The 6mm ARC is unique among rifle cartridges in that it fits in an AR-15-pattern action, functions reliably out of standard-capacity 24- or 17-round magazines, and remains supersonic beyond 1,000 yards in a standard atmosphere. This allows a rifle chambered in this cartridge to be used for everything from close quarters battle (CQB) to sniper missions while simplifying logistics for the units that carry it.

The 6mm ARC is based on the 6.5 Grendel. Hornady started by necking down the cartridge to 6mm and then pulled the shoulder back closer to the case head .030-inch. Engineers also shortened the case to make the cartridge friendly to long low-drag bullets that have high ballistic coefficients. The 6mm ARC was designed around optimal use with a 108-grain bullet.

In addition to making the cartridge useable with long, heavy-for-caliber bullets, Hornady also set maximum chamber pressure low at 52,000 pounds per square inch. This slows extraction and makes it much less violent, prolonging the bolt’s life.

For more information, visit hornady.com and pick up the September 2020 copy of Guns & Ammo magazine.

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