Just an update. I have come to the conclusion that the gun has a shallow chamber. The factory loads run 2.777 oal which fit fine and the loads I was loading up with the 75 gr bullets called for an oal of 2.825, which fit very tightly in my gun. I got ahold of some 100 gr interlocks and a bottle of h4350 and the load data calls for an oal of 2.775. They fit perfectly. No trouble closing the bolt at all. I had a cheap simmons 3-9 on it and I was not happy with it. After months of trying to decide I finally decided to go with a Redfield 4-12. So with my new scope and 100 gr interlocks loaded up I set out to see how the two work together. Beautiful! The Redfield is a major step up from the simmons. I started with 39.0 grains of the h4350 and worked up to 40.5. Can't really complain so far but the gun did seem to favor the 39.5 gr load just slightly. I plan to load up a few more of those plus load up some using 41.0 and up to the 45.0 gr max and see what happens. With the 39.5 gr load I had 4 holes touching with one flyer that was probably my fault. Very happy with the results.
Thanks for all the help.
Chris

Chris, I wouldn't trust the OAL given in the load data. Better measure the maximum OAL yourself for every bullet in your own rifle. It's easy: you close the bolt, insert a cleaning rod trough the barrel till it touches the bolt, put a mark on the rod. Then remove the bolt and with aid of another (short) stick, push your bullet into the chamber till it touches the lands. Put the cleaning rod in again till it touches the bullet and put a mark on the rod. Max OAL for THAT bullet in YOUR gun is the distance between the 2 marks on the cleaning rod. Always start shorter than max. OAL. When you've detected the sweet spot in your load (primer/powder/case/bullet-combination), then investigate the sweet spot in your OAL (taking the best load-combination and changing OAL till you get the smallest groupe. Don't exceed maximum length).

To be honnest: I don't look for the best AOL myself because most of the time (sure in my hunting rifles) the best OAL will exceed maximum lenght that my magazine could accept and most of the time I'm happy to be able to hit the animal and feel no need to hit the tick on the animal...

Aloys wrote:

To be honnest: I don't look for the best AOL myself because most of the time (sure in my hunting rifles) the best OAL will exceed maximum lenght that my magazine could accept and most of the time I'm happy to be able to hit the animal and feel no need to hit the tick on the animal...

Well said Aloys...or as I call it, "minute of critter".

Cheers, Vince

2.825 is nothing more than the max length if your going to retain function of the magazine in a repeating rifle.

The OAL listed in the load data establishes a reference point for pressure.

The location of the ogive differs between brands and styles of bullets.

Aloysius, I will give that a try. I am not concerned with hitting individual hairs myslef either. Truth is every shot I took with all of the load combinations were well within the size of a deers heart/lung area and I would have no problem killing one with any of the combinations. Since I have some time on my hands I thought I might try to see how tight I can get the rifle to group.
chambered, tell me if you think I am thinking of seating depth in the right terms. As long as you don't get too extreme or use an extreme crimp the seating depth should not substantially increase the pressure on a given load. In an uncrimped load, assuming the neck is not overly tight, if you were to seat a bullet at 2.775 and the data called for 2.825 the same amount of pressure is going to be exerted within the case and it should not cause problem, unless possibly with a max load. Am I thinking about this correctly? Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong. I do have to disagree with you on your statement that 2.825 is nothing more than the max length to retain functionability of the magazine. I would think that it has more to do with those that write and publish the load data trying to keep from getting sued by someone shooting an old rifle that is in bad shape with a load that has the bullet seated way too deep. Everyone has to cover their butts these days out of fear of being sued.

good to hear you have got her to tick. Ive just read the chapter in "the sharp shooter" about bullet jump and the method they use/recomend sounds real simple. push projectile into rifling and hold it there with pencil, insert cleaning rod from muzzle till it touches the projectile tip, mark the rod there. then seat projectile in case increasing depth untill you have this premade mark the desired distance from muzzle 1/16"- 1/32" sounds simple enough that even I could do it. you would need to put secound depth ring on your rod to desired depth thinking about it,

Never make any assumptions as to what might be going on or what will happen if you do this or change that ...... all rifles and the components we use differ in ways we can not control.
This is the whole premise of start low and work up watching for pressure signs.

SAAMI = sporting arms and ammunition manufactures institute inc.
They set the standards by which commercial ammo companies and gun manufactures must adhere to.
They say ammo must not exceed 2.825 in OAL and must have a minimum length of 2.730 OAL for the 6MM Remington.
This standard is set as to ensure you and I as a consumer that when we purchase a box of ammo it will work in our gun.

Pressure limits are also set by SAAMI, for the 6mm it is 52,000 CUP
What all this means is that for a 6mm Remington ammo makers and any one publishing re-loading data must keep pressure under 52,000 CUP regardless where the OAL falls inside the 2.730 - 2.825 standard.

As far as liability goes.........you as the re-loader accept that responsibility ........ the data you use is only a guideline !!!