6 XC hunting load with 87 VMax's?

[Hoot]

Dan, I bought an intentionally short throated (.050) 6XC barrel to explore varmint bullets. I have spent some recent time working with the 87 Vmax. Don't forget RL16. I didn't set out with that powder in mind but threw it in for a couple of steps. Its not warm here but so far I have been particularly impressed with its performance over H4350 and Varget, which were my two main focuses. For my 26" 1:8 twist barrel, a 40gr of charge seated with a measured jump of .020 to .025 has shown enough promise that I'm going to return to testing when the weather permits, with it as a regular in the lineup.

Hoot

 

[urbanrifleman]

I shoot 68 and 70 grain bullets at 200 yards and 90 or 95 grain at 300 yards. 7.5 twist 6XC. 34.5 grains 4895 or Varget. 36 grains 4350 also works.

I was going to suggest 34.5 AR Comp (same burn rate as H4895) to start and work up. That was my plan. I shoot 34.3 grains of AR Comp with 108 Bergers and it hammers with single digit spreads. I tested all the way up to 36 grains.... I would think that Ar Comp, H4895 and 8208 would be awesome.

 

[DanS]

Nosler has 6xc data as does western powders. I have shot 55 gr bullets out of a 1/8 and it was fine. You can take just about any load for 105ish weight and load that same charge with 87s. It may not be as fast but it's probably still fast enough.

 

[DanS]

 

[DanS]

I just realized that those are two different rifles, The Stiller has a 1-8 CBI Remage barrel, It was heavier than I like, I think it's a Light varmint contour, I will probably sell it. The 200 yard target is my Rem 700 with a 2B Bartlien 1-8. That is the rifle I am shooting now.

I looked and I don't have any RL16, I have some RL 15 and 17.

 

[RussellJ]

I just realized that those are two different rifles, The Stiller has a 1-8 CBI Remage barrel, It was heavier than I like, I think it's a Light varmint contour, I will probably sell it. The 200 yard target is my Rem 700 with a 2B Bartlien 1-8. That is the rifle I am shooting now.

I looked and I don't have any RL16, I have some RL 15 and 17.

Try sorting your 87 V-Max bullets. Being a varmint bullet each box of bullets have a lot variables in length. The old 105grn A-Max bullets had a lot tighter length tolerance in each box of bullets then the V-Max varmint bullets. I sort all my 87-grain V-Max bullets by the length per the hi-lited dimensions below and see an increase in accuracy.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I just realized that those are two different rifles, The Stiller has a 1-8 CBI Remage barrel, It was heavier than I like, I think it's a Light varmint contour, I will probably sell it. The 200 yard target is my Rem 700 with a 2B Bartlien 1-8. That is the rifle I am shooting now.

I looked and I don't have any RL16, I have some RL 15 and 17.

What is the jump that worked?

 

[urbanrifleman]

Try sorting your 87 V-Max bullets. Being a varmint bullet each box of bullets have a lot variables in length. The old 105grn A-Max bullets had a lot tighter length tolerance in each box of bullets then the V-Max varmint bullets. I sort all my 87-grain V-Max bullets by the length per the hi-lited dimensions below and see an increase in accuracy.
View attachment 1333187

I think what would make a huge difference would be to go to a 30 cal seating stem.

 

[Hoot]

There's no way to describe this without seeming overly OCD but the winters are long here and one has to occupy their time somehow. In the interest of keeping the jump distance as uniform as fruitful, regardless of bullet actual dimensions I sort each bullet as follows:
First, I weight sort them, which isn't that big a chore as they're generally close. That may produce 5 or so outliers per box that get put into the fouler reserve container.
Using a Hornady case length gauge, I actually seat each bullet into my rifle's chamber until it stops firmly against the rifling.
Then, I measure the distance from the case length case head to the point where the ogive stops in the "24" bullet comparator and sort them into piles where that measurement is relatively the same, regardless of the distance from that point to the base of the bullet. IE, I'm more concerned with the front half than the rear. My margin of sorting is usually +/- .001. All the degrees of accuracy in my process would render any finer measurement kinda questionable. When I do jump tests, they're usually in increments of .005. My rig and more importantly, my skill level doesn't rate jump regulation in excess of +/- .0025. That's just my approach.

Hoot

 

[WyleWD]

I know the 6XC was developed for the heavier bullets. Seems all the load info is for 105 and heavier bullets. But I want to shoot lighter bullets in mine for hunting coyotes at longer ranges. I have a 6 BR that is very accurate as you would suspect. But the 6 XC just has more fps for helping with wind & yardage guessing in the field.

I have a 1-8 twist so the 87 VMax bullets ought to work great. The problem is with powders, I have several but limited in how much of each. Hard to get more during this crazy shortage we are going thru. Has anyone here had much success with the lighter bullets and what loads are you using? Thx for your help

About 10 years ago I had a 6xc built on a Rem 700 action with a stainless steel 1-10tw sporter barrel. I built it because the 6xc is SO easy to load for, accurate as all get out, so why not use it for coyotes and groundhogs. The FB is approx .040-.050. 70 gr NBT, 75gr Vmax, 80gr Sierra blitz, 85gr Sierra HPBT all shoot great in it. I use Rem 9 1/2 primers in all the loads. 4895, 4064, N540, R15, & WW760 are the only powders I've tried in it so far. 4895 was really good with 70's, 4064 and R15 work great with 75-85gr, and ww760 really worked well with the 80's and 85's. I'm anxious to try some 6.5 Staball in it when I get time.

I know you wanted 87gr Vmax data, and all I'll say is that I've never had good luck with them in either the 6xc or my 243's. On paper they look great, and some shooters love em, but I probably got two boxes that were built at the end of the shift on a Friday. JME WD

 

[6MMsteve]

some of the reloading data published is rated for a 10 twist barrel, I forgot to mention that

 

[boltfluter]

I run them .010 into the rifling and they came alive in my 6BR! Just a thought.
Paul

 

[mongo chicago]

I load 37 grs. of Varget behind the 87 gr, Hornady Vmax. bullet. I average 3192 fps. It is my prairie dog load out to 500 yards.

 

[AckleymanII]

I have hit pay dirt with the 87g V max in the Dasher and BRX with 10 twist barrels, tiny groups with all 4895's.

4895 is ROUGH on barrels....can't stress this enough. AR Comp is now on the front burner to try, which burns a LOT cooler.

 

[Twdmar]

There's no way to describe this without seeming overly OCD but the winters are long here and one has to occupy their time somehow. In the interest of keeping the jump distance as uniform as fruitful, regardless of bullet actual dimensions I sort each bullet as follows:
First, I weight sort them, which isn't that big a chore as they're generally close. That may produce 5 or so outliers per box that get put into the fouler reserve container.
Using a Hornady case length gauge, I actually seat each bullet into my rifle's chamber until it stops firmly against the rifling.
Then, I measure the distance from the case length case head to the point where the ogive stops in the "24" bullet comparator and sort them into piles where that measurement is relatively the same, regardless of the distance from that point to the base of the bullet. IE, I'm more concerned with the front half than the rear. My margin of sorting is usually +/- .001. All the degrees of accuracy in my process would render any finer measurement kinda questionable. When I do jump tests, they're usually in increments of .005. My rig and more importantly, my skill level doesn't rate jump regulation in excess of +/- .0025. That's just my approach.

Hoot

Do you do this for varmint hunting ammunition?

 

[Hoot]

Do you do this for varmint hunting ammunition?

No, if I had to do that many, they'd carry me out in a net!
I just like experimenting.

Hoot

 

[Twdmar]

No, if I had to do that many, they'd carry me out in a net!
I just like experimenting.

Hoot

Just checking, sounds like a lot of work. For benchrest I assume it's worth it though. For highpower I just try to get decent bullets but don't sort them at all.

 

[DanS]

What is the jump that worked?

I think it was .020-.030"

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

I run them .010 into the rifling and they came alive in my 6BR! Just a thought.
Paul

There's always, One or Two, "Smart aszzes" in the Crowd that, can make these, V-Max Bullets,.. "Work",. LOL !
I wanted them to work, in my 7.5 Twist 6 XC, because they ARE,.. so "Explosive", on Varmints !
I gotta "settle" for just cuttin' Sage Rats in Half with Bergers and throwing them, 2-3 Feet in the Air,..
What Fun, is THAT ??

 

[mongo chicago]

There's always, One or Two, "Smart aszzes" in the Crowd that, can make these, V-Max Bullets,.. "Work",. LOL !
I wanted them to work, in my 7.5 Twist 6 XC, because they ARE,.. so "Explosive", on Varmints !
I gotta "settle" for just cuttin' Sage Rats in Half with Bergers and throwing them, 2-3 Feet in the Air,..
What Fun, is THAT ??

Maybe too tight of a twist for that bullet????