6mm ARC: Has Hornady Struck Gold?

[yellowfin]

https://www.hornady.com/6mmARC#!/

This may have all the right pieces in place: SAAMI spec, works w/ 6.5G bolts and mags, abundant appropriate weight bullets like you'd put in a Dasher that make sense for that case size and capacity, industry support they're putting in place. Not anemic velocities unless out of inconvenient barrel lengths, trading BC for velocity, etc. I had been wanting something like this for a long time but didn't want to invest in a one hit wonder or wildcat. If this works like it should then it is what the 6.5G should have been all long.

[sandsunsurf]

I have to say that I was drinking the kool-aid for the whole video....


https://vimeo.com/424873712?ref=em-v-share

[Furbyballer]

None of this matters if they can't figure out the magazine and feeding problems that are systemic with the 6.5 grendel. I agree it looks promising, but I will remain skeptical and put this in the same spot I put 224 valkerie in until it proved to be anemic. I am cautiously optimistic however. Magpul said they are trying to see if its worth it for them to attempt a magazine but there are spatial geometry problems with TDP sized ar15 mag wells and this new cartridge that make it extremely difficult.

[B Cart]

I'm always excited for innovation and seeing the industry push new boundaries, but i'm not really seeing what performance enhancement this offers over the .224 Valkyrie. I guess maybe a slightly higher speed (2,750fps vs 2675 fps at muzzle) with a slightly higher ft-lbs of energy due to the larger bullet (439 vs 564 ft-lbs at 1,000 yards), but enough to warrant an entirely new cartridge?

From a ballistic perspective, the Hornady 88gr ELDm for the .224V has a G1 BC of .545, which is higher than the .536 BC on the 108gr ELDM they are using for the 6mm ARC, and the .224 is already tested, works reliably in the AR platform, and uses standard 6.8 mags.

But i guess a 6mm gas gun would be cool, and maybe this round will be the bees knees. Curious to see how it will perform in the real world.

[yellowfin]

Things I can see it has over the .224: probably better barrel life with the bigger diameter, more useful bullets available in the higher BC range (.224 exist but they're few and new vs. 6mm having done this for decades), probably wider range of powders that will work with it, resize 6.5G or 7.62x39 brass if you want to or need to, and a 6mm bullet is simply better thought of than anything in .224 diameter when zapping deer or hogs.

Quite honestly the .224 should have been 6mm too and the minute it came out I said so. I think Hornady is looking to do with this what they did with the 6.5CM vs. the already existing .260: trim it back a touch and bring a lot of friends along in the industry with them to popularize the hell out of it.

[fledge]

I'm always excited for innovation and seeing the industry push new boundaries, but i'm not really seeing what performance enhancement this offers over the .224 Valkyrie. I guess maybe a slightly higher speed (2,750fps vs 2675 fps at muzzle) with a slightly higher ft-lbs of energy due to the larger bullet (439 vs 564 ft-lbs at 1,000 yards), but enough to warrant an entirely new cartridge?

From a ballistic perspective, the Hornady 88gr ELDm for the .224V has a G1 BC of .545, which is higher than the .536 BC on the 108gr ELDM they are using for the 6mm ARC, and the .224 is already tested, works reliably in the AR platform, and uses standard 6.8 mags.

But i guess a 6mm gas gun would be cool, and maybe this round will be the bees knees. Curious to see how it will perform in the real world.

If this shoots repeatably straight for most customers, it will show 224 Valkyrie the door. The Valkyrie is too hit/miss to be a reliable caliber to recommend.

[Achilles11B]

I’m cautiously excited about it. I like the idea of sending 108gr bullets out to 1200 yards on an AR15 platform. But, we’ll see if it proves reliable.

[1168]

I'm always excited for innovation and seeing the industry push new boundaries, but i'm not really seeing what performance enhancement this offers over the .224 Valkyrie. I guess maybe a slightly higher speed (2,750fps vs 2675 fps at muzzle) with a slightly higher ft-lbs of energy due to the larger bullet (439 vs 564 ft-lbs at 1,000 yards), but enough to warrant an entirely new cartridge?

From a ballistic perspective, the Hornady 88gr ELDm for the .224V has a G1 BC of .545, which is higher than the .536 BC on the 108gr ELDM they are using for the 6mm ARC, and the .224 is already tested, works reliably in the AR platform, and uses standard 6.8 mags.

But i guess a 6mm gas gun would be cool, and maybe this round will be the bees knees. Curious to see how it will perform in the real world.

It might be useful for guys not allowed to whack Bambi with .224 projectiles. And if Hornady’s hype is real, it might carry higher impact velocities in factory loads than Grendel, for those that use lead free projectiles. We’ll see.

[JediGuy]

It’s interesting. 20% reduction in ammo carrying capacity compared to 5.56. Further effective long range capability.
Interested in the efficacy (including pass through potential) within 200m.

[Alpha-17]

I tend to be very skeptical about these "next big thing" rounds. I started buying guns at the point 6.8SPC and 6.5 Grendel were starting to get big and I remember all the hoopla about .300 BLK. Now the flavor of the month is 6.5 Creedmore For the most part, I don't see the point of these. If I want lightweight, 5.56 does it, if I want power, .308/7.62 NATO tickles my fancy.