Varmint caliber ideas?

[JORTZ]

6 BRX with a short throat in a 12 twist will shoot the 55-60g bullets at 4000+ on 26" barrel with AA2230 , 3/4" groups at 300 yards. Barrels last a very, very long time with H335 and AA2230 with these light bullets. Start with zero freebore if you can find a gunsmith with a reamer. This cartridge is a hell on wheels for blowing stuff sky high, 65g V max at 3700+ and 70g Blitz kings at 3550-3650, and mine have zero freebore...a secret to very long barrel life. I shoot AA2230 with 55-65g bullets and H335 with 70g blitz kings.

My 6 BR with a 12Twist, zero freebore shoots the 55-60g bullets at 3900 with aa2230 and 3800+ with H335 with very tiny groups also. I would be sure that the reamer used is set up to eliminate the "click" at the top of the bolt lift, because the best accuracy is right at a top end load. 55g Noslers in 6mm have a higher BC than their 22 caliber counter part. So, who would think that the tiny 6 BR would outperform the 220 Swift with the same bullet weight?

I have two 6 Dashers, also that are the equal of the 6 BRX in speed with accuracy, but the are throated each for a 87g V max and a 105 A max.

I do not believe that it is prudent to put a .105 throat or longer in a barrel then go to shooting 55g bullets as the bullets will only jump so far before they start crooked in the throat(when the barrel is new, often the barrel will shoot great...not so much 2500 rounds down the bore with the light bullets).

VERY FEW would believe just how accurate a 60g sierra Hp can be in a 14-12 twist barrel with zero freebore in any of these calibers above.

Thanks for the info. I was thinking i would need 0 to very little freebore for lighter bullets

 

[Webster]

"My 6 BR with a 12Twist, zero freebore shoots the 55-60g bullets at 3900 with aa2230 and 3800+"

Need to try AA2230

 

[22DASHER]

Here's what my 6BR Varmint rifle did awhile back at 400 yards... shooting 65 grain V-Max's, 205M, and a stout load of N135...it is one of my favorite rifles to shoot!

 

[Webster]

"People say get a 6mm because its better in the wind. Then they say shoot lite bullets that are terrible in the wind. Just doesn't make sense."

REAL DATA
Made up some numbers and ran them through the Berger Ballistics calculator. 9 o'clock 10 MPH wind. I trust my 6BR with light bullets out to 500 yards. If people think a 220 Swift can do it a 6BR certainly can. Changing the fps for each example would still show a big difference. I don't worry about drop. Laser range finder. Good drop chart.

22 cal. Berger 55 gr bullet at 3600 fps - 42.06" wind drift at 500 yards.
22 cal Berger 55 gr bullet at 3700 fps – 38.99” wind drift at 500 yards.
6BR 69 gr Berger Hi BC bullet at 3600 fps – 26.71" wind drift at 500 yards.
6BR 55 gr no brand 3700 fps 25.75: wind drift at 500 yards

 

[AckleymanII]

People say get a 6mm because its better in the wind. Then they say shoot lite bullets that are terrible in the wind. Just doesn't make sense.

They say 22 cal is bad in the wind. But with heavy bullets a 22 cal is better in the wind than lite bullets out of a 6mm, go figure.
The best velocity and BC together is where its at as long as long as the accuracy is acceptable. JMO

Yardage shot is always a consideration. Many of the shots are 375 yards and under, so compare the ballistics, somewhere around 450 is the break for heavies. Heavies do not give the launches that the lighter faster bullets give, nor the barrel life. I don't like to see them just flop over. I am usually trying to put some English on one to block a hole, shoot a head off, suck one out of a hole, flop one over on another one, but always trying to place my shot on the animal. I really hate it when I shoot one and 30 seconds he flops over on his back starting to ride a bicycle...bullet too tough.

In a 6 BR with H335 and the 55-65g bullets, you will get 8000 rounds on a barrel if you start off with a zero freebore still shooting groups in the high 2's at 8000 rounds but the copper fouling gets to be aggravating to deal with due to fire cracked bore. You don't have to take my word for it, Gene Harwood NBRSA Director sat a world record with a 6 BR in the mid 80's shooting his own 60g bullets with H335.

H335 works well with the 70g sierra blitz kings in the 6 BR with very, very long barrel life.

Using Hart, Shilen, Lilja barrels in 12 & 14 twists, I went 300 rounds in between cleanings on hot dog towns, shot them as fast as I could acquire target and pull the trigger, not to hard to shoot 5 shots a minute with a Right bolt/left port rig.

I have always wanted to have a 8" Twist chambered with a zero freebore reamer to shoot 55-70g bullets, just too many used benchrest barrels in 12-13T laying around that seem impossible to kill off.

I found that N133 and N135 eats barrels like you are shooting dried battery acid, that stuff burns HOT!

 

[AckleymanII]

Yardage shot is always a consideration. Many of the shots are 375 yards and under, so compare the ballistics, somewhere around 450 is the break for heavies. Heavies do not give the launches that the lighter faster bullets give, nor the barrel life. I don't like to see them just flop over. I am usually trying to put some English on one to block a hole, shoot a head off, suck one out of a hole, flop one over on another one, but always trying to place my shot on the animal. I really hate it when I shoot one and 30 seconds he flops over on his back starting to ride a bicycle...bullet too tough.

In a 6 BR with H335 and the 55-65g bullets, you will get 8000 rounds on a barrel if you start off with a zero freebore still shooting groups in the high 2's at 8000 rounds but the copper fouling gets to be aggravating to deal with due to fire cracked bore. You don't have to take my word for it, Gene Harwood NBRSA Director sat a world record with a 6 BR in the mid 80's shooting his own 60g bullets with H335.

H335 works well with the 70g sierra blitz kings in the 6 BR with very, very long barrel life.

Using Hart, Shilen, Lilja barrels in 12 & 14 twists, I went 300 rounds in between cleanings on hot dog towns, shot them as fast as I could acquire target and pull the trigger, not to hard to shoot 5 shots a minute with a Right bolt/left port rig.

I have always wanted to have a 8" Twist chambered with a zero freebore reamer to shoot 55-70g bullets, just too many used benchrest barrels in 12-13T laying around that seem impossible to kill off.

I found that N133 and N135 eats barrels like you are shooting dried battery acid, that stuff burns HOT!

Also, I do not think that a light bullet is a 500 yard bullet, start with an 87g Vmax at that point, 6 Dasher/6 brx with 8Twist and about .050 freebore.

I shot out two barrels in one year using the Berger 69's with zero freebore, 11 Twist, out of a 6/250 AI at 3800, their effective limit was around 600 yards using win 760 and AA2700; these two barrels were given to me as a gift as they were over lapped at the maker...still shot tiny groups for 2000 HARD rounds each.

 

[Webster]

Also, I do not think that a light bullet is a 500 yard bullet, start with an 87g Vmax at that point, 6 Dasher/6 brx with 8Twist and about .050 freebore.

I shot out two barrels in one year using the Berger 69's with zero freebore, 11 Twist, out of a 6/250 AI at 3800, their effective limit was around 600 yards using win 760 and AA2700; these two barrels were given to me as a gift as they were over lapped at the maker...still shot tiny groups for 2000 HARD rounds each.

I chose the light bullets 55-70 because I seldom shoot over 350 yards where I hunt. Less chance of ricochet. If I was going to shoot farther I would look at 6BRX 85-105 gr bullets. Might as well just go to 105 A-max for 1000 yrd. Capability.

 

[varmintshooter]

Under 350 yds 20 vartarg.

 

[onelastshot]

Choosing a varmint cartridge, more specifically, asking for another's opinion as to which particular cartridge is the best option is in the same realm as asking a friend their opinion as to which woman they'd recommend for your 5th wife. You already own a half dozen varmint rifles and are essentially splitting hairs as to what direction to go. In short, chose something different that fills a personal void; look at an ackley improved cartridge or something different than what you've been shooting.

 

[AckleymanII]

I chose the light bullets 55-70 because I seldom shoot over 350 yards where I hunt. Less chance of ricochet. If I was going to shoot farther I would look at 6BRX 85-105 gr bullets. Might as well just go to 105 A-max for 1000 yrd. Capability.

We are on the same page...good page, also.

 

[tclaunch]

20-221AI Lapua case

22BRAI with 53 gr Vmax

You know someone with one of these 22 BR-AI ....lol, Its a hoot.

 

[Gabe22BR]

yeah, heard it was awesome !!

I'm guessing 22 dasher speeds, with less powder and no fire-forming?? just like our "Shawtys" ?

Phil, & Smoking Joe may have something with this 20 "fireblaster" as well.. Mine will be a winter project, it looks like

 

[Bobbyboy6br]

So i have a 204 220swift 223 22250 243 basic calibers for varmint hunting. Im looking for something different to do. Any ideas?
Im throwing a couple ideas
Another 220 swift
20vt
30br
Looking for something different

I shoot 2506 with a 100'gr smk 3250'fps it's really nice ,flate shooting and bucks the wind good . RL 19 powder is great for that cal

 

[Webster]

Thanks for the info. I was thinking i would need 0 to very little freebore for lighter bullets

I shoot 58-70 gr bullets in my 6BR 14 twist. I have 0.065" freebore and the bullets are half way down the neck. 0 freebore is good.

 

[Wirelessguy2005]

Gabe,

Just a heads up that the "20Fireblaster" you are referring to is most likely a knockoff of the 20 SCC design. There were multiple guys that put a ton of time, effort and money into the design and testing of the 20SCC cartridge. it's a real disappointment to see guys copycat it and change the name. Just my 2 cents.

yeah, heard it was awesome !!

I'm guessing 22 dasher speeds, with less powder and no fire-forming?? just like our "Shawtys" ?

Phil, & Smoking Joe may have something with this 20 "fireblaster" as well.. Mine will be a winter project, it looks like

 

[GrocMax]

"My 6 BR with a 12Twist, zero freebore shoots the 55-60g bullets at 3900 with aa2230 and 3800+"

Need to try AA2230

Or 2200.

 

[Phil]

Gabe,

Just a heads up that the "20Fireblaster" you are referring to is most likely a knockoff of the 20 SCC design. There were multiple guys that put a ton of time, effort and money into the design and testing of the 20SCC cartridge. it's a real disappointment to see guys copycat it and change the name. Just my 2 cents.

Brad,

I guess you could call it a copy cat, knockoff....etc. It`s just a .20 vartarg with a 40* shoulder and set up for Lapua brass dimensions, not the Norma brass that your reamer was designed around.

This reamer isn`t proprietary either, cast stones where you want, but there was at least one guy over on Saubier that had a .20-221 AI built years back, so the case isn`t anything new.

I thought about this years back, but gave up on it due to the brass available at the time.

When you did your SCC, and shortly after Lapua introduced brass along with Whiddens dies I was in, to bad your reamer didn`t match the new Lapua offering, hard to tell what the numbers were since a print was never provided.

I had to change directions slightly and reamers as well, but that was my bad for jumping the gun.


Maybe I`ll call it the .20 "COPY CAT" instead, just my 2 cents.


Phil.

 

[GrocMax]

Don't be afraid of the std 'CIP' spec 6BR reamer, its about .093" freebore but shoots the light varmint bullets absolutely fine. Works good for 87 vmax too. 58 vmax at the lands is about 1/3 into the neck. Extry boiler room for a little more speed.

 

[Wirelessguy2005]

Well i guess at least you were willing to admit it, I give you credit for that. Doesn't change the fact that many guys over on the small caliber club forum put a lot of time and effort into development/testing of the cartridge.
For the record there are numerous guys running the 20SCC utilizing Lapua brass with great results. While the original design was based on the Nosler/Norma brass it works perfectly fine with Lapua brass as well. Another point to ponder for anyone considering a wildcat such as the 20 SCC or the 20 Fireblaster is reloading dies. Designing the 20SCC
allowed us to pick a consistent set of dimensions and get dies produced at a reasonable price by Whidden Gunworks. While it was a significant upfront cost to have JGS make up carbide die reamers it was worth it to obtain consistent dimensions and also cut prices for custom dies from nearly $300 down to around $200 for a set. All this was done to help the small caliber enthusiast, the bummer is when guys come along and copy the design it throws a wrench in the works and ultimately just makes things more difficult and costly for the average guy. I am all for guys wildcatting and making something their own, I think all anyone asks is be respectful of the guys that went before you and paved the way.

Brad,

I guess you could call it a copy cat, knockoff....etc. It`s just a .20 vartarg with a 40* shoulder and set up for Lapua brass dimensions, not the Norma brass that your reamer was designed around.

This reamer isn`t proprietary either, cast stones where you want, but there was at least one guy over on Saubier that had a .20-221 AI built years back, so the case isn`t anything new.

I thought about this years back, but gave up on it due to the brass available at the time.

When you did your SCC, and shortly after Lapua introduced brass along with Whiddens dies I was in, to bad your reamer didn`t match the new Lapua offering, hard to tell what the numbers were since a print was never provided.

I had to change directions slightly and reamers as well, but that was my bad for jumping the gun.


Maybe I`ll call it the .20 "COPY CAT" instead, just my 2 cents.


Phil.

 

[onelastshot]

The problem is your question is just too broad. When you ask for varmint rifle suggestions without any parameters, you're going to get 1001 responses covering the entire realm of the varmint class rifles and calibers. I suggest you limit the responses by choosing a caliber class, 22, 243, 6.5, just choose one and decide if you're going to be up to spending time in the reloading room or if you want something straight forward. A 6mmAI is a great caliber but it commits you to fire forming brass. Figure out if you want something straight forward such as a 22-250 or something you've got to fine tune such as a 22-250AI.

The first step is to decide caliber family; 22 calibers or the 6mm family. Then decide if you want processed ready to use brass or if you're willing to fine tune your own brass, such as deciding on an Ackley improved cartridge.