Barrel Twist for 65gr and 75gr V-max?

[Forum Boss]

Caver
New to Varmint Hunting. Second year with a .223 Remington VSF. I would like a 6mmBR for longer ranges and windy conditions. I'm confused as to what barrel twist would be appropriate for the Hornady V-Max in 65 and 75gr. Scanning through this site I see that the 1-8 twist is recommended for most bullet weights. 1000 yds is beyond my imagination so shooting the 105 gr bullets are not as important as the lighter, fragile, varmint style bullets. Remington Custom Shop offers the 6BR with a 1-91/8 Twist. What do you recommend?
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jb1000br, 1000yd Editor
First of all, stay away from remm custom shop--you would be much further ahead to buy a used remm varmint gun,like the one you have) and having a good smith put a custom barrel on it.

For 75-85gn, the 1:12 would probably be best, but 1:10 would allow you to go a bit higher. A 1:8 will shoot everything, no worries.
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dmoran

6mm/.243 Twist Rate Table

*8" Special for VLD bullets
9" For bullets up to 105gr.
10" For bullets up to 100 gr.
12" For bullets up to 85 gr.
13" For bullets up to 75 gr.
14" For bullets up to 70 gr.
*15" Special for bullets up to 70 gr.

This is a General Twist Rate Table. Some bullets like VLD's
will require Special Twist Rates.
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HBC, Ballistics Editor
Dmoran and I have conversed a good bit by e-mail and I know he shoots a lot and keeps very good records and I think the twist table presented was intended as a general guide but it does not apply to all bullets of the weights given, especially at low elevations.

For example, 10" twist will work well for many 100 grain 6mm bullets but will not work for the Clinch River 100 grain VLD bullet unless one is shooting at very high elevations above sea level. I know that the 100 C.R. is not a varmit bullet but it is likely it has been used in that capacity by some long range varmit hunters.

Dmoran is a very knowledgable rifleman and he has helped me in my shooting and if you asked him for the twist for a specific bullet, I think he would give you a good answer. --Henry
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dmoran
The Twist Table I gave in my post above, is a general guide.
VLD type bullets would not stabilize in a 10-Twist. I have
had excessive Yah from even 95gr VLD Bergers from 9" Twist barrels.

VLD's need 7; 7.5; & 8 Twist rates, unless, as Henry stated, your elevation is very high. I have did testing with these VLD type 6mm/.243 bullets in 8; 9; 10; & 12 Twist barrels. The only one that gets them stabalized well is the 8-Twist. All these testings were done at or near 1500' Elevation and a broad range of temperatures.

For V-Max 65s & 75s I would recommend a 12"-Twist. I have found the 12"-twist rate to be a very accurate twist rate
for Nosler, Bergers, Sierra, Starke, and Hornady bullets in the 60 to 85gr range.

Thanks Henry for the kind words. Henry is the leader of knowledge of people that I have consulted with on bullets, stability, and data. His life long experience, exceptional testing equipment, and vast knowledge, has aided me to many times to count.

Henry is currently doing some extensive testing of the New 115gr Sierra/Tubbs Match Kings. He is using a 33" Krieger barrel in a 7"-Twist rate for most of this testing. Looking forward to his findings with these testings as he conducts them over the next year.

 

[CoyoteWright]

Do you know a good bullet weight and load for a .223 from a 24 in. barrel with a 1 in 12 twist ?

 

[RoyinNC]

It goes against most of the published charts, but I have shot 75gr V-maxes out of a couple of different 14 twist 6BR's with very good results. Both would shoot .5" groups at 200yds on a frequent basis and killed 'hogs at 400+ yds.

FWIW,

 

[deadeye_ruck]

I can second the 1:14" twist shooting 75gr vmax's,shilen 1:14" twist barrel). It will shoot them pretty well,into 0.300 @ 100 yds) consistently.

 

[Ogre6br]

What catshooter said-
Why take the chance that they wont stabalise in a 1:14 if you are determined to use a BR barrel- they are avail in 1:13 arn't they??

I really chicken out and went for a 1:10 to make sure they stabalised and using R10X I can get 3 into a bottle top from a light 7.5 lbs "soda straw profile barrel" from field position at 100.

P

 

[Clark]

Per my experiments, a 1 in 14" twist 243 barrel will stabilize a .935" long 75 gr Vmax bullet at 3000 fps out to 50 yards, but not to 100 yards.

What does it all mean?
The bullet in a 1 in 14" twist must be shorter than .935", like a
.243, 65, Hornady Vmax.......0.831" long
.243, 85, Sierra SP 1520.... 0.910" long
.243, 70, Hornady SP 2410....0.793" long
.243, 80 Hornady SSP 2435 ..0.893" long
.243, 80, Speer SP 1211......0.880" long

This 1 in 14" twist 21.5" barrel 75 gr Vmax 33.5 gr W748 3000-3100 fps 6mmBR rifle will shoot a .1" group at 50 yards, but a 1.5" group at 100y. At 100y, some holes in the target are key-holed.

 

[halfmile]

If you shoot them faster you don't need as much twist.

See Richard Franklin,6AI), shooting 75 gr VMax in a 14.

It's in the gun of the month section. Of course he's going 3700FPS.

I would shoot a 12 or 10 and make them sizzle.

HM