6BR Norma Bullet Choice

[SpiritNugent]

Guys,

Building a 6BR no neck turn. 1/8” Hart 27”. I am building it off a 700 action and modifying the mag to feed shorter flat base 80 grain Bergers if they are ever available again for watching varmint fields.

But the main purpose of this build will be 300-600 paper punching. I am leaning 105 Lapua Scenar but not sure due to the slightly smaller diameter and reports being finicky in certain barrels with shallow rifling.

I’m looking for a bullet for the 300-600 mark, going to be single fed obviously due to seating depth. Varget is the powder and Lapua brass, Br4 primers. Going to wait until I decide on a bullet, seat one or two in the brass then figure out the bushings for the Redding Comp neck sizer.

What’s the hot bullet right now for you guys?

I really appreciate the help and info you can hook a brother up with.

 

[Cfshooter]

I shoot mostly at 300 and 600, Berger 105 VLD and 105 Hybrids are my usual. I use 450’s and REM 7.5’s, Varget and N140.

 

[Dave Berg]

It depends how much time, effort and money you're willing to invest.

Lapua Scenar, even the "L" variety never worked for me. Not even close to Berger's. Despite the rumors of being skinny I found their diameter to be right in the middle of increasingly higher lot numbers of 105 hybrids but they just didn't shoot well.

Berger 105 BT - Easiest to tune. Not the ultimate but they won't embarrass you. Was once known as the Length Tolerant Bullet.

Berger 105 Hybrid - Not hard to tune as long as you understand they like to be jumped a bit. Once you figure out how much jump they want they'll out shoot the 105 BT.

Berger 105 Hunting VLD - The original VLD not the Target. Can be very fussy about powder charge, seating depth, etc. More lot to lot variation than the BT or Hybrid. If you get a good lot and spend the time tuning it's the most accurate in my experience.

CCI 450's work best in the 6BR. I donated nine bricks of BR-4's to the club prize table.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

The 108 Berger has always got a lot of respect here.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I confess to never trying the Bergers, mainly on cost and continuity of supply. I started out with the 105 A-max, which worked well=ish, so long as it was jammed in the rifling, but soon found the 107 MK, which I have stuck with. Easy to tune - I have around 5 lengths between 12 and 40 thou off which work just fine. I'm currently using up a supply of IMR4166 and testing with Staball match and Varget. Norma brass, Federal and Ginex primers.

 

[marchx]

I can report the same experience as the one of @Dave Berg. Having said that I skipped the BTs beyond 200m due to lower BC. I was shooting exclusively 105hybrids with great results up to 800m until they became unobtanium.
After that I switched to Barts 105 Infinity which I find a very good bullet for long range in 1:8 twist.

 

[hoz53]

It depends how much time, effort and money you're willing to invest.

Lapua Scenar, even the "L" variety never worked for me. Not even close to Berger's. Despite the rumors of being skinny I found their diameter to be right in the middle of increasingly higher lot numbers of 105 hybrids but they just didn't shoot well.

Berger 105 BT - Easiest to tune. Not the ultimate but they won't embarrass you. Was once known as the Length Tolerant Bullet.

Berger 105 Hybrid - Not hard to tune as long as you understand they like to be jumped a bit. Once you figure out how much jump they want they'll out shoot the 105 BT.

Berger 105 Hunting VLD - The original VLD not the Target. Can be very fussy about powder charge, seating depth, etc. More lot to lot variation than the BT or Hybrid. If you get a good lot and spend the time tuning it's the most accurate in my experience.

CCI 450's work best in the 6BR. I donated nine bricks of BR-4's to the club prize table.

thats some good info right there.. i was using Berger 105 hybrids but when they became un available switched to the target VLDs. They shoot very good in my 6br but ill have to pay a little more attention and see if the hybrids do better.

 

[Cfshooter]

thats some good info right there.. i was using Berger 105 hybrids but when they became un available switched to the target VLDs. They shoot very good in my 6br but I’ll have to pay a little more attention and see if the hybrids do better.

I went out yesterday to get a firing on some brass and put the hybrids and VLD head to head again. Pretty much a coin flip for this rifle.

 

[One Eye Pete]

Berger 108 gn and Sierra 107 gn with 30+/- grains of Varget, Lapua brass and CCI BR4s are the easy button. They will give you excellent accuracy at 300 to 600 yards. The 105 and 109 berger hybrids have a little better BC but they are harder to get and unless you are shooting serious competition I’m not sure they are worth it over the 108s. If you want the top of the line in accuracy Barts bullets in 103 to 105 grains are about as good as it gets. I have shot Barts Infinity boat tails with great success.

 

[SGT. Slaughter]

Vapor Trail 103's, Barts 103 Hammers, Berger 105, 108 grain

 

[kapt]

1-8 twist
105 Hybrids - Jumped .017
30 Gr Varget
NEVER LOOK BACK !!

 

[SpiritNugent]

Man you guys are knowledgeable. I really appreciate all the responses.

It’s no surprise to see the Berger and Sierra’s mentioned. They are a good bullet for sure.

I was always curious about Barts Customs. I’d love to try them.

Thanks so much for being such a help. There’s so many choices it can make your head spin

 

[SpiritNugent]

Another question for you guys.

Those Berger 105 Hybrids. How much jump are you guys talking with these? I’m leaning the route of using these for my heavy higher BC 300-600 bullet.

 

[Cfshooter]

Another question for you guys.

Those Berger 105 Hybrids. How much jump are you guys talking with these? I’m leaning the route of using these for my heavy higher BC 300-600 bullet.

I’m .020 off on 105 hybrid and at touch with 105 VLD.

 

[SpiritNugent]

That’s good to hear. I was hoping they didn’t want to be a mile out. I know my barrel could be finicky compared to others but trying to find common ground amongst you guys to get a good starting point.

What barrel/twist if you don’t mind?

Great info. Thanks so much!

 

[marchx]

I’m .020 off on 105 hybrid and at touch with 105 VLD.

me too.

 

[One Eye Pete]

In general with the Berger 108 and Sierra 107 I got my best groups with the bullets seated slightly into the lands. The easy tune for a 6br is first find touch and then seat about 0.010 into the lands. Start low about 28 gn Varget and work up till you get to about 30gn (my gun likes 30.1 gn Varget and it is a 8 twist Shilen barrel). Always work up with the powder charge first to make sure you are not getting pressure signs. Then start at about .015 into the lands and shoot groups working out in steps of 0.002 or 0.003. At .015 into the lands it is highly unlikely you will stick a bullet unless you have a new barrel with very sharp lands. Always shoot at least 50 rounds through a new barrel before doing load development. All guns are different but with most of the guns I shoot somewhere between touch and a .015 jam gives me the tightest groups. Start off with .002 neck tension.

 

[Cfshooter]

That’s good to hear. I was hoping they didn’t want to be a mile out. I know my barrel could be finicky compared to others but trying to find common ground amongst you guys to get a good starting point.

What barrel/twist if you don’t mind?

Great info. Thanks so much!

My barrel is 26” 1/7.5 twist.

 

[Dave Berg]

Man you guys are knowledgeable. I really appreciate all the responses.

Back in the old days, almost 20 years ago, this site was known as 6mmBR.com. A lot of us early members spent a lot of time with that specific cartridge.

With the apparent shortage of Varget I'm surprised nobody mentioned Alliant Reloader 15 which seems easier to come by. I used it for three or four years with the same results as Varget. It leaves a bit more fouling in the barrel but gives slightly higher velocity. There was an article on here by Jason (JB1000BR) that questioned the logic of the 6 Dasher when you could just change powder and get the same velocity out of the 6BR case.

 

[foxguy]

Another question for you guys.

Those Berger 105 Hybrids. How much jump are you guys talking with these? I’m leaning the route of using these for my heavy higher BC 300-600 bullet.

I'm using 30 gr's Varget, CCI 450 primer, Berger 105 Gr Hybrids- 0.030 off the lands. They shoot great in my factory Savage Barrel. Work up your powder charge, checking for pressure.