6mm BR load ?

[dansig]

my 6mm BR has 13.5 twist barrel like 6ppc, I use the 68gr Berger like the ppc but the load data from Berger and from VihtaVuori for the 6BR considers the 6BR to be 8 twist and only list loads for heavier bullets.

the ppc loads I've looked at uses the N-120, N130 and the N133, the 6mmBR uses the N133, N-135,N-140 and the N-540.

but for the 6BR they list the 70gr as the lightest bullet.

I like experimenting but I do not like blowing up my gun.. so what can I do to improve accuracy ?

at the moment I use N-135 and shoot constant .3" and occasionally .2" and very few .1"
I'd like the .2" to become constant and the .1" to become reasonably often..

does faster powder give me more accuracy for the 68gr Berger ?

should I have my barrel recut and reamed with a tightneck reamer ?

those of you that shoot 6BR with 13-14 twist please share your wisdom

 

[RDavies]

The load data for 6BR and 6PPC is not interchageable. The 6BR is a slightly higher capacity case and its loads will not be safe at all in a 6PPC.
N133 is a very common powder in the 6PPC with 68gn bullets, with N135 occaisionaly use, but slightly on the slower side. I would read up as much as possible on 6PPC load info, not 6BR.

 

[dansig]

I've been reading and that's what got me started... it's like 6mm BR doesn't exist with a 13-14 twist, nobody writes anything about it.. but the 6ppc is 13-14 twist but smaller cases so I can't use that info for my 6mm BR.. and I don't know the math behind this science so I can't make my own calculations....

 

[SmokinJoe]

Look in the 6BR section, there have been several threads regarding your concern lately. There is an active thread currently about shooting 68 Bergers. Good luck with it. I have a couple varmint 6BR's with 14 twist. Great PD rifle for windy days.

 

[wapiti25]

Go to Hodgdon's web site. They have loads for their powders, including the lightweight bullets. Nosler's and other loading manuals give a lot of loads. You are too hung up on the twist rate, start at the min load and work up you own data.

 

[Shynloco]

dansig,
If I might, what wapiti25 says about being hung up too much on twist has some validity. Let me explain. Conventional wisdom and guidelines aren't always applicable and absolute. How well do you know your rifle and what she likes and doesn't like? My Savage 6mmbr Benchrest rifle 1:8 twist likes some bullets and hates others. Bergers aren't on her "give me more" list. But she loves Sierra's and Bart's. But what is truly weird if you apply conventional wisdom and guidelines, would you care explain why she will shoot very nice 5 shot groups (at 100 yds which is what I shoot due to diminishing eyesight) using both 68 gr Barts HPBT's as well as Sierra 107 gr Matchkings? The difference is the powder I use. With the Bart 68's, I use 30.5 gr of VVN133. With the Sierra 107's, I use 28.1 gr of RL15 or even 28.1 Gr of Varget. I guess my point is sorta like what wapiti25 said that you have to develop and test to see what your rifle is willing to shoot. I came to finding my baby's exceptions to the rules using the very Vihta Vuori Manual and Sierra Loading Manuals as the guidelines of starting out and focusing (some) on the fps of my bullets. Also keep in mind the distance you shoot. I have no clue what my loads will do at 1000 yds, but frankly I don't care, because 100 - 200 yds is what I shoot. Just my thoughts and hopefully might you you some ideas as to which way to go in finding that "sweet" load for your baby! Good luck and have fun!

 

[dansig]

if I could buy 10 types of powder and 10 types of bullets I would.. but 2 pounds powder is well over $100 and 100pc bullets are about $50... Iceland is expensive....

and my monthly income is only $1000 of which $800 is for living expenses...

that gives me $200 for all my hobbies.. so I'd rather start with something that works and experiment around that.. spend less powder and less bullets experimenting and hopefully get further ahead in my hobby...

 

[Bradley Walker]

if I could buy 10 types of powder and 10 types of bullets I would.. but 2 pounds powder is well over $100 and 100pc bullets are about $50... Iceland is expensive....

and my monthly income is only $1000 of which $800 is for living expenses...

that gives me $200 for all my hobbies.. so I'd rather start with something that works and experiment around that.. spend less powder and less bullets experimenting and hopefully get further ahead in my hobby...

Move.

 

[dansig]

I wish I could... but then again.. Iceland is almost out of the resession while most other countries ar still freefalling into the abyss.. so sooner rather than later Iceland will be cheap again while other countries become expensive..

as long as I have clean air, pure spring water, unspoiled nature and plenty wildlife to shoot I think I'll stay

 

[Dan Hall]

Try working your way up to 32.8 Gr. of V-135 with your 68 gr Bergers. Start somewhere around 32.0 gr. and work up from there keeping and eye out for signs of pressure. My Dakota Predator likes this load. Shoots in the 2s with 32.8 grs and a 65 gr V Max. It also shoots 33.0 gr. really well with the same bullet. All these loads are with the bullet seated into the lands enough to make a square mark. Good luck.

 

[dansig]

I am shooting with 33.5gn N-135, the problem is that the bullets are so short they are far off the lands while seated only 1.5mm in the throat..

I want more accuracy, I think I have the barrel reamed for tightneck with 0 freebore if the groups don't go below .2" when I get the McMillan Edge stock

 

[potatoe]

I'd talk that over with a gunsmith. I would think that .040-.060 FB would be good for the lighter bullets. I'd go with a tight neck though

 

[Frankr]

dansig here is two of my 14 twist 6BR's on of them is set up as a 10.5lb light varmint match rifle..
One of them is a .269 neck and the other is a .268 neck ..the berger 68 is a good bullet..the N135 is a good powder in the BR but i have never had consistant resualts with it..you allways have to keep tuneing it for the day and conditions and sometimes 3's is the best i could get..I perfer the RL10x powder and a 66gr fowler bullet any day but you still have to tweek the loads for the day if you want groups in the .100's..

Both of them are zero freebore..
what i would do is seat the bullets in 3/4 the neck and work up some loads and see what you get. one 6BR i dont have any more i was jumpimg over .120 and it shot alot of groups in the low to mid .200's.. if it wont shoot you may want to set it back and go with the zero freebore.

It has been said by some very good benchrest shooters that it comes down to barrels and bullets.. After a little over ten years of shooting the ppc's and 6BR i do believe that statement to be true..if you get a really good barrel and luck into a really good lot of bullets you will know...the black rifle weight 11.5lbs(scoped).. and i had a lot of 66 fowler bullets that has shot just about all of them into the low to mid .100's..that barrel has 1,600 rounds on it and the throat is firecracked(bad)..and them bullets are gone..I have shot some groups in the high .100s with other bullets and the new rifle but not as easy or as much as i had.. so the search to find a bullet and tune is never ending..but i have a new 6ppc that is allmost done and i hope it to be a great one.

 

[Dan Hall]

When you start talking about loads that shoot in the ones and twos consistently the way the gun rides the bags and the way the wind effects your shots start to become very important. When you get to this level of accuracy you need to use flags all the time. You also need to pay attention to how the gun is moving in the bags. I've always had better aggregates when I touch the gun as little as possible. Take yourself out of the equation as much as possible.

As for free bore...I think most of the short range BR chambers are cut with .050 free bore reamers. this allows 65-68 gr flat base bullets to be into the rifling with enough bullet in the case to work. I've had success with as little as .120" bullet in the case. My Sako 6PPC Varminter is like that and the gun shoots as well as my dedicated BR guns. It just doesn't ride the bags as well so the aggregates suck. Neck tension also makes a significant difference as well. There are many varriables.

Keep working on it. Heck, that's the fun part. Shoot....tinker with everything and then shoot some more....repeat.

 

[1holeaddict]

Lets see a few pics of the targets your printing so maybe we can pic out a pattern.

 

[Frankr]

The 6BR with a zero freebore..the 14 twist shooting the 65-68 gr match bullets..most bullets will be in 7/8 of the neck touching..i know most 6BR light bullet shooters would agree it works very well...the berger 66 high BC will only be in like 1/4 of the neck..it seems to be the shortest bullet i have shot..I have had two and know several others who have them and its the way to go.

My 6ppc is .040 free bore and so far most bullets i have checked the jam on im in like half the neck to a little less..
seems good to me..I have'ent shot it yet im still waiting on a stock to come..