6BR, IMR 8208 XBR, 1-8tw, 103-108g, combo accuracy at LR?

[SHall]

Now that IMR 8208 XBR has been out for years. Has anyone found it to be a good combo for 600 yard BENCHREST shooting with the above components. It is as good as the tried and trued powders we have always used? Varget, R-15, N203B, H4895. I am talking about guys that have shot it in registered 600 yard BR matches and done well against experienced shooters? Samuel Hall

 

[6BRAckley]

@newbieshooter
Sam - this gentleman I tagged can give you some good info.

 

[jamesdmock]

Now that IMR 8208 XBR has been out for years. Has anyone found it to be a good combo for 600 yard BENCHREST shooting with the above components. It is as good as the tried and trued powders we have always used? Varget, R-15, N203B, H4895. I am talking about guys that have shot it in registered 600 yard BR matches and done well against experienced shooters? Samuel Hall

Mr. Hall, I found a load with the BRA that works well. It is 30.4 grains behind a Bart's 103 Hammer @ .005 into the lands and ignited by CCI 400 primers. Maybe you could take .5 to .6 gr. off this charge and try it in a straight BR. Good shooting....James
PS- This was in a 8 twist Lederer barrel, but I also have had good accuracy in an 8 twist Brux barrel (6 BRA) with the same 30.4 gr. and a Gungnir bullet seated into the lands the same .005.

 

[X-Caveman]

While I don’t qualify to comment based on your OP, I shot 8208 in a straight 6BR for about 4 500M Fly Shoots. 28.5gr with a Russian primer and either a BIB104 or 103VT. I never won all the marbles, but I usually made it home with some wood. In a 28” rock creek 5R it was only about 2,825 FPS but that’s where it wanted to shoot.

 

[holstil]

I like it. It's a toss up against h4895 in what the barrel likes. It's spikey on the high side.

 

[newbieshooter]

Decided to try 8208 last year (2019) and found 8208 to be an excellent combo with my 6BRAI shot in registered 600/1000 matches.

I tried it in 3 barrels (2 different rifles) - 8tw shooting VT103s. Loading anywhere from 30.3 - 30.7gr with a BR4 primer. Based on my limited experience, I would say it is as good as what I usually use (H4895/Varget).

I know you asked about a 6BR - just haven't had a chance to shoot 8208 in my 6BR (yet).
YMMV

 

[tom]

Sam,

The same as some other posters, my data is in a BRA. I worked a load for a spare rifle in 2018 with it, since my friend wanted to shoot nationals when we hosted the 1,000. He had been out of the game a few years and didn't have any 4895, so I worked up 8208 which we shared a lot of. It worked well, he won the group title at nationals. It was tuned in the warm season, and performed spot on in the warm season. I did take it out that winter, and it cronied identical velocities.....but was shooting bad vertical. Just my limited experience.


Tom

 

[Northridge]

Sam,I also have shot IMR 8208 in the shadows as well as 1000 yard bench rest competition with success. in testing at 600 & 800 yard work it is of my opinion based off targets that it developed the smallest grouping of anything I have shot in platforms that have liked it. only reason I haven't used IMR8208 at a 600 yard match is simply "time". I have opted to reverse engineer a 1000 yard gun that is finishing a season to accommodate the yardage as a lesser way to prepare for 600 yard bench rest. this 600 yard nationals will be the same as last year but if i pursue preparation for any 600 yard matches in my future IMR 8208 will be my first choice off the shelf as I feel for 600 yard work when happy develops smaller groups might even be better in a strait 6BR.. ignore the velocity and follow the shape..

Shawn Williams