Am I getting in over my head?

[wisconsinteacher]

A little background about myself. I have been reloading for my hunting rifles 22-250, 30-06 and 338WM for over 5 years and love it. I have 3 factory rifles that shoot 1 moa at 100 with 3-9 scopes set up for hunting. I want to try my hand at building a rifle and shooting out to 500 yards. My honest goal is to shoot a 1moa group at 500 someday. I would be very happy shooting a 10" gong at 500 yards. My thoughts are to build a 6mmbr off a Savage action. I am thinking about a Criterion barrel with a rifle basix trigger and Boyd's stock. I have a Vortex Viper 6.5-20 waiting to go. Where I feel confused is when I read about neck tension, flash hole burrs, and other terms that I have not had to deal with while loading for hunting rifles. My questions are simple, can I build a 1 moa rifle with the list I posted? Also, if using CCI primers, Varget, Lupua brass, and a good 105/107 grain bullet can loads be developed that will shoot? Next question, what other tools will I need to add to my reloading bench. I have an electric scale, comparator to measure ogive, calipers and a Lee primer seating tool. Last question, what dies would you recommend? I am guessing I will need a FL and a neck sizer along with a seater die.

Thanks for all the help, I need it.

 

[hogpatrol]

You have the tools. All you need is the ability to read the wind.

 

[ShootDots]

Get a Criterion barrel (#17HV Taper) in 6mmBr .272 "no turn neck", which finishes at 28"... Then get some Lapua Brass. Get either a Redding F/L Bushing die with a .266 Nitride bushing or a Forster F/L die honed out to .266. You will get "right at" 2K neck tension. Get your hands on some Varget and CCI-450's. That will not be easy at the moment. Then get some Berger 105 Hybrids. Start your load testing at 29.8 / 30.0 / 30.3 and 30.4gr of Varget. Seat those Berger Hybrids OFF the lands at 15K. Somewhere in there you should get 1 hole groups at 100 and less than an inch @ 300. That will make it EASY to hold very nice groups at 500 yards and beyond! You have ALL you need (if you can get hold of the Varget / CCI-450's and the Hybrids) to shoot very excellently, as long as you can learn to read the wind.. I hope this helps.

 

[Tim Singleton]

You have the tools. All you need is the ability to read the wind.

You defiantly have picked the right round in the 6br as well as your build list. Listen to everything Shootdots just said.

Currently I am being humbled by the wind

 

[saunaking]

Buying the correct dies to deal with neck tension will be important. Buy S-type bushing dies instead of the dies you are using for hunting rifles. Depending on how you have the 6BR chamber reamed will determine whether you need to turn necks and some of the other concerns you have.

Having all components ( brass, powder charges, seating depths, neck tension, etc...) plus learning to read wind will be important to shooting the groups you are hoping for at longer distances.

 

[8nthatk]

Those are good honest questions.

Click the ‘Articles’ tab at the top of the page and read up on the 6mmBR. In fact, there’s probably an answer to about all of your questions in the various articles, on various topics.
Read up and then ask your questions where the good folks here will be more than happy to fill in the blanks.

IMO, you picked a great round to get to where you want to go…

A little background about myself. I have been reloading for my hunting rifles 22-250, 30-06 and 338WM for over 5 years and love it. I have 3 factory rifles that shoot 1 moa at 100 with 3-9 scopes set up for hunting. I want to try my hand at building a rifle and shooting out to 500 yards. My honest goal is to shoot a 1moa group at 500 someday. I would be very happy shooting a 10" gong at 500 yards. My thoughts are to build a 6mmbr off a Savage action. I am thinking about a Criterion barrel with a rifle basix trigger and Boyd's stock. I have a Vortex Viper 6.5-20 waiting to go. Where I feel confused is when I read about neck tension, flash hole burrs, and other terms that I have not had to deal with while loading for hunting rifles. My questions are simple, can I build a 1 moa rifle with the list I posted? Also, if using CCI primers, Varget, Lupua brass, and a good 105/107 grain bullet can loads be developed that will shoot? Next question, what other tools will I need to add to my reloading bench. I have an electric scale, comparator to measure ogive, calipers and a Lee primer seating tool. Last question, what dies would you recommend? I am guessing I will need a FL and a neck sizer along with a seater die.

Thanks for all the help, I need it.

 

[Tim Singleton]

My 8twist 6br is a criterion savage prefIt. With 105 Berger and 30.2 gr Varget.
A go gauge barrel nut wrench your on your way.

HARREL sizing dies and WILSON seater dies are my pick

I wasted a lot of Varget before paying just a little more for the Bergers.
IMO don't wast powder on cheaper bullets if small groups are what your after

 

[hogpatrol]

+1 on the Harrel's sizing die.

 

[GSPV]

With the long/heavy bullets being discussed, rightly so for 500 yards, make sure you order a 1:8 twist barrel, NOT anything slower.

The die must closely match the chamber to be accurate and preserve your brass. There are two ways to accomplish that.

The first is to get Harrell's, Jim Carstensen, Neil Jones, Whidden Gunworks or others to match the die to your chamber. You send them 3 pieces of 3 times fired brass (neck sized only between firings and, of course, none on the last) and perhaps also your reamer print if available and they send you back a nice bushing die that matches your chamber.

The other way is to use a reamer that is spec-ed to match Redding's "off the shelf" dies. You might end up having to shave a tad off the top of your shell holder, the bottom of the die or have your chamber polished a tad, but you end up with the same thing.

I've done both and both work. It just depends on the situation. I'm having a 30 BR die made for my son's rifle by Whidden Gunworks right now. They have been great to work with so far and I'm looking forward to getting the die back and giving it a go.

 

[Shynloco]

No doubt what GSPV suggests is a good way to go if you want ultimate accuracy. Just not quite sure you'd want to go to those extremes for a "hunting rifle." A worked up Savage using regular RCBS or Redding Dies and quality cases and equipment will provide you PLENTY (more than needed) of accuracy for hunting purposes. Now if you want to win serious Benchrest competitions, take GSPV's advice and build yourself a custom rig from ground up and forget the Savage Target action. Got some of those myself. Just my thoughts.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Thanks for the info. As of now, I am not going to compete, I just want to shoot small groups and enjoy my time at the range and at the bench. Like I said a 10" gong at 500 would make me smile. I am not really on a budget, but I don't want to spend like crazy also.

 

[GSPV]

Savage action is fine. Criterion HV contour in 8 twist chambered in no-turn 6BR. Tell Jim what bullet you are shooting. He'll get you the right chamber. I don't know much about Savage triggers. The lack of a Jewell for the Savage is one of its weaknesses.

Get a Redding bushing full length sizing die. To start, at least, a Redding or Forster seater for you press. You might want to try someone's Wilson-type at some point to see how you like it. Many do, me included.

Get Varget powder and CCI 450/BR4 primers. Tula/Wolf works too.

Lapua brass. None better.

For a relative newbie and what you are doing, I'd suggest starting with the 107 SMK rather than a VLD. They are more forgiving to tune.

See this about loads http://www.6mmbr.com/6mmbr.html .

You'll want it pillar bedded or on the Whidden bedding block. If you don't feel comfortable doing that, get someone to help. The first time is intimidating to do on your own. I sure was anyway.

Sounds like you might be a bipod guy. Here is a link about that http://www.6mmbr.com/TacticalFroggyA1.html .

I don't know much about optics for your application. I do want to say that it is bad to short change the glass. It is danged hard to hit what you can't see. A big hint is that when shooting paper, it sure is helpful to see bullet holes...

A pair of calipers and a micrometer are very helpful. I can't imagine doing accuracy reloading without them.

Some #0000 steel wool and a magnifying glass are pretty helpful in finding seating depth.

I use a Wilson length trimmer and torpedo-type case mouth chamfering tool. I use a "crocogator" primer pocket cleaner...forget who makes it.

I have a pin vise and an itty-bitty drill bit to clean brass from those few Lapua cases that have a problem there. The magnifying glass is helpful there too.

If you have questions, guys here are super helpful and not judgmental at all. If you want, I'd always be happy to help. Someone calls me like three times a week on one thing or another. Just email for my phone number if needed.

 

[BoydAllen]

A couple of suggestions: If the Savage action that you use is not the target model, I suggest that you have the face of the receiver squared. And on the stock, I would take a look at these.http://www.sharpshootersupply.com/
If one that you like is available, I think that you will find it an excellent value, and the designs look to be excellent.

 

[GSPV]

Just wanted to say that there is nothing easier than the 6 BR. OK, maybe the 30 BR, but that is another story...

Just drop 30 gr of Varget and seat the 107 SMK from just off the lands to 10 thou jammed and it is *going* to shoot. You can fiddle from there, but it isn't going to be far off.

I shoot a 10 twist 6 BR in our 300 yard varmint league. It is crazy how easy it is.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Again, thanks for the info. I plan on getting a Rifle Basix trigger for the rifle. I have a little Varget to play with and have my eyes open for more. My plan is to order a barrel from Jim Briggs at Northern Shooters Supply. We talked and he said get a 8 twist at 28".

Are you using the steel wool and magnifying glass to find the lands of the rifle? Polish the bullet then seat it long so the touches the lands as you close the bolt. I am also thinking about Burris Signature Zee rings with the moa adjustments.

As far as bedding, I would like to do it myself so I can learn.

I really like DIY projects and love it when I can make it work.

I need to keep learning about dies so I can get the right ones the first time.

Please keep the info coming.

 

[GSPV]

Yes, that is exactly what I am using the #0000 steel wool and magnifying glass for.

I make a dummy round showing where the rifling starts for each bullet/barrel combination that I shoot. It gives me a known reference that I can always get back to.

On my Wilson-type seaters, I lock down the seater stem at that same pint and use Skip Otto seater shims to set the exact jam that I use. When I have more than one barrel for a given cartridge, I have a seater top/stem for each.

The Wilson-type aka "inline" dies are probably not something that you've used before. I find them very convenient for seaters. I usually buy a blank of the caliber, say 30 caliber, and have my gunsmith cut it with my reamer. Note that this won't work for sizing dies...

I would suggest the Redding Type S Bushing Full Length Sizing Die. See http://www.redding-reloading.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=118:type-s-bushing-dies .

You'll want to start with a bushing that is 2 thou under the outside neck diameter of a loaded round. I think that a 264 or 265 bushing is a good place to start with the new aka "blue box" Lapua 6 BR brass.

Often, a "donut" will form inside the neck at the bottom of the neck. You do not want to seat the bearing surface of your bullets into that donut. That's part of the reason you read discussions about how much freebore for a given bullet.

Just jump in there and forge ahead. It is really gratifying to shoot bug holes with your own rifle and loads.

 

[Tim Singleton]

I have built 3 savage rifles 2-6brs one wasn't enough and a 223ai.
All with rifle basix triggers. It is great to put together your own rifle and shoot tiny groups.

When you bed your Savage make sure to float the rear tang. I'm sure you plan to float the barrel. But the savage likes to have the tang floated as well.

Keep us up dated when you get it together

 

[bglenn]

Plan on 4 months to get your criterion barrel. You could be lucky and get it sooner, but don't plan on it.

 

[Tim Singleton]

I believe the new McGowen online store has some 6br barrels still in stock

 

[greg8012]

the most fun i have is when I make a long shot on a prairie dog and my friends see it.. I shoot about all the varmint calibers and love my 22PPC's I am sure that you can make the rifle shoot.. my 22 ppc uses 30 gr of blc-2 with a nosler 40gr bt. Good luck on your rifle