I'd like to spend part of this winter building a 6x45 walk around varmint rifle. Just to be clear, I don't "need" it, I just want one and I'd enjoy building it myself. I taught myself to fit and chamber rifle barrels, and true actions last winter. I did two of my rifles and I'm really happy with the results.

When there is snow on the ground, it's shop season - and I need a project so I'd like to build a 6x45 walk around varmint rifle. My ideal would be a Remington 7 or CZ527 size and weight rifle that I can rebarrel (i.e. not a Browning) that will take a 6x45 cartridge with a COL of 2.4".

I have a CZ527 in .223 that is my current favorite walk around varmint rifle. I reach in the safe and it sticks to my hand. It's light enough for a physically active retired desk jocky to carry all day, tack driving accurate, has a wonderful single set trigger, and has dropped 22 groundhogs in a row DRT with 22 shots from field positions at ranges out to 169 yards. No muss, no fuss, hits what it's aimed at, reliable as gravity. Gotta love a rifle like that. I want my 6x45 to be like that, but I'm definitely NOT going to re-barrel that one. I love it just like it is - so I was thinking of getting another one to rebarrel as a 6x45 but I've concluded the magazine is too short and will force deep seated bullets and limit powder capacity for heavier bullets. That's a shame because I love the action, the trigger, the almost one hole accuracy (for 3 shot groups - it's a sporter) and removable box magazine.

I think I need room for a COL of 2.4" minimum in the 6x45. The CZ527 is really limited to about 2.275" - my current favorite .223 GH load has a COL of 2.272" and it "barely" fits.

So I'd like to start with a .223 repeter that has room for a cartridge 2.4" long which I think means I need at least a 2.45" to 2.5" magazine length.

I don't want a single shot walk around varmint rifle. I don't want to be fumbling with rounds in my shirt pocket, trying to reload and not drop them in the poision ivy or bend over and have them fall on the ground. I just want to put in the clip, rack one into the chamber, set the safety, and be ready to go.

A blind box magazine with out a hinged floor plate is a deal killer for me. The hinged floor plate is OK only if there isn't a good candidate with a removable magazine.

So my other criteria is that it "must" have either a removable magazine or a hinged bottom plate to permit easy unloading with out having to rack the rounds out with the bolt.

Looking at it on screen, the Sako L461 looks like it might be a candidate, so does the S491. The Remington 799 (which gets mixed reviews) or 722 might also be candidates. So might a Tikka. I haven't measured the detachable box magazine in the new Savage .223's that have them so don't know if they are candidates or not. I like the Accutrigger on my Savage .243 and definitely like the target accutrigger on my .22-250 LRPV - so Savage might be a good candidate. I rebarreled and bedded one Savage and set back and rechambered another Savage last winter so that is also a point in their favor. I'm about to rebarrel a Howa (1.5mm metric tenon threads) so one of those might be a candidate as well.

What would be good candidates to watch for on the used rifle market?

Thanks
Fitch

FWIW my research on the topic suggests the 6x45 may be a little long for the Sako but that a 6mm Myra (6mm-222) or the 25 Copperhead (25-222) will fit perfectly.

I have a 6 X 45 on a Mini-Mauser (Rem 799) and it's a fine gun. I also have a Sako L-461 and see no reason why it couldn't make a fine 6 X 45 as well.

While it's possible that one may have a bit of trouble with a 100 grain bullet in some magazines it's also very unlikely that one would shoot such a bullet in the 6 X 45. It's ideal use is with the much lighter bullets.

Check out this 243 Myra on a Brno 601 action.

http://forums.nitroexpress.com...=0&page=0#Post137757

I'm currently in a very similar project, I'm building a 6X47 aka 6X.222 Rem Mag. I chose a Stevens 200 for my rifle, and am going to attempt the barrel swap myself. I got the Stevens for $240 delivered, $260 for the barrel chambered in 6X47 (still waiting on delivery). The barrel I'm using is a 20" Douglas CM in #3 contour.

I proabably should have done the 6X45 or 6mm TCU but I wanted to be a little different.

quote:

Originally posted by rolltop:
I have a 6 X 45 on a Mini-Mauser (Rem 799) and it's a fine gun. I also have a Sako L-461 and see no reason why it couldn't make a fine 6 X 45 as well.

While it's possible that one may have a bit of trouble with a 100 grain bullet in some magazines it's also very unlikely that one would shoot such a bullet in the 6 X 45. It's ideal use is with the much lighter bullets.

I agree with your conclusion about the 6x45 being better with lighter bullets. The diameter driven muzzle velocity advantage falls off as the bullets get heavier. It's best with the 55g bullet.

I suspect, truth be told, I'd develop a load for the 55g Nosler BT or 58g V-MAX and let it go at that. In that case, 2.26 - 2.272" is long enough.

Fitch

quote:

Originally posted by taylorce1:
I'm currently in a very similar project, I'm building a 6X47 aka 6X.222 Rem Mag. I chose a Stevens 200 for my rifle, and am going to attempt the barrel swap myself. I got the Stevens for $240 delivered, $260 for the barrel chambered in 6X47 (still waiting on delivery). The barrel I'm using is a 20" Douglas CM in #3 contour.

I proabably should have done the 6X45 or 6mm TCU but I wanted to be a little different.

I sure like the price of the Stevens option! How long is the magazine in that rifle?

Fitch

Sako AI, 461, etc. Lou

If I'm not mistaken Sako chambered the 6x47 in the L46 and L461.
Butch

An L 46 really is best with 222 and shorter.

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
If I'm not mistaken Sako chambered the 6x47 in the L46 and L461.
Butch

If you are right, the L461 might be a good choice - the Sierra Reloading catalog specifies a COL of 2.4" in the 6x47 part of their data. They specify 2.26" for the 6x45.

Thinking outloud so to speak - that might not be significant - the difference between 2.26"COL and 2.4"COL is about 1.6 grains of powder capacity. However, modeling that in QuickLoad - the difference in MV for the two lengths with a 70g Nosler BT is only about 30 to 44 ft/sec which really isn't enough to write home about.

Bottom line, I think I just convinced myself that a COL of 2.26" is just fine for the 6x45.

That means any .223 that is a practical rebarrel candidate can work.

Fitch

quote:

Originally posted by Fitch:

quote:

Originally posted by taylorce1:
I'm currently in a very similar project, I'm building a 6X47 aka 6X.222 Rem Mag. I chose a Stevens 200 for my rifle, and am going to attempt the barrel swap myself. I got the Stevens for $240 delivered, $260 for the barrel chambered in 6X47 (still waiting on delivery). The barrel I'm using is a 20" Douglas CM in #3 contour.

I proabably should have done the 6X45 or 6mm TCU but I wanted to be a little different.

I sure like the price of the Stevens option! How long is the magazine in that rifle?

Fitch

I'll try and remember to measure the mag tonight. I wasn't too worried about it as I figured I might wind up shooting some as a single shot. I figured 6mm bullets would be slightly shorter than .224 bullets of the same weight, and I plan on shooting mainly 55 and 60 grain bullets.

My L46 was a single shot solid bottom model.
Butch

Fitch,

Sorry for the delayed reply but I got a set of calipers on the mag tonight and it measured at 2.450 inches. The mag has a block in it as well so you could probably get it out to 2.5" with a little modification.