6BR

[Foxshooter]

Has anyone got any good loads for the 105gr Amax? Struggling to find anything in the manuals for a starting point as most seem to top out at about 80gr!

 

I've also got a box of 75gr VMax sat here doing nothing that might be worth trying?

 

I had the rifle made up from spare parts in the cupboard ages ago and haven't really done anything with it since so I need to start off somewhere. Any pointers would be gratefully received

 

Mark

[Chris-NZ]

I'd suggest work up to 30.5grs of Varget or N140 for the 105s. Have a look on the 6BR website- plenty of recipes at the bottom of the page

 

Funny you should ask as mine was just completed yesterday. It will get largely varmint use so I'm initially going to play with the 87 V-Maxs.

[onehole]

Amax 105,s,,,look in the 29.0gn to 30.5gn range with Vit 140 or Varget,,,10 thou off,,you will find something in there for sure!,,,,,,75Vmax needs Vit 135 if you have it,,,,,10 thou off at 30gn to 32gn range,,,,,,have been using 31.5 for 3300 in so many rifles and years now,,,,,,,Vit 133 will also work,,,suggest 29gn to 31gn range,,,,,I,m very very happy with 30gn giving 3250 appx.....I,ve used all loads in many 6BR rifles with these suggestions at 5 and 10 thou off lands and not one has exhibited anything like getting close to max but please take care.How your rifle has been chambered can have a major impact on pressure too!!!As above,,,the 6BR website is a good place to visit,,,,O ,,,,PS enjoy the accuracy of the 6BR rather than trying to wring its neck ,,,,a lower node and load that is accurate is just as good a place to be.....O

[38super]

I've been getting great results from ADI AR2219 (Hodgdon H322 by any other name) with

Sierra 70gn Blitzkings. Excellent accuracy, wallabies & rabbits hate them.

[6mmBR]

The 6mmbr is becoming an ever more popular cartridge with target shooters and varminters alike.

Here are some of my pet loads which have proved very accurate in my rifle and also others.

Hopefully they will give people new to the caliber a good starting point.

These loads work best in a 1 in 8 twist barrel.

My current barrel is a 28" Krieger 8 twist.

 

For varminting my best results have come using Hornady's 87gn Vmax.

Bullets lighter than this are hard to get near the lands due to the 8 twist barrel being throated long for 105 grain bullets.

I have tried them but they were not as accurate as the 87 gn bullets.

 

The powder I found works very well is Vithavouri N135

My first loading which has worked very well in my old 24" Walther barrel and also a few friends 6BR's is as follows.

 

30gns Vit N135, Fed gold match primer, 87 V max seated 10 thou off the lands.

This gave me 2900 fps out of the old 24" barrel. Out of Andy's 27" barrel the same load gave 3000fps.

My current barrel which is a 28" Krieger seems to prefer 31.2gns N135 giving 3130 fps with superb accuray.

This barrel also shot the 30 grain load superbly giving 3000 fps but the extra 120 fps with the same accuracy was very desirable for long range bunny busting.

 

Target loads are another question.

The 6mmbr being one of the best target cartridge available.

I've tried most of the 105 range of bullets, having great results with Berger VLD's and Amax. I did try Sierra's 107 BTHPM but the others were just simply superior.

I've found the 105 A max has a great overlap as a long range varmint bullet.

Personally after a lot of testing the 105 Berger VLD came to the top of the pile.

These bullets in my rifle liked to be seated 10 thou into the lands. The 105 A max can be substituted in these loads but prefered to be seated 10 thou off the lands.

I've found with target loads high velocity is not always the way to go a load which produces low variations in velocity is more desirable.

This low variation will produce less vertical variation in bullet placement as the range increases.

This only leads to one variable, the wind!

 

Current powders I've found good with this weight of bullet are as follows.

N150, N540, Reloader 15 and Varget.

The primer I have found which gives the best consisteny is the CCI 450 magnum, these really seem to work with the small flash hole.

Others have found the benefit of these primers getting more consistency with the 6.5x47 Lapua again having the smaller flash hole, they just seem to work.

 

My primary loads areas follows

29.5gn N150 CCI 450 primer 105 Berger.

This load gives single figure ES/SD giving a velocity of around 2700 fps.

This load I would pick every time for shooting at 300 yards, beyond this I prefer my load with 30grains of N540 which gives another 150 fps and at 500/600 yards has a slight edge in the wind.

Other charges which work are around 30 grains of Varget or 30 grains of Reloader 15.

Please work up to these loadings as they are safe in my gun but may not be in yours.

 

This following link I have found invaluable for info.

http://www.6mmbr.com/6mmbr.html

 

Enjoy your 6mmBR, I love mine

Cheers

Dave

[That bald headed Geordie]

I use a 6BR primarily for 1000yd benchrest comps in my heavy gun and my combination uses the Berger 105gr hybrid seated 15 thou into the lands (5 thou also works) with 30.9grains of N150 using CCI450 Magnum primers.

My GB Barrel (1 in 7 twist) seems to prefer seated into the lands but those jumped are good but not the most accurate with limited testing I have done at 300yds.

Have fun in finding the sweet spot for your load.

[Panda]

I use a 6BR primarily for 1000yd benchrest comps in my heavy gun and my combination uses the Berger 105gr hybrid seated 15 thou into the lands (5 thou also works) with 30.9grains of N150 using CCI450 Magnum primers.

My GB Barrel (1 in 7 twist) seems to prefer seated into the lands but those jumped are good but not the most accurate with limited testing I have done at 300yds.

Have fun in finding the sweet spot for your load.

Hi Les. Did you try the CCI BR4s before using the 450 Magnums? Just asking as now I'm getting close to sorting out the 6.5-284 it'll be time to sort out both the 6br and .308 (Lapua Palma brass) barrels. If you think the 450 magnums are better I wouldn't be averse to giving them a go.

[That bald headed Geordie]

Hi Les. Did you try the CCI BR4s before using the 450 Magnums? Just asking as now I'm getting close to sorting out the 6.5-284 it'll be time to sort out both the 6br and .308 (Lapua Palma brass) barrels. If you think the 450 magnums are better I wouldn't be averse to giving them a go.

Hi, no haven't tried BR4s as in a previous light gun rifle chambered for 6BR it was recommended by Bruce Lenton to use the 450 magnums. I do have some BR4s but haven't had any opportunity to find out if they can produce better results. To be honest if they do it will be hidden by the shifting wind patterns at Diggle / Gelston.

[gunner]

105 grain Amax 2333" col pet load ! touching was worked out at 2336 - 2337 so very close hence i hit accuracy node 2333"

H4895--- 28.4 --- this may seem low but when touching land or very close psi goes up by around 7000psi - be cautious with suggested loads upto and over 30 grain

Atm using fed 205match but am trying muroms soon .

Piccy was 5 shots at 200 yards with clean cold bore shot

[1066]

These were my initial trials. All 5 shot groups using 108gn Bergers, Varget and 10 thou off the lands. 1/8 Shilen barrel. 109 yards. Wind causing a bit of lateral spread.

 

Ended up using 26.9gn Varget with this bullet, just shy of the lands. BR4 primer

 

[Foxshooter]

Had a bit of a play with some N140, Lapua brass, federal GM205M primers and the 105gr Amax yesterday. I've attached a pic of what I ended up with. Any helpful advice accepted.

 

This was shot from the floor with a bipod as no bench was available so there is bound to be some pilot error in here. I'm looking for accuracy initially rather than velocity. The lowest charge seems to look the best, don't know whether to try another couple of loads at the lower end to see if things tighten up further? Cant remember if horizontal stringing at the 30.2gr is a primer or seating issue?

 

 

Mark

[Chris-NZ]

To say any of these "groups" are better than the others would involve immaculate perception. For a start, your sample size is waaay too small.

 

You'd need to shoot at least three 5-shot groups in random order in the exact same conditions to end up with any degree of certainty, and even then it'd be marginal certainty.

[gbal]

If the top row (eg for 1,29.5g) is also the same load as for the botto row under it. (1),then this pretty well suggests that Chris_NZ has a very valid point-there really isn't any consistency (at this black square level of accuracy) in the loads for three shots- nor much to choose between them (marginally,as you suggest...the 29.5 load,maybe shoot 3x5 of them under very good conditions....and maybe that will give an answer-at least for that load.Classic example though of three shot groups under likely error conditions-can be misleading...so this is perhaps a useful demonstration......:-).....when searching for top consistency-all would be field effective at 100y!

gbal

[Foxshooter]

sorry I wasn't very clear. Top and bottom rows are matched, ie first target top and bottom is 29.5gr. second target top and bottom is 29.8gr and so on. Not ideal having to shoot from the floor but as no concrete bench was available on the day it was the best I could do.

 

Didn't want to load up dozens for each powder weight initially but dip a toe in the water and see if there was an area/wt that warranted closer attention. Next time I'll make sure I have access to a solid bench and will lad larger numbers of those I want to examine closer

 

Need to get a chrony set up too

 

Mark

[gbal]

Mark,OK-thanks for clarification-I kind of hoped so-in which case,the two 29.5 'superimposed' gives 7/8 shots (assuming 4 per target) in the bottom right of the target,with one just a tad higher. Assuming the square is 1 inch,that's quite promising- call it 1/2 moa and looks better than the rest (as you suggested).

Why not load ten of those again ,and shoot them under best conditions you can manage-avoiding wind.

As always,bear in mind that not every rifle can shoot sub .3 groups of 5 consistently-and most don't nneed to.Bench Rest rigs/conditions can/must.

 

g

[1066]

Although it's always desirable to shoot more/larger groups to draw more solid conclusions, what these small samples do is eliminate the no-hopers at an early stage. If you are looking for under .5 moa and the first group of three shots prints at .9moa, then, assuming you're happy with the mechanics of the shot, there's no point in shooting more of that load - the group can never get smaller, only larger.

[gbal]

Although it's always desirable to shoot more/larger groups to draw more solid conclusions, what these small samples do is eliminate the no-hopers at an early stage. If you are looking for under .5 moa and the first group of three shots prints at .9moa, then, assuming you're happy with the mechanics of the shot, there's no point in shooting more of that load - the group can never get smaller, only larger.

.

 

Almost...though there is neccessarily some element of 'compromising' what can be concluded either way...once one shot in your prospective group-called or otherwise- exceeds your criterion (agreed,that is really just a subjective hope!) then stop,and save the rounds for a new group-which might be better-and if so will be all the more informative if it has those extra shots from the aborted 'big' group inn it...thee is no need for equal numbers of shots/group at the testing stage-simply,the more that are within your criterion,the better,as a guide for next step.....Of course,if you only have a max of 2/3 left,it hardly matters where you shoot them-mark the flyer,though

Whatever you do,all the shots in your test sample have to be 'good' ones-no reason to think atypical-so that they are representative of the load-and not down to known shooter/extreme conditions errors.You can't of course omit shots afterwards that were not called 'dodgy' at the time of shooting them.

 

gbal

[Foxshooter]

Thanks for the input. The rifle was a bitsa, made up of stuff I had been collecting in the back of the wardrobe. Its only a stainless Rem700 action so certainly not a BAT or Stolle! The barrel was secondhand from Elwood many many moons ago so I don't think its too bad and I'm certainly no bench rest shooter.

 

I'll continue to play with the load and hopefully on a solid bench with a favourable wind if I can get 1/2-1" I'll be more than happy

 

Mark

[gbal]

Mark,just curious-til we get some more groups shot....these are maybe the old Sinclair practice BR targets-what actual real size is that square-I should have checked before ,to see what size groups actually were..!

Fair point about 6BR rifles-very,very few,if any,were/are bog standard factory grade-bit like 6ppcs,most were "above average grade" from the start,so the "normal" tends to be pretty good,though both cartridges have excellent precision and accuracy potential.

g

[Scotch_egg]

Drop your powder weight. I think you are above a node.

[happyhunter]

My pet load for years with the 6br is 31.3gr varget/87gr v-max combo bullet seated 15 thou off.

 

A new load ive been testing is with the same powder weight but pushing a 95gr tmk seated 40 thou off the result are excellent and once out past 550y the tmk is better in the wind by quite a margin and also less drop.

[Foxshooter]

Mark,just curious-til we get some more groups shot....these are maybe the old Sinclair practice BR targets-what actual real size is that square-I should have checked before ,to see what size groups actually were..!

g

 

just dug out a ruler and the outside edge to edge of the black squares is 25mm

 

When I can get some more range time I'll try shooting some larger groups and using some lower powder weights just in case the groups tighten up a little further. I'll also use a bench with a bag rather than a Harris bipod too, that might help a bit more!

 

Mark

[Chris-NZ]

Finally shot mine on Sunday in less-than-ideal conditions as we're having an unusually wet winter. The target stand was rocking a bit in the strong breeze and I tried to shoot when the image wasn't moving.

 

I'd found pressure signs a lot lower than expected- 30.5 of Varget was giving sticky bolt lift with the 87s?! Ended up trying 30grs at three different seating depths, only five rounds at each depth. The 20 thou jump went just under 1/2" and the 15 thou jam put four under 1/4" and despite the fifth being a crap shot ( that I immediately called low/left ) the total group still under 1/2" so looking promising.

 

Waiting for some better weather to test more, including some MV measures.

[Chris-NZ]

Finally took delivery of the new rings /bases for the 579 and all was sweet. The Extra Lows gave less than 1.5mm clearance over the barrel so in combo with the highish comb on that HBR, we have a very nice cheek weld.

 

 

I only had seven rounds of the 87 V-Max left after mounting the scope. My mate who does the load devl't for NZ Hunter put three into 0.35 so we corrected the zero to where I thought it needed to be. I fired the remaining four which went under 0.3, this in an annoying variable breeze. Need to do some more load devel't when the weather allows.

[Toby]

Finally took delivery of the new rings /bases for the 579 and all was sweet. The Extra Lows gave less than 1.5mm clearance over the barrel so in combo with the highish comb on that HBR, we have a very nice cheek weld.

 

 

I only had seven rounds of the 87 V-Max left after mounting the scope. My mate who does the load devl't for NZ Hunter put three into 0.35 so we corrected the zero to where I thought it needed to be. I fired the remaining four which went under 0.3, this in an annoying variable breeze. Need to do some more load devel't when the weather allows.

Nice rifle. Got to love an old Sako ;-)