Moderator
2 posts
Aug 04, 2004
10:23 AM
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We've included data on most of the most popular 6mm medium to long-range match bullets in our Bullet Comparator. Tell us how you load these pills to achieve tight groups and match-winning scores.
We are also interested in general reloading matters, such as case preparation, reducing run-out, and tuning loads for the conditions. Share your knowledge on this board!
Moderator
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ReedG
1 post
Sep 01, 2004
6:24 PM
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I'm probably too much of a "beginner" to post much useful info here, but will try to be of assistance. I am shooting a Savage 12 BVSS-S that has a 1:14 barrel, 22 inches long and a Rifle Basix Sav-2 trigger. Otherwise a factory rifle. I have spent ever since the snow melted this spring working up loads (one of my sicknesses!) and have found this to be a very accurate and easy-to-load caliber. I have loads for Sierra 55-gr. BlitzKings and 70-gr. HPs; Hornady V-Maxes in 58, 65 & 75-gr.; but what it likes best so far is 68-gr. Bergers (the standard flat base HP) with 34.2-gr. of Varget. I just tried 74-gr. Bergers yesterday and it looks like they will shoot as good as the 68s. I have put 2,083 rounds through this rifle since March, and the average of all the 5-shot groups is .528" (you gotta love a spreadsheet!). It will regularly shoot into the "3s" at 100 and if I'd stop fooling around "working up loads" and learn to shoot it, it probably would do a lot better. It has shot 5-shot groups in the "1s" (.142" and .159" last week), but I haven't done it consistently yet. If any of you are shooting 1:14 twists (seems most have 1:8s or so) and want me to post some loads, let me know. I use Lapua cases, BR4 primers and Benchmark and Varget powders have been the best. Mickey cut a minimum spec factory chamber with .272" neck and I use Redding dies with .268" button. I have cases that have been loaded 18 times that still mic exactly the same as factory new. (And, by the way, this was a "used BR" barrel that Mickey installed for me. His work is meticulous.) All the best for now ...
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ReedG
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Moderator
15 posts
Sep 01, 2004
7:14 PM
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Read,
Thanks for the info. This is actually very helpful. Richard Franklin of Richard's Custom Rifles just pulled the 1:10 bbl off his 6mm gun and is shooting a 1:14 now with 75gr V-maxs. We were surprised he could stabilize a 75-grainer in a 1:14 but he says it works fine. So you may be on to something...
Yep, 1:8 bbls seem to be most common, but as you can see from our articles on 1:10 and 1:12 barrels we are trying to spread the word that light bullets in a slow twists work great.
Why don't you pick your #1 recipe, not too hot, and we can maybe post it on the reloading info page. Also, we'd like to add photos of the shorter bullets to the Comparator page. You can send photos via email to Mailbox@6mmBR.com.
Where is your smith located? Sounds like he's worth recommnending.
Last Edited by Guest on Sep 02, 2004 9:46 PM
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MarkS
4 posts
Sep 02, 2004
4:18 AM
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Richard has chambered 3 BR's & 1 6AI for me, And I have a BAT action coming next month, that will be the 4th BR. He does Great work. Check out his stocks too. His 1000 yds stock is the best on the market, That I have seen.
Mark
Last Edited by MarkS on Sep 02, 2004 4:19 AM
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PatL
1 post
Sep 02, 2004
1:43 PM
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Re the 75 grain pills @ 1:14, I've shot 80 grain Bergers that grouped very close to my 70's. Go figure! Conventional wisdom had me thinking 1:14 was too slow. Any ideas? Was I just lucky?
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ReedG
2 posts
Sep 02, 2004
6:24 PM
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Thank you for the warm welcome, Mr. Moderator (don't know your name!). I really enjoy this site and can hardly wait to see what the future holds for it.
My gunsmith is Mickey Coleman of Coleman Rifles (they are listed on benchrest.com), a fine Alabama gentleman who I met on BR.com. He has been a tremendous fount of information for me. He put a used Shilen BR barrel on my Savage action, without the barrel nut because the barrel was too large for the nut. These used BR barrels have lost (or never had) the ability to shoot into the "0s", but will shoot great for a long time. My barrel has over 2,000 rounds through it now and will still consistently group in the "3s". Mickey charges a pittance for these barrels plus his usual chambering and installation fee. For less than the price of a blank, you can get a great barrel with a BR quality chamber and installation. Great for us "working guys"!
My most consistently good load for this 6 BR is 34.2-gr. of Varget with a Berger 68-gr. HP and CCI BR4 primers. In my minimum-spec factory chamber with .272" neck this load is so mild that it doesn't even begin to flatten the primer. Never Chrony'd this load, but the same load with 70-gr. Sierras turns 3275 fps. I use Lapua cases, trimmed to 1.56" with the mouth deburred and chamferred lightly, partial neck sized (.180") with a .268" button in Redding "S" dies. I can usually load 5 times before I have to bump the shoulder back to keep the bolt closing smoothly. I don't do anything to the primer pockets except clean them with an RCBS brush during reloading.
Lapua 6 BR cases are as close to perfect as brass gets, in my opinion. I weighed 200 cases last week and the maximum spread from lightest to heaviest was 1.9-gr. On cases that weigh +/- 126 gr. I think that is phenomenal.
Some of my cases are getting a "donut" near the base of the necks, but it is well below where my bullets are seated and at this point doesn't seem to be a problem. My first box of 100 cases has been loaded 18 times. I annealed the necks after 15 loadings, just because I thought I should, but I cannot tell any difference.
Enough rambling for now ...
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ReedG
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Moderator
20 posts
Sep 02, 2004
9:56 PM
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ReedG--
Lots of good information. I have a Savage (first post in the Buy/Sell board) that I've been thinking of converting to 6BR. Let's talk about doing an article on BR conversions of factory rifles. Email us at Mailbox@6mmBR.com.
Last Edited by Moderator on Sep 02, 2004 9:57 PM
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JoeR
2 posts
Sep 22, 2004
5:40 AM
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ReedG;
I have been shooting the 74 Bergers in my 14 twist 40X BBR Rem. factory barrel for 15+ yrs and love this load...6BR Rem. .266"nk.,33.3gr Varg. 74gr Berg. non coated, Lapua brass (Rem.before the good Lapua)...It has a sack full of rounds down the tube, don't keep records as I should but I would estimate 3-4000, but it still shoots much better than it should, even with a land on the right side of the throat worn off for about 3/8" from poor cleaning procedure. (I now use a Lucas bore guide and clean more carful).... Last year I shot a 200 19X at 500yds. but it or me seemed to drop off a little at 600yds.. The gun actually in my opinion shot all Xs but the trigger nut got nervous and made a shaky pull about shot 17 then settled back down.. So don't be afraid to stretch the 74s out to around 600yds anyway...
A friend shot it at a non-reg. 100yd score shoot last year and beat out some good shooting 6PPC full fledged bench guns for first place... At the present time I believe it will shoot with my Panda or Teddy 6PPC guns and believe that if I had the Lapua brass back when it was new it would have been very competetive in NBRSA or IBS 100 & 200yd benchrest... I know this sounds like I am bragging, but if so, it is just on this 6BR, load and this barrel, as I know I have not done my part.... Have a good .1"...Tater...
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chet
8 posts
Sep 27, 2004
3:02 PM
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Has anyone tried Benchmark powder for the 107MK bullets.
Chet
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MelB
1 post
Oct 26, 2004
4:22 PM
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My favourite varmintload for my 6BR bench/Litefly gun with a 1x12 twist Maddco barrel is V/max75gn with 32.5 grains of (ADI2208)Varget. This load with selected bullets will usually group in the high .2 to low .3inch mark at 100 meters.Most of the custom BR bullets will shoot marginaly better at this distance.For me the V/max give a better cost efective result.
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redfeather
11 posts
Oct 26, 2004
4:28 PM
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Melb I have a bunch of the Hornady 75g Vmax bullets and varget that I am about to try out in my 12 twist 6BR XTC rifle as soon as I get it back from the Gunsmith. I felt like it would be plenty accurate for XTC high power shooting. Thanks.
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Frank Blum
1 post
Nov 05, 2004
10:11 PM
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I have been shooting some nice groups with the 75 Sierra over 30.5 of H-322. I have not yet shot pass 400. It is under .5 MOA out that far. Later! Frank
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James in Wyoming
1 post
Nov 07, 2004
6:54 AM
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Greetings to all:
While I knew this board was getting started, I am out too much in the fall to spend much time in front of the computer and this is my first post. Congratulations to the organizers as it looks like this will be an outstanding site and is a great testament to an awesome cartridge. I have two 6BRs, both cut with the same reamer by Mike Bryant (he is a GREAT GUNSMITH) to a .265 tight neck for the Lapua brass. One is a "walking varmint gun", 22" 1 in 14 twist Hart barrel on a Cooper model 21 action and in an awesome piece of wood. The other is a 26" 1 in 8 twist Hart, Panda action, McMillan MBR stock, weighs in about 14.5 lbs. The walking gun has a Leupold 6.5x20, the heavy a Nightforce NXS 8x32. Both shoot better than I can usually hold them, very nearly (and sometimes better) than my 6PPC bench gun.
I use only Lapua brass and now CCI 450 primers, though it took a few rounds over the chronograph to convince me that SD and ES were a great deal better with these than with Federal 205s. I have convinced myself that this is the primer to use for this round as everything is measurably better, but why this should be the case I do not know. I have a Neil Jones custom sizing die and seat all bullets with a Wilson in line seater for both rifles. In the walking varmint gun, I shoot only 65gr bullets with @33gr of VV135 (a little less in the summer as this clocks 3600+ in the 22" barrel and is quite warm). I have a large supply of Starke 65gr varmint bullets which shoot beautifully from this now defunct company, but the 65gr V-max is nearly as accurate and spectacularly explosive at these velocities. In the big gun, it is 107 matchkings with 30.7gr Varget for 2875fps and astonishing accuracy to 600, which is as far as I have shot it for groups. On a calmish day -- which we almost never see in Wyoming -- I think this would be a competitive gun in the 1000 yard light class. I've wacked quite a bit of steel at this range but never shot groups.
Case prep with the Lapua consists of neck-turning on Neilson "pumpkin" mini lathe, loading, and shooting. I don't mess with Lapua flash holes as I do not think it is worth the effort, uniform the pockets after firing with a Sinclair tool and check concentricity on a gauge of the same make. The Neil Jones dies are worth every penny as I never have a case which even approaches .001 runout if I have done a proper job of neckturning.
Were I to do it over again, I'm not at all sure I would go for the tight neck chamber (Mike has a reamer which cuts a perfect chamber for no neck turn Lapua brass) and for a high volume varmint gun I think this would be the way to go, as practical varmint accuracy would probably not be diminished. Those are my favorite loads at the moment, but being an inveterate tinkerer and being able to shoot to about 1200 yards depending on the position of my neighbors cattle right outside my reloading room, I am always messing around and am always interested in others' favorite loads.
Best to all,
James in Wyoming
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RCole
13 posts
Nov 08, 2004
8:29 PM
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James,
Mike did my 6mmBR with his .265 reamer also and it shoots very well. And to add to what you have already said, he is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet. He truly wants the guns he works on to be the best that they can be so you can be the best that you can be.
RCole
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James in Wyoming
2 posts
Nov 09, 2004
6:58 AM
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RCole, absolutely, Mike Bryant is in additon to being extremely skilled an extraordinarily nice guy. I forgot to mention very reasonable, and quite quick to complete his projects. If any readers of this board are searching for a gunsmith for a 6BR project, he would definitely have my unqualified recommendation, and happy to see him on the list of "top gunsmiths".
Best to all,
James in Wyoming
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6brguy
5 posts
Nov 17, 2004
4:00 AM
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in my 1-8tw'-105amax-30+g of varget with the cci-450 ---in my 1-14tw'70g blitzking-30+g of h322 with the br-4-dave
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hillbilly
2 posts
Jan 30, 2005
9:32 AM
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What is the best powder for 65-70 grain bullets in a 6BR 14 twist?
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