6Br Hates Varget and 107 SMK

[bored184]

My midrange prone rifle in 6BR does not like Varget and 107 SMKs. Does anybody have a good starting point recommendation using RL17, H335 and H322?

 

[swadiver]

H335 and H322 probably too fast for the heavy bullets. RL17 worth a go. i like N140 the best and also had good luck with N135 and H4895. those two powders did not give the velocity of Varget or N140 without pressure issues in my rifle. still shot well, though

 

[bored184]

That's the key...I want to keep the velocities up.

 

[JFrank]

IMR 4895

 

[swd]

Try RL15 and push the 107’s in the lands quite a bit. I start off with the engraving marks square.

 

[shoot4fun]

8208XBR was my best with 107SMK. My load was well above published data so please forgive if I don't share it.

 

[ShootDots]

Question: How do you know that your 6mmBR does not like BOTH Varget AND the 107 SMKs? My bet is that it is one or the other. Tell me WHY it does not like BOTH.. Then we can begin to diagnose..

 

[HTSmith]

Could be the bullet and not the powder??

 

[LarryDScott]

Before you give up on Varget, if your barrel is an 8 twist,
try 30.3 grs and start from a very lite touch jumping .005
at a time, until it groups. You may be surprised. LDS

 

[DennisH]

Try a few different bullets. 105's, 107's, and 108 BIB's.

Below is with RL15 & 108 BIB's.

30.0 grains, plus or minus a few, seating, either Varget or RL15 makes a difference.

 

[DennisH]

The above target center dots are about the size of a #2 pencil eraser, FYI.

 

[bored184]

Question: How do you know that your 6mmBR does not like BOTH Varget AND the 107 SMKs? My bet is that it is one or the other. Tell me WHY it does not like BOTH.. Then we can begin to diagnose..

This is out of a 30in, 1-8 twist Krieger barrel attached to a Remington 700 action. Ive been using Lapua brass and CCI BR4 primers.

I don't have my notes with me so I am doing this from memory. I did a ladder test from 28.0gr - 30.0gr of Varget with 107 SMK, the results were inconclusive and the velocities were not great. I pushed it with another ladder test from 30.0gr - 31.0gr of Varget, the velocities were great but sporadic. I say sporadic because the velocities did not jump incrementally like you would expect and some actually went down, I was using .2gr increments in my jumps. I shot a couple 5 shot groups with some possibilities from the last ladder test and at 100 yards the groups were 3/4in at best.

My reloading technique could use some practice but some of the above tests were done twice just to make sure I didnt screw up and get my loads out of order. I have also suspected my RCBS Chargemaster to be on the fritz.

 

[JFrank]

This is out of a 30in, 1-8 twist Krieger barrel attached to a Remington 700 action. Ive been using Lapua brass and CCI BR4 primers.

I don't have my notes with me so I am doing this from memory. I did a ladder test from 28.0gr - 30.0gr of Varget with 107 SMK, the results were inconclusive and the velocities were not great. I pushed it with another ladder test from 30.0gr - 31.0gr of Varget, the velocities were great but sporadic. I say sporadic because the velocities did not jump incrementally like you would expect and some actually went down, I was using .2gr increments in my jumps. I shot a couple 5 shot groups with some possibilities from the last ladder test and at 100 yards the groups were 3/4in at best.

My reloading technique could use some practice but some of the above tests were done twice just to make sure I didnt screw up and get my loads out of order. I have also suspected my RCBS Chargemaster to be on the fritz.

What is the bore 236 or 237

 

[ShootDots]

This is out of a 30in, 1-8 twist Krieger barrel attached to a Remington 700 action. Ive been using Lapua brass and CCI BR4 primers.

I don't have my notes with me so I am doing this from memory. I did a ladder test from 28.0gr - 30.0gr of Varget with 107 SMK, the results were inconclusive and the velocities were not great. I pushed it with another ladder test from 30.0gr - 31.0gr of Varget, the velocities were great but sporadic. I say sporadic because the velocities did not jump incrementally like you would expect and some actually went down, I was using .2gr increments in my jumps. I shot a couple 5 shot groups with some possibilities from the last ladder test and at 100 yards the groups were 3/4in at best.

My reloading technique could use some practice but some of the above tests were done twice just to make sure I didnt screw up and get my loads out of order. I have also suspected my RCBS Chargemaster to be on the fritz.

Your explanation does not tell me very much. So I will ask the questions: 1.) Let's say you are shooting at a 1" target dot: "does the group look like 3-4 shots with no paper between the shots but 1 or maybe at the most 2 flyers?" 2.) Is the group sort of "scattered" all over? 3.) Let's say you're shooting at the 1" target dot, are your groups basically staying in the same position relative to the dot? 4.) OR do your groups "travel" all over the dot?... These are the questions I need answers to..

 

[expiper]

OP...you say it is your midrange rifle ,,,so you are not a benchrest shooter ,but are expecting benchrest results,,,let a benchrest shooter sit behind that rifle and you may see "benchrest" results,,,Roger

 

[swd]

What is the bore 236 or 237

.236" vs .237" is a non issue.

 

[JFrank]

How so ?
I’m curious

 

[swd]

How so ?
I’m curious

This is one of those things that has been gone over many times. The consensus is it doesn't matter. Remember we're talking bore diameter which is bullet engraving not groove diameter which relates to bullet diameter. It's a half thou more or less engraving on each side of the bullet. Brux only makes .236", Bartlein makes 99% .237". You'll find rifles on the line side by side chambered in the same cartridges shooting the same bullets using both bore sizes.

Do a search here on the forum and you'll have plenty of reading. Or search Frank Green (of Bartlein). What I can tell you is it's pretty boring reading because all the good gunsmiths pretty much say the same thing, it doesn't matter. A good barrel shoots well and a bad one doesn't but bore size isn't the factor.

 

[JFrank]

Excellent !
Now I know
Thank you

 

[bored184]

I apologize for any confusion. I new to diagnosing problems.

What is the bore 236 or 237

I had to look up the shipping order its a 1-7.5 twist NOT 1-8 twist with a .237 bore

Your explanation does not tell me very much. So I will ask the questions: 1.) Let's say you are shooting at a 1" target dot: "does the group look like 3-4 shots with no paper between the shots but 1 or maybe at the most 2 flyers?" 2.) Is the group sort of "scattered" all over? 3.) Let's say you're shooting at the 1" target dot, are your groups basically staying in the same position relative to the dot? 4.) OR do your groups "travel" all over the dot?... These are the questions I need answers to..

1. No, my groups are not a ragged hole
2. Its more scattered all over over.

3/4 has me confused.

OP...you say it is your midrange rifle ,,,so you are not a benchrest shooter ,but are expecting benchrest results,,,let a benchrest shooter sit behind that rifle and you may see "benchrest" results,,,Roger

I actually thought about doing that. All of these tests were preformed off a bench and I can usually achieve 1 hole groups IF I am doing my part that day.


I can possibly do some testing tomorrow at 100 yards if you would like some tests redone for better clarification.