8208 in the 6BR and primer choice

[JimSC]

Trying to work up a load for 107gn bullets in a 6BR using 8208 XBR. Anyone use gold or blue Federals or CCI 450's with 8208 XBR in their 6BR? Trying to conserve my CCI 400's and Varget. I am thinking the 450's may get me better ignition. I had some nice groups, in the mid .4's doing five shot groups at 100. However the ES/SD numbers left a lot to be desired. Velocity was on the slow side but the rifle was built off a salvaged Stevens 200 action that had a fight with a forklift. Temps are in mid 50's but in a couple of months will be in the mid to upper 90's so I won't be running any stiffer loads in it till the weather gets hot.

 

[PopCharlie]

I've always used either Br-4 or 205m primers in my 6br. IMR 8208 xbr may be a little fast for a 107 gr bullet. Maybe n135 or re15 is a better choice. If what you have is 8208, then I would use gold Federals (205m).

PopCharlie

 

[JimSC]

thanks, just trying to use what I have at the moment. This is a tactical build fun gun, 24 inch barrel, MDT chassis and magazine. Might shoot it in a few mid range matches just for the fun of it. I think I will load 10 of each in Fed 200's, 205's and CCI 450's and see what happens. Also have a case of Federal AR Matches sitting in the primer drawer that I have never used in anything. That might be worth a try

 

[X-Caveman]

Try Russian primers.

 

[JimSC]

Try Russian primers.

would if I could, primer choice is pretty much limited to Federal or CCI right now

 

[JEFFPPC]

Trying to work up a load for 107gn bullets in a 6BR using 8208 XBR. Anyone use gold or blue Federals or CCI 450's with 8208 XBR in their 6BR? Trying to conserve my CCI 400's and Varget. I am thinking the 450's may get me better ignition. I had some nice groups, in the mid .4's doing five shot groups at 100. However the ES/SD numbers left a lot to be desired. Velocity was on the slow side but the rifle was built off a salvaged Stevens 200 action that had a fight with a forklift. Temps are in mid 50's but in a couple of months will be in the mid to upper 90's so I won't be running any stiffer loads in it till the weather gets hot.

I have seldom see large differences in short range accuracy using different powders . What I did learn several years ago venturing in the 1000 yd paper game game was I took low to high teen ES in 3 rifles to 1, 4, and 5 with the same primer. One I had never used before. Only way to know is for you to try it with your load and rifles.

 

[JAlfred]

Try Russian primers.

Yea, I have had extremely good results in 223 with Wolf SRM and XBR 8208. That powder seems to respond well to a mild primer. If I did not have the Wolf, I would run CCI 400s or Fed 205M/205. 8208 is suppose to be relatively temp stable.

Edited to add info.

 

[dsinfour]

I always use 450's with 8208 in a 6br with the 105 grain pills.. Enjoy

 

[NZ_Fclass]

Have tried 8208 in a 6 BRX with fed Gold primers. Found it a little quick, but maybe pushing a bit hard. Having some success with IMR4166 in the 308 with BR2's, so I intend to try that very soon. Mainly as I have a pound or 3, as I wait for the Unicorns to deliver some AR 2208 ( Varget in the USofA).

 

[Dgd6mm]

I'd run the 450's. If you get into some stiffer loads in that Savage/Steven's action you will probably pierce primers with the 400's. Is the bolthead bushed?

 

[Ken H.]

Have tried 8208 in a 6 BRX with fed Gold primers. Found it a little quick, but maybe pushing a bit hard. Having some success with IMR4166 in the 308 with BR2's, so I intend to try that very soon. Mainly as I have a pound or 3, as I wait for the Unicorns to deliver some AR 2208 ( Varget in the USofA).

What head did you have good results with, pushed by the IMR 4266? I'm breaking in a new .308. I've never used 4266. Probably isn't available!

 

[JimSC]

I'd run the 450's. If you get into some stiffer loads in that Savage/Steven's action you will probably pierce primers with the 400's. Is the bolthead bushed?

Nope, I run 29.6 of Varget in another rifle with no issues but that is a different rifle and bolt. The point is taken though, I never push the numbers the custom actions do without bushing the bolts, but then I shoot 800 yards maximum. I run a half gn or more shy of what the big boys do with Varget just for the reason you mention. If I would etch a bolt head it is lot easier and cheaper to fix than it would be on a custom rig. I had that issue with Win LR primers in a Savage 12 a couple of years back

I use 8208 in a 6.5 Grendel AR and have read it has a tendency to spike quickly near the top. I want to play on the cautious side developing a stiff load in cooler weather. It will be 40 to 50 degrees warmer here in 3 months.

I think it is like JEFFPPC pointed out, I am just going to need to experiment. Once the weather warms I do want to try woking the load a bit higher, the faster I pushed that bullet the the groups tightened and the velocities became more consistent.

I had a couple of nice .4 groups near the top of Hodgon's load data when I got into the 2500 FPS range. I plan on loading 10 rounds each using 400's, 450's, Fed 205, Fed 205M. I also have 1K of Fed 205MAR that I picked up last spring.

edit - graphic attached. These were shot with a intermittent 5 - 7 MPH wind directly in my face over flags. Scope was moved 2 clicks right at 26.5 gns

 

[NZ_Fclass]

What head did you have good results with, pushed by the IMR 4266? I'm breaking in a new .308. I've never used 4266. Probably isn't available!

Hi 45.5 grains 4166 with BR2 in ADI brass. 155g Optimus HBC projectile. (Austraian)
2870 fps. SD 11. Shooting in a Rem 700 varmint 26 in barrel.
Best of luck.

 

[dstoenner]

When 8208 first came out I tried it in my 223 match rifle. It definitely was better than Varget with 52 and 55 Berger target bullets (flat Base). But when I tried it with 77 and 80 SMK, it was not as good at all. So I have always used it with light bullets for caliber. I use either 31 or 32 gns of 8208 with my 6BR in Lapua brass with Br-4's. I don't shoot that gun in competition but just punch small groups on paper for relaxation. My load for 105 Berger Hybrid is 29 gns Varget for what it is worth.

David

 

[JimSC]

I will say this, 8208 cleans up real nice. Five patches of Simple Green followed by two dry and the carbon was gone. Hardly any blue ( copper) when I used the One Shot Copper Cleaner. Put one wet through, let it sit, followed with a dry repeated a second time and I was done cleaning

Got the test cases cleaned, sized, and primered. Forgot to anneal until I was halfway done with the primers , so oh well. I may be a hillbilly with a public education , but not dumb enough to anneal primed cases. Seated ten each of CCI 400, CCI 450, Fed 205, Fed 205M, and Fed 205 MAR. 10+ MPH winds until Friday, good practice weather but lousy for load development in my opinion. I will bump the thread when I test

 

[searcher]

I'd be inclined to try the Federal A/R primers. They have thick cups, good uniformity, and provide low ES in my rifles. They will hold up like a CCI 450 in my experience. Since you already have them....

 

[JFrank]

I will say this, 8208 cleans up real nice. Five patches of Simple Green followed by two dry and the carbon was gone. Hardly any blue ( copper) when I used the One Shot Copper Cleaner. Put one wet through, let it sit, followed with a dry repeated a second time and I was done cleaning

Got the test cases cleaned, sized, and primered. Forgot to anneal until I was halfway done with the primers , so oh well. I may be a hillbilly with a public education , but not dumb enough to anneal primed cases. Seated ten each of CCI 400, CCI 450, Fed 205, Fed 205M, and Fed 205 MAR. 10+ MPH winds until Friday, good practice weather but lousy for load development in my opinion. I will bump the thread when I test

Just to share an experience, I find as with any component change the node can move slightly requiring a bit of testing on each side to re aquire.

 

[JimSC]

Been a while since I needed to do a primer test, but yeah when you change one thing sometimes it throws the entire balance off and you have to go back and change another. Kind of like adjusting a trigger

I was thinking of loading the primer tests to 26.4 gns. Looking at individual velocities for 26.3 and 26.5 there was one outlier in the 26.3 group and two outliers in tha 26.5 group, otherwise the other 7 rounds were all right around 2640 - 2650. Anyway it will be nice if the 450's will work in it, I have a fair supply of those and the 8208. Barrel has less than 300 rounds down it so I would be set for a year or more as far as powder and primers for this rifle

 

[SecondsCount]

I tried 8208 once on a whim because I had it in my powder measure after loading some 223. The range was only 100 yards but it shot .3's with 26.0 grains, 105 Nosler CC, and a Tula KVB 223 primer.

Now that everything has gone nuts, I am shooting SW Precision and Varget in the 6BR and saving the 8208 for the 223. I get single digit SDs with Federal 205 primers in the 223 loads- 23.1 8208, Lapua brass, 77 TMK

 

[X-Caveman]

Been a while since I needed to do a primer test, but yeah when you change one thing sometimes it throws the entire balance off and you have to go back and change another. Kind of like adjusting a trigger

I was thinking of loading the primer tests to 26.4 gns. Looking at individual velocities for 26.3 and 26.5 there was one outlier in the 26.3 group and two outliers in tha 26.5 group, otherwise the other 7 rounds were all right around 2640 - 2650. Anyway it will be nice if the 450's will work in it, I have a fair supply of those and the 8208. Barrel has less than 300 rounds down it so I would be set for a year or more as far as powder and primers for this rifle

I don't know anything about salvaged Stevens 200 actions, but...

Are you running Lapua brass in a 6BR Norma chamber? If so, my humble $.02 is to keep adding powder before trying anything else. I think the Hogdon data is for a 6BR Remington, hence super conservative.

It has come together for me around 28.5gr of 8208 with a 103-105gr (Vapor Trail & BIB) bullet @ 2,825 FPS-ish out of 28"-ish barrels. I've used Panda and Borden actions, Krieger 4gr and Rock Creek 5R barrels. They've tuned up similarly. I haven't seen much difference based on the TX weather at 28.5gr - it isn't on the ragged edge