savage model 12 F class BR loads

[knguyen]

just bought my first open class rifle
savage model 12 F class: 6 BR , 1:8 twist, 30 inch barrel
i have been shooting mostly 308 for several years now and now venturing into the 6 BR realm
just ordered a set of redding competition dies
have varget powder at home
in process of obtaining bullets.
have some 105 amax ,
any advice from members regarding load development for this rifle?
my matches have been only out to 600 yards to date.
i have read that this 6 mm BR round is a very solid easy to load round.
how far off the land should begin with?
i will chronograph loads as i go along.
i am way excited, my first venture into the F class rifles.
thanks
Khanh

 

[michaelnel]

Try this thread:

http://forum.accurateshooter.com/index.php?topic=157788.0

But basically, 30.0 grains of Varget behind a 105 grain Berger VLD with CCI 450 or BR4 primers is a pretty "slam dunk" load for the average 6mm BR rifle. You should work your way up to it though, checking for pressure signs.

You'll have to test (ladder or OCW) to determine the best for your rifle, but I bet it will shoot the above load well.

 

[knguyen]

thank you for the quick reply,
i am way excited , will start with this load and workup slowly
thanks
khanh

 

[snakepit]

Same rifle as you, Savage F Class, 6BR, 30" Barrel, 1:8 twist

600yds

30.3 gr Varget
105 gr Berger Hybrid
jump .030
CCI 450
Lapua Brass
.266 Bushing for .002 neck tension

This is my basic load for that rifle. I have gone up to 30.5 gr of Varget, used CCI BR4 primers, jump of .020, and .267 Bushing for .001 neck tension with pretty much the same results.

 

[mao0720]

Kahn, nice to see you on here! Listen to these guys, they know what they are talking about! Im jealous of your new rifle! Gotta get that new rifle out for an F-class match in the spring! See ya,
Mason

 

[knguyen]

snakepit:
are you pretty happy with your savage? i love my other two rifles: both 308 savages
i will try to load up first batch. how did you figure out your jump for this rifle?(tools you used)
how does she shoot?
i have alot to learn on this new caliber , it is totally new to me.

Mason:
rifle should be here by next week, i am crazy looking at another caliber, but you are right ,it is the journey ,learning to become better shooters is the best part of shooting.
for me also, the pursuit for precision is fun
spring F match shooting would be great, by then i hopefully have this rifle dialed in
khanh

 

[snakepit]

snakepit:
are you pretty happy with your savage?
i will try to load up first batch. how did you figure out your jump for this rifle?(tools you used)
how does she shoot?
i have alot to learn on this new caliber , it is totally new to me.

I have been very happy with my Savage and it shoots very well, even surprising many of the other shooters at my club. I only shoot it at 600 yds. I went from the .308 to 6BR mainly because of my bad shoulder and the lower recoil has really helped with that issue.

I have used three methods to find the lands. I have used the Sinclair Seating Depth Gage, the loose shell method and another method I learned from a posting on this forum. You take a fired case with the primer removed, put some JB Weld inside the neck and just start your bullet in the case. Very carefully insert it in the chamber and slowly close the bolt. Warning, once you start to close the bolt do not open it until the JB Weld sets up. If you open it too soon you will may separate the case and the bullet and leave some JB Weld in the chamber. I leave it in the barrel for at least 6 to 8 hours then remove it and measure the ogive with a Sinclair Bullet Comparator. I have found this to be very repeatable and it has become my preferred method to find the lands. Now you know where the lands are and you can figure your jump or jam from that figure.
Remember when you figure the ogive that is for that brand and style bullet. Even if you stay with the same bullet you may want to remeasure it when you change batch numbers. That is one of the reasons why I usually buy my bullets in large numbers.

 

[1066]

I put together a 6BR with an F12 action and a Shilen barrel and pleased with the results. The rifle seems very forgiving and not too load fussy.

When I have a promising load, I load a small batch all the same, and out to maximum length. At the range I shoot the first group, then for the second group I use my Lee hand press with my micrometre seating die and seat the next 3 at +10thou then +20thou etc.

The ideal would be to see the groups shrink then open up as you go through the sweet spot.

 

[knguyen]

snakepit:
i have the sinclair bullet gaugze for loading. use a fired formed brass, then drop bullet in chamber, then measure the bullet lenth(base to tip): then add this number to legnth of brass using sinclair method(but with this method you are depending on the bullet length overall which can vary, so i would rather prefer your method of using JB weld and measuring it.

what i have done is use brass, make small cuts in the tip of brass so i can load a bullet then slowly chamber it , then measure the Ogive versu bullet length.
my only concern how i do it is when i pull back the bolt to remove the brass/bullet: i may be pulling the bullet slightly out of the brass when i pull back the bolt handle.
your method of JB weld seems more sure footed: because once the JB weld sets it is gong no where when i pull it out
(do you use a Full lengthe resized brasss or a fired form brass??)

thanks
khanh

 

[snakepit]

I just used fired brass and do not size the neck, the JB weld will fill the space in the neck. If you used FL sized brass then the neck would be resized and the bullet would not slide easily into the neck.

The method you mentioned about making the cuts in the neck is the method I referred to as the loose shell method.

 

[michaelnel]

My rifle is similar to yours but not the same. Mine is the Savage 12 Benchrest, again in 6mm BR, but the stock barrel on mine is 29".

I have a 30" Criterion Bull barrel (1:8) on order for it that is supposed to arrive this coming Monday. If that Criterion does as much for this rifle as it did for my 10 FCP HS Precision I am gonna be one happy camper. Even with the stock barrel I have shot an 8" group at 1000 yards (not super good, but not too bad either for a stock, inexpensive rifle).

My best load so far has been with Lapua 105gr Scenars, Lapua cases, CCI BR4 primers and Reloder 15 powder.

 

[slm9s]

That was my first precision rifle. I used varget with berger 105 'hunting' vlds. Shot very well.

 

[Edward Manning]

Same rifle as you, Savage F Class, 6BR, 30" Barrel, 1:8 twist

600yds

30.3 gr Varget
105 gr Berger Hybrid
jump .030
CCI 450
Lapua Brass
.266 Bushing for .002 neck tension

This is my basic load for that rifle. I have gone up to 30.5 gr of Varget, used CCI BR4 primers, jump of .020, and .267 Bushing for .001 neck tension with pretty much the same results.

 

[Edward Manning]

What muzzle velocity do you get with this round thank you

 

[savage110nut]

This thread is 6 years old, so you may have a hard time getting a reply. I've got a slow-ish 28" CBI and 30.0gr H4895 gives me right at 2850 with a 105. The 30.3gr Varget should also be in that neighborhood.