6mm Berger 80g FBHP Varmint Bullets on critters?

[AllThingsAI]

I’ve heard the Berger 6mm 80g Varmint bullets are extremely accurate. Does anyone have experience with these bullets? I want to make sure the exploding factor is high and they don’t keep going after impact on PDogs. For 1:10 twist 6x45AI. Any experience with bullet seating on these would also be helpful since they are a bit pricey for varmint bullets.

This is my new favorite caliber....until the next one comes along.

Ryan

 

[nativecat01]

Are use the 70 grain ballistic tip in my 6 x 45 1x8 twist Which is very good for prairie dog in the exploding factor I use the 88 Gr. Berger In my 6br With a one in 8 twist barrel It killed the prairie dogs but nothing compared to the 70 green ballistic tip in the 6 x 45.

 

[AllThingsAI]

I have some 55g Nosler Varmagedons, but would like to go a bit heavier. If the Berger 80s didn’t have much mist factor out of a high twist BR, then the 6x45AI won’t either. 70g might be a good balance. 87g Vmax is interesting as well doing >3000fps. What powder are you shooting out of your 6x45? I just started load development.

 

[hunter243sgk]

They are extremely accurate!! I run them with Rl 19 and win primers. But they do not blow up good at all!! You could hunt white tail with them. Try the 80g nbt or the 87g vmax.

 

[AllThingsAI]

Great info, that certainly answers my question about the Berger 80s. Not sure why Berger calls them Varmint bullets. I have a bunch of 87g VMaxs and I’ll pick up some 80 NBTs. 58g VMaxs shot extremely well while fireforming in a brand new build. True AI brass in the center with 28.5g of Benchmark.

 

[tj66]

60 gr Sierra's are the most accurate so far in my 6x45ai. Running them around 3550 in formed brass. Still trying different powders.

 

[AllThingsAI]

60 gr Sierra's are the most accurate so far in my 6x45ai. Running them around 3550 in formed brass. Still trying different powders.

A 60 Sierra at 3550 is a monster! Got to love the little 6x45AI. I love Sierra bullets, with that tangent Ogive they always seem to shoot well at least in all my .224s. Do they explode like the VMaxs? What length barrel are you shooting? Mine finished just a hair over 26”.

 

[LCazador]

Great info, that certainly answers my question about the Berger 80s. Not sure why Berger calls them Varmint bullets. I have a bunch of 87g VMaxs and I’ll pick up some 80 NBTs. 58g VMaxs shot extremely well while fireforming in a brand new build. True AI brass in the center with 28.5g of Benchmark.

The difference between a Berger target bullet and their varmint bullet is the opening of the hollow point. Much bigger on their varmint bullet. The tipped bullets have yet a larger opening that is filled with the polymer tip for superior ballistics down range and of course splash factor on PDs. If you like tangent ogive bullets the Nosler or Sierra do a great job. Hornady is a secant ogive but also shoot very well. In my opinion non of the tipped bullets are going to shoot as accurately as a hollow point. That tip adds another weight and ogive variable to the mix.

 

[AllThingsAI]

The difference between a Berger target bullet and their varmint bullet is the opening of the hollow point. Much bigger on their varmint bullet. The tipped bullets have yet a larger opening that is filled with the polymer tip for superior ballistics down range and of course splash factor on PDs. If you like tangent ogive bullets the Nosler or Sierra do a great job. Hornady is a secant ogive but also shoot very well. In my opinion non of the tipped bullets are going to shoot as accurately as a hollow point. That tip adds another weight and ogive variable to the mix.

Awesome...much appreciated! That certainly brings up a point about Polymer Tipped bullets. How do you factor these into the stability calculations when determining proper barrel twist? I have created a nice spreadsheet that matches the output of the Berger program, but bullet length seems to be a factor that is hard to define. Any guidance here? I do all my own machine work so I like to optimize for the application.

 

[tj66]

A 60 Sierra at 3550 is a monster! Got to love the little 6x45AI. I love Sierra bullets, with that tangent Ogive they always seem to shoot well at least in all my .224s. Do they explode like the VMaxs? What length barrel are you shooting? Mine finished just a hair over 26”.

Mine is 22" 12 twist. Don't think they are explosive like v-max, but on groundhogs haven't gotten any exits yet. It does hammer them.

I really like this round for varmint shooting.

 

[tj66]

Awesome...much appreciated! That certainly brings up a point about Polymer Tipped bullets. How do you factor these into the stability calculations when determining proper barrel twist? I have created a nice spreadsheet that matches the output of the Berger program, but bullet length seems to be a factor that is hard to define. Any guidance here? I do all my own machine work so I like to optimize for the application.

On the JBM ballistics program you can enter the length of the tip and it will factor it in for you. Seems to be pretty close.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Yes I do. Shot them this weekend. I thought they blew up awesome. Maybe best launch of the weekend.

Driving back now more when I get home.

 

[urbanrifleman]

So everyone said that the Berger 80 was super accurate, which it is it's essentially on par with every benchrest bullet I've ever shot, but they always said they don't blow up. Well I'm here to tell you if you shoot him out of my 243 at 3600 feet per second they send dogs flying into the air in chunks. Maybe if you shoot them too slow they don't blow up that's quite possible but at the speeds I was shooting them I had one of the most spectacular explosions of the whole weekend

 

[AllThingsAI]

So everyone said that the Berger 80 was super accurate, which it is it's essentially on par with every benchrest bullet I've ever shot, but they always said they don't blow up. Well I'm here to tell you if you shoot him out of my 243 at 3600 feet per second they send dogs flying into the air in chunks. Maybe if you shoot them too slow they don't blow up that's quite possible but at the speeds I was shooting them I had one of the most spectacular explosions of the whole weekend

Now I’m jealous!!! Maybe I’ll shoot them out of my 6 Creedmoor instead.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Now I’m jealous!!! Maybe I’ll shoot them out of my 6 Creedmoor instead.

Do that.

Try 45ish grains of r16

I was shooting 46.5 grains of r23.

 

[1holeaddict]

So everyone said that the Berger 80 was super accurate, which it is it's essentially on par with every benchrest bullet I've ever shot, but they always said they don't blow up. Well I'm here to tell you if you shoot him out of my 243 at 3600 feet per second they send dogs flying into the air in chunks. Maybe if you shoot them too slow they don't blow up that's quite possible but at the speeds I was shooting them I had one of the most spectacular explosions of the whole weekend

You need to stop telling people this or you will cause a shortage!! I'm already dealing with enough Shortages. 80 Bergers are garbage, They don't group, They don't blow up, Too expensive, too load finicky, Blah Blah Blah. LMAO!!

 

[LCazador]

Awesome...much appreciated! That certainly brings up a point about Polymer Tipped bullets. How do you factor these into the stability calculations when determining proper barrel twist? I have created a nice spreadsheet that matches the output of the Berger program, but bullet length seems to be a factor that is hard to define. Any guidance here? I do all my own machine work so I like to optimize for the application.

Not hard to define. You are stabilizing bullet length period. Velocity has little effect on it too. Read it in Brian Litz book chapter on SG or gyroscopic stability. One thing is for sure you are best to err on the side of a faster twist. With short range, 200 yards or less being the exception in my opinion.