New 6br build and dirty Varget woes

[rckendall]

I recently put together a 6br using a Criterion barrel. For break in, I shot 5 and cleaned it for the first 40 rounds. I finished the day with 10 more. Cleaned it at home. I was shooting 29.5 gn Varget and Berger 105 Hybrids, monitoring the loads on my LadRadar (it was windy!). The next time out I had loaded 25 rounds at 29.5 gn and jump based on initial shooting. I shot a 12"x20" steel silhouette 18/20 at 560 yards. I was very happy, until I got home and cleaned it. There was very little copper but a huge amount of soot. I've heard that Varget burns dirty unless it is loaded hot.

So, I tried some Reloder 15 for my next session and it didn't seem to perform as well as Varget and was also dirty with soot. So today I upped the charges, ranging from the known good load of 29.5 and went up to 30.3 in .2 increments. There is a wide node down around 29.7, but the best group was at 30.3. I believe I can go up to 30.4 but the dirty soot still seems to be there.

I'm kind of lost, my other 6br shot 30 gn Varget just like we're told, but this one is different. It does shoot well but gets very dirty, quickly it seems.

Any help?

Thanks,
Richard

Edit to add: I should probably mention that it shot small groups on the silhouette target and as I adjusted the scope the groups just moved and stayed together. It is March and every session has been windy!!!

 

[mudduck]

If it shoots good I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[jvshiver]

Sounds like typical 6mm issues, they all seem to be bad about carboning up.

 

[Hoot]

This caught my eye mainly because I'm prepping 4F 6BR cases for my first trip to the range with this new (for me) 6BR rifle I got over the winter (not gone yet up here by a long shot). My intended first outing will likewise be Berger 105 Hybrids over Varget as the guy I bought it from said it really loved that combo. Figured I'd play to its strength first time out. There's a curiosity with how the Bergers fit my barrel but I've swore off hijacking other people's threads. That'll be for a separate thread.

I will however, report back with my take on the fouling observation but it probably won't be until it reaches comfortable shooting weather and the perma-snow recedes (its in no hurry).

Hoot

 

[X Count]

What about trying a different primer?

 

[Dave Zander]

Try N140

 

[Richard Jones]

........ I'm prepping 4F 6BR cases for ......

Hoot

4F?

 

[Hoot]

4F?

4 Fired
Lapua brass. IE fully fire formed to my chamber.

Hoot

 

[Ray123]

I shoot both Varget and RL15, with RL 15 slightly more accurate and slightly more speed with Berger 108s ...in 6 Dasher no problem with dirty powder soot,...so run em up on the high pressure side if you can find accuracy, there...or not, and clean away, if it suits, your barrel your time.

 

[Lostcreek]

Try N140

 

[HTSmith]

Nothing surprising. In my experience in 6BR and Dasher Varget is dirty, R15 is worse, and R15.5 is worse still. But they shoot, so I clean. YMMV

 

[rckendall]

Try N140

How about N540, is there a worthwhile advantage to the 500 series?

 

[JFrank]

This will solve the issue pretty quickly

C4 Carbon Remover

Cutting through carbon fouling on your firearm is a breeze with C4 Carbon Remover from Bore Tech. Even the most stubborn baked-on carbon is no match for this carbon remover. For the best carbon removing chemicals for gun cleaning, you have to choose Bore Tech. Shop our entire collection of bore...

www.boretech.com

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

I've been shooting Varget in several rifles and have not had these problems. Lapua brass and Lapua 105's at 29.2 is the sweet spot for me. I have also loaded 30.2 and get the same results.

To clean I use Montana Gold. Wire brush let sit five minutes and then three patches. The fourth patch comes out almost completely clean.

Bartlein barrel that was very smooth but I then lapped it till it was like glass mirror inside.

 

[Hoot]

Try N140

So, when using the >100gr bullets, is N135 too fast? I ask because I have a bottle of it that a friend traded me for a bottle of H322 I was not using, for his 6 PPC.

Surprisingly, N135 and N140 model (Quickload) to almost identical MV for the same chamber pressure. Both exhibit 100% burn and fill the cases using the 105 Hybrid at 2.46 COL.

Trying hard not to hijack.

 

[rwj]

In my experience, the “dirty” powders are not difficult to clean and they seem to minimize copper fouling…

 

[shoot4fun]

I recently put together a 6br using a Criterion barrel. For break in, I shot 5 and cleaned it for the first 40 rounds. I finished the day with 10 more. Cleaned it at home. I was shooting 29.5 gn Varget and Berger 105 Hybrids, monitoring the loads on my LadRadar (it was windy!). The next time out I had loaded 25 rounds at 29.5 gn and jump based on initial shooting. I shot a 12"x20" steel silhouette 18/20 at 560 yards. I was very happy, until I got home and cleaned it. There was very little copper but a huge amount of soot. I've heard that Varget burns dirty unless it is loaded hot.

So, I tried some Reloder 15 for my next session and it didn't seem to perform as well as Varget and was also dirty with soot. So today I upped the charges, ranging from the known good load of 29.5 and went up to 30.3 in .2 increments. There is a wide node down around 29.7, but the best group was at 30.3. I believe I can go up to 30.4 but the dirty soot still seems to be there.

I'm kind of lost, my other 6br shot 30 gn Varget just like we're told, but this one is different. It does shoot well but gets very dirty, quickly it seems.

Any help?

Thanks,
Richard

Edit to add: I should probably mention that it shot small groups on the silhouette target and as I adjusted the scope the groups just moved and stayed together. It is March and every session has been windy!!!

If you want to do the thorough cleaning at home you're giving the carbon time to harden.
My suggestion would be take a few patches, a rod and something non ammonia (Bore Tech C4 or Eliminator). Run a couple of wet patches through and let the bore soak. It will really help with cleaning later.
Also, if you are trying to compare how dirty one barrel gets to another it may not be fruitful. Some barrels just seem to get dirtier than others. At least to me they do.

 

[Dr. Jay]

If you have any H 4895 laying around give it a try, I use it both of my 6BR. You might start at 29.0 grains,

 

[wkdickinson]

I have been shooting 32.3gr of Varget, 105 Hybrids and CCI 450s in my 6 Dasher (1:7.5 Criterion barrel) for a couple years. It shoots great and cleans really easily with Boretech Eliminator.

 

[Bob3700]

I use Varget in both my 308 Palma rifle and my 6 mm BRX. I would not consider Varget a dirty powder. RE-15 is like burning charcoal in ur bbl. Now that is a dirty powder.
Slip 2000 carbon cutter, REM clean, n Boretech Eliminator will keep ur bbls clean.