IMR 8208 XBR for 6mm BR?

[jeguia]

I’m considering testing IMR 8208 XBR in my 6BR.

I’m using Lapua brass, Berger 105 Match Hybrid (24733), and CCi BR-4 primers.

What advice and/or suggestions/recommendations do you have?

Thanks!

 

[johara1]

maybe better with CCI 450's or Fed. GM's..... jim

 

[jeguia]

Thanks Jim. I’ll test those as well.

 

[jeguia]

Why not the BR-4's? Not a fan of them because of complaints that they have failed on the line?

Curious because I have these 3 components myself.

Good question. I’m interested in the answer.

I’ve only used BR-4’s and I’ve never had any problems whatsoever.

 

[Drolds72]

Buddy just worked up a load with 8208. 29.5 grains got him 2880. Br-4s. 105 hybrids. Jumped .006. Shot well in a match.

 

[jeguia]

Buddy just worked up a load with 8208. 29.5 grains got him 2880. Br-4s. 105 hybrids. Jumped .006. Shot well in a match.

Awesome. Thanks for the info!

 

[johara1]

I never had great luck with BR4's always had smaller groups and lower ES. with CCi450's and Feds. With Barts 80 gr. bullet and 8208xbr in the 6Br imp. it shot mid and low zeros at 100 @ 3250. I'm working with the 110 SMK. and the feds shot the lowest ES. over the CCI450's and they are shooting in mid to lower .1's, but with a Barts 105 zeros are common place with ES of low single digits with H4895 and CCI450's. So nothing is written in stone, try them all.... jim

 

[Baddog0302]

And don't forget to try Rem 7 1/2's

 

[X-Caveman]

I’m considering testing IMR 8208 XBR in my 6BR.

I’m using Lapua brass, Berger 105 Match Hybrid (24733), and CCi BR-4 primers.

What advice and/or suggestions/recommendations do you have?

Thanks!

I've never shot Hybrids, but 104 BIBs with 28.5gr XBR8208, and a Russian primer is a match load of mine. Velocity in a 28" 5R Rock is about 2,825. It won me a LG Small group & high score target as well as 3rd overall at our 500M Fly shoot back in May. Russian primers were best out of anything that I tried - and I've found that to be the case in a 12TW BRA with this powder, as well. Also, try lots of neck tension - like .0035" +. It seems to burn real clean and meters well. Lots to like about the powder.

29.5gr is pretty warm in a 6BR with a 105. I ran it as high as 29.7 but started getting a sticky bolt around 29.3gr. Be careful & work up.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

The Rem 7 1/2 is a hot primer and on my loads it can add anywhere from 20 to 50 fps depending on the powder. Now I also shoot Fed 205m, CCI450 and BR-4 and they all compare really close on speed within about 5-8 fps but the 205m's always give me the lowest ES numbers and BR-4's don't pierce if you at the upper end of a load.

 

[Drolds72]

29.5gr is pretty warm in a 6BR with a 105. I ran it as high as 29.7 but started getting a sticky bolt around 29.3gr. Be careful & work up

Yep- buddy likes to run things a bit warm. always Work up.

 

[WyleWD]

Why not the BR-4's? Not a fan of them because of complaints that they have failed on the line?

Curious because I have these 3 components myself.

I agree with Jim, try them all. The BR4's have failed me both in matches and during load workup/ practice in the past, but I think I've gotten past that. We had a couple bricks of them in the last couple years that we had scattered fail to fires and that tends to spook ya a bit.

That being said, I have 6br's that shoot BR4's, 450's, and 205GM's in their best loads. JME, YMMV. WD

 

[buddha]

XBR 8208 is my go to powder for the 6br and dasher since 2011 when I had difficulty getting Varget. I don't know the CCI BR-4, only Tula and CCi 450 which perform well. The beauty of 8208 is I can meter it with my Harrells. I am not a competitor, but enjoy long range shooting. My loads are approx. 28.5 gr. for the BR and 33 gr. w the Dasher, the bullet is the Sierra 107.
I attempted to use it in the 6.5x47 Lapua but unfortunately had sporadic ignition failure.

 

[searcher]

I have done work-up in a few barrels using 8208XBR and I did get good results with it shooting the 107 SMK, 105 Scenar "L" and 105 Berger. Varget edged it out by a slight margin, though I'd use it if I had no more Varget. I think the BR4's are just fine. I use that primer in about half my loads - and Federal Match in the other half. Even if your barrel liked a certain depth setting with a certain bullet- be sure to try .010" off and .010" jambed when switching powders. Try that powder with a soft-jambed Scenar "L" bullet if you are looking for new options. Good luck!