Don't know why but I will try to explain my reasoning. Again this is just my take on this decision and I guess I am the only one that has to appreciate it because I'm the one shooting it..
I shoot 10 weeks in an informal local bench type league. It is set up really simple. Any center fire rifle with an optical scope is eligible to partake. Just has to be at least a 22 and no larger than a 30cal. Other than a scope mounted the only other requirement is it must be shot from a front bipod and rear bag. Yes there is a good share of 6mm varieties, 6.5, 7mm, 30cal, one 25cal and myself and one other shooting 223.
We rotate shooting from 100 to 200 to 300yds and each week is a different target. This year and in the past I have posted pictures of the different targets we shoot and how the different target are scored. We now have 5 proprietary targets that were designed by us. This is not just shooting at bullseyes.
So during my first season shooting this league and getting to know the members and developing a better understanding of what they are doing I started gaining interest and experience shooting the 223 and realizing the handicap I had given myself with the 223. Yet still I very much enjoy shooting and competing with it. That next summer I started looking for another Savage action with the intention of barreling it with a NSS prefit barrel in 6BR. Reason again being costs and ease of completion. Then while waiting I stumbled upon a New Take-Off Savage model 12 heavy 26" barrel 223 that had never been shot. It was local and I got it for $100.00 so it went on and now two years later I am still shooting it.
So during this time of looking to build this rifle for this league I also started looking at this 6mm ARC. Why? Because everywhere I looked I ran into road blocks to building a 6mm BR. No brass was available two years ago. Tools, dies, gauges also were nowhere to be had. Sure I could get a 6BR barrel from NNS but that was about all. Yet I could find factory loaded ammo for brass, Reloading dies from both Hornady and Lee. Also NSS had the go no-go gauges. So I could find everything needed to put it together.
Then while doing that I started reading everything I could find on the 6 Arc. Articles comparing it to the BR, BRA, DASHER, 6.5 Grendal and one even against the 6.5 CM. Then I started studying the load data available for the bolt rifles and soon realized that the 6mm ARC and the 6mm BR when loaded with the same components, same bullets, primers, powders and all the same weights there is relatively no difference until one get up to max loads then there is an edge to the BR. Then after talking with members that are shooting a BR, BRA, Dasher, not one of them is running anywhere near max velocity.
So why not any one of those Other cartridges you mention at are superior. I then ask superior to what? To do what? To shoot paper targets at distances of 100 to 300yds. Do I really need to burn twice the amount of powder just to punch holes? Powder isn't cheap anymore! Matter of fact I am still debating rebarreling the old one back to a faster twist 223 and staying with it as I can load that for almost half the cost of the 6mm. Also at these distances why not a 6PPC?
Bookmarks