Which 6mm rifle and reloading gear

[Frozentundra]

I have been lurking here for a year or so, mainly for topics like proper rifle cleaning and lately reloading.

I recently built a nice range with permanent solid bench and 100,200 & 300 yard backstops. And have been wanting a new rifle something mainly for punching paper at 100-300 yards.
Something fun to reload with fairly easy to get components and a rifle that wont require a second mortgage.
6BR or 6PPC? The more I read about them the more I cant decide.

 

[sdneil]

6BR will be easier--- just buy the Lapua brass and go for it---.308 bolt face... 6ppc brass and bolt face little bit harder to work with.... 6BR has my vote, you will have fun for shure its easy!

 

[Kenny474]

I think the BR rounds are the way to go if you have never loaded for a high accuracy rig before. They are just an easy round to load for and are nearly as accurate. Unless you are planning to compete at a high level, the BR is plenty accurate, especially in a purpose built rifle with top notch components. Normally with the 6ppc, you need to form brass from 22 Russian, turn necks, and just put a lot more effort into loading than you do a 6BR.

And when I say the 6ppc is more accurate, we are talking hundredths of an inch here maybe, so it's not much! I have seen plenty of 6BR grouping in the .1's, so they are not slouches by any means!

And the 6BR has more boiler room, so it is capable of reaching out farther if you want to as well.

If you want to just buy a factory rifle as well, Savage offers several models in 6BR that are normally quite accurate, and can be improved a bit with just some bedding and other simple mods.

6BR gets my vote.

Kenny

 

[JLM]

I've got a savage target action and a Benchmark 6BR barrel. No turn neck, 8 twist. I reload with a Rockchucker, sinclair bullet seater - Harbor Freight arbor press, RCBS powder trickler, RCBS primer seater, ohh and a Forster full length die. I FLS every time and it feels like it's doing very little.

This is my first semi-custom gun certainly my first non factory barrel. My reloading routune is nothing special, but I try and make it a precise as possible. I'd like to add a runout gauge to the mix and sort that way.

I shoot 107 smk's.

Being able to reload is certainly a plus and the way to shooting accurately, but there are times when I wish I could just buy a box over the counter and make some brass.

Take care,
JLM

 

[Frozentundra]

Thanks for all the replies.

I had been thinking of starting with either a factory savage or a used custom rifle, I figured that way it would give me time to work improving my reloading and shooting abilities.

I reloaded for 20 years or so with old hand me down stuff from my dad that he had used for 20+ years. I haven't reloaded for about 15 years now so most of my stuff is antiquated & needs to be replaced.
I recently started researching more modern reloading supplies and have gathered a few items already.

Redding 700 Ultramag press
RCBS ChargeMaster combo
RCBS SS Dial Caliper

In addition to the 6BR I will be loading the following:
220 Swift
25-06 AI
270 WSM
270 WIN
30-378 WBY

I am also pretty sure on getting the Wilson case trimmer Wilson seating dies and a K&M arbor press.

Any other suggestions or what about full length sizing vs. shoulder bumping and neck sizing?

 

[itchyTF]

If you would consider going the used route and would like something in the custom category you might try Bob White at Shooters Corner. He has quite a selection of used stuff.
http://www.benchrest.com/shooterscorner/

 

[Frozentundra]

what about something like this http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=206035970

 

[jonbearman]

Why dont you list the supposed old antique equipment and lets see if any is usable today.I will bet you have some great old stuff that will work just fine.Give us the list and lets just see.

 

[Kenny474]

Why dont you list the supposed old antique equipment and lets see if any is usable today.I will bet you have some great old stuff that will work just fine.Give us the list and lets just see.

Jon is 100% right on that. Much of the older equipment is so overbuilt that it will outlast 3 generations of shooters. And most was built much better than most of the plastic throw away crap we see today and to tighter tolerances as well, as it wasn't just slapped together when it comes out of the CNC machine. There were actually people machining the parts and fitting them together with care. Not just slapping the parts together and throwing it into a box, worrying about your days production. Companies used to care about what they sold, not how much they sold.
And scales from years ago are some of the most sought after items in the reloading world. There is even a good business with tuning the older scales to levels of precision that cost hundreds of dollars to achieve today.

Ever seen a CH Champ press? Prime example of the "older stuff" that is built far stronger than the new. They make a Rockchucker look like stamped sheet steel and are indestructible. I think they might even be back in production, though I'm not sure.

Kenny

 

[jonbearman]

+1 for kenny474 he is absolutely right.Dont let anybody talk you into the NEW STYLE just because.I have lots of older equipment that works fine.I wouldnt spend a nickle till you post your list.You probably have stuff that we will druel over.I think I cant spell drool . By the way I bought a used bench gun on here and it shoots inthe .1's and .2's all the time.He also turned me onto 300 arnette 68 grain bullets for the ,you guessed it, 6BR. I love it.

 

[Frozentundra]

Just a couple old C&H presses an old powder measure and scale, I know all the dies and small accessories are still good and I will use some of the old stuff as a back up or to keep one of the presses set up instead of changing out dies all the time. The rest are bullet molds and swaging dies.
I think I will be making a antique starter kit for a friends sons to get started on.

 

[GermanS1]

Tundra,

I agree on the choice of 6BR and good (not necessarily new) reloading equipment.

You asked about full-length sizing versus neck sizing. Like most competitive shooters, I'm a strong advocate of full-length sizing all the time. Here are a couple of items to read on that topic:

Resizing - Case Dimension Changes
http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/06/basics-resizing-case-dimension-changes.html

Measuring the Case
http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/03/reloading-measuring-case.html

Partial Neck Sizing
http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/06/reloading-partial-neck-sizing.html

There's plenty more to read about reloading on my site, just browse through the index.

 

[shot410]

I just went through the same issues. I ended up buying the Savage "F" class Model 12 in 6mmBR. A Forester co-ax, and dies. A Pack electronic powder measure/scale, and all the rest of the misc. items from RCBS, and Lyman (turbo tumbler). I think I made some good decisions based on the recommendations from this site. I tried the T-36 Weaver scope, but it didn't work out (to much mirage). So, I'm trying a Konus 8X32 now. We'll see how that works, it's very clear, and works great, so far.

 

[BoydAllen]

I think that you are going at this backwards as far as reloading equipment goes. Your old stuff should be fine, BUT you need to look at your dies, and how you set them up very carefully.

As far as a rifle goes, start with a good used rifle, that was built for benchrest competition, on a custom action. You can rebarrel it after you finish shooting out the one that comes on it. 6PPC rifles are more common than BRs in used bench rifles. Bob White has a good selection, and an excellent reputation.

 

[Bulseyetom]

I would go with a used benchrest rifle like the one in the link or google Shooter's Corner (owned by Bob White, a hall of fame benchrester and gunsmith) and see what he has that might suit your fancy. I bought my first benchrest rifle from Bob for around $1000 and it would shoot .3 groups consistently. There is something about a rifle that will shoot small groups every time that makes the old rifles that I though were accurate to just sit in the safe! Bob also has tons of used reloading dies, rests, etc. He has a used custom Swift Varminter that I eyed for quite awhile before I decided on a 6x47 for my last rifle as well as every other caliber imaginable. Good luck. Tom

 

[Frozentundra]

Ended up going with the Savage 12F in 6BR http://www.accurateshooter.com/forum/index.php/topic,3756546.new.html#new

Thanks everyone for all the help, I pretty much spent the weekend here trying to figure things out, tons of good information.