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Heavy Bullets In Short Range Benchrest

Jud96

Jud96

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I’ve researched this topic some, but I haven’t found much information or data on it. Out of curiosity, why aren’t heavier 80-105gr 6mm bullets used in short range benchrest? From my very limited experience so far, it seems that wind is still the major variable even at 100-200 yards. Even if the heavier bullets only drifted say .1-.150 less in a full value 5mph wind, that would still be beneficial over the 63-68gr bullets. Are the lighter bullets just inherently more accurate or is it one of those things where the lighter bullets work so why change? Thanks!
 
Jud96 said:
I’ve researched this topic some, but I haven’t found much information or data on it. Out of curiosity, why aren’t heavier 80-105gr 6mm bullets used in short range benchrest? From my very limited experience so far, it seems that wind is still the major variable even at 100-200 yards. Even if the heavier bullets only drifted say .1-.150 less in a full value 5mph wind, that would still be beneficial over the 63-68gr bullets. Are the lighter bullets just inherently more accurate or is it one of those things where the lighter bullets work so why change? Thanks!
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Most of the guys I know shooting 6mm in short range Benchrest are using 105-107gr bullets.
 
I have always figured a shorter jacket and shorter lead column was less room for error when making bullets.

Less recoil is another good reason.

I’ve honestly never questioned it, because I know my slow twist barrels easily outshoot my fast twist with the same cartridge.
 
A few years ago there were a few that tried 6mm Grinch which was a 6.5 Grindle necked down I believe. Shooting around 80 gr bullets in 12 twist barrels. Didn't catch on, not saying that some had a little luck with it but the current equipment lists still show the PPC with 65-68 gr bullets as what is a successful combination in winning
 
Scott haywood said:
A few years ago there were a few that tried 6mm Grinch which was a 6.5 Grindle necked down I believe. Shooting around 80 gr bullets in 12 twist barrels. Didn't catch on, not saying that some had a little luck with it but the current equipment lists still show the PPC with 65-68 gr bullets as what is a successful combination in winning
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Im one that has been shooting a straight 6 Grendel(not quite the same as a grinch) with some success. I won the 2019 UBR Nats with a 12 twist and 68gr bullets but it was just how the chips fell on that day, as my best rifle all season was my Unlimited rifle, another 12 twist Grendel but shooting 80s in it.
I was fortunate enough to win the 200 yard agg with that same Unlimited rifle in the next two UBR Nats in 2020 and 2021.
I'm one that likes to test and try things that aren't quite what the masses tell us we have to shoot if we want to be competitive...and you'll have a hard time convincing me that what I shoot isn't competitive.

I'm playing with taking it a step further, trying a 10 twist 6 Grendel and 90gr bullets. Not enough time to tell much yet. It shows promise but in the only match I have shot it in, I didn't do well but there were several reasons. I can say that it's close but I can't say that it's there yet or that it ever will be. Jury is still out for now. I've got some custom 87gr Hillbilly bullets on order for it. We'll see how it does soon with those. All I've tried so far is 90 Berger and essentially one load, so there's still room to hopefully get a little better.

Fwiw, a 6 Grendel is a .070 long 6 PPC. Lapua brass with small primers and small flash holes. It's just a ppc on steroids. The two are very close to one another. It's not re-inventing anything. Rather, doing in depth, long term testing to see if it's as good or better than a PPC or not. Frankly, they're too close to feel strongly either way except to say, I'm not changing.
 
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gunsandgunsmithing said:
Im one that has been shooting a straight 6 Grendel(not quite the same as a grinch) with some success. I won the 2019 UBR Nats with a 12 twist and 68gr bullets but it was just how the chips fell on that day, as my best rifle all season was my Unlimited rifle, another 12 twist Grendel but shooting 80s in it.
I was fortunate enough to win the 200 yard agg with that same Unlimited rifle in the next two UBR Nats in 2020 and 2021.
I'm one that likes to test and try things that aren't quite what the masses tell us we have to shoot if we want to be competitive...and you'll have a hard time convincing me that what I shoot isn't competitive.

I'm playing with taking it a step further, trying a 10 twist 6 Grendel and 90gr bullets. Not enough time to tell much yet. It shows promise but in the only match I have shot it in, I didn't do well but there were several reasons. I can say that it's close but I can't say that it's there yet or that it ever will be. Jury is still out for now. I've got some custom 87gr Hillbilly bullets on order for it. We'll see how it does soon with those. All I've tried so far is 90 Berger and essentially one load, so there's still room to hopefully get a little better.

Fwiw, a 6 Grendel is a .070 long 6 PPC. Lapua brass with small primers and small flash holes. It's just a ppc on steroids. The two are very close to one another. It's not re-inventing anything. Rather, doing in depth, long term testing to see if it's as good or better than a PPC or not. Frankly, their too close to feel strongly either way except to say, I'm not changing.
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I’m interested in how the 87-90gr bullets do for you. This is kind of along the lines of what I was thinking of when I made this thread. Thanks
 
Jud96 said:
I’m interested in how the 87-90gr bullets do for you. This is kind of along the lines of what I was thinking of when I made this thread. Thanks
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Me too. Like I said, very little testing yet. I started out with a pretty off the wall load because I had quite a bit of the powder, AA2460. I shot I think 3 seating depths and only one powder charge. It looked decent but I quickly changed to 8208 and it instantly shot zero's! After a little shooting, I think about 50 rounds total, it appeared to be a teen rifle, shooting from .067 IIRC, to .240ish being the biggest group shot with that load of 8208 and the same seating depth that I was at with the 2460 powder. I had a match and it was the only rifle I had ready to go so I went with it, to a 100-200 ubr match. Conditions were very good and there were some big numbers put up by others. I was sharing a front rest that belonged to someone else and found a couple of issues with it before going to the 200 agg. I stunk it up at 100 but shot respectably at 200 after getting the rest lined out. Had a slew of near misses on the dot. It just wasn't my day, either. If it was my day, some of those near misses would go, but not on that day. Overall, it was much more predictable and very decent at 200. I'm not ready to give up on it. It does look like it might be close enough. I've gotta get to work on it soon but a part of the reasoning for even trying this combo is that the UBR 200-300 Nats are only a little over two hours from me, next month. I think it can be competitive but I just don't know yet.
 
Well there “light” bullets being offered in match grad per caliber so I would think they were for shorter distances with most using the ” heavys” for long range
there again I would think you would have match your bullet to your freebore
I don’t shoot short range BR matches so really I don’t know for sure just speculating
 
Brx6 said:
Well there “light” bullets being offered in match grad per caliber so I would think they were for shorter distances with most using the ” heavys” for long range
there again I would think you would have match your bullet to your freebore
I don’t shoot short range BR matches so really I don’t know for sure just speculating
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naw we match the free bore to the bullet
just because a quality bullet is made does not mean it is only for long(600/1000) or short (1/2/300) benchrest.
there are the belly shooters that shoot 300 and 600( probably more, i aint one) plus club shoots, and such.
as an odd mix, i shot 135gr br bullets in a milsurplus 30 cal rifle in a 200 yard club mil rifle match.
 
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To keep things going……

few years ago at Luther OK, conditions got a bit brutal on Sunday at 200 at an NBRSA match.

Richard Brensing pulled out a 10.5lb 6BR shooting 100+ gr somethings and spanked everybody. If I remember correctly he agged around 7’s, and 2nd place was above an inch. He told me that gun would not agg with a ppc at small aggs, but in brutal conditions, it was a significant advantage.
 
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