Norma Offers 6XC Loaded Ammo
We recently spoke to Norma’s Anders Brolund. He confirmed that Norma is now producing 6XC loaded ammo for general distribution. This is loaded with Norma 203B powder (similar to Reloder 15) and a moly-coated Berger 105gr bullet. Velocity is 3026 fps from a 26″ barrel. Ultra-accurate, this ammo is already proven in competition. Using factory-loaded 6XC Diamond-line ammo, Anders Brolund, Michael Larsson, and Stefan Ahlesved of “Team Sweden” captured the 300m Prone event at European Championships. This week, Norma’s shooters will campaign the 6XC ammo in the European Cup, a prestigious individual event with 12,000 Euros of prize money up for grabs. The CIP max pressure rating for the 6XC cartridge is 63,844 psi (4400). However, we believe the factory ammo is loaded to a lower pressure level for greater brass longevity.
Anders told us: “The 6XC ammo is really good and the Europeans are buying all we can produce right now. But we hope to increase production so that you North Americans can get some before the end of the year.”
Norma has also enhanced its website with many great new features including cartridge profiles (with diagrams), load data, and an interactive Java-based ballistics calculator. Definitely visit Norma’s new home on the web, www.Norma.cc.
You did not print the amount of powder that you claim is so succuss
eful. Could you at least print a safe starting load with reloader
15 using cci 450 in Lapua brass? I would be so grateful!
Editor: The factory 6XC is a cartridge using Norma brass. A starting Reloder 15 load with naked Berger 105s, with .300 of bullet shank in the neck, seated off the lands, would be about 33.5 grains of RL15, assuming 48.0 grains H20 capacity. Work up from there. CAUTION: What is a safe load will depend on the specifics of your rifle, including land/groove dimensions and seating depth. You also need to measure the actual capacity of your cases, and adjust loads accordingly.
David Tubb shoots the 6XC with H4350 powder. He comments: POWDER: I tried Hodgdon H4831 but could never get the velocity I wanted out of a 27-inch barrel; with this powder velocity without any brass flow (shiny spot) on the ejector plug was around 2930 fps. (4831 might be worth a try if one has a 32-inch barrel). I ended up with H4350 — the same powder I use with my 107 gr. Sierra bullets in this cartridge. I use the ejector plug brass flow as my pressure indicator — when I see a shiny mark on the case head I automatically back off the charge 1/2 grain. I have shot the DTAC 115 at over 3100 fps but saw too much pressure. I can shoot this 115 at 3050 fps and have a reloadable/reusable case; however, out of my 7.5 twist barrel it did not shoot as well as when I backed the load down another 1/2 grain to 39.6 gr. of H4350. This gave a velocity (depending on temperature) of anywhere from 2988 to 3020 fps. When I got home from Camp Perry I rechronographed the ammunition I used there and it was going 2990 fps (early morning, cooler temp.); mind you, this was several hundred rounds later in the barrel’s life.