6 BR Reloading Tips and Tricks

[bross412]

Hey all,
Just jumped head first into PRS. Decided to go with a custom 6mm BR rifle. I am now looking into reloading. I am brand new to reloading and have done a ton of research on it, but figured I would ask the experts here. What are your tips and tricks for reloading 6mm BR? What dies, primer, powder, bullets are you all using?

My current reloading set up is a hornady single stage press, rcbs chargemaster lite, 100 cases of lapua brass and a lyman case trimmer. I plan to get more brass in the future.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Dthomas3523]

6br tip and tricks:

Lapua brass
Cci 450
Berger 105 .020 off lands
30gr varget
.002 neck tension

That’s pretty much it. I promise that combo will shoot well enough to win any match you go to.

 

[bross412]

6br tip and tricks:

Lapua brass
Cci 450
Berger 105 .020 off lands
30gr varget
.002 neck tension

That’s pretty much it. I promise that combo will shoot well enough to win any match you go to.

Thanks for the feedback. What dies do you use?

 

[6brshooter]

I use forster ultra dies, and just fl size. Only other suggestion I have for 6br is skip varget and use h4895. Ive been playing with 6br in br and field use for 10ish years. H4895 will give you same accuracy and about 50-75fps more than varget. I usually get 2875-2900 with a .236 bore 26" barrel, thats on a sample size of 6 different barrels. I had a 18.5" 6br that was great for just about anything, except prs. It would shoot 105-107@2730-2750.

 

[Olen_4504]

pretty much what the guys above said.

lapua brass
CCI 450 primers
105g berger hybrids
Varget/h4895/shooters world precision
you'll land somewhere around 2850fps

i'm having good luck jumping mine 0.060-0.075 off the lands.

i use forster micrometer seating die and a "custom" harrels full length bushing die for sizing (highly recommend. you send them 3 fired pieces of brass and they send you back a die that fits your chamber best. and they are only $80)

I use a .265 bushing and then use a sinclair carbide expanding mandrel to push the necks back out to final size.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Thanks for the feedback. What dies do you use?

Redding bushing or Forster non bushing sizing Die as use a mandrel to set neck tension.

I seat with a Wilson seater and hydro press.

 

[Habituallinestepper]

Now to just find some powder in stock. In the same boat as OP, courtesy of @hookedonbrass

 

[Krob95]

Basically the same exact load

Lapua brass
.264 neck bushing in a Redding type s full length die
.010” off lands
Berger 105 hybrids
30gr of varget
Fed 205m primers

that combo is running 2855 in a 27” kreiger barrel at 4400’ ASL.

 

[Kjohnson 1972]

Lapua brass
.020” off lands
Berger 105 hybrids
32gr of H4350
CCI 450 primers
2850 w/ 27" Hart barrel 1:8

 

[drew_235]

Now to just find some powder in stock. In the same boat as OP, courtesy of @hookedonbrass

Shooter's World powder is in stock at Powder Valley and well regarded as a substitute for Varget/H4895. When I burn through my current supply of H powders, it will be Shooter's World for me...and they're cheaper too.

 

[Tony1320]

Has anyone tried N140?

 

[inkballedtarget]

Has anyone tried N140?

I was wondering about this as well.

 

[Ranger188]

IMR 4166 will work

 

[hereinaz]

Shooter's World powder is in stock at Powder Valley and well regarded as a substitute for Varget/H4895. When I burn through my current supply of H powders, it will be Shooter's World for me...and they're cheaper too.

Which Shooters World powder and charge weight? I have Match or Precision in the closet, can't remember which it is.

 

[Kjohnson 1972]

Precision is closest to Varget

 

[hollowoutadime]

I mostly use Varget, but XBR-8208 works well.

 

[bross412]

Redding bushing or Forster non bushing sizing Die as use a mandrel to set neck tension.

I seat with a Wilson seater and hydro press.

I picked up a carbide mandrel to set neck tension. After how many brass shells do you re apply the wax? I am using imperial sizing die wax to lightly coat the mandrel and then resizing the necks to for uniformity. After about 5 I start to notice a little bit increased in resistance. Is that ok? Should I be waxing every time?

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

I wouldn't think you'd need lube for a carbide mandrel. I don't use lube on the Lee Collet and it works fine.

 

[Ranger188]

I wouldn't use the wax, it will cause inconsistent neck tension.
Your mandrel might be picking up some carbon off the inside of the necks.
Just wipe the mandrel every so many pieces with a cloth. That should help.

 

[bross412]

Thanks for the feedback. I won't use the wax.

 

[spife7980]

I would absolutely still use the wax. If you feel it in 5 then wax it in 4. Or even better a spray and get them all evenly.

The lee collet, which pinches, is nothing like the expander mandrel, which swages, in operation.

 

[Tokay444]

If that’s a 21st Century mandrel, I don’t think it’s carbide. I think that’s their black Nitride.

 

[bross412]

If that’s a 21st Century mandrel, I don’t think it’s carbide. I think that’s their black Nitride.

Yes that's correct. Thanks for catching my mistake... I was looking at the materials and I misspoke before. Does that change the need to lube? If so, what lube and how much.

 

[Tokay444]

I don’t lube mine. It glides better than my Ti Nitrided one.

 

[Dthomas3523]

Wax won’t give you enough inconsistent neck tension to matter.

You’ll have to decide yourself if you want to lube or wax the necks.

Check mandrel periodically. If there’s buildup of brass, knock it off with very light steel wool.

 

[Jayhawkhuntclub]

The lee collet, which pinches, is nothing like the expander mandrel, which swages, in operation.

I agree. I wasn't think that through.

 

[steve123]

You could swab the inside of the necks with NECO dry case lube.

I haven't noticed a difference in precision using it and my rifle shoot tight with low ES.

Practically mandatory if you just wet cleaned the brass via SS tumbling.

 

[Pvt.Donut]

If it's Black Nitride or TiN or even carbide I'd suggest using their dry neck powder instead of wax. Use it every case.

 

[bross412]

Thanks for all the advice. I picked up some dry lube from Amazon. I will put it on the inside of the case neck and then run it down the mandrel. Should I tumble with dry media after to get rid of any excess lube?

 

[steve123]

You don't need to remove the dry lube, just charge the cases and seat bullets

 

[bross412]

You don't need to remove the dry lube, just charge the cases and seat bullets

Great. Thanks for the advice.

 

[Graywolf.260]

question/temporary hijack- does the 6BR cartridge fit in a .223 magazine? (I'm thinking specifically of putting a new 6BR barrel on a Tikka CTR and they have or will soon have .223 CTRs and mags). I assume it won't work well with a .308 CTR mag.

 

[kthomas]

Lapua brass
CCI BR4 primers
29.5 grains H4895
105 Berger Hybrids 10-20 thou off the lands

 

[Dolomite_Supafly]

Lapua brass
CCI 450 primers
28.1 grains AR-Comp
115 DTAC jammed .010” into the lands

28” Criterion barrel. Velocity is 2,750 fps with an SD of 1 the last time I checked.

 

[McMillan]

question/temporary hijack- does the 6BR cartridge fit in a .223 magazine? (I'm thinking specifically of putting a new 6BR barrel on a Tikka CTR and they have or will soon have .223 CTRs and mags). I assume it won't work well with a .308 CTR mag.

Nope it's too wide for a 223 mag. You could run it with an aics mag with a spacer kit or an mdt 6br mag using an atlas works aics conversion bottom metal