New to 6mm BR

[ekraus]

OK so I am new to the 6mm BR.
Been wanting to build one for a while.
I have read post after post about what dies to reload with.
I have never reloaded a cartridge like this. (308, 260 REM, 223, 35 REM, 30 Herrett, 357 SIG +all pistol. Thats it)
So as a newbie where do I start.
RCBS, Hornady, Wilson, Forester, Herrells, Bushing, no bushing, Full Length, Neck Size Only.
Do I fire a couple of factory loads and send the case to Harrell?
Do I get and Arbor Press for seating?
There are so many choices. What the hell do I start with without spending a fortune?
All I can say is that the barrel is unfired Shilen Varmint Contour 1:8 Twist 26"

I have use Hornady, RCBS, Lee and Dillon.

​

 

[HTSmith]

So I am living proof that the 6BR is the easy button. It is really no different than the bottle neck rounds you already load, except maybe that it is capable of accuracy that will show extra precision in loading. I'm not a buy once cry once guy, so my advice is to use mostly what you have for a while. I'd recommend a Harrells sizing die as they are really not much more expensive than regular dies and work great. You'll need to get bushings, but you'll need to measure the necks of loaded rounds before hand. To start get one bushing .002 smaller and one .003 smaller than the loaded round neck diameter. For a seater, I would invest with either a Forester or Redding with a micrometer top. You can get away without a micrometer top, but it saves a lot of time when testing seating depths.

You can add an arbor press and wilson type dies down the road if you like. They are great for loading at the range.

You will have a ton of fun with it.

 

[BoilerUP]

Lapua Brass, CCI 450, 30gr +/- 0.2gr Varget, just about any 105-108 grain match bullet 0.020" off the lands.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I use a Widden fl bushing die set with a micrometer seater. If I was to have a different die it would be a Harrell's and I would either ask here or search the archives for suggestions on which # die to purchase. I'd follow it up with a good micrometer seater.

 

[iukamedic]

Lapua brass, cci 450, 30 grains varget and .02 off jam seems to be magic. Be sure to work up whatever you shoot from published data. Dillon is what I use. Redding dies have worked well for me also.

 

[rjtfroggy]

If your building pre fit with chamber already done any set of dies will do.
If you are building a custom chambered then spend the little extra and get yourself a set of Harrel's or Wilsons and be done with it.
The little extra you spend up front will more than pay for itself.

 

[Bill Norris]

Lapua Brass, 107 gr. Sierra HPBT MK, 30 gr. Varget, seat it where your rifle likes it and go shoot it. Very simple to reload for and accurate as they come.

 

[jpx2rk]

I've had a 6BR Norma for a couple months now. I screwed a Shilen 8T on a Savage action, right now I'm shooting the light bullets(75g and down) w/ H335, just cause the heavier ones are hard to come by. I use Lapua & Norma brass, Forster FL die and micro seater. Getting some good groups with what I've shot, but I'm still testing and learning as I go.

 

[powderbrake]

The 6BR is an easy cartridge to reload. You already reload bottleneck rifle cartridges, so it will not be any different.
I suggest you get some Lapua 6br brass, Varget, 105gr Berger Hybrids or VLD bullets, CCI Br4 primers. ( or any other small rifle primers) Load 30 gr Varget, and seat bullets to a depth that is just touching the lands. Shoot those as a basic starting point. Adjust powder and seating depth as you normally do, to minimize group size.

Since you already have your barrel in the correct twist rate, I am going to assume it is already chambered with a No Turn neck diameter, so you wont be turning necks. If that is true, then you need a full length sizing/decapping die with a bushing, and a seating die with a micrometer top. Redding or RCBS will work, but I like the Whidden sizer, which I use. You can get click adjustable sizer and a micrometer seater die from whidden for $280 with one bushing, or $340 with 5 bushings. You have to be careful when when seating, that you have the correct seating stem. Whiddens seating stem is for the Berger 105 VLD (it has a deep hole for a pointy bullet tip).

You need to size a case and seat a bullet , and measure the neck outside diameter and subtract .002 for the bushing size. My No Turn necks measure .269, and I use a .267 bushing. That does not mean that your brass will be the same, which is why you may need more than 1 bushing

The Whidden set will take you very far, and if you get deeper into the rabbit hole, you can purchase other stuff later. One word of caution, the Whidden Click Adjustable die special nut prevents it from being used in a Dillon, If you have to use it in a Dillon, get the regular sizer, not the quick adjustable one, but I dont like seating in a Dillon, unless you do no other operations at the same time, due to tilt of the die head.

Suggestion for finding the location of the lands: If you have a Hornady Overall length gauge, use it, or for a really precise way, try https://www.wheeleraccuracy.com/videos Finding Lands.

 

[divingin]

Lapua Brass, CCI 450, 30gr +/- 0.2gr Varget, just about any 105-108 grain match bullet 0.020" off the lands.

I had better luck with RL-15. Though there's a bunch of powders that shoot pretty well. Published data for 6BR Norma is kind of lacking from a lot of sources though.

OP: If you've loaded bottleneck rifle cases before, there really isn't anything different about loading 6BR; unless you decide to change: I went from loading 300BO, 223, and 308 (standard commercial full length sizing) on a single stage press, to loading 6BR using LE Wilson dies on an arbor press, which increased the learning curve a bit (as was expected.)

 

[boltman13]

All of the above is good advice and the 6BR-N will amaze you with it's accuracy with good loading technique, dies and shooting skill. I use mainly Lapua but some Peterson brass, a Widden Clic Adjustable Die, Wilson Mic Seater with a KM Arbor Press. Varget, but also VV N-140 as my Varget supply is low, and Rem. 7 1/2 Primers left over from my High Power days. When/if primers come back on the market I will try CCI BR-4's and 450's and some different powders. I currently have 3 rifles in 6BR-N and may rebarrel another in that round. All three rifles have no neck turn chambers two with the same reamer and one from Northland Supply. I wish I could load and shoot them as accurately as they are capable of. Still I have done alright in 600 yd Bench Rest, Hunter Bench Rest/Varmint for Score, and informal group shooting. Good luck and have fun.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

If you buy an arbor press and a Wilson micrometer top seating die it may cost a little more than a Redding seater on the first cartridge, but after that you will save money on each additional cartridge. Encause you only need one arbor press. I’m certain you will like the feel of using the arbor press to seat your bullets a lot better than what you have been using.

 

[divingin]

If you buy an arbor press and a Wilson micrometer top seating die it may cost a little more than a Redding seater on the first cartridge, but after that you will save money on each additional cartridge. Encause you only need one arbor press. I’m certain you will like the feel of using the arbor press to seat your bullets a lot better than what you have been using.

I disagree with part of this. You may be able to get away with just the neck sizing and arbor press if you are shooting mild loads (and maybe not even there), but if you work the top half of the load range, you will eventually need to FL size and/or push the shoulder back, eventually. You will likely need a standard type press, and at the least a Redding Body Die (or similar - not saying it has to be Redding), or a standard 6BR full length die.

On my short range stuff (very mild loads), it's about every 10 firings. On the long range ammo (less mild), it can be anywhere from 3 to 6 firings or so before chambering gets a little stiff.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

I disagree with part of this. You may be able to get away with just the neck sizing and arbor press if you are shooting mild loads (and maybe not even there), but if you work the top half of the load range, you will eventually need to FL size and/or push the shoulder back, eventually. You will likely need a standard type press, and at the least a Redding Body Die (or similar - not saying it has to be Redding), or a standard 6BR full length die.

On my short range stuff (very mild loads), it's about every 10 firings. On the long range ammo (less mild), it can be anywhere from 3 to 6 firings or so before chambering gets a little stiff.

I didn’t say anything about sizing. My post is only talking about seating.

 

[divingin]

I didn’t say anything about sizing. My post is only talking about seating.

You're right; Sorry about that. But I still stand by needing more than just an arbor press.

 

[6ShotsOr5?]

You're right; Sorry about that. But I still stand by needing more than just an arbor press.

I also never said you only need an arbor press. I said you only need one arbor press … I’m still just talking about seating.

 

[Okumacaptain]

I had better luck with RL-15. Though there's a bunch of powders that shoot pretty well. Published data for 6BR Norma is kind of lacking from a lot of sources though.

OP: If you've loaded bottleneck rifle cases before, there really isn't anything different about loading 6BR; unless you decide to change: I went from loading 300BO, 223, and 308 (standard commercial full length sizing) on a single stage press, to loading 6BR using LE Wilson dies on an arbor press, which increased the learning curve a bit (as was expected.)

Only 1 cartridge and 1 powder in my house.
6BR and Reloder 15 !