6x45 Improved - info needed

[Monster Man]

Well, I was able to buy the Ruger No. 1A from my friend's widow, the rifle that has been rebarreled to 6x45 IMP. Unfortunately, when I picked it up, I could not find any dies for the caliber, nor any loaded rounds. I have sent an email to Redding to ask if they have or can make a set of dies for this rifle. Is it perhaps uncommon enough that I will need to take it to a gunsmith to have a chamber cast made?

I do have a set of 6mm Rem dies. Would it perhaps be possible to use the 6mm Rem expander die to expand the neck on some of my 223 brass and seat a bullet with the seater die to get some loaded rounds to fire in the rifle? I would think three or four fired cases would be enough to send to Redding or Wilson for them to make a set of custom dies.

Am I on track with this thinking? I have never been through this process before, though I have been a handloader for 35 years.

[Monster Man]

I have been unable to find any chamber drawings for the 6x45 IMP, but would a shortcut to fireforming brass be to use 204 Ruger and merely open it up to 6MM. Would not this equate to the 6x45 IMP?

I am really stuck, so if anyone can point me in the right direction, I would appreciate it. Where or who can I turn to to help me with this project?

[redrock ranger]

You need to determine if the the shoulder is 30*, 35* or 40 * degrees.

I load a 6 x 222mag Ackley and use a Redding 223 Ackley Improved bushing die type S. Seat with a standard Lee seating die. 300 rounds and no problems.

[Alan in GA]

Been a while but I've shot a friend's 6x45 and the round is based on .223 case. 6x45 is a .223 with just the neck expanded to 6mm and no other change, a very efficient round. The 6x45 IMProved is that case with the body taper slightly lessened, and the shoulder angle increased to give more (a tad) powder room and sometimes better headspace control (more abrupt surface to hold case back). A chamber cast SHOULD be done just to make sure it IS a 'correct' 6x45 IMP chamber, which it probably is if a competant gunsmith did the work. Nice round and there's PLENTY of .223 brass around to feed it!
The 6x47 is made from the 222 MAGNUM case and is a DIFFERENT round. Use only .223 cases for your round is what I would suggest, HOWEVER get it checked to be SURE.

[Chuck Miller]

I would take a std 223 case, run a 243 expander through it and make sure it would chamber. If it will then run a stout load of Cream of Wheat and Unique and see what comes out. You could make 5 cases this way, fireform them with a bullet and send them off to get your dies made. It will tell you what shoulder you have and if it's a 40* you could probably get along just fine with a 223AI fl bushing die

[moorepower]

Would it not work just to expand to 6mm and fire form, just like a 6brx, by jamming and loading with a 6X45 load? This is going to end up being a fire formed load anyway? Either that or cast the chamber.

[Monster Man]

I was hoping that perhaps a 6x45 Imp would be the equivalent of a 6/204 Ruger, which would mean I would never have to fireform at all. Can anyone speak to this?

I will have a chance to get to the range sometime next week, as I have some vacation time to burn. I bought some 55 grain 6mm bullets today, so will see if I can expand a 223 case and seat a bullet and get it to chamber in the No. 1. If so, I will fire off five and see what I have. (I have a single 204 Ruger case that came in a lot of IMI once-fired brass I bought at a gunshow, so I may try that one, too).

Assuming I will need custom dies, is there a better source than Redding? All my dies except for my 17 CCM are Redding Dies......the CCM dies that came with my Cooper rifle were from RCBS as I recall.

To develop a load, I guess I can use 6x45 data and go up from there? I do not own a chronograph, but perhaps it is time to invest in one.

[Chuck Miller]

As mentioned the 6x45 is the 6mm-223, the 6x47 is a 6mm-222mag(same parent case as the 204R) so you can forget anything to do with the 204, too long. Your parent case is the 223, determine what the shoulder angle is and go from there. Best case scenario is it's a std Ackley Improved 40* shoulder. If it is then you can do something with a 223AI bushing die, if not you'll need to provide some fired cases for custom dies. 6x45 data is a good starting point.

[redrock ranger]

You might check C & H 4d tool for custom dies . I believe before i jump into that i'd serious look at rechambering would cost.

If its a 40* Ackley shoulder i'd purchase the Redding 223 type S Ackley dies. They will work just fine.

[Monster Man]

I bought some 6mm bullets that I will try to seat in some 223 cases. But I was curious what would happen if I were to fire some 223 rounds in this chamber; would I achieve fired brass that would be good enough to use to make a set of dies?

I have heard of a smaller caliber being accidentally fired in a rifle, but never on purpose. I am sure it will fire, I just do not know if it will fully form the brass to the 6x45 Imp chamber in the Ruger No.1.

I do not want to rechamber this rifle, as I bought it as it belonged to a dear friend. I never knew he had it until I was allowed to inspect his collection by his widow, with the intention of buying whatever I wanted. I bought all eight of his Ruger No.1's, this one included. He had 107 rifles in total. He would have had the 6x45 Imp for quite some time, as the gunsmith who barrelled it passed away in 2008.