6BR Varget and 105grn A-Max & 87grn V-Max Load testing. Awesome

[6BR]

Hello all, I went out to the range today to test the 105grn A-Max and the 87grn V-Max out of my new custom 6BR built by Chris Matthews of,LSR) Long Shot Rifles. I shot six, 3 shot groups at 100 yards using the 105grn A-Max, Varget Powder, CCI 450 Primer and Lapua Brass.

I also shot two, 3 shot groups at 100 yards using the 87grn V-Max, Varget powder, CCI 450 Primer and Lapua Brass. My first group using the 105grn A-Max measured .183 and my 6th group measured .088 absolutely awesome! It was 60 degrees with a 3 to 5 mph right to left wind. Here are the results from all 8 groups;

105grn A-Max Groups
Group #1
Lapua Brass
Powder-29grns Varget
Primer-CCI 450
MEASURED-,.183)

Group #2
Lapua Brass
Powder-29.3grns Varget
Primer-CCI 450
MEASURED-,.336)

Group #3
Lapua Brass
Powder-29.5grns Varget
Primer-CCI 450
MEASURED-,.218)

Group #4
Lapua Brass
Powder-29.8grns Varget
Primer-CCI 450
MEASURED-,.277)

Group #5
Lapua Brass
Powder-30grns Varget
Primer-CCI 450
MEASURED-,.204)

Group #6
Lapua Brass
Powder-30.3grns Varget
Primer-CCI 450
MEASURED-,.088)

87grn V-Max Groups
Group #1
Lapua Brass
Powder-31grns Varget
Primer-CCI 450
MEASURED-,.293)

Group #2
Lapua Brass
Powder-31.3grns Varget
Primer-CCI 450
MEASURED-,.329)

My wife is scanning the targets, and I will post them for proof as soon as she e-mails them to me.

I would have to say my barrel likes the 105grn A-Max and what ever amount of Varget I want to feed it. I am amazed with the accuracy. It looks like group #6,.088) with the 105grn A-Max wins! I will be selling the rest of my bullets which include Berger,100 count) 95grn and,98 count) 105grn VLD's and Lapua,Around 90 count) 105grn Scenars and,100 count) 90grn Scenars. I will post them in the for sale section tonight.

Rifle specs, if your wondering what I am using;
1. Match Chamber for 6BR Lapua Brass with a .272 no-turn neck.
2. Action-Stiller Predator.
3. Barrel-Bartlein 28", 5R, 1-8 twist, .236 Bore. Throated with a .100 lead for the long bullets.
4. Stock-Manners T4A.
5. Trigger-Jewel 2oz.
6. Vais Muzzle Brake.
7. Stiller 20MOA Rail.
8. Nightforce 30mm Rings.
9. Nihtforce NXS 8x32x56mm with MLR reticle.

I just tried to attach the scans of the targets, however, it won't take them. If you want to see the groups, send me a pm with your e-mail and I will send you the pictures.

 

[NateHaler]

Three shots are a trio. Five shots are a group. I think your gear won't disappoint you, even by shooting 5-shot groups, just like they have for decades in American Rifleman magazine as the standard for accuracy assessment.

 

[6BR]

Thanks for the info Nate. I will shoot 5 shot groups the next time I go out.

 

[Forum Boss]

I think 3-shot groups are useful for an initial load work-up as 6BR has done. The point is, if you have a 3/4" group it's not going to get any better by shooting five. Anything in the low 2s or better to me indicates that the load has real potential. Then you can shoot a couple of 10-shot groups with your best "candidates" to confirm.

6BR, FYI, my match load,with Scenar 105s .013" into lands) is 30.3 Varget with CCI 450. This has produced 5-shot groups in the twos and has shot under 1 3/4" at 600 yards.

I think you've got a great barrel and obviously you know how to load great ammo.

I would be real interested if you could shoot two 5-shot groups with that gun at 200 yards in calm conditions. Many people think the long bullets are not at ALL competitive with a PPC at 200 yards. I think they might be surprised...

I'm expecting you may get 5-shot groups under .5" measured. That would be competitive in most 200-yard BR matches.

Your barrel shoots the 87s WAY better than mine so I think you've got a real tack-driver there.

SCANS:

Send me the pix and I can reduce the file sizes so they will appear. Or you can use Irfanview to crop. Save each image as 85% JPEG 800 pixels wide.

Email pix to mailbox@6mmBR.com

 

[MarkS]

6BR,

I shoot 3 shot groups when I am testing my equipment. Just the Moderator said 4 shot will not make the group smaller. I shoot 5 shot groups when I am testing Me and my equipment.

I have not had much luck shooting the CCI450 in my guns, most do). Have you tried the CCI BR4?

Mark Schronce

 

[varminater]

6BR,

Those are some pretty impresive groups! Do you know what kind of muzzle velocities you're getting with the Varget/105 AMax loads?

 

[6BR]

Varminter, velocities are 2920fps with 30.3grns of Varget out of my 28" barrel. I tried 30.5 and 30.8grns of varget but the groups opened up.

 

[Forum Boss]

Interestingly, I'm getting very similar velocities with 30.3 grains Varget and a 27" PacNor bbl. About 2910 FPS measured with Shooting Chrony.

Here are some of the original Posters targets, measured with the OnTarget Program. Two show up very slightly larger than the manual measurement, but the last one actually measured SMALLER than the claimed .218.

Anyway you cut it... those are impressively small groups!

 

[6BR]

Thanks for posting the targets. What a cool program for measuring groups. I am pretty happy with the velocity and accuracy with 30.3grns of Varget. It looks like 29.5 to 30.3grns is the sweet spot, with the 105grn A-Max, in my rifle.

 

[expiper]

Yep.,,those are "Pretty nice",,,I am spoiled with my bak-yard set up...I can shoot a cupla rounds and see the pressure and group size....then change the load up or down...seating depth etc. and shoot two or three more....dont have to shoot 50-60 rounds to find out they dont work!!!....If I have to go to a range away from home I try to have lots of cases sized and ready to go ....just add primer/powder/bullet when ready to try em...your rig is well built and you are doing your part behind the crosshair....Roger

 

[6BR]

Thanks for the kind words Roger.

 

[expiper]

You are welcome....and OBTW>...are you jumping the 105's ....if so how far....I had to jump em aprox...030"-.040" to get good groups....but as we all know ...evry gun is different and we gotta be smart enuff to listen to it....and you are with the powder charge...it is eye opening to see the groups get bigger as you go up or down in the charge wt. from where the "tune" is....keep shootin em ...,dont sell any of those other bullets either ...they will all work in a good BR like you have..just be patient...)...the tune can also be adjusted with the ammount of jam or jump...you seem to have the charge just rite...now you have a base line for the other bullet weights...these BR's tune just like a carburator on a hot rod....it is fun to shoot a good rifle like you have....Roger

 

[6BR]

Roger I am jumping the 105 A-Max's .010 with a COAL of 2.330. I am glad my rifle likes the 105grn A-Max's because they are the best VLD bullets for varmint hunting when it comes to expansion and BC combined. I have no other use for the other bullets other than to use them in case the 105 A-Max's and 87grn V-Max's did not work. Well, as you can see the 105grn A-Max's and 87 V-Max's work awesome in my rifle, so I am very excited about that. I love the 90grn and 105grn Scenars as well as the 95grn and 105grn Berger VLD's. However, they do not expand on varmints, and I want a bullet with excellent BC along with expansion and the 105grn A-Max is perfect.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

6BR,

Thanks for this post. I know there are 100's of posts here on the different loads the 6br has, but yours just made it click for me. I have a 6BR being done by PREACHER right now, and I'm chopping at the bits to get it so I can shoot it. I'm reading everything I can get my hands on right now getting ready for it,and I'm still several months away). Anyway...... the info you posted is presented in a way my little red neck brain can easily understand and process. THX!!!!

 

[6BR]

Wes, if you have any questions just PM me. Also, my COAL of 2.330 with the 105grn A-Max will be different from other rifles, because my barrel has been throated with .100 lead allowing me to seat the bullet out farther than a barrel that does not have a lead. Your going to love the 6BR.