Hi guys, here is moderators creditable collection "Favorite loads for 6 BR.
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.
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BountyHunter
6 BRH improved: Trim necks down .200 with KM turner, then neck up to 6.5mm. Resize down until leave small false shoulder on case and bolt is tight to close on empty case. Primer pockets reamed with modified Hart primer pocket reamer.
Load fireforming load, fire and perfectly aligned case without all the cream of wheat/tissue fuss. Very accurate practice/ground hog load.
Bullets are 100 gr Clinch Rivers sorted by bearing surface with Buhay Ogive checker (page 19 of RW Hart catalog and $125). BC of this bullet is .540-.560 reportedly and is accurate as heck and quality is the highest.
Varget or N540 are powders of choice. BR2 or BR 450 primers are choices. 450 cut my ES in half. With careful reloading, ES should be single digit. BR is super easy to load and accurate as heck. Great and inexpensive cartridge to shoot. -- BH
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ReedG
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 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.)
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Moderator
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...
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MarkS
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.
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PatL
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?
ReedG
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.
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JoeR
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.. [snip].. 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"...
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MelB
My favourite varmint load for my 6BR bench/Litefly gun with a 1x12 twist Maddco barrel is V-max 75gr with 32.5 grains of (ADI2208) Varget. This load with selected bullets will usually group in the high .2 to low .3" mark at 100 meters. Most of the custom BR bullets will shoot marginally better at this distance.For me the V/max give a better cost efective result.
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Frank Blum
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
James in Wyoming
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" 1:8 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 600yds, 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. 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....
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RCole
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.
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James in Wyoming
RCole--absolutely, Mike Bryant is, in addition 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".
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6brguy
Favorite Loads:
In 1:8 twist: 105amax, 30+g of varget with CCI 450
In 1:14 twist: 70g blitzking, 30+g of h322 with CCI BR4
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.
- - -
BountyHunter
6 BRH improved: Trim necks down .200 with KM turner, then neck up to 6.5mm. Resize down until leave small false shoulder on case and bolt is tight to close on empty case. Primer pockets reamed with modified Hart primer pocket reamer.
Load fireforming load, fire and perfectly aligned case without all the cream of wheat/tissue fuss. Very accurate practice/ground hog load.
Bullets are 100 gr Clinch Rivers sorted by bearing surface with Buhay Ogive checker (page 19 of RW Hart catalog and $125). BC of this bullet is .540-.560 reportedly and is accurate as heck and quality is the highest.
Varget or N540 are powders of choice. BR2 or BR 450 primers are choices. 450 cut my ES in half. With careful reloading, ES should be single digit. BR is super easy to load and accurate as heck. Great and inexpensive cartridge to shoot. -- BH
- - -
ReedG
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 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.)
- - -
Moderator
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...
- - -
MarkS
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.
- - -
PatL
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?
ReedG
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.
- - -
JoeR
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.. [snip].. 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"...
- - -
MelB
My favourite varmint load for my 6BR bench/Litefly gun with a 1x12 twist Maddco barrel is V-max 75gr with 32.5 grains of (ADI2208) Varget. This load with selected bullets will usually group in the high .2 to low .3" mark at 100 meters. Most of the custom BR bullets will shoot marginally better at this distance.For me the V/max give a better cost efective result.
- - -
Frank Blum
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
James in Wyoming
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" 1:8 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 600yds, 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. 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....
- - -
RCole
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.
- - -
James in Wyoming
RCole--absolutely, Mike Bryant is, in addition 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".
- - -
6brguy
Favorite Loads:
In 1:8 twist: 105amax, 30+g of varget with CCI 450
In 1:14 twist: 70g blitzking, 30+g of h322 with CCI BR4