Berger Hybrid 105's in 6br

[HTSmith]

I finally snagged some Berger Hybrids and wanted to get some tips from those with some experience. My current long range loads are 107 Sierra, 29.8 Gr Varget, CCI 450 and 105 Berger VLD, 30 Gr Varget, CCI 450. It took a lot of shooting to get a good seating depth for the VLD. I also have some R15 on hand. Any advice much appreciated.

 

[canderson]

In my dasher the hybrids liked the same powder charge as the vld's. Try them 0.010-0.020 off the lands. Be sure and start lower and watch for pressure.

 

[cmillard]

i found that the 105 hybrids liked the same seating as the hunting vlds. I jam both .015 itl, as it has given best accuracy with both bullets and significantly lowered sd and es. my vld load was with varget and my hybrid load is with imr 4320, both with wolf srm primers and lapua brass

 

[nosualc]

I've been using the 105 hybrids in my 6BRX and they shoot very well. Common wisdom seems to be that hybrids like to be jumped, although on my 6BRX jamming proved to be best.

Today, I'm going down the same path as you. For my son's 6BR, I'm going to shoot 2 ladder tests, going from 28.0-31.0 grains of Varget (lapua brass, federal primers). I'm jumping about .020" for all.

After I find a good window, I will further tune with seating depth.

-nosualc

 

[ShootDots]

I use the 105 Hybrids in my 6mmBR... I seat them 15K OFF the lands with 30.3grs. of Varget, fired by CCI 450 primers! I am getting 2870f.p.s. with extreme spreads UNDER 10f.p.s. My "normal" groups at 300 yards are generally 0.750" to 1.25"... Periodically I will get an occasional 1.35" and every once in awhile, I will get one in the 0.400" range! It is a very formidable weapon for 300-600 yard F-Open competition!!

 

[HTSmith]

Thanks much all!

 

[CaptainMal]

My testing showed no change from a jump of .003" all the way out to about .020".

So ... set them at .003" and just let the throat wear. They shoot for me.

 

[HTSmith]

Captain, that is good info. Hoping I get similar results.

 

[nosualc]

I've been using the 105 hybrids in my 6BRX and they shoot very well. Common wisdom seems to be that hybrids like to be jumped, although on my 6BRX jamming proved to be best.

Today, I'm going down the same path as you. For my son's 6BR, I'm going to shoot 2 ladder tests, going from 28.0-31.0 grains of Varget (lapua brass, federal primers). I'm jumping about .020" for all.

After I find a good window, I will further tune with seating depth.

-nosualc

As a follow up, my ladder tests showed there was a nice wide window from about 29.0-29.8 grains of Varget. I loaded up 24 @ 29.6 for my monday night league and it shot a 200-16x @ 600 yds the first time out (it was an low wind night, perfect for seeing what the rifle will do). I'm becoming a bigger and bigger fan of ladder testing. Gets you very close, very fast.

-nosualc

 

[expiper]

Dot Shooter,,,YOU are an honest man,,,,lots of the keyboard shooters that we endure on here shoot .2's-.3's all the time at 300,,,,not me,,, and not YOU,,,you really get out there and shoot em,,,,as you say,it you kan keep em around 3/4" at 300 your "there"......and with all bullets ,,,yuou gota try em,,,it depends on your powder burn rate and ammount,,,,I have 6 different 105 class bullets that I jam in my 6mmBR with great success,,,,the same 6 bullets in my .243 (much more powder and slower powder) like .030" +/- .010"..of jump...go figger,,,,Roger

 

[ridgeway]

If you have the luxury, buy enough of the same lot to last the life of your barrel.

 

[ShootDots]

Thanks ExPiper! I have never seen the need to exaggerate on shooting... Everything I print is the truth>>>sometimes verifiable>>>sometimes not>>>but it is always the truth..

 

[nosualc]

As a follow up, my ladder tests showed there was a nice wide window from about 29.0-29.8 grains of Varget.

nosualc, I'm curious what the lot number is on the bullets you're shooting. The earlier lots, from #3756 through at least #5149, liked a lot of powder. I use 30.4 or 30.5 grains of Varget with the early lots I have for best accuracy. Then, after the great Hybrid shortage ended, I got lots #5468 and #5496. Loaded them up and went to a match without testing and the results were disappointing. A shooting buddy says he had to back the powder down about 0.8 grains to get accuracy from the new lots which probably put him around 29.6 grains. He said the velocity was only 2750 while my normal loads run closer to 2860.

The new lots sure seem to be from a different die as 5468 and 5496 are half a thousandth smaller in diameter than 5149. I guess I'm back in load development mode.

Dave, the bullets I am using are lot #4561. A plausible theory, nonetheless

A possible explanation is that it the barrel was throated a little shorter than I had expected, and I had to seat the bullets fairly deeply.

I don't have any chrono numbers to report, as I don't don't think I'll spend the time on super-tuning.

This rifle is for my 12yo son to shoot in our midrange f-class league. All I wanted is a load that shoots well for him to learn with, and be quick and easy for me load. I'm probably content to call it good enough.

-nosualc

 

[queen_stick]

I got the 105 hybrids out of my 6BR at 2925fps using 30.8gr of RL15 and a cci 450 primer. It was hot load at about 90 degrees(f). If the temp was 85 or less, I could go up to 31.0gr of powder to maintain the same velocity. In practice, I shot a couple 5" groups at 1k yards (5-shots). Never could duplicate that during a match :-( The Amax did better in my barrel (believe it or not), so I stopped playing with the Hybrids.

NOTE* My barrel (supposed to be an 8 twist) ended up being closer to 8.25. Verified with the cleaning rod method.

After wasting a lot of rounds trying to get VLD's, SMK's, and Scenars to shoot, I gave the Hybrids a try, and they shot a lot better than the others right of the gate (at 1k yards). I then loaded some Amax's for fowling shots one day, and printed the smallest 300yd group I've ever shot ... I then shot them at 1K yards, and they shot smaller than the Hybrids. Anyway, My point is, that if your twist rate is barely stabilizing the 105+ class bullets (sometimes hard to detect this), then don't hesitate to try the hybrids, or the Amax's. Both shot far better at 1K out of my 8.25 twist barrel than any other heavy 6mm bullet.

 

[HTSmith]

I've not had much luck with the amax's. It's a shame too since they are the most cost effective.

 

[queen_stick]

I've not had much luck with the amax's. It's a shame too since they are the most cost effective.

Also extremely difficult to find right now.

 

[treeman]

my 6brx shoots the hybrids well. I used the same charge that I had been using with the 108s and tried 3 seating depths .015 off, at and .015 into the lands the at lands load shot best .750" at 300. 15 off and into shot 1.5" and 1.25" I had been jamming the 108s .025" you just have to experiment. the same day I tested the seating depths. I fire formed the last 23 rounds with sierra 107s and 30 grains of varget. all 23 went into a 1.3" group at 300. wish I still had that lot of varget!

 

[snakepit]

Dave Berg: The new lots sure seem to be from a different die as 5468 and 5496 are half a thousandth smaller in diameter than 5149. I guess I'm back in load development mode.
[/quote]


Dave, what was the diameter of lot 5496 and the diameter of the earlier lots? I just purchased some 105's and they are lot 5496.

 

[ridgeway]

What kind of measurements are you getting on the shank and pressure ring on the newer lots?

 

[22BRGUY]

Anyone know where a guy can pick up a box of 108's?