6BRA Vs 6BR

[JMAC19]

I have done a good bit of reading on the forum but I haven't seen this question answered specifically. I currently shoot a standard 6BR and I am trying to decide if I should go with a dasher or a bra when I get a new barrel. With that being said I was wondering how much velocity increase people were seeing with a 6BRA vs a standard 6BR?

Thanks!

 

[BartsBullets]

In my experience the 6BR normally tunes between 2800 to 2850. The 6BRA Usually shoots around 2960 to 2980. Some run or over 3000.

Bart

 

[shoot4fun]

I recently fell victim to the 6BRA phenomenon. My take, so far, is that tuning the 6BRA is many times more difficult than the good old tried and true 6BR. For 600 yard IBS the 6BR is my "go-to" and always has been. That said, when you find that 6BRA happy spot it is a thing of beauty. Just ask the guys who tore up not only the 600 but 1,000 yard record books with it in 2019. BTW, a rookie won the 1,000 yard IBS Nationals and added his name to a long list of Shooter of the Year winners this year. A feat, I believe, that was never before accomplished.
Now, to your question of velocity increase, I have yet to settle on the perfect 6BRA load but my thinking is the 6BRA falls about the middle between 6BR and 6Dasher. If not, I'm sure someone will correct me.

 

[ShootDots]

About 100 FPS

I have a question Bart: "How do you get 100 f.p.s. additional velocity when you have a case capacity of 1.0 to 1.2grs more powder, unless you plan on running much higher pressures than you would run in a "standard" 6mmBR?

 

[shoot4fun]

In my experience the 6BR normally tunes between 2800 to 2850. The 6BRA Usually shoots around 2960 to 2980. Some run or over 3000.

Bart

Bart,
does the 6BRA benefit more from a tuner than the other usual suspects or 6BR or Dasher?

 

[BartsBullets]

I have a question Bart: "How do you get 100 f.p.s. additional velocity when you have a case capacity of 1.0 to 1.2grs more powder, unless you plan on running much higher pressures than you would run in a "standard" 6mmBR?

Not for sure exactly how it’s done, but it is. I can run 6BRA cases with the velocities around 2980 without loosening primer pockets and open the bolt with my pinky finger. It’s got to be the 40 degree shoulder.

Bart

 

[BartsBullets]

Bart,
does the 6BRA benefit more from a tuner than the other usual suspects or 6BR or Dasher?

I don’t think so. All of them can benefit from a tuner equally. But my preference is to use a tuner over a muzzle break.

Bart

 

[JMAC19]

I recently fell victim to the 6BRA phenomenon. My take, so far, is that tuning the 6BRA is many times more difficult than the good old tried and true 6BR. For 600 yard IBS the 6BR is my "go-to" and always has been. That said, when you find that 6BRA happy spot it is a thing of beauty. Just ask the guys who tore up not only the 600 but 1,000 yard record books with it in 2019. BTW, a rookie won the 1,000 yard IBS Nationals and added his name to a long list of Shooter of the Year winners this year. A feat, I believe, that was never before accomplished.
Now, to your question of velocity increase, I have yet to settle on the perfect 6BRA load but my thinking is the 6BRA falls about the middle between 6BR and 6Dasher. If not, I'm sure someone will correct me.

Yeah I love my 6BR but I mostly shoot F class and when I drop a few point just outside the 10 ring it does make me want something with a little more velocity to help in the wind. Is your experience with the the BRA being more difficult to tune one that a lot of people are having as well? Also are we talking hair pulling difficult or just more than 30ish gr of varget +105 = good load difficult haha.

 

[Falfan2017]

Yeah I love my 6BR but I mostly shoot F class and when I drop a few point just outside the 10 ring it does make me want something with a little more velocity to help in the wind. Is your experience with the the BRA being more difficult to tune one that a lot of people are having as well? Also are we talking hair pulling difficult or just more than 30ish gr of varget +105 = good load difficult haha.

You may save a point here or there with more speed but I think way more points are lost to bad tune. Whatever you settle on br or dasher or bra or anything else I’d go for the best accuracy you can get over speed.

 

[shoot4fun]

Yeah I love my 6BR but I mostly shoot F class and when I drop a few point just outside the 10 ring it does make me want something with a little more velocity to help in the wind. Is your experience with the the BRA being more difficult to tune one that a lot of people are having as well? Also are we talking hair pulling difficult or just more than 30ish gr of varget +105 = good load difficult haha.

If you are talking only 30ish grains of Varget why bother with BRA? I shoot somewhere between 30-31 gr Varget behind 105 gr bullets in my straight 6BR now. I gather most shoot H4895 (and quite a bit of it) to make good things happen in 6BRA. @BartsBullets seems to have had success with tuning 6BRA but it appears, from his overall successes in 2019, that he has been able to tune everything he shoots quite well. I will only speak to my experience but I found tune on 6BR and 6 Dasher with much less effort than I am having to put into 6BRA.

 

[mikeeg02]

Dont rule out rl15. It really seems to work well with 105 hybrids for me.

I don think that the 6BR-improved is any harder to tune than a straight BR or a dasher. But with a switch to a new case (even a case "improvement"), there will be a new learning curve. Once it "clicks" for you, barrel to barrel accuracy and loads are pretty close (especially when using the same reamer)

 

[Poor Shot 65]

In my experience the 6BR normally tunes between 2800 to 2850. The 6BRA Usually shoots around 2960 to 2980. Some run or over 3000.

Bart

I am assuming that this range is for 105GR bullets ? I shoot 80GR and I am well above 3100 FPS.

Thanks

Adam

 

[BartsBullets]

I am assuming that this range is for 105GR bullets ? I shoot 80GR and I am well above 3100 FPS.

Thanks

Adam

Adam,

I am!

Bart

 

[Forum Boss]

My 6mmBR load with 105gr Scenars loved to run 2910 FPS with Varget. That was with a faster-than-average 27” PacNor 3 groove. I could get 2920 but that was tough on brass. That particular barrel definitely shot better above 2890 fps than below. Having shot 6mmBR for many years I honestly don’t think 2850 is necessarily the sweet spot. Let your barrel tell you.

 

[johara1]

A lot depends on your barrel, I have a 6Br Imp. @ 26" well used Brux that will send a 105 @2970 and a newer 28" Lederer that will shoot the same speed with the same load. I have an other 28" Lederer that will shoot the same load at 2998 and they all shoot good.... jim

 

[BartsBullets]

My 6mmBR load with 105gr Scenars loved to run 2910 FPS with Varget. That was with a faster-than-average 27” PacNor 3 groove. I could get 2920 but that was tough on brass. That particular barrel definitely shot better above 2890 fps than below. Having shot 6mmBR for many years I honestly don’t think 2850 is necessarily the sweet spot. Let your barrel tell you.

I think most 6BRs (if they shoot) will find a competitive tune between 2800 and 2850. Some will definitely shoot hotter, but thats a good place to start.

 

[JMAC19]

A lot depends on your barrel, I have a 6Br Imp. @ 26" well used Brux that will send a 105 @2970 and a newer 28" Lederer that will shoot the same speed with the same load. I have an other 28" Lederer that will shoot the same load at 2998 and they all shoot good.... jim

Yeah that is very true about it depending on the barrle. That is one of the reasons I was asking about the velocity differences instead of just the velocity. I didn't want to go through the trouble of getting new dies and fireforming and not see any real gains over a plane ole 6BR.

 

[Ranger188]

It also depends on if your shooting at 600 or 1000yds. I run the 95g SMKs @ 3040 in a 6br and it does fine
and has less drop and almost the same drift as a 105
At a 1000 the difference starts to favor the 105 or heavier, higher BC bullets.

 

[mikeeg02]

Yeah that is very true about it depending on the barrle. That is one of the reasons I was asking about the velocity differences instead of just the velocity. I didn't want to go through the trouble of getting new dies and fireforming and not see any real gains over a plane ole 6BR.

I think any cartridge based off the 6br case has the same capability to shoot small. What the dasher / improved variants do is give you the ability to increase velocity, typically by 100-200 fps and retain the same accuracy. Different improved variants have other features in addition to the velocity gains. Ie. Throat wear, barrel life, ability to use existing dies, and so on.

There are people who also continue to shoot well at 1k with just a straight br. I think the most important thing is to pick a case and learn your case.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I found that I could shoot the upper 6br node at 2900ish in my 6bra and the case and primer is COASTING.

I found that the 6bra is even more forgiving that 6br. But both are awesome.

The 6br shot better than me.