New to reloading 6 BR ???

[CZ223]

Okay, so that is it in a nut shell, while I have been reloading for more than 20 years I am new to reloading the 6mmBR. I purchased a Savage F-Class rifle last fall and have not been able to afford all the stuff that I need to start reloading for it and still really can't but I gotta start somewhere. I have several questions and would appreciate answers that take my particulars into account.

1) I am buying 200 rounds of Lapua Brass for my Savage F-class rifle, I do not believe that I 'need' to turn the case necks nor do I have the tools to do this. What preperation do I 'need' to do and what should I avoid to keep from ruining Brass.

2) As I said before money is tight and while I would love to buy the best dies possible I can't really afford them. Redding die sets seem to run from around $65 to about $175. While competition seaters are nice do I really need them to load quality 'accurate' ammo? Since my my gun is supposed to be chambered for 'no turn' brass anyway do I need bushing dies and assorted bushings? I am really confused about all this. Basically, what I am asking here is which dies will do the job right for the least amount of money.

3) I believe my barrel is a 1/8 twist and that should handle the 105's and the 107's, am I right about this? Also, if I am right about the twist rate, what are the lightest bullets that I should be looking at. I hope to compete in F-class shooting out to 600 yards and I know that the heavier bullets do better at those distances.

4) If I am right about the 1 in 8 twist rate, which powders should I be looking at for starters? I have looked at the favorite loads thread and it looks like some like Varget for the heavier bullet and H322 for the lighter stuff, what are your suggestions?

5) Any other suggestions you guys would like to throw at me will be appreciated.

 

[Preacher]

About all you need to do with the brass is to give it a good check out for burrs in the flash holes. It's really good brass and usually is good to shoot right out of the box, but still needs checked just in case there is a problem..
Dies from Forster are as good as you'll need and they can tweak the neck on the die if you find out it needs it later. No need for bushings if you go that way, and a lot of shooters do just that...
Your 8 twist will shoot most of the light weight bullets if they can stand the rotational strain, I know the 80 gr Berger will shoot great in a 8 twist, as will the old 80 gr Fowler flat base bullet..
Try the powders you have and go from there.
I use more RL-15 than any other in the 6br........

 

[Ackman]

I don't shoot heavy bullets or paper targets but will answer a couple questions. That Lapua BR brass is very good as is. All you really need to do is run it through a necksizer - one with an expander ball - to make the necks perfectly round, then give the casemouth a good inside chamfer.

Competition seaters are more precise and much nicer to use. You only have to buy it once but you'll be using it for a long time on a countless number of rounds. They're definitely worth the extra cost. I have both Redding and Forster but prefer Redding only because the numbers are more distinct and easier to read. They also fit in a standard die box, Forsters don't. Bushing necksizers are also the best way to go. The Redding S-type is less expensive than a competition die and lots of people like them just as much. But if you want to save money, just get a standard necksize die and it'll work fine.

 

[gambleone]

I have a 6br 1/8tw with a .272 neck. You don't have to turn necks. I use redding type-s neck sizer with either .268 or .269 bushing, depending on what neck tension you want. I have redding comp seater & body die, which I would recommend, but Forster make great dies also.
I'm using hornady 75gr v-max for varmints without a problem, but wouldn't go any less than that. Like preach said, too much strain on bullet. Larger bullets I'm using 90 & 108gr Berger bt's which are great. My barrel doesn't prefer the 105vld's. As for powder; I shoot what preacher shoots. RL-15 is great. I have used varget which is also great & less temp sensitive. Primers:- cci-450 work the best for me, but br-4 may do better for some.

 

[CZ223]

Thanks for the answers so far, keep it coming. I am happy to report that I have 2500 CCI BR4's, 1000 450's and 1000 Federal Gold Medal 205's on hand. Cabelas had some RL-15 the other day but I didn't bother picking any up because I didn't know what to use it in. Now I do. I have some Varget and Bechmark on hand so I might try those. Right now I have no bullets and Cabelas 6mm selection seems to stop at about 80 or 90 grains. Iwas hoping to shoot the 107 SMK just because all my Savages have seemed to have a preference for Sierra bullets. I doubt that I will be taking this rig out west prarie dogging anytime soon but I probably will work up some lighter loads anyways. Do any of you use the remington brass for varmint hunting and the like or is it just not worth bothering with?

 

[Preacher]

Hunt up a couple of boxes of Lapua 6mmbr and don't bother with the Remington brass.
Work up one load for the Lapua cases and be done with it... If you have some 6br Remington cases use them but I wouldn't mix them with the Lapua brass, but will be OK for SR varmints........ I have a few 107 SMK's I could part with if you get in a jam..
They are not the best for varmints though, one time they do a nice job and the next time it looks like the varmint was done in with a 1/4 inch drill bit, and in the hole they go to die another day, and thats not right..
You would be better served for the long run with a Full Length die to do your cases, that way they are always the same each and every time... Other wise they stretch and stretch until they don't fit then you bump them back again to start that all over again.. FL each time and they are consistent every time... If you want a bushing die contact Harrells and have them set you up with a semi custom 6br full length bushing die. Other wise the Forster is the way to go....

 

[jo191145]

One small thought.
Seeing as its a factory chambering the throat length might be a little long. My Sav 6.5x284 was a touch longer than what it should be.
Anyhow that might be a determining factor in bullet choice if you want to play in and about the lands.
I can't recall ever hearing anyone discuss throat length in the Sav 6BR F-Class.
Might want to hold off buying anything in bulk till you get a measurement from the rifle.
If it is an extra long throat the Hornady 105gn A-Max is an economical accurate long bearing length bullet.

 

[CZ223]

Thanks preacher, and to the rest of you as well. I ordered 200 rounds of Lapua brass today as this was all I could afford. With as scarce as it has been, I wish I could have ordered more. I also picked up a box of 105 A-max bullets locally, today. I could have ordered some of the 108 Bergers online but decided to wait for some of the 105's. I haven't heard too much info about the 108's yet. I will probably end up wishing I had. IF you have used these, and like them, let me know as I may be able to call them tomorrow and change the order.

 

[Moderator]

Just one thing to add here. One poster recommended a .268 or .269 bushing. That will give you really light neck tension with most bullets, as you have to consider springback, which is typically around .001 with Lapua 6BR brass. A .266 or .267 may be a better place to start. Typical loaded round neck diameter is about 0.2695.

 

[carl425]

I have this same rifle. Somebody suggested earlier that it may have a long throat. Let me confirm that this is the case. I measured an OAL of 2.520 required to touch the lands with the Berger 105 VLD.

I've read elsewhere that Savage cuts a long throat for the 1:8 twist barrel on the F-class rifle suitable for the 105-108 grain bullets and a short throat for the 1:12 twist in the Long Range Precision Varminter to go with the 80-85 grain varmint bullets.

 

[iowpmedic]

Try Horandy 105 Amax,30.3gr of varget power with the bullet about .10 off the lands. My model 12 LRPV shoots in the mid .2's with this load and the Amax's are around $20.00 a box and do the job on groundhogs. good luck

 

[GentleBen]

Will the 68gr Berger's shoot OK in my new 1:8 twist McGowen 6mmBR barrel? Someone above said not to go below the 75 V-max. Second opinions?