best 6mm varmint bullet in 8 twist

[Tommie]

As already stated, the 87 V-Max is a mean performer. My only complaint is muzzle flip with cartridges that launch this bullet at speeds to do it justice. I generally have to lower scope magnification to spot hits/misses…makes seeing a rodent at 600 yards more of a challenge than I prefer.

 

[AckleymanII]

If Sierra would put a green tip in their 85g bthp, same jacket and core of the 80g blitz BT, and make it a blitz king, there would be a LOT of very happy varmint hunters!

Then jump to a 105-107g blitz king, GLORY BE!!! I do not know if the 105 TMK will expand or not?

Tommy, you need to be running a muzzle break and a weighted gun of 19 lbs minimum, 28 even better. Ear plugs with electronic ear muffs solve the hearing issues.

87's, 6 Rem AI is king of the hill, AA2700 for long barrel life, 3600 fps minimum on a 27" barrel, 70g at 4150 with AA2700 where bug holes abound!

Very often, you do not have the time to pick up a range finder, dial up, especially on coyote hunting where they are like ghosts very often and spot the slightest movement.

Personally, I do not like shooting a load that has the trajectory of a 45/70 for hunting coyotes or chucks.

80g Sierra Blitz BT at 3800 out of a 12T, 26" 6mm rem AI is one of the finest varmint rounds ever made, with the 6/284 being a kiss'en cousin. I shot the 60g Sierra's at 4400 with Win 760, and chucks exploded like paint balls hitting a flat rock!

With the medium size cases with heavy bullets, you shoot over and under a lot of p. dogs.

We shot the custom 26", 12t, 243's zero freebore, 80g Sierra blitz at 3400 into very tiny groups, 6 Rem was 3500 with IMR 4064 with great brass life. When we started AA2700 in both of these cases, barrel life increased tremendously. I was NOT impressed with 80g Bergers on varmints, they killed coyotes with not a whole lot of damage.

People like different things. For shooting small varmints, I need speed and/or RPM to make a bullet jacket open and expand violently. I also need flat trajectory so that I am not shooting over and under in a spray and prey effort. I need the twist rate to match the speed and bullet length that I am shooting so that my accuracy tune node will be as wide as possible to accommodate changes in temps.

 

[effendude]

I'd TAKE, a REAR Bag of some kind for,.. TOE support !
I use, a Holland Field Bag for, Long Range, Prone shooting,.. ALWAYS !
Will get you, way BETTER,.. VERTICAL with, some kind of Toe, support !
Those 88 Berger's, should be very accurate at, distance IF, you can "control" your, Vertical !
Good Luck, and HAVE,. Fun !

Too much to carry as we run and gun the dogs. Stool with 3-400 rounds of ammo, water, binoculars, rangefinder, TP, snacks, and a rifle with suppressor all get heavy. Especially when you end up 1/2 a mile from the truck at the end of the day when its hot out. I've used AR-15's for the last 10 years and now using this bolt rifle as it hasn't been shot in 15 years and looked sad in the safe. I should be able to stretch it out further if need be. My best shot with the AR 2 years ago was 590 yards.
Scott

 

[ricco1949]

I've used 87 VMax's in a 6XC 8T for longer range PDs. Barrel was a Hart that had seen it's best days on the 1000 yard BR bench....but was still 1/2 MOA. Those 87's still blew up those PDs at 800-900 yards.

 

[Cowmooch]

I've used 87 VMax's in a 6XC 8T for longer range PDs. Barrel was a Hart that had seen it's best days on the 1000 yard BR bench....but was still 1/2 MOA. Those 87's still blew up those PDs at 800-900 yards.

Just bought 5 boxes of 87vmax

 

[mensajd]

In my rifle (243 WSSM, 1:8" twist, 22" Shilen Select Match bbl), the 95gr Sierra TMKs shoot a bit better then the 87gr VMAXs and have better external ballistics as well. Haven't tried either on varmints because leaded bullets are illegal for hunting in CA.

 

[1raggedhole]

Yep, 87 vmax is tough to beat on long range varmints. Good price and very explosive.

 

[Webster]

I have read some threads about the best bullet for varmints in 6mm and they are usually lighter grains, anywhere from 60-80 grains. i am running a 6xc with 8 twist barrel and would like something a little heavier that will still fragment well. I see that the berger varmints stop around 80 grains and are flat based, is there a reason they go to a flat base? Also all hunting bullets in the 85-108 range seem to be tuned towards deer or larger game, would they still work well for varmint. Would i be better off with a tipped bullet to help with expansion or would the hollow points do plenty well at 2800-3000 fps. I currently have berger 105VLDH and sierra 90 TGK to load with. Thanks in advance for any opinions, i am relatively new to reloading and it was easier when you just went to the counter and grabbed something labeled for varmint and didnt worry about twist rate, velocity, and weight. although i think i will be much happier being able to tune ammo to exactly whatever i want.

Many years ago I shot a lot of Sierra 85 Gr HPBT bullets at GH. Don't remember any problems anchoring them with a chest area hit.

 

[effendude]

Just back from 3 days in South Dakota. Shooting the 6xc with the 88 grain Bergers was unimpressive, terminally speaking. Prairie dogs fell over but most concerning was listening to many rounds continue off into somewhere after hitting the dog. I immediately switched to the 87 grain V-Max bullet and I had the terminal performance I like. Dogs blowing up, flipping, spinning and sometimes just disappearing. Same outstanding performance out of the 75 grain V-Max.

Now, what to do with 550 88 grain Berger rounds.....
Scott

 

[David Milisock]

Just back from 3 days in South Dakota. Shooting the 6xc with the 88 grain Bergers was unimpressive, terminally speaking. Prairie dogs fell over but most concerning was listening to many rounds continue off into somewhere after hitting the dog. I immediately switched to the 87 grain V-Max bullet and I had the terminal performance I like. Dogs blowing up, flipping, spinning and sometimes just disappearing. Same outstanding performance out of the 75 grain V-Max.

Now, what to do with 550 88 grain Berger rounds.....
Scott

I get it, varmint hunting is very satisfying when you know for sure the round hit and had very little left in it for traveling across into the unknown.