Reloader 15 in the 6BR

[6mmBR]

Just wondering wether any of you have experience with Reloader 15 in the 6BR.

I bought a tub for my 6.5x47 and found there were better powders

Anyway I'm left with 3/4's of a tub and was going to try it in my 6BR with 105 VLD's.

After the 6mmHot shot the pants off the BR at 300 and 500 yards last week I thought lets try a different powder and see if we can restore the status quo.

Cheers

Dave

[Laurie]

Dave,

 

I tried Re15 in some 6BR loads with 90gn Scenars a couple of years back. Groups weren't quite as small in my rifle (28" Border 8" twist chambered / fitted by Norman Clark on a Remy 700 action) as with Varget which is still the best powder I've found for 6BR with heavy bullets.

 

Loads went from 29.0gn to 31.1gn in small steps.

 

I regard Reloder 15 as being very similar in burning rate and performance to Varget, only usually a little 'slower' in the smaller cartridges, so you would use very slightly higher loads.

 

Since the MVs with 90s were pretty similar from either powder, you should be OK using the favourite US Varget recommendations for 105s, that is around 28-30.5gn with naked bullets and 29-31.5gn with moly-coated pills. (I use 29.7gn Varget with 'naked' 105gn Berger VLDs.) eg 30gn Re15 gave 2,822 fps in my barrel; 30gn Varget 2,874 fps, both 90gn Lapuas.

 

The usual warnings and disclaimers apply, but I think you'll be able to use your powder up successfully in this cartridge.

 

Laurie

[6mmBR]

Thanks for that Laurie, very informative.

I've been using 30gn N540 giving just short of 2800 fps out of my 28" Krieger 8 twist.

I ran some data through quick load and the results were similar to your experience.

I've run up a test batch starting at 29.5gn's working up to 30.5.

I was just so suprised how my 6mmHot totally out shot the BR at 300 and 500 yards and I wanted to see if I could squeeze more out of the 6BR and restore the status quo.

I thought a change of powder may help and I had this reloader 15 left.

I don't know wether I've got one lazer accurate 6mmHot or the 6BR has more to give.

Thanks again.

Dave

[Laurie]

Dave,

 

if you're looking for ultimate performance from the 6BR, Viht N550 may be worth a try.

 

John Carmichael of HPS-TR campaigned a 6BR RPA / Lothar Walther in one of HPS's System Gemini modular stocks in national F-Open during 2007. I was able to borrow the rifle briefly for a 'Target Sports' review.

 

It wasn't a success competition-wise in that he lost out to the 7WSMs that were then being adopted in anything but calm conditions - a surprise (not) - but still ran top ten placings all season.

 

He loaded 115gn DTACs over a case-full of N550 and this produced just over 3,000 fps according to my CED Millenium chrono from a 32" barrel. I don't know what the load was but it certainly produced the MV. John did warn me not to use any of these 'special loads' in my Remy, something I wouldn't have risked in any event knowing how hot they were!

 

Over in the States at the moment, there is a lot of super-heavy bullet development taking place with .223 Rem and Jerry Tierney is pushing 90gn JLK and Berger VLDs out of a 32" Palma rifle barrel at over 2,900 fps, also with Viht N550. This powder seems to be able to produce quite remarkable MVs out of small case cartridges without running into pressure problems - something I've proved to my own satisfaction in a 26" barrel .223 SSR-15 with 80s and the Sierra 90gn MK. (There will be something about this in the next issue of 'Target Sports' within 'The Sporting Rifle' magazine.)

 

Incidentally, the other powder that Jerry Tierney found 'works' and produces high MVs in 90gn-bullet .223 is Re15, so it probably will in the 6 too if you work the loads up enough.

 

I'll be doing further load development and trying new bullets with my 6BR over the coming winter, and I intend to give N550 a try with Berger 105s and 108s and the Sierra 107 to see how it works out with this bullet weight range both accuracy and MV-wise in the cartridge.

 

Laurie

[Guest varmartin]

This could be an interesting topic....

 

I use R15 in my 6BR 1-8 twist Krieger 700....but have only loaded it for 75 Vmax / 33.5 grains...@3250fps with BR4`s

 

My current Target load with 95gn Berger VLD`s / 31.5gn of Varget gives me 3050fps with BR4`s

 

Now I have some 105 Berger VLD`s also......so I think I will try some R15 aswell and report my findings...

[Elwood]

Likewise I'm finding this interesting.

 

At the moment I'm using Varget and 105 Scenars and hitting 2825 fps, I have some loads ready to test using N540 and the 105 Scenars and will also have a look at RL15.

 

I do recall reading that on 6BR.com that someone had hit 3000 fps with RL15, obviously it was a hot load and it could have just been internet showmanship and not really happened at all.

[6mmBR]

Thanks guys for the interesting replies, I will test the loads hopefully on Wednesday for accuracy and will report back.

Laurie thanks for the input on N550, I ran it through quick load and it seemed to be a bit slow for the 6BR as if you couldn't get enough in the case to acheive reasonable speed.

Quick load is good but does have its down sides, so perhaps I should take another look at N550.

Cheers all

Dave

[Grouse]

Use Re15 in my 24" 6BR and am getting 2811 fps (average), sub 0.4" 3 shot groups, using 30.4 gr with 105 Amax.

 

Used to use N140 but a friend put me onto Re15 to get the velocity up and to keep the accuracy.

[6mmBR]

Sounds interesting out of a 24" barrel.

I'm off to the range this afternoon to test some loads for accuracy at 100 yards.

I will then make up more of the most accurate to chrono and test at extended range on the weekend.

Cheers

Dave

[6mmBR]

Well 30.5 gns of Re 15 worked a rtreat tiny little groups, I did try a few at 31 but got some vertical, but no signs of pressure.

The next phase will be to make some more up and run them over the chronograph and test for group at 300 yards.

More testing to carry out, will report back.

Cheers

Dave

[Grouse]

Well 30.5 gns of Re 15 worked a rtreat tiny little groups, I did try a few at 31 but got some vertical, but no signs of pressure.

The next phase will be to make some more up and run them over the chronograph and test for group at 300 yards.

More testing to carry out, will report back.

Cheers

Dave

 

Will be interested at what velocitys you get Dave, what length barrel you running??

[6mmBR]

Will be interested at what velocitys you get Dave, what length barrel you running??

She's a 28" Krieger 1 in 8 twist.

Quick load predicts quite intersting velocities around 2900fps so we will wait and see.

Cheers

Dave