM. |
April 16, 2021, 08:27 PM | #12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 11, 2019
Posts: 365
|
very nice i havent goten to try any of the arc specific bullets in mine yet , with myplans i plan on sticking with the lightwieght hunting and varmint stuff. im actually thinking about buyingsome ofthe leghih controlled chaos bullets to try in mine
|
April 16, 2021, 09:09 PM | #13 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 11, 2019
Posts: 365
|
forgot to add ive got a 12" 6 arc barrel from sixfive on the way
|
April 16, 2021, 10:13 PM | #14 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 11, 2019
Posts: 365
|
Quote:
im really looking forward todoing some varminting at 300-600+ y with the arc and some light wieght bullets this year and hopefully some even longer range stuff with my custom 28" mcgowen barreled6.5 grendel 430y racoon 6.5 gren supressed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jLtVYrPtDo Last edited by mel80; April 16, 2021 at 10:20 PM. |
|
April 16, 2021, 11:17 PM | #15 | |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
Quote:
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
|
April 16, 2021, 11:58 PM | #16 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 11, 2019
Posts: 365
|
ive got a few boxes of the 80g tipped trex's on the way for the gren just picked up 4 lbs of 2000-mr for the arc for loading 70/75/ and 80g stuff
|
April 17, 2021, 01:47 AM | #17 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
I've had great results with 2000MR in my 224 valk AR's using 95 gr SMKs--most powders cross pretty well from Grendel to 6.8 spc type cartridges in my experience.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
April 17, 2021, 11:07 AM | #18 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
I did a little more fudging around with the case lengths--for my particular chamber a length of 1.495 seems to be the sweet spot for easy load and extraction.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
April 17, 2021, 11:36 AM | #19 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
My first real "controlled" loads--95 gr ballistic silver tips.
The trigger group BTW is a PSA EPT trigger combined with jp reduced power springs for a smooth hunting trigger of 4 to 4.5 lbs pull. Nuthin fancy, a cheap but nice set-up.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
April 17, 2021, 02:31 PM | #20 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
Just got back--it's still rather stormy with rain and winds so my results probably could be much better, I only shoot a couple of groups at a time anyway as "seasoning" the bore is the most important thing to me right now. The rifle continues to operate flawlessly, not a single hiccup with loading, cycling or lock-back of bolt since the very first shot. This is my fifth Grendel/Grendel-based AR build and far and away the best reliably-operating one of the family. I rarely get such "positive vibes" from a new cartridge intro.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
April 17, 2021, 06:04 PM | #21 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 11, 2019
Posts: 365
|
if u can find any give the nosler 6mm 70g balistic tip varmint bullets a try p/n 39532 , my barrel absolutely loves them it also apears to love the sierra #1515 80g spbt blitz bullets from my first round of testing
i was hoping to get back out with mine over this weekend but its been cold af and even snowed back into the mid 70's end of this week though i now have 6 gren based builds only ones that ever gave me issues were the 10" barreled one thanks to the pistol lenght gas system , and my custom 28" inch barrel but that was to be expected since im well into uncharted territory with that beast of a rifle , now wih the low mass carrier and rp spring that thing runs like a champ across the entire bullet weight spectrum |
April 17, 2021, 07:37 PM | #22 |
Senior Member
Join Date: March 2, 2014
Posts: 11,653
|
Mel--if you get a cavity back PRI cut-out magazine--you can seat your bullets to 2.3+ assuming your chamber can take them and depending on the ogive of the bullet. It gives you "options." I've never used any small 6mm bullets--but I'll try a couple in the ARC.I have some 90/95 gr ballistic tips.
__________________
"Everyone speaks gun."--Robert O'Neill I am NOT an expert--I do not have any formal experience or certification in firearms use or testing; use any information I post at your own risk! |
April 17, 2021, 10:54 PM | #23 |
Senior Member
Join Date: December 11, 2019
Posts: 365
|
my grendel mags allow me to seat to 2.30 they work just fine in the arc as well
2.310 just starts to rub the bullet tip on the mag i have yet to measure to lands on anything with the arc yet , with the 70 and 80's im using a really short coal of 2.150 on the 70's and 2.125 on the 80's |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|