African Series: 6X45

Started by CAfrica, January 18, 2005, 12:08:49 AM

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CAfrica

This is another wildcat come good here in Africa.



The 6x45 is a wildcat created by necking up the 223 Remington to 6mm (.243).  This wildcat first appeared in 1965 shortly after Remington launched the 223 as a sporting cartridge.  Initially it was quite popular as a benchrest and varmint calibre in the US (varminters liked the reduced winddrift as opposed to the 22 calibres).  The cartridge will launch 70 and 75gr bullets at 3000ft/s and the 100 gr bullet at 2400ft/s.  The cartridge was also quite popular in NRA match competitions.  



In 1973 the cartridge set a new IBS 200yard record of 0.3062".  The cartridge could not compete with the 308 Win in match competition though and in the benchrest arena it was replaced by the 6mm PPC. Today in the US this cartridge is relegated to the occasional varminter.



This cartridge has become quite popular in South Africa as a small game cartridge, mainly I believe because our local gun magazine has written some glowing eulogies to it.  In essence in the SA application, it is used as a small game bushveld cartridge with the 100gr bullet at about 2350ft/s.  At this velocity it is adequate for our most common small antelope the impala but it is also capable of handling slightly larger animals such as blesbok and in a pinch Hartbeest or Njala.



A little aside here:  A "bushveld calibre" is a calibre that throws a bullet at low velocity.  Ideal is regarded as around 2300 to 2400ft/s.  At this velocity meat damage is minimised, penetration is excellent, it has sufficient range for bushveld hunting (most shots below 150 yards) and one gets reliable performance from conventional construction bullets.



The beauty of this cartridge is that you can build very small light rifles on the mini actions (the Zastava mini action has been the action of choice).  Many people have fallen in love with these small "sexy" rifles and the 6X45 with its low recoil is perfect for this application. It also has notably less muzzle blast than many of the "standard" calibres (243, 308 etc.)



Note, the cartridge is not just short; it has a small case-head meaning you actually use the small bolt, not just a short action with a standard diameter bolt.



There is probably no other wildcat, which has seen as wide application as this one in Africa and it grew to such an extent that one of our larger ammunition manufacturers started producing factory ammunition for it.  This expanded its use to non-reloaders and increased its popularity further.



With the lighter bullets the cartridge can be used as a plains country springbok calibre if shots are kept below 300 yards.



Many people obtained these rifles under the pretext that it is for the wife or children (and the rifle is truly excellent for this purpose) and then fall in love with it and before long it is their preferred rifle.



Rifles for this calibre are either built on the mini actions or alternatively people simply buy a 223 and rebarrel it.  People who fall in love with small rifles such as .22 Hornets etc. will understand the magic of this little cartridge.



C

LLANOJOHN (deceased)

C,
 
A nice little cartridge and certainly one worth considering.  Using a Savage short action like the 10 it could be made into a switch barrel with no problems whatsoever.  Using identical contour barrels, 1 in .223 and one in 6x45 you would, IMO, a very nice combo.  The 223 for the little critters and practice and switch to the 6x45 for the purposes you stated.  Certainly something to think about!
 
Ol' John
Life Member-NRA-TSRA
Riflesmith-Bolt & Lever Centerfires Only
Left-Hand Creek Rifles
Mark Twain was right-"There is no such thing as too much good whiskey!"
My best advice.."Best to stay outta trees and offa windmills!"

Noyb72

This looks like THE cartridge for the little blacktails we get up here in the Pacific North West. C, have you heard of a #2 version? Something like this in a baby roling block, or little martini, with a 24 inch barrel would be around 2-2.5 Kilos all up. I could carry that into the high country all day and not even know it's there. The larger diameter makes casting heavy slugs easier, and that is perfect for low velocity small game loads. Very interesting.
Ron

CAfrica

Noyb,
 
That sounds like an excellent idea.  Are these actions not more appropriate for rimmed cartridges though?  Maybe the gunsmith guys can give us some guidance.  With the small rimless casehead, could this calibre be built on a martini action?
 
Winchester built a .25 calibre on the 357 magnum case at one stage (now obsolete, called the 256 Winchester I think) but it would probably better fit a martini action.
 
A friend of mine has a 300 Sherwood in a little martini actioned rifle that sounds about like what you're looking for.
 
C

Noyb72

C

The rimmed cartridge question is what I ment by a #2 version. I have been trying to think of a case to use, the hornet is a little small, and .303 is a little bigger than I'm looking for. I think 7.62x39 would work. It's semi rimmed, and I'm not sure if it will work in a roling block or a martini. A trimmed 30-30 would work, but I would like to keep the wildcat as easy as possible. Any suggestions would help.

CAfrica

Noyb,
 
What about something like the 25-35. Wouldn't that fit the bill for a Martini action?
 
C

Noyb72

C
 
As I understand it, the 25-35 is based on the 30-30 case. I think that's a bit big for a small roling block or martini. If I was going to use an action big enough for the 25-35, there are larger cases that would be acceptable. I am thinking of ultra minimalist, something like a rook rifle for deer. I am the kind of guy who enjoys a .410 sized action for a .410 bore shotgun. So I,m looking for a cartridge, most likely a wildcat, that gives 6x45 power, only has a rim. If it could run at lower pressure, and have minimum recoil, even better. Up here we hunt much like you stalk in the bushveld, our temperate rain forests are as thick or thicker than jungles, and a rifle set up like an upland game gun would work wonderfully. That's what I'm thinking about. Of course, it now looks like I'm going to be giving Sabi a call, so this might take a while.

45-70 Rifleman

#7
I purchased a small Australian Martini for my son and we both shot it quite a bit before he traded it toward a .308. The Martini had originally been chambered in .310 but someone rechambered it in .32 Winchester Special. It shot accurately. There was no problem loading and unloading it. The action really handled it quite well. It kicked like a beast, though, because the gun was so light. The 30-30 should be a much better caliber in the little Martini and the 25-35 would be perfect.



Too many americans think you need to a 30-06 to kill a deer "humanely".



About the 6x45 you said:



"In essence in the SA application, it is used as a small game bushveld cartridge with the 100gr bullet at about 2350ft/s. At this velocity it is adequate for our most common small antelope the impala but it is also capable of handling slightly larger animals such as blesbok and in a pinch Hartbeest or Njala.



A little aside here: A "bushveld calibre" is a calibre that throws a bullet at low velocity. Ideal is regarded as around 2300 to 2400ft/s. At this velocity meat damage is minimised, penetration is excellent, it has sufficient range for bushveld hunting (most shots below 150 yards) and one gets reliable performance from conventional construction bullets."
 

Note that 100grs at 2350 is the same as 25-35 performance. I am more anxious now than ever to try my 25-35 on deer.
 
 
 

Hunterbug

Noyb72, a friend of mine has a 12ga trap gun built on a Martini action. The same guy that built that also built one in a take down modle with 3 barrels in 22 Hornet, 357 Maximum, and 25-35. Our own gitano has a 22/30-30 built on a Martini action so I think that it's safe to say that a 25-35 would work just fine. I would love one in 22 Hornet for hunting coyotes.
 
45-70, I disagree that too many people think that you need a 30-06 for deer, that is why so many still use 30-30s. But where I live a 25-35 isn't legal for deer.
Ask not what your government can do for you. Ask how your government can go away and get out of your life.
 
 
The unarmed man is is not only defenseless, he is also contemptible.
Niccolo Machiavelli

45-70 Rifleman

#9
Colorado State says: CENTERFIRE RIFLES
  • a. Must be .24 caliber (6 mm) or larger.
  • b. Must have at least a 16-inch barrel and be at least 26 inches long.
  • c. If semiautomatic, they cannot hold more than 6 rounds in the magazine and chamber combined.
  • d. Must use expanding bullets that weigh at least 70 grains for deer, pronghorn and bear, 85 grains for elk and moose, and have an impact energy (at 100 yds.) of 1,000 ft. pounds as rated by the manufacturer.
  • e. It is illegal to hunt game birds, small game mammals or furbearers with a centerfire rifle larger than .23 caliber during the regular rifle deer and elk rifle seasons west of I-25 unless hunters have an unfilled deer or elk license for the season they are hunting. A small game license is still required.
The one factory 25-35 load offered is a .25 caliber bullet weighing 117 grains. I guess the 1,000 ft. pounds at 100 yds is the stopper. Winchester publishes that it produces 904 ft. pounds at 100 yds and Sellier & Bellot list theirs as producing 890 ft pounds. Does this mean you have to shoot factory loads? Hodgdon's Data Manual 26th Edition lists several 100 grain and 87 grain loads that, if loaded with standard sierra spitzers, will retain more than 1,000 ft pounds at 100 yds. It's the factory flat nosed bullet for the lever action's tubular magazine that is taking off the edge. The 117 grain bullet Winchester loads in this has a balistic coefficient of only .213.  The 87 grainer they load in the 25-06 has a ballistic coefficient of .333.  Too bad.
I guess that if I go to Colorado to hunt I'm going to have to take something bigger.



[/color]

kombi1976

This cartridge looks perfect for roo shooting. With a 70gn ballistic tip style bullet and a 4-12 powered scope it'd be great for head shots. Since the average roo's head is approximately the size of an apple and most shots are taken from a truck offhand the low kick would be excellent. Does anyone make dies for this cartridge?
Cheers & God Bless
22lr ~ 22 Hornet ~ 25-20 ~ 303/25 ~ 7mm-08 ~ 303 British ~ 310 Cadet ~ 9.3x62 ~ 450/400 N.E. 3"


CAfrica

Quote from: kombi1976This cartridge looks perfect for roo shooting. With a 70gn ballistic tip style bullet and a 4-12 powered scope it'd be great for head shots. Since the average roo's head is approximately the size of an apple and most shots are taken from a truck offhand the low kick would be excellent. Does anyone make dies for this cartridge?
Kombi,
 
This is a fairly standard die in the US.  RCBS should be able to supply you (and probably just about every-one else).  Your problem is going to be finding someone down-under who has the correct chamber reamer.
 
C

Noyb72

OK, so maybe 25-35 would work. I'm thinking of the #2 roling block, and it seemed a little small for that cartridge. I know the smallest, typically found in 32RF would be to small. But the next one up in line, apparently, works.
Now I'm going to upset everyone, the way I see it, if your going to do a project like this, you may as well do something different, so here goes. If you wanted to "improve" the 25-35, you could shorten it and end up with the same capacity. This, of course, is what I was trying to avoid in the beginning, but I like eficiency.
  Maybe someone else knows if this one has been done? I've been thinking of a .357 Maximum necked down to 6mm. Any comments.

Noyb72

OK, found it.
Turns out the .257-.357 Max, which is a wildcat that's been done several times before I asked about it above. has almost the same case capacity as the 6x45. So a .243x .357Max should work just fine. The pressure won't be as low as the 25-35, but we are talking about a physically smaller cartridge. I think the 100gn. partition fits the bill nicely.

45-70 Rifleman

#14
If it were me building this rifle up I would consider a couple of important points. First, the #2 Rolling Block is small and weak. Any cartridge used with that action should be of fairly small case diameter and should have a fairly low working pressure. You can use a wildcat based on a high pressure cartridge, but if you do, you better load it for the low pressure you need to stay at. You just can't get around the pressure issue, unless of course, you don't care about your face. Second, I would try to use a cartridge that was of the same base and rim diameter as the original cartridge, or just a tad larger. That way you shouldn't have any big issues with modifying the extractor or other internal working parts. The .32 rimfire had a base diameter of .321 and a rim diameter of .369. Third, I would try to see if there was an existing factory cartridge that would suit my needs and would work in this rifle. If it is chambered for a factory cartridge then ammo is available. You could still handload if you chose to and brass would be abundant. If you go with a wildcat, then brass may need to be formed and fireformed. Handloading would be the only practical option if using a wildcat.
 
With these thoughts in mind, I suggest you consider these factory cartridges:
  • .25-20 Winchester - Base diameter .349, rim diameter .408. One load is available from Winchester and an identical load from Remington. Both send an 86 grain bullet at 1460 feet per second. There are many .25 caliber bullet choices available for reloading. Max pressure is 28,000 cup. The #2 Rolling Block was offered in a similar .25-20 from the manufacturer. This would make a nice little rifle and this would be my first recomendation.
  • .32-20 Winchester - Base diameter .349, rim diameter .408. One lead load is available from Winchester and an identical lead load from Remington. Both send a 100 grain bullet at 1210 feet per second. Max pressure is 16,000 cup. Weak, but this might make a nice, accurate plinker.
  • .32 H&R Magnum - This is probably the closest thing you will find to the original .32 rimfire cartridge your #2 was made for but with a little more "oomph". It is loaded to 21,000 cup. Federal offers an 85 grain jacketed HP load and a 95 grain lead semi-wadcutter load. Because of a resurgence in Cowboy type shooting, several smaller companies are also offering ammunition in this caliber, Marlin currently offers a lever action rifle for this cartridge, and Ruger offers .32 H&R chambered pistols. In a 24 inch barrel you should be able to get about 1100 feet per second with the 85 grain load and 1030 feet per second with the 95 grain load. This would be my second recomendation for the rifle. You might be able to find and use an original barrel but it probably wouldn't work as well for jacketed bullets as a modern barrel would.
  • .38 Special - Another good choice. 17,000 cup, base diameter of .379, rim diameter .440. You should be safe shooting the +P ammo because it is only loaded to 20,000 cup but .357 Magnum rounds at 45,000 cup would be too much.
  • .38-40 Winchester - This was another factory offering for the #2 Rolling Block. Base diameter .467, rim diameter .525. One load is available from Winchester and sends a 180 grain bullet at 1160 feet per second. Contrary to the nomenclature this isn't a .38 caliber. It is a .40 caliber that was introduced to provide a rifle that could fire the same ammunition as a revolver. The max average pressure for this cartridge is 14,000 cup.
  • .44 Smith & Wesson Special - 14,000 cup. Base diameter of .514, rim diameter of .557. This would probably be my third recomendation. There are many factory loads available and it would make an interesting rifle.
Unless you want to blow the gun up you probably won't get more velocity for the various calibers I listed above. For example, if you chose to make a .25 wildcat on the .32 H&R case, then you would end up with a cartridge with about the same case capacity as the .25-20. You could only get more velocity by loading to higher pressures than is safe for the .25-20 cartridge. But the H&R cartridge is only made for 21,000 cup. That is LESS than the .25-20 is made for. If your handloads give you more velocity than a factory .25-20 would then you'd be begging for disaster.
 
You could use these cases to make wildcats for calibers not otherwise available, though. But I don't see the utility in making a .22-20, 6-32H&R, or a .24/44 Special.
 
The .218 Bee is promising as it is based on the .25-20 case, but it is loaded to 40,000 cup of pressure and I would consider that very risky in a #2 Rolling Block. We are talking about .44 Magnum pressures.
 
 
The .22 Hornet has rim and case diameters smaller than the .32 rimfire but could probably be made to work. Again though, the 43,000 cup pressure for the Hornet would be more than I would trust with your rifle. The Hornet is made for pressures higher than the .44 Magnum.
 
I was suggesting the use of .25-35 in the little Martini. I doubt that the #2 Remington action is as strong as the Martini. The .25-35 generates up to 37,000 cup. That is significantly higher than any cartidge Remington manufactured the #2 to shoot.


Also, I would strongly suggest you take your action to a competent gunsmith and discuss the feasibility of any conversion with him.

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