To convert to 6BRA... yea or nay?

[Allen Corneau]

I've read what seems like an Imperial ton of threads on converting 6BR to 6BRA with the potential advantages/disadvantages and would love get an opinion from those much more knowledgable than I am (which doesn't take too much) for my given situation.

First, it's very important to understand the context of my shooting as it's not typical of most folks that have asked this question in the past...

• I'm a Silhouette guy, not a hunter, benchrest, F-class shooter.
• Keeping recoil low is very important in this game, thus 6BR being a very popular cartridge.
• I shoot three different bullets/loads for the four different distances/targets (more later).
• I'm limited to a 26" barrel and can't use a tuner.
• Using Lapua brass, VV powders, Berger bullets, and CCI #450 primers.
• I already have about 1,900 rounds on my current barrel and have a new 6mm barrel blank waiting in the wings.

The three different loads I use for Silhouette are:

• a soft-shooting 87gr VLD with N135 (~2500) for Chickens (200m) and short-course Silhouette.
• a medium 95gr VLD with N140 (~2700) for Pigs (300m) and Turkeys (385m).
• a heavy 115gr VLD with N150 (~2680) for Rams (500m).

I don't have any problem with my loads for the first three animals/distances, but the Ram load is a little bit of a different story. In our game, if you hit the Ram (or any target) but it doesn't fall off the stand/rail then it doesn't count. Rams are notoriously heavy, coming in around 50 pounds a piece. I rang two Rams at Nationals last year in Raton and several more in other state/regional matches. Nothing more frustrating than hitting a Ram and it just sits there laughing at you!

Some of the guys that have been doing this longer than me say you need to get the 115 going at least 2720 or better to reliably take the Rams down. I'm currently at 2680 using 29.1 grains of N150 and nearing dangerous pressures (according to GRT analysis).

Here's where the thought of converting to 6BRA comes into play. According to GRT I can load up to 30.6 grains of N150 and get to ~2735 before I get the skull and crossbones. Unfortunately, when I check the OBT is says in order to be in a node I need to run either 31.16 grains (well over pressure) or 29.75 and be back down at 2671.

So, to circle back around to my initial question... would it really be worth it for me to convert over my 6 BR to BRA? I'm assuming there are other components I would have to change/re-purchase in order to load for the 6BRA? Seating die, sizing die, anything else?

Any wisdom you can bestow on my quandary would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JFrank]

I have no experience with the 115 over N150 although with my BRA it has that extra gear to run a little higher speed, N140 under 103 gr gives me a couple nodes, first one is around 31.2 -31.6 shoots real well, the upper node at 32.3 is smaller but is there and beyond that the powder is pushing back on the round.

 

[Webster]

I've read what seems like an Imperial ton of threads on converting 6BR to 6BRA with the potential advantages/disadvantages and would love get an opinion from those much more knowledgable than I am (which doesn't take too much) for my given situation.

First, it's very important to understand the context of my shooting as it's not typical of most folks that have asked this question in the past...

• I'm a Silhouette guy, not a hunter, benchrest, F-class shooter.
• Keeping recoil low is very important in this game, thus 6BR being a very popular cartridge.
• I shoot three different bullets/loads for the four different distances/targets (more later).
• I'm limited to a 26" barrel and can't use a tuner.
• Using Lapua brass, VV powders, Berger bullets, and CCI #450 primers.
• I already have about 1,900 rounds on my current barrel and have a new 6mm barrel blank waiting in the wings.

The three different loads I use for Silhouette are:

• a soft-shooting 87gr VLD with N135 (~2500) for Chickens (200m) and short-course Silhouette.
• a medium 95gr VLD with N140 (~2700) for Pigs (300m) and Turkeys (385m).
• a heavy 115gr VLD with N150 (~2680) for Rams (500m).

I don't have any problem with my loads for the first three animals/distances, but the Ram load is a little bit of a different story. In our game, if you hit the Ram (or any target) but it doesn't fall off the stand/rail then it doesn't count. Rams are notoriously heavy, coming in around 50 pounds a piece. I rang two Rams at Nationals last year in Raton and several more in other state/regional matches. Nothing more frustrating than hitting a Ram and it just sits there laughing at you!

Some of the guys that have been doing this longer than me say you need to get the 115 going at least 2720 or better to reliably take the Rams down. I'm currently at 2680 using 29.1 grains of N150 and nearing dangerous pressures (according to GRT analysis).

Here's where the thought of converting to 6BRA comes into play. According to GRT I can load up to 30.6 grains of N150 and get to ~2735 before I get the skull and crossbones. Unfortunately, when I check the OBT is says in order to be in a node I need to run either 31.16 grains (well over pressure) or 29.75 and be back down at 2671.

So, to circle back around to my initial question... would it really be worth it for me to convert over my 6 BR to BRA? I'm assuming there are other components I would have to change/re-purchase in order to load for the 6BRA? Seating die, sizing die, anything else?

Any wisdom you can bestow on my quandary would be greatly appreciated.

6BRX same ballistics. Just load and shoot to FF. No false shoulder needed.

 

[Rook 6]

I used to shoot silhouette. I can’t tell you for a fact that you won’t get what you need from the 6BRA to reliably knock down rams. Might not be quite enough. BRX as mentioned or maybe XC?

 

[1K6BRA]

I shoot a 6 BRA for silhouette at the Ridgway rifle club in Ridgway Pennsylvania. I use this cartridge in my 12 pound gun. We shoot at 850, 900, 950 and 1000 yards. I will say the coyote target at 1000 yards does tip over pretty slowly even with a good hit. I am guessing they may weigh 25 pounds give or take. I have been using 103 grain automated Vapor Trail’s. In the three years using the BRA I have probably lost three or four targets not knocked over with a decent hit. My friends shooting on the same bench as I do shooting 6xc’s with 107 grain Sierras do knock the targets over with a little more authority than I do. With my 17 pound gun I shoot a 6.5 x 47 with 140 grain hybrids, it leaves no doubt on target when hit. I would agree that switching to a BRA would not have much difference in authority on target. Sounds like you may need to jump up to the 6.5 class cartridges. The X 47 is a joy to load and shoot and hits with noticeably more authority, which is what you are looking for.

 

[boltfluter]

I shoot a 6 BRA for silhouette at the Ridgway rifle club in Ridgway Pennsylvania. I use this cartridge in my 12 pound gun. We shoot at 850, 900, 950 and 1000 yards. I will say the coyote target at 1000 yards does tip over pretty slowly even with a good hit. I am guessing they may weigh 25 pounds give or take. I have been using 103 grain automated Vapor Trail’s. In the three years using the BRA I have probably lost three or four targets not knocked over with a decent hit. My friends shooting on the same bench as I do shooting 6xc’s with 107 grain Sierras do knock the targets over with a little more authority than I do. With my 17 pound gun I shoot a 6.5 x 47 with 140 grain hybrids, it leaves no doubt on target when hit. I would agree that switching to a BRA would not have much difference in authority on target. Sounds like you may need to jump up to the 6.5 class cartridges. The X 47 is a joy to load and shoot and hits with noticeably more authority, which is what you are looking for.View attachment 1554821

That looks like a bunch of fun targets to shoot at. Especially at those distances! Fun stuff.
Paul

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

Just for context, what are most of the other people that are knocking over rams reliably shooting?

 

[Allen Corneau]

Just for context, what are most of the other people that are knocking over rams reliably shooting?

You can ring Rams with nearly any caliber. My friend that got me into high power rang a ram in a Louisiana match a few years back (using 6BR) and the next guy stepped up and rang the same Ram with a 7mm-08!

Most people are shooting various 6mm (6BR, 243's, etc) and 6.5mm (6.5x47, 260', 6.5 Creedmore, etc.) and a few diehards still shoot 7mm or 30 cal. One friend is trying out a 25BR this year but haven't had enough matches yet to make a determination.

There are long threads on silhouette forums on what calibers/loads can reliably take down Rams while not punishing the shooter on the other 75% of the targets. Pages and pages of opinions, suppositions, and anecdotes.

I've made a substantial investment in my 6BR and I'm just trying to figure out if a small adjustment (changing to BRA) will give me that little bit more or if it won't be worth it in the end.

 

[varget204]

Converting to BRA is the Correct answer,get a .272 No turn Neck, .104 freebore, 105 grain+ Up,,expect .0's.1's, &.2's Fireforming

 

[SteveOak]

I have seen a Ram rung with a 308. That will give you pause.

On the Rams, faster is not better, it is worse.

6.5 BR is the solution. 107 SMK's for C,P, & T. For Rams 123's or 130's, or even 142's, slow, .

I went with 6 BR and found a guy in Canada that made me some 6mm 125's that worked, ~2650 FPS. Import rules changed and he can't ship them to me any more.

If I had it to do over, I would go 6.5.

 

[Allen Corneau]

Well, I think I'm going to stay where I'm at with the 6BR.

I did some testing for my three different bullets/loads today. One of the loads I tested was N150 with the Berger 115 VLD at around 29.9 grains. The reason I decided to check this out is GRT says that it hits a half-node (~2740) and while GRT considers it "dangerous" the pressure was still lower than the load I was running last year with N140 (~62,800 versus ~73,500).

Testing a range of 29.7 to 30.1 grains, the best load was the 30.0 grains running at 2735 with a three-shot group of 0.18". I'll take a 3/16 MOA group any day! No pressure signs on the brass, no hard bolt-lift. I'll run this load for this year and see how I do.

Thanks to all of those that contributed to the discussion.