.220 Thunderbolt precision rifle?

[ranger1183]

I've done the required internet reading on the .220 Thunderbolt (6.8 Rem SPC necked down to .223) but was wondering if anyone here has experience with the cartridge? I've found that 6.8 Rem SPC fits into my AICS .223 mags so I could get 2.50" C.O.A.L. which makes for a pretty fast cartridge. But has anyone shot the .220 Thunderbolt or seen one first hand?

Keystone Accuracy Custom Rifles, Plymouth Meeting, PA

 

[ranger1183]

What, nobody wants to comment about this idea? Don't tell me that the Hide is all kumbaya lovey-dovey these days!

 

[bohem]

I thought that the 220 Thunderbolt was a 22 cal bullet in the 6 Hagar brass? I have a dummy 220 TB and 6 HAGAR with a 240 Tohmahawk sitting here, the 220TB case is several mm longer than the 6.8 brass is.

I think it's a really cool cartridge, if I was going to run 22 cal for a precison rifle I'd go that over the 22-250 only to get similar performance without as much powder. The guy that built my 240 Tomahawk builds a lot of these calibers and runs the 220 TB himself in an AR for High Power. He's getting 3300fps from 77 SMK's out of a 24" tube and 3175-3200 for single loading the 90 Bergers in that same upper.

I like the high BC that comes with running a 6mm over a 22 cal pill, I can buy Hornady, Sierra, or Nosler 105's that have almost the same BC as the very fussy Berger 90 VLD without the expense or loading fuss that comes from those very aggressive VLD's.

If I was going to be running any of these in the bolt action, then I would go 6 HAGAR because you aren't restricted by mag length like you are in an AR15 which is why I went 240 Tomahawk.


I have 2 identically configured short action match rifles, both bighorn actions, both T4's etc. I run the 6.5CM in one and I'm trying out the 6 Lapua in the other for next year. I will also be running that AR15 in 240TH for shorter matches where I don't need blitzing 105's to compete at 900-1100yd.

The performance numbers that I am seeing from the 240TH indicate that it's a 6mm BR not quite running full speed, which for an AR15 is pretty darn good performance.

240 TH next to 6 HAGAR and 6 PDK

220 Thunderbolt

ETA: The owner of Keystone is local to me, I know him because we belong to the same rifle club. I would suggest you email them and discuss with him firsthand. I've seen the 220TB shoot and with a little discussion on brass forming and showing me his load data for the 240 TH it was a no-brainer and I handed him my upper to convert from 223 Wylde to 240 TH. Ammo is all loaded for fireforming, note the fireforming steps from right to left in the second picture. The sizing die runs a 0.267 Redding bushing and leaves the requisite false-shoulder on the Hornady 6.8 SPC brass.

 

[knockemdown]

Same as DTECH's line of 6.8SPC based DTI wildcats, the allure lies in them being AR-15 friendly. From a short action bolt gun, they aren't doing anything magical that standardized cases aren't already doing, better...

 

[bohem]

I took a snapshot of the 240 TH next to the 220 TB and a snap of the 220TB case head which reads 6 HAGAR

So, the 220TB gives you 22-250 performance from an AR15, that's exciting in an AR15

If you had a little action like one of the Cooper's and you wanted to run more performance then this would make sense. It's fun, I might consider it for a bolt gun with really good barrel life in a 6mm, then 6 HAGAR because I'm not magazine limited.

 

[flatland1]

Dittos on using a bolt action receiver that's scaled to the HAGAR case - I wanted to find a Sako Vixen with the PPC bolt to do a 6 RAT build on, but when I found out how much the PPC Sakos bring on funbroker, I built it on a CZ 527 carbine in 7.62x39 instead. I ran 6 HAGAR uppers in NRA XC HP matches several years before Hornady finally stepped up to the plate and started making really excellent commercial HAGAR brass; I'd given up on ever seeing commercial stuff, and had sold off the newest of two uppers, Redding dies, & all the HAGR brass I'd worked so hard to form out of 30 Rem. Didn't take me long to dust off the old original HAGAR upper when I found out about the Hornady stuff, and it's been a revelation shooting it again with brass as good as the Hornady.

Much as I enjoy carrying the CZ527 6 RAT, I'd really like to have something a little slicker like the Cooper mentioned in a previous post for a HAGAR build. If AI 223 magazines could be made to work with the HAGAR, it'd be a great combination.

 

[ranger1183]

I thought that the 220 Thunderbolt was a 22 cal bullet in the 6 Hagar brass? I have a dummy 220 TB and 6 HAGAR with a 240 Tohmahawk sitting here, the 220TB case is several mm longer than the 6.8 brass is.

I think it's a really cool cartridge, if I was going to run 22 cal for a precison rifle I'd go that over the 22-250 only to get similar performance without as much powder. The guy that built my 240 Tomahawk builds a lot of these calibers and runs the 220 TB himself in an AR for High Power. He's getting 3300fps from 77 SMK's out of a 24" tube and 3175-3200 for single loading the 90 Bergers in that same upper.

I like the high BC that comes with running a 6mm over a 22 cal pill, I can buy Hornady, Sierra, or Nosler 105's that have almost the same BC as the very fussy Berger 90 VLD without the expense or loading fuss that comes from those very aggressive VLD's.

If I was going to be running any of these in the bolt action, then I would go 6 HAGAR because you aren't restricted by mag length like you are in an AR15 which is why I went 240 Tomahawk.


I have 2 identically configured short action match rifles, both bighorn actions, both T4's etc. I run the 6.5CM in one and I'm trying out the 6 Lapua in the other for next year. I will also be running that AR15 in 240TH for shorter matches where I don't need blitzing 105's to compete at 900-1100yd.

The performance numbers that I am seeing from the 240TH indicate that it's a 6mm BR not quite running full speed, which for an AR15 is pretty darn good performance.

240 TH next to 6 HAGAR and 6 PDK

220 Thunderbolt

ETA: The owner of Keystone is local to me, I know him because we belong to the same rifle club. I would suggest you email them and discuss with him firsthand. I've seen the 220TB shoot and with a little discussion on brass forming and showing me his load data for the 240 TH it was a no-brainer and I handed him my upper to convert from 223 Wylde to 240 TH. Ammo is all loaded for fireforming, note the fireforming steps from right to left in the second picture. The sizing die runs a 0.267 Redding bushing and leaves the requisite false-shoulder on the Hornady 6.8 SPC brass.

So am I understanding correctly that the 240 Tomahawk is a modified 6mm Hagar but it still is shooting a 6mm bullet and NOT a .223 bullet?

 

[bohem]

So am I understanding correctly that the 240 Tomahawk is a modified 6mm Hagar but it still is shooting a 6mm bullet and NOT a .223 bullet?

Yes and no. It's still shooting a 6mm bullet, that's correct and you can make 240 TH brass from 6 HAGAR brass but it requires trimming after the forming step. I make my 240 brass from 6.8 SPC brass because I don't have to trim afterwards, just fireform. During fireforming I get 1/2 MOA and after the first round I get in the mid 0.3's off a bipod/rear bag with the 105 Hornady BTHP match.

As I understand it, the 220 Thunderbolt is 6 HAGAR necked down to 22c bullets with no other changes. From the spent cases I have here I don't see any other differences.