Varmint Bullet

T

Twud

Guest
Need a benchrest quality bullet for varmint hunting (groundhogs).
The name brand bullets I've tried are giving me too much variation at the ogive to seat consistently, I'm trying to maintain .005" off the the lands.
6MM BR 1/12 68-80 grains
I getting seated variations at the ogive of up to .005"
Cost is no object.
 
SOUNDS LIKE A SEATING/LOADING PROCESS ISSUE. most name brand bullets are atleast that good in ogive variation.
 
I've found the Hornaday V-Max the most accurate varmint bullets I've shot. Almost as good as BR bullets in 22 cal and 6MM.
 
mike in co said:
SOUNDS LIKE A SEATING/LOADING PROCESS ISSUE. most name brand bullets are atleast that good in ogive variation.
Click to expand...

I agree with Mike.....


"I'm trying to maintain .005" off the the lands."

Not say'n that mass produced bullets are perfect.... But jumping these bullets doesn't give ya tops in accuracy..........

But, having said that... If you know that a .005 jump does shoot with actual BR bullets then......... Just shoot'em. Just make sure you know what is behind your target.
The Berger MEF or Varmint bullets measure pretty darn good and are a tab better at expanding... Otherwise shoot V-Max's in the lands.

cale
 
Reloading

I'm using Lapua brass turned to .010" for the tight neck. Redding competition micrometer dies and a Redding press. I'm getting .0005" run out on the Hammonds bullets and .0015" on the V-Maxes, but the V-Maxs are giving me
up to .008" length variation measured to the ogive. The man that built the gun built one for himself at the same time. He is getting his best accuracy at .005" off the lands.
 
Twud said:
I'm using Lapua brass turned to .010" for the tight neck. Redding competition micrometer dies and a Redding press. I'm getting .0005" run out on the Hammonds bullets and .0015" on the V-Maxes, but the V-Maxs are giving me
up to .008" length variation measured to the ogive. The man that built the gun built one for himself at the same time. He is getting his best accuracy at .005" off the lands.
Click to expand...


it is probably the redding seating die. i like redding dies, but this is not the first issue i have had or heard about with thier "better" seating die. the stem is too thin and distorts. is this a compressed load ?
my suggestion is to try another seater die.

mike in co
 
Not trying to be smart but how about a reality check. Are you shooting 1" groups and trying do better or 3/8" groups and trying to better them? I have a 6BR with a 1in14 twist that will shooot the (yea realy) Speer bulk 70gr TNT about .4-.5, I feel comfortable to 400 yards with it which is as far as I will shoot a 6BR.
 
I have seen seating variation due to a loose neck and the process of seating the bullet with the press. Slamming the handle down will really vary the seating depth due to the inertia of the bullet when done in a loose neck.

I also use Redding competition dies and have not had that issue when I check with a Davidson Compartator. However, the length of bullets vary within a box and if your are basing your variation in seating depth on Overall Cartridge Length they will vary, sometimes considerably.
 
Twud- - -

I've missed you for a while!!
You didn't say whether the variance was just measuring
the base of bullet to ojive or base of loaded round to
ojive. If it's just the bullet, separate the different lenghts
into batches, shoot them, did it really make a difference?
What ever the groups, it has to be MOORE fun than
the Weatherby I last remember you talking about!!!

If it isn't the bullet, you may have a seating stem
problem with your die/bullet combo.

Glad Your Back!!!!!!! Steve
 
Depth

I'm measuring with a Stoney Point gauge from the base to the ogive. I've also measured COAL, and the difference between rounds corresponds to the variance in the ogive measurement.
Steve,
That 257 is out being rebarreled, the lugs lapped, and the chamber seated. The barrel will be fully floated no forend band.
Mark
 
Twud,
If your getting that much variation, you plastic tip is bottoming out in your seater stem. Get that fixed and shoot those v-max's.

Hovis
 
Friends have reported larger ogive to case head variations than they would like when using the Redding micrometer seater according to directions (plastic tipped varmint bullets, 6BRs). I did some checking around and learned that if the body of the die is adjusted to make light contact with the shell holder, at the top of the ram stroke, that there may be some improvement. The die body is not hardened, so go easy.

Another friend, with a well built 6BR, has no trouble getting 3/8" groups and better when tune is right, shooting over flags, on an easy day. He has found that custom match bullets will do better, but finds that , in the field, the little that he is giving up in accuracy is more than made up for by the Blitzkings' significantly higher BC. He uses a Wilson seater.
 
Last edited:
Seating Dies

I've always wanted a hand die set up. Now may be the time. I'm expecting much better than 3/8" groups from this rifle. I can shoot that well with my heavy barreled Ruger in 22-250.

Thanks for all the advice,
Mark

bolt.jpg

Scan1.jpg


They are both 3 shot groups.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I have used...

...all sorts of BR bullets w/ J4 jackets on varmints and still do....Zia's, Fowlers, etc and they all blow up due to the fragile construction I guess?? Never had one not perform like you would want a varmint bullet to act. As stated, v-maxes are tough to beat for the price if you don't have any extra BR pills lying around.

pf
<><
 
One more thing...
Why the .005 off? Could you be trying to tell your rifle where it will shoot, instead of asking it where it wants to shoot? With my varmint rifles, I get better results .006 to .010 into the lands, and have never had a problem with pulling a bullet when unchambering a live round.
 
X2...

Boyd Allen said:
One more thing...
Why the .005 off? Could you be trying to tell your rifle where it will shoot, instead of asking it where it wants to shoot? With my varmint rifles, I get better results .006 to .010 into the lands, and have never had a problem with pulling a bullet when unchambering a live round.
Click to expand...

...I prefer a jump for all hunting rigs but I put them where the gun likes them for varmint guns. All my current varmint rigs like to scrape the bullet some.

All my big game rifles jump.

pf
<><
 
Being the same doesn't make them the same

Twud said:
I'm following my gunsmith's advice on seating depth.
Click to expand...

Following his advice, is good advice. However, it's possible that it might not be correct in this situation.

Just yesterday, I was shooting with a fellow BR competitor. He has two identical rifles - Same make barrel, same make/model action... The two guns did not shoot the same. One of them wanted more powder than the other.

I personally have three guns built by the same guy with the exact same barrel specs (same manufacturer, same twist, same dimensions, same reamer). To get them shooting the best, I have to load each different. One of them won't even shoot decent with the same powder.

Adrian
 
Boyd Allen said:
One more thing...
Why the .005 off? Could you be trying to tell your rifle where it will shoot, instead of asking it where it wants to shoot? With my varmint rifles, I get better results .006 to .010 into the lands, and have never had a problem with pulling a bullet when unchambering a live round.
Click to expand...

Seating depth from another rifle is practically meaningless. Experiment with different seating depths in your rifle and find what it likes.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top