223 vs 6 Norma BR - Short Range

[Phil3]

I am not a competing benchrest shooter, but am looking to shoot small groups with reloaded ammo using an off the shelf rifle. I would like guidance on the best caliber, twist, and bullet types for shooting at mostly 100 and 200 yards, and occasionally 600 yards.

I am leaning to the Savage Long Range Precision Varminter,26' barrel) in either .223,1:7' or 1'9') or 6 Norma BR,1:8' or 1:12'). Which caliber, twist, and bullets might deliver the best accuracy at 100 and 200 yards? Would I compromise much at 600 yards?

I know the 6PPC is best for short range, but not ready to jump into custom rifles just yet.

- Phil

 

[cliffe]

a 6br with a 1 in 8 twist would work best. it would enable you to shoot bullets in the 105-108 grain with a higher ballistic coefficent than your other choices. cliffe

 

[RDavies]

Yes the 6BR for sure. I would use a lighter 88gn grain flat base load for 100-200 yds, then switch to a full power 105-107 gn boat tail load for 600yds.

 

[tiny68]

Well I'll go against the group thinking. If 100/200,point blank) is your main range, I would go with the 1:12 twist 6BR. If should out perform the 1:8 in accuracy at 100/200. I know at lot of people say the 1:8 performs outstanding at 100/200. I have two of them,1:8 6BR) and a 1:10 6BR. The 1:10 will out perform the 1:8s in the short range. It might be just barrel-to-barrel variation, but the 1:8 should be overspinning the light bullets.

Just my 2 cents, tiny

 

[yat3b35]

I'm working on my first custom 6BR with an 8 twist Kreiger barrel 26' and using Bib 95 gr fb bullets.The Bib's call for a 10 twist barrel,but are working great in my 8 twist. My first group after barrel break-in was shot using data from this site,and that 5 shot group measured .285' center to center. I also shot a five shot group using the 107 Sierra HPBT and it measured .278' also shot at 100 yards, and also the load was used from this site. The 6 BR to me looks very good indeed. I have shot 223 in competition in a custom 8 twist barrel using 80 gr Berger VLD bullets.My best group with it at 100 yards was .095', my best 500 meter group with the 223 was just under 1 1/2' on a very calm day.
I have not had time for further load development with the 6 Br but I think it will for sure out shoot the 223 at any range.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

I just built my first 6br. I choose that caliber strickly due to reading info on this site. I am very pleasently surprised at how accurate it is so far. I have only tried 4 bullet types, and I have stuck with Varget as my powder. I hear others have good success with RL15.

I choose the 8 twist barrel due to I wanted mostly to shoot 500 yards, but I am very pleased with it at 100 so far. It likes Seirra MK 107, BIB 108 BT, and Berger 95 VLD's. I'm sure the 12 twist may shoot smaller groups at 100, but with the groups I'm getting,for a novice shooter) why go with the slower twist if I want to shoot 500+ yards also. Here is a target I shot to see how good it really does with a 10 shot group. the load is a very generic load of 30.0 grains of Varget with SMK 107's seated just kissing the lands. White square is 1' and orange square is 2'. I'm not sure what it measured, but it was the best 10 shot group I have ever shot with any gun.

Specs on my gun are:
Rem 700 trued action
28' 1.250 straight PacNor barrel 1:8 with Harrels muzzle break
Bolt bushed and pin turned by Gre-Tan
Mcmillan A-5 stock
Badger 20 MOA base
Jewel trigger
NF rings
Sightron S3 8-32x56

 

[mason]

P1ZombieKiller
Looks like your BR flat shoots !!
How do you like the Sightron scope I hear there close to
the nightforce NXS scopes.Any truth there??

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

I have never had a Night Force. I do like the Sightrons. I've very happy so far.... We will see how it really shoots here in a couple of weeks. See my post in the varmiters section later today... I'm working on it now.

Phil3.... get a 8 twist barrel in 6br, and do not look back. You will not regret it. Only thing I would suggest is get an aftermarket barrel, and not a factory barrel, and you will be so much happier with it. I know I am.