6br issues

[Jetpilot]

Did not see this one mentioned so here was my experience shooting the 6mmBR. Travelled to a match with same load as always. 30.1 Varget, CCI450 primers and Lapua brass with Berger 105 VLD's and 100 rounds loaded. Right from the warm up target something seemed off but thought may be it would settle down as it had been cleaned very well (inspected with bore scope). As the match continued we (wife and I shooting same rifle) were getting more verticle then usual and thought it must be conditions, after a couple of target (500m) it was obvious that we were getting more verticle then others so was scratching heads. My wife would have 3 or 4 shots group well then loose one out the bottom. Next card I had a misfire, everyone expected I had no powder in the bullet but we pulled it and it was fine. I had 50 rounds I had loaded up a month earlier with the same components so we changed the ammo - only because it was going so bad and we were well out of the running. Scores and groups improved for both of us on our last 2 cards even thou conditions getting worse. Scracted my head for days and check everything when I got home, then it hit me when I was cleaning my brass in the ultrasonic cleaner - My cases were still a little wet when I loaded. I was in a bit of a rush and I had left the cases over night to dry instead of a few days in the sun. I checked my newly cleaned cases after 2 days left in the same spot and the odd case had some water left in them when I rolled them around in my hand. I was going to open a new can of powder and change primers but it was an ignition problem caused by me cutting corners. I am off to a match in 3 weeks and will load the exact same components (dry this time) and confident they will be back to normal. Cheers

 

[Wellington]

Did not see this one mentioned so here was my experience shooting the 6mmBR. Travelled to a match with same load as always. 30.1 Varget, CCI450 primers and Lapua brass with Berger 105 VLD's and 100 rounds loaded. Right from the warm up target something seemed off but thought may be it would settle down as it had been cleaned very well (inspected with bore scope). As the match continued we (wife and I shooting same rifle) were getting more verticle then usual and thought it must be conditions, after a couple of target (500m) it was obvious that we were getting more verticle then others so was scratching heads. My wife would have 3 or 4 shots group well then loose one out the bottom. Next card I had a misfire, everyone expected I had no powder in the bullet but we pulled it and it was fine. I had 50 rounds I had loaded up a month earlier with the same components so we changed the ammo - only because it was going so bad and we were well out of the running. Scores and groups improved for both of us on our last 2 cards even thou conditions getting worse. Scracted my head for days and check everything when I got home, then it hit me when I was cleaning my brass in the ultrasonic cleaner - My cases were still a little wet when I loaded. I was in a bit of a rush and I had left the cases over night to dry instead of a few days in the sun. I checked my newly cleaned cases after 2 days left in the same spot and the odd case had some water left in them when I rolled them around in my hand. I was going to open a new can of powder and change primers but it was an ignition problem caused by me cutting corners. I am off to a match in 3 weeks and will load the exact same components (dry this time) and confident they will be back to normal. Cheers

If I need cases in a hurry I dry them in the oven. Shake out as must water as you can and then in the oven for a couple or three hrs. I do it at 170, the lowest setting on my oven, would prefer 150.

 

[divingin]

I'm having a hard time getting ALL the Imperial sizing wax off of my brass. I've tried cleaning with a dry towel, cleaning with a little alcohol and even SS pin tumbling. None of these methods seems to remove all the wax. Cases still feel slippery, especially the cases cleaned with 91% alcohol.

Any recommendations?

Wash your hands before checking. Imperial is slippery stuff, even after wiping on a towel.

That said, if I lube and size over 50 cases at a time, I toss them in a vibratory tumbler for 20 minutes to remove the lube. Clean out flash holes while cleaning the pockets.

For drying brass, it won't do anything below about 400 degrees (probably a bit higher.) 170 is taking away from your pot roast time

 

[Charlie-NY]

Did not see this one mentioned so here was my experience shooting the 6mmBR. Travelled to a match with same load as always. 30.1 Varget, CCI450 primers and Lapua brass with Berger 105 VLD's and 100 rounds loaded. Right from the warm up target something seemed off but thought may be it would settle down as it had been cleaned very well (inspected with bore scope). As the match continued we (wife and I shooting same rifle) were getting more verticle then usual and thought it must be conditions, after a couple of target (500m) it was obvious that we were getting more verticle then others so was scratching heads. My wife would have 3 or 4 shots group well then loose one out the bottom. Next card I had a misfire, everyone expected I had no powder in the bullet but we pulled it and it was fine. I had 50 rounds I had loaded up a month earlier with the same components so we changed the ammo - only because it was going so bad and we were well out of the running. Scores and groups improved for both of us on our last 2 cards even thou conditions getting worse. Scracted my head for days and check everything when I got home, then it hit me when I was cleaning my brass in the ultrasonic cleaner - My cases were still a little wet when I loaded. I was in a bit of a rush and I had left the cases over night to dry instead of a few days in the sun. I checked my newly cleaned cases after 2 days left in the same spot and the odd case had some water left in them when I rolled them around in my hand. I was going to open a new can of powder and change primers but it was an ignition problem caused by me cutting corners. I am off to a match in 3 weeks and will load the exact same components (dry this time) and confident they will be back to normal. Cheers

Very interesting. I occasionally just put my cases in the direct sunlight (outside) for a few hours. The cases are warm to the touch and I never noticed any remaining water. But ... I don't look that hard either. I think I'll use the toaster oven more often and forget about the sun-dried cases.

 

[rwj]

Food dehydrators work well!

 

[DeerHunter82]

I had very similar issues with my 6BR, which was my first bench gun, that I thought was “clean”. I bore scoped it. ‘Twas not clean. A heavy dose of Holland’s Witches Brew and a few more thousandths into the lands and I was back to normal.

 

[divingin]

If I need cases in a hurry I dry them in the oven. Shake out as must water as you can and then in the oven for a couple or three hrs. I do it at 170, the lowest setting on my oven, would prefer 150.

Brass isn't affected by temp until something over 400 degrees (and it takes a while there.)

Crank the heat up and they'll be dry in 15-30 minutes (plus preheat time.) 250-350 (let it cool before handling though.)

 

[Delfuego]

Issue found I believe. It appears my throat has grew by about .008 so I chased my seating depth by 0.008 and back to bug holes !! Well do alittle more testing tomorrow.

I believe he found the issue

 

[JScanga]

I use Hornady Unique, I wipe the lube off but don’t any solvent, just an old tshirt

 

[dgeesaman]

One other thing: check your front rest and action screws for loose stuff.

I have a SEB Mini-X and I love it, but it has several adjustment screws and I have shot some groups only to realize I hadn’t tightened the elevation lock or something.

Also if it’s a factory rifle, check to make sure sling studs or sling stud holes aren’t rubbing roughly in the rest or rear bag.