6BR v 6BRA?
Ive pondered this recently myself and wondered if BRA was worth the fire forming effort?
Its been said that straight 6BR doesn't have the legs to be competitive at 1000yds in less than still conditions. The Dasher and 6BR derivatives like 6BRX, BRDX, BRD etc etc all seem to have came from the objective of getting a worthwhile increase in speed from the parent 6BR case. Clearly if you could see 150-200fps increase in speed with the same level of accuracy it would be worth having and thats what took me to the Dasher first time around.
My Dasher seemed to run best around 3070fps with 105s and with straight 6BR I rarely managed to run much faster than 2920fps so indeed there was a 150fps advantage. I did well with the Dasher so convinced myself that it had been worth the extra effort with fire forming.
Along comes the 6BRA and the easier fire forming route appealed, especially when people are also quoting speed figures that compared with my old Dasher - whats not to like?
In reality so far Im running my 6BRA around 2970fps and it also seems many others are doing the same, accuracy is good although I feel that accuracy nodes seem to be tighter than my old Dasher or previous 6BRs and it takes a bit more effort to find a really good tune, then again maybe its just this barrel?
Now Im running a 6BRA at 1000yds doing 2970fps Im thinking would I really be any less competitive if that was actually 2920fps and was coming from a 6BR case?
As for top level shooter endorsements, thats a hard one to quantify really. Top level shooters are generally quite a fickle bunch, they are highly competitive, often on the border of being obsessed and always looking for what they perceive as an edge - I say all of this with the greatest respect for them and in no way as a dig. The problem as I see it though is that every time you change something there is the possibility for improvement but that might not have came from the chambering.
Going back and redeveloping a load could see you find something better than you had, even at the highest level. To break records you need that near perfect window of opportunity and in that moment you are shooting 6BRA because thats what you have put your faith in for the season, when that record or best group comes its easy to look at the chambering as being the difference. You will never know if the old Dasher or even 6BR could have broke the record in that same perfect moment?
One aspect that I am intrigued about is whether or not the 6BRA is actually more difficult to tune to a high level of accuracy than the Dasher or 6BR? I can't see why a 40 degree shoulder should make this happen but Ive read about and spoke to quite a few guys having trouble getting them to shoot. Of course they may well have struggles for reasons other than the chambering, there are so many variables I doubt we will ever know.
I think Alex sums it up quite well in the sense that when your next due a rebarrel it wont cost very much more to try 6BRA other than a $75 sizing die.
Should you chop in your half worn barrel to go 6BRA, probably not if it is shooting well.
As for myself, the jury is still out...
Ive pondered this recently myself and wondered if BRA was worth the fire forming effort?
Its been said that straight 6BR doesn't have the legs to be competitive at 1000yds in less than still conditions. The Dasher and 6BR derivatives like 6BRX, BRDX, BRD etc etc all seem to have came from the objective of getting a worthwhile increase in speed from the parent 6BR case. Clearly if you could see 150-200fps increase in speed with the same level of accuracy it would be worth having and thats what took me to the Dasher first time around.
My Dasher seemed to run best around 3070fps with 105s and with straight 6BR I rarely managed to run much faster than 2920fps so indeed there was a 150fps advantage. I did well with the Dasher so convinced myself that it had been worth the extra effort with fire forming.
Along comes the 6BRA and the easier fire forming route appealed, especially when people are also quoting speed figures that compared with my old Dasher - whats not to like?
In reality so far Im running my 6BRA around 2970fps and it also seems many others are doing the same, accuracy is good although I feel that accuracy nodes seem to be tighter than my old Dasher or previous 6BRs and it takes a bit more effort to find a really good tune, then again maybe its just this barrel?
Now Im running a 6BRA at 1000yds doing 2970fps Im thinking would I really be any less competitive if that was actually 2920fps and was coming from a 6BR case?
As for top level shooter endorsements, thats a hard one to quantify really. Top level shooters are generally quite a fickle bunch, they are highly competitive, often on the border of being obsessed and always looking for what they perceive as an edge - I say all of this with the greatest respect for them and in no way as a dig. The problem as I see it though is that every time you change something there is the possibility for improvement but that might not have came from the chambering.
Going back and redeveloping a load could see you find something better than you had, even at the highest level. To break records you need that near perfect window of opportunity and in that moment you are shooting 6BRA because thats what you have put your faith in for the season, when that record or best group comes its easy to look at the chambering as being the difference. You will never know if the old Dasher or even 6BR could have broke the record in that same perfect moment?
One aspect that I am intrigued about is whether or not the 6BRA is actually more difficult to tune to a high level of accuracy than the Dasher or 6BR? I can't see why a 40 degree shoulder should make this happen but Ive read about and spoke to quite a few guys having trouble getting them to shoot. Of course they may well have struggles for reasons other than the chambering, there are so many variables I doubt we will ever know.
I think Alex sums it up quite well in the sense that when your next due a rebarrel it wont cost very much more to try 6BRA other than a $75 sizing die.
Should you chop in your half worn barrel to go 6BRA, probably not if it is shooting well.
As for myself, the jury is still out...
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