Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles 6 x 45 Deer Hunting Loads

For the small crowd that might have an interest. Was chronographing these loads today with Benchmark Powder.
Rifle is a 20 inch heavy varmint barrel, threaded on a Ruger Axxis Action. 20 inch in length and have a recessed crown on it. Settling on a load to carry out deer hunting this upcoming fall.

1. 27.5 grains of Benchmark, 80 grain Sierra SP Bullet:
A:3057 fps B: 3078 fps C: 3062 fps

2. 26.2 grains of Benchmark, 85 gr Speer SP:
A: 2837 fps B: 2836 fps C: 2872 fps

3. 26 grains of Benchmark, 90 gr Speer SP:
A: 2789 fps B: 2766 fps C: 2782 fps

4. 26.5 grains of Benchmark, 100 gr SP Hornady:
A: 2793 fps B: 2787 fps

5. 26.0 grains of Benchmark, 100 gr SP Hornady:
A: 2768 fps B: 2781 fps


6. 25.5 grains of Benchmark, 105 BTHP Hornady :
A: 2666 fps B: 2672 fps

7. 25.0 grains of Benchmark, 105 A Max Hornady:
A: 2640 fps B: 2640 fps ( again!)

Lake City brass on its 8th firing, all primer pockets tight before and after shooting the above.

Remington 7 1/2 primers used on each round.

Brass resized easily for next loading

Resized body with a Redding 223 Body Die, sized neck with a Hornady 6mm Neck Sizing Die/ Short Version.

Bullet seated with a RCBS Small Base Die Set Seater.

Gotta lot of contenders for this coming fall, and each of these loads have a lot more thump that a 223 round, without any noticeable increase in recoil in my Savage Bolt Action...They will easily put down a blacktail with proper bullet placement.

These loads have also allowed me to ring 12 inch steel plates at 300 and 400 yards off the bench at my local range, and surprisingly pretty flat shooting.

wish I'd have looked at a 6 x 45, 30 years ago or more...

Have received another barrel from Douglas, in a Predator Profile, 24 inches, 1 in 7 twist ( oh why the hell not? ) 11 degree crown. Have either a Ruger 77 mk 2 Stainless action, or a Model 70 Short Action Push Feed, that this barrel will go on, haven't decided which. This May be the last rebarrel I'll probably do...starting to reach that age, that I might be put out to pasture in the next couple of years. Going to keep hunting, until I can't no more. But for now, So Far So Good!