6mm Dasher

Can't wait to try this out...... It's a monster.

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got my first dasher barrel, breakin it in.

plans are to work over multiple recipes, so that I can have a good ammo with what I will be able to find on the shelves, at least two like:

1. alpha brass, H4350 and similar powders 33-34.5 range, 109-115 (LRHT Bergers, 110 Atips, 115 DTACS)
2. peterson brass, Varget-N140-N150 class powders in 30.5-31.5 range, 105 Hybrids

does this sound reasonable? Peterson H2O capacity is one grain less than Alpha (38.6 vs 39.5 for new brass) so that with the two options I can have optimal case fill with both. Varget and such shoot well the heaviers also so I should be covered

thoughts?
 
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I put a new barrel on in the fall and it’s still in the break-in process. I have generally only used Lapua brass, but added 200 pieces of Peterson to the mix. Nice brass, I had to turn their necks as my chamber neck is only .2704, smaller then the .272 Peterson recommends. Using alcohol to measure, the Peterson has 1.56 grains less internal volume then Lapua. So starting N140 in the 30 grain area makes sense. In a worn barrel with a fair amount of freebore, I was up to 33.3 of N140 with a 108 Berger. A new barrel with much less freebore should start out a bit less.
 
got my first dasher barrel, breakin it in.

plans are to work over multiple recipes, so that I can have a good ammo with what I will be able to find on the shelves, at least two like:

1. alpha brass, H4350 and similar powders 33-34.5 range, 109-115 (LRHT Bergers, 110 Atips, 115 DTACS)
2. peterson brass, Varget-N140-N150 class powders in 30.5-31.5 range, 105 Hybrids

does this sound reasonable? Peterson H2O capacity is one grain less than Alpha (38.6 vs 39.5 for new brass) so that with the two options I can have optimal case fill with both. Varget and such shoot well the heaviers also so I should be covered

thoughts?
Did you work out any recipes? I'm curious to compare with mine. For reference I run 34.06gr of H4350 with Alpha OCD and 109 LRHT.
 
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Question about dasher dies. I'm coming from a couple 6br barrels currently, have a dasher barrel coming soon and was thinking of rechambering one of the br barrels to dasher when I have it set back. Can I assume my 6br seating die will work with dasher, and just get a new sizing die for the new cartridge?

edit to add- currently using redding type S full length bushing die and a forster micrometer seating die
 
Did you work out any recipes? I'm curious to compare with mine. For reference I run 34.06gr of H4350 with Alpha OCD and 109 LRHT.
Heading to the range tomorrow with a full bag…
The barrel has 180 shots down the tube so should be ready for some serious development.
Here is what I have ready ( I am in Europe and H4350 is not available due to anti-cancer rules in the EU…so you will see only EU powders on the list

1. 33.75-34.00 grains rs62 b109, alpha brass, Cci 450 10x Each
2. 31.00 rs52 b109 cci450 Peterson brass 20x
3. 31.00 n150 b105 Alpha Cci450 20x
4. 34.00 n204 109b Alpha cci450 20x
5. 30.5 (5x) 30.74(5x) b109 31.00(10x) VV N150 Peterson cci450
All seated 30 thou from the lands ( I will tune grouping with the tuner) 1.820 CBTO measured with Hornady gauge

Rs 52 and 62 are reload Swiss powders. What is left on shelves here at the moment. N 204 is Norma. I’ll report back what shot best.
Chasing only low sd for now.

Edit Apr 8th:
31 VVN150 B105 ALPHA CCI450 AVG 2842 HIGH 2856 LOW 2830 ES 26 SD 7 (20x) is a good recipe. Same load in RS52 produces 2880 AVG and same results on paper.
b109 and 34 grains of RS62 or N204 are very accurate but slow, 2766 AVG for RS62 and 2711 for N204. Will work up half a grain or so when Alpha brass will grow a little more and the lands will erode. Peterson is good stuff with the faster powders, but I would work with slower powder just with Alpha OCD.

End of the year wrap up, with my season greetings…
In the end I found myself within the recommendations Francis Colon posted on FB few days ago.
my go to loads for PRS will be:
30.2 VV N140 or RS50 Alpha brass, cci450, Bergers 109, Bart’s Gungnir, Lapua Scenars or Hornady 106 ATips Dod
31 VV N150 and B105 (bee’s knees recipe) still with alpha or Peterson brass

both are single digit sd 2775-2800 velocity range, 10 rounds strings.
as an alternative 3375 rs62 or N160 will produce a nice 2730-2750 load with 115 dtacs in alpha ocd brass.
 
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I’m switching to the coated DTACs for ease of availability and price. I meant to order uncoated, but clicked the wrong one. Oh well.

Going to be using:
Alpha brass
CCI 450
31gn Varget (to stay conservative in all conditions)
Coated 115 DTAC

I want to give them a conservative jump too, around 60+ thousandths to try and keep them from the leade. Been having issues with carbon buildup in the leade/freebore causing bullets to get stuck if I don’t clean to bare metal before 200 rounds on tangent ogives.
 
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I’m switching to the coated DTACs for ease of availability and price. I meant to order uncoated, but clicked the wrong one. Oh well.

Going to be using:
Alpha brass
CCI 450
31gn Varget (to stay conservative in all conditions)
Coated 115 DTAC

I want to give them a conservative jump too, around 60+ thousandths to try and keep them from the leade. Been having issues with carbon buildup in the leade/freebore causing bullets to get stuck if I don’t clean to bare metal before 200 rounds on tangent ogives.
I’m doing the same but with Barnes 112s.
 
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They do work, but with virgin brass loaded -20 thou, I am getting pressure at 30.5gr of varget, 2730 fps.
Alpha brass? I’ve been running 31-31.5 for an assortment of projectiles (105-115) with no pressure issues on virgin or fired alpha brass. Seems to be a common theme, but unclear what causes it. I keep my powder at a fixed (58%) humidity though and I wonder if people experiencing pressure early have dried out powder that would have more kernels for a given weight.
 
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Well the 112s test was a little bit inconclusive. The barrel is still quite new ( 105 shots fired). I was getting 2784 fps with 34gr of H4350.

I took the opportunity to test the seating from 0.030" to 0.100". Everything was 3/4 expect for 0.040" that shot 0.4".

I’ll theist between 0.033" and 0.048" and continue shooting the same load until I hit 200 rounds.
 
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Well the 112s test was a little bit inconclusive. The barrel is still quite new ( 105 shots fired). I was getting 2784 fps with 34gr of H4350.

I took the opportunity to test the seating from 0.030" to 0.100". Everything was 3/4 expect for 0.040" that shot 0.4".

I’ll theist between 0.033" and 0.048" and continue shooting the same load until I hit 200 rounds.
Woah, my dasher shoots one ragged hole over a grain and a half OCW test in one tenth increments. Dasher shoots literally anything. I’d be concerned about the barrel’s ability.
 
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Woah, my dasher shoots one ragged hole over a grain and a half OCW test in one tenth increments. Dasher shoots literally anything. I’d be concerned about the barrel’s ability.
I’m sure I could find a meme about that lol.

The whole one ragged hole thing…

No load development was made yet since it only shot 105 rounds. I just took an arbitrary charge and decided to test the seating and it still shit a 0.4" group at one depth.

Not too worried. I bought the 112s for burning the first 200 rounds and for training to save my 109s.
 
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Did you work out any recipes? I'm curious to compare with mine. For reference I run 34.06gr of H4350 with Alpha OCD and 109 LRHT.
34.24gn RS62 under 109 LRHT are producing 2785 fps MV and single digit SD over 20 rounds sample. Nearly 100% case fill with Alpha brass.
Petersons can't handle that load nt enough room in there.
31gn RS52 (MV 2880, albeit a bit hot on the barrel) and 31gn VV N150 (MV 2840, much colder, but dirtier) are my go to loads at the moment for the 105 class bullets I have (Scenars 105 and Bergers 105 HT) either with Alpha or Peterson brass. SD still in the single digit range, and great result up to 900y. One ragged hole at 100, but I still have to test a load that does not shoot it in the Dasher, even loaded with dogshit.
 
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Has anyone tried the Berger 108 Elite hunter on game, yet? Wondering how they perform on wild pigs and deer.

I’m on my 3rd Dasher barrel. I also have one at A-Team Precision to be chambered. I’ve been testing the lower nodes with 107 SMK’s, 105 Hybrids and the 109 LR Hybrids. I’m really liking the SMK’s and 109’s slower. 2880-2900 for both. Very accurate and easy extraction in wet conditions.
I'm wondering about the 108 elite hunters as well. Just getting my dasher together for coyotes/ predators. Not saving pelts or anything just helping buddies with cattle.
 
I turned a 6mm HawkHill blank into a Dasher a few weeks ago. I haven’t had much time to do a proper load work up yet put this is very promising! The green target is 109 BHLR behind RL15.5 and 450’s. Both loads with Alpha Virgin brass. The 109 load is 2730 fps. I don’t have a speed on the 108 BEH yet
 

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I have now had a dasher for all of 3 weeks. It is a TL3 in a Foundation Genesis 2 with a Diamond single stage and an older 26” cut rifled rock creek from PVA. I have had it out shooting load development 5 different times. Today I went out for some confirmation and speeds of what seems to be working best. Been thru a bunch of different Varget loads with both 105 and 109 Hybrids. Can’t seem to get it to work so I quit fighting what was. For my set up a 450 primer in Alpha brass with 30.6 grains of 8208 xbr with both a 105 RDF and a 108 ELD seemed to be working pretty good. The 105 is going 2896 and the 108 is going 2887. The top 108 load was in new brass to see how it would shoot with no fireforming. Not quite as good as something that fits my chamber a little better. I have shot the RDF load to 750 so far and it’ll hold better than 3” at 750. This gun is the only thing that has rivaled my 6.5x47 in overall ease of development.

8p5b8v.jpg
 
I have now had a dasher for all of 3 weeks. It is a TL3 in a Foundation Genesis 2 with a Diamond single stage and an older 26” cut rifled rock creek from PVA. I have had it out shooting load development 5 different times. Today I went out for some confirmation and speeds of what seems to be working best. Been thru a bunch of different Varget loads with both 105 and 109 Hybrids. Can’t seem to get it to work so I quit fighting what was. For my set up a 450 primer in Alpha brass with 30.6 grains of 8208 xbr with both a 105 RDF and a 108 ELD seemed to be working pretty good. The 105 is going 2896 and the 108 is going 2887. The top 108 load was in new brass to see how it would shoot with no fireforming. Not quite as good as something that fits my chamber a little better. I have shot the RDF load to 750 so far and it’ll hold better than 3” at 750. This gun is the only thing that has rivaled my 6.5x47 in overall ease of development.

8p5b8v.jpg

It won’t shoot 105 or 109 hybrids w/ varget and you are calling the load development easy??🤔
 
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No
I have now had a dasher for all of 3 weeks. It is a TL3 in a Foundation Genesis 2 with a Diamond single stage and an older 26” cut rifled rock creek from PVA. I have had it out shooting load development 5 different times. Today I went out for some confirmation and speeds of what seems to be working best. Been thru a bunch of different Varget loads with both 105 and 109 Hybrids. Can’t seem to get it to work so I quit fighting what was. For my set up a 450 primer in Alpha brass with 30.6 grains of 8208 xbr with both a 105 RDF and a 108 ELD seemed to be working pretty good. The 105 is going 2896 and the 108 is going 2887. The top 108 load was in new brass to see how it would shoot with no fireforming. Not quite as good as something that fits my chamber a little better. I have shot the RDF load to 750 so far and it’ll hold better than 3” at 750. This gun is the only thing that has rivaled my 6.5x47 in overall ease of development.

8p5b8v.jpg
Try around 33 grains of h4350 with the 105 hybrid and see what it does for you. About 1.8 cbto
 
Yes. varget Is the only powder that hasn’t shot well. Shooters world Precision, N140, MP435, h4350 and xbr have all shot groups under 1/2” with some of the first loads I tried. And when I say “it won’t shoot with Varget”, that’s to The standards I want. It still shoots to around .75. But that’s not what I want out of this rifle.
 
Hey guys any recommendations on brass... Alpha or Peterson?
Have plenty of 4350 wanna pair with 105 hybrids ,Hodgdon docent show any loads on the on line manual
Any other place i can find data ?
 
Hey guys any recommendations on brass... Alpha or Peterson?
Have plenty of 4350 wanna pair with 105 hybrids ,Hodgdon docent show any loads on the on line manual
Any other place i can find data ?

If you want to go the H4350, and you care about velocity go Alpha. You will not be able to stuff enough powder in Peterson to reach 2800 mark, at least I couldn’t. If you stay with Varget/N140/Norma 203B and such then Peterson’s are great stuff, built like a tank ( that’s why you loose one full grain of water case capacity from Alpha and more from FF Lapua)
I got two jars of H4350, started 33 and worked up. YMMV as usual.
 
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Finally making the swap to dasher after years of shooting 6.5 creed. What dies are everyone using? I previously have used and had good lucking with the Redding type S. I’ve seen some recommendations for the SAC die or the micron die (doesn’t seem to be a bushing die but I could be wrong). Anyone had any luck or expierence with the new AREA419 M series dies? Thanks everyone
 
Finally making the swap to dasher after years of shooting 6.5 creed. What dies are everyone using? I previously have used and had good lucking with the Redding type S. I’ve seen some recommendations for the SAC die or the micron die (doesn’t seem to be a bushing die but I could be wrong). Anyone had any luck or expierence with the new AREA419 M series dies? Thanks everyone
I just went thru this. I ended up with the new Forster bushing die set. So far, I like it. Seems to be very consistent on both the sizing dies and the seating die.
 
Finally making the swap to dasher after years of shooting 6.5 creed. What dies are everyone using? I previously have used and had good lucking with the Redding type S. I’ve seen some recommendations for the SAC die or the micron die (doesn’t seem to be a bushing die but I could be wrong). Anyone had any luck or expierence with the new AREA419 M series dies? Thanks everyone
Save your money and just buy a faster twist 6.5 CM barrel and sling some heavies. That’s the current trend amongst guys winning matches.
 
Proof 26"
Peterson, virgin
CCI 450
Winchester StaBall Match 31.5gr
Hornady 105 @ 2.790" BTO
2743 fps, sd 6.6, es 17 - 5 shot group 87°F
Grouped just under .5 MOA.

This is a new barrel, only 40 rounds so far. I am hoping it speeds up to at least 2790.

I had some pressure signs so this powder may not be fast enough for use in Peterson brass . Is anyone else using Staball Match in the Dasher?
 
Proof 26"
Peterson, virgin
CCI 450
Winchester StaBall Match 31.5gr
Hornady 105 @ 2.790" BTO
2743 fps, sd 6.6, es 17 - 5 shot group 87°F
Grouped just under .5 MOA.

This is a new barrel, only 40 rounds so far. I am hoping it speeds up to at least 2790.

I had some pressure signs so this powder may not be fast enough for use in Peterson brass . Is anyone else using Staball Match in the Dasher?
I've been playing with Staball match quite a bit now. I really like it so far. I've shot Berger 108 elite hunters, Sierra 107's, and Barnes 112's. I can get them all to 2900fps + out of 26" proof barrels. I did a small data post over on accurate shooter with the 107. I went up to 34.5gr. This was all in Lapua brass mind you. It doesn't give me the tack driving accuracy of Varget or other extruded powders, but its still pretty good. I'm sure I can fix a lot of it with seating depth. Most of my testing I was using seating depths from loads developed with extruded powders.

Today I shot 33.8gr under a Barnes 112. 1.797 cbto. Lapua brass. It went 2897fps 6.6 SD for 5 shots. 1\2" group.

I've been using it in .308 as well with great success.

Concerning your pressure signs, I recently fire formed 200 peices of Peterson Dasher and had the same issue at the beginning. I was getting ejector marks with 29.5 gr of Varget and a 105bthp @ 2750 ish FPS. I had a few rounds that didn't go off and I had to hit them twice to get them to fire. It was driving me crazy. Then I realized that my virgin brass was ~ .011 short on headspace. So I moved my seating depth out to jam the bullet .020 and it fixed my problems. I somehow measured this incorrectly when I originally measured my virgin cases. Check you headspace.
 
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