6mm BRA anyone?

[BULLBLASTER]

I started this rifle over the summer and finally got to shoot it last weekend. Heavy precision rifle chambered in 6mm BRA. Should be around 2900 with a 105 grain bullet.

[pianoman9701]

That's a cool-looking gun. How about some close ups?

[Jonathan_S]

That's a HEAVY son of a gun

[BULLBLASTER]

Here’s another picture. Don’t judge me for my Pepsi cans! I only drink them on the weekend. 

And yes it’s around 19 or so on with the scope.

[b23]

If I recall the 6mm BRA is a 6mm BR but with the shoulder blown out to 40 degrees, yes?

I know there are quite a few variants of the 6mm BR "improved" like the BRA, BRX, and Dasher.  They all seem to be very easy to load for and shoot well, but, for me, I don't really understand why you would go through the extra work of fireforming to gain such little case capacity when there is the 6 Creedmoor available, but like I said, that's just me and everyone has their likes and dislikes.

I'm sure it'll be a shooter, they always are. 

[Alchase]

Those stubby's look like 243WSSMs with a way bigger pill!
 

[Karl Blanchard]

If I recall the 6mm BRA is a 6mm BR but with the shoulder blown out to 40 degrees, yes?

I know there are quite a few variants of the 6mm BR "improved" like the BRA, BRX, and Dasher.  They all seem to be very easy to load for and shoot well, but, for me, I don't really understand why you would go through the extra work of fireforming to gain such little case capacity when there is the 6 Creedmoor available, but like I said, that's just me and everyone has their likes and dislikes.

I'm sure it'll be a shooter, they always are. 

I can't answer for chris but I'd imagine that lapua brass is a big plus, he already has a creedmoor, you arent hitting 2900fps with 30gr of powder and a 105 in a creedmoor and a barrel need some rounds to brake in and speed up so fireforming isnt really a big deal. I know when I fireform, i do a quick brake in, zero, chrono, and then i just shoot that thing like i would if it was a finished load. Bang steel, have fun, form brass, speed up barrel. Then get to fine tuning.

[BULLBLASTER]

Karl is exactly right. It won’t replace my 6 creedmoor but it’ll do most of what I currently use the creed for. The benefits are less powder, less heat, longer barrel life, easy loading and great es and sd. I’ve only been shooting my creed at 2950 anyhow.
With the br size cases the load can stay consistent for much longer also. Mostly just a different gun for different types of shooting. This is what lots of the NRL and PRS comp shooters are starting to use. Very heavy gun and low recoil. I’m going to try and shoot a few more matches this year.
As for the fire forming I typically don’t start load development on brand new brass and like to get 100 or so round through the barrel also before starting so that isn’t a concern to me. 

The next barrel on my 6 creedmoor will be a 7 twist to use 115 grain bullets hopefully in the mid to upper 2900s.

[BULLBLASTER]

It’s currently shooting fireform loads of 105  at 2800+ and 1/2 moa

[hogslayer]

The 6BRA is a very accurate round.  I have a bench gun in the chambering.  2930-2950 with H4895 and 103 vapor trails is very accurate.  The main reason people don't use bigger chambering's is recoil, accuracy, barrel lift.  I know one guy that sneaks a 6 creed in a match every once in a while.  The shorter/fatter cartridges are usually easier to tune and stay in tune longer IMO.  I have seen a trend in PRS that are leaning towards the 6 Dasher, 6 BRA variants. L.E. WIlson makes a 6 Dasher seating die that has .0005 click adjustment that is awesome.  Harrels makes a very good bushing die for the 6 BRA.  Let me know if you need some H4895.  I have an extra 8 pounder.  It's what all the bench guys un.  30.1-30.4 grains.

[BULLBLASTER]

There are a few places with h4895 in stock right now so I’m planning on ordering an 8 next week. If it all sells out by then I may hit you up. Thanks hogslayer.
Still got a couple hundred brass to form before working on the final formed load but was thinking somewhere in the 30-30.5 range would be good. My barrel is 28 inches. Going to be weird changing charge weight by 0.1 when I am used to larger cases and adjusting by .5 or more. Haha

[Yondering]

I understand the appeal of smaller cartridges like this. The one I use is similar but slightly smaller (243 LBC in an AR), pushing 105s to 2800 with ~29gr of powder, but more or less in the same class of cartridges. Very low recoil and muzzle blast, mild powder consumption, etc all make these very pleasant to shoot. I do the Creedmoor as well, but ~30gr of powder vs ~45-ish gr makes a difference, not that there's any flies on the Creed either.

[Alchase]

I understand the appeal of smaller cartridges like this. The one I use is similar but slightly smaller (243 LBC in an AR), pushing 105s to 2800 with ~29gr of powder, but more or less in the same class of cartridges. Very low recoil and muzzle blast, mild powder consumption, etc all make these very pleasant to shoot. I do the Creedmoor as well, but ~30gr of powder vs ~45-ish gr makes a difference, not that there's any flies on the Creed either.

I was just reading this from the 6.5 Grendel Forum,

"Posted by The Wolverine
 
Myself and a buddy are the ones that designed the 243LBC. I have a 6x45, and love it, but wanted more speed, was thinking 6PPC, then decided on more case capacity and decided to lengthen the PPC 70 thousandths, and use necked down Grendel brass with 6PPC dies.

I had never even heard the name Robert Whitley, until the first discussion with our reamer manufacture, he brought up his name, and that he was doing something similar. Mr. Whitley has done some awesome work. and has probably forgotten more about wildcatting than I know.

I did not do this to compete with anyone, I did this because I wanted one, and it has kinda taken on a life of it's own.

I am not sure where the 85gr at 2800fps came from, but I am getting over 2800fps with a 100gr Partition out of a 20'' barrel that has to be loaded to 2.195 OAL because we designed the 243LBC with a VLD chamber. I am getting no pressure signs, and have plenty of case capacity left to work up more speed, but the accuracy is so good, I have not tried for more speed yet.

Hydeotech, you do run the case all the way into the 6PPC die, it is full length resizing all but the last 70 thousandths of the case at the web which is the strongest part of the case. One of BHW Prostaff has 12 reloads on Lapua brass and has had no problems, that same Prostaffer is getting 2965fps with a 95gr VLD out of a 20'' barrel.

Paul"

I have not reloaded in years, but these make me want to start all over again, love Wildcats 

[Yondering]

Yep I shoot the 95 VLD as well in the 243 LBC, my accuracy load is at 2925 fps from my 24" barrel and it does very well.

Don't want to distract from Bullblaster's rifle and cartridge though.

[BULLBLASTER]

Yep I shoot the 95 VLD as well in the 243 LBC, my accuracy load is at 2925 fps from my 24" barrel and it does very well.

Don't want to distract from Bullblaster's rifle and cartridge though.

Distract away! I like to read about it.

[BULLBLASTER]

Still working on fireforming my brass. Found a pretty dang good load for it though.  with 105 at 2750.
That is 5 shots at 110 yards.

[Jonathan_S]

It's an awesome "little gun" I refuse to shoot it because I'm sure I'd be hooked

[Reidus]

Im pretty sure that's 2 bullet holes, not 5!

[Jonathan_S]

That gun is a laser beam and ol BULLBLASTER can freaking shoot. I've heard tell he gets a little excited when it's time to shoot at fur but he is a cool cucumber at the range

[BULLBLASTER]

Im pretty sure that's 2 bullet holes, not 5!

just imagine if I hadn’t pulled the one! 

[BULLBLASTER]

That gun is a laser beam and ol BULLBLASTER can freaking shoot. I've heard tell he gets a little excited when it's time to shoot at fur but he is a cool cucumber at the range

Hey I only get excited when my rifle chamber freezes up and I can’t get a cartridge in! And when I shoot moose or elk. Or big deers.... and coyotes.

[Reidus]

Im pretty sure that's 2 bullet holes, not 5!

just imagine if I hadn’t pulled the one! 

Then you'd just have a one shot group



 

Kinda tempting me to build something like that.

[BULLBLASTER]

Im pretty sure that's 2 bullet holes, not 5!

just imagine if I hadn’t pulled the one! 

Then you'd just have a one shot group



 

Kinda tempting me to build something like that.

My one shot groups are always the best! It’s all downhill from there.

[yorketransport]

I've played with the BR, BRX and the Dasher but the BRA seems to really be catching on lately.

What's your fire forming load? It's shooting great, but the velocity is lower than I would have expected. That's not much over the 2670 fps I get from a 19" barreled 6 BR pistol with 30.3gr of Varget and a 105gr bullet.

[BULLBLASTER]

I've played with the BR, BRX and the Dasher but the BRA seems to really be catching on lately.

What's your fire forming load? It's shooting great, but the velocity is lower than I would have expected. That's not much over the 2670 fps I get from a 19" barreled 6 BR pistol with 30.3gr of Varget and a 105gr bullet.

It’s a pretty mild load I think. 28.5 grains h4895 with a 105 vld .007 ish off the lands. I was at 29 and jam with the bullet and was getting heavy bolt lift so I backed it off some.

30.3 is a case full of varget in a br isn’t it?

I wouldn’t have thought id see you commenting here. I mean it burns less than 100 grains and is only a 6mm.

I was actually very close to making a brx instead but a buddy (who shoots brx) talked me out of it. 

[yorketransport]

I've played with the BR, BRX and the Dasher but the BRA seems to really be catching on lately.

What's your fire forming load? It's shooting great, but the velocity is lower than I would have expected. That's not much over the 2670 fps I get from a 19" barreled 6 BR pistol with 30.3gr of Varget and a 105gr bullet.

It’s a pretty mild load I think. 28.5 grains h4895 with a 105 vld .007 ish off the lands. I was at 29 and jam with the bullet and was getting heavy bolt lift so I backed it off some.

30.3 is a case full of varget in a br isn’t it?

I wouldn’t have thought id see you commenting here. I mean it burns less than 100 grains and is only a 6mm.

I was actually very close to making a brx instead but a buddy (who shoots brx) talked me out of it.

I’m a big fan of the BR and all the variants. They really get a lot of performance out is a tiny little package.

30.3gr of Varget is the go-to load for the 6br and a 105gr bullet. Every BR I’ve shot worked well with something between 30.0 and 30.3gr of Varget

[BULLBLASTER]

Good to know. I’m still pretty new to it all. I’m hoping to end up around 2900 FPS five or take. So far this thing is accurate with mostly everything except nosler rdf. They are 1.5 moa 

[hogslayer]

I am going to be trying some 103 Roy Hunter bullets soon.  I have been using 103 Vapor Trails.  I do have some 110 SMK for fire forming.  Have heard enough stories about them to not waste time chasing accuracy. 

[Hairhunter]

  I have a 6Xc sporter weight that shoots Bugholes.

[BULLBLASTER]

I am pretty sure I’ll be settling on 105 vlds at 2860. It’s consistently sub 1/2 and closer to 1/4 moa. Not a hot load by any means but not any risk of running into pressure from environmentals.

[yorketransport]

I’m not surprised that it’s shooting well for you at that velocity, 2850-2950 seems to be the sweet spot for 105s in the BR variants. I’m with you, I’ll take 1/4 MOA over 100 FPS. I’ve got a 7 SAUM that prints 5 shot groups under .2” at 100 with a 168 at 2860 FPS. It’s well below the performance I could get but it shoots so well I just leave it alone.

[BULLBLASTER]

This was the speed today over the chrono when I went to sight in a new scope and check the powder charge. Shoots very well at this speed and holds accuracy well out to the 1000 i shot today.
Struggled a little while zeroing because the scope has 1/4 mil hash marks and I was thinking they were 1/2. Took me a few shots to realize why it was over correcting so much every time.   

[hogslayer]

Personally have had issues with zeroing and Magneto attached on every rifle it has changed poi in a big way.

[Karl Blanchard]

Personally have had issues with zeroing and Magneto attached on every rifle it has changed poi in a big way.

chris doesn't zero with chrono attached I'm quite certain.

[BULLBLASTER]

I can assure you I do in fact know how to zero a rifle. Believe it or not... 

I typically don’t but with this gun for whatever reason it makes exactly zero difference with or without chrono.

I shot it both ways at 100 yards today and the zero didn’t change.

The 0.95 inch muzzle diameter might have something to do with it.

[hogslayer]

Just trying to help. I learned that the hard way a few years ago.   

[hogslayer]

I took the 6 BRA out last Saturday and did some powder testing along with some scope tracking/poi testing.  First time out with powder and shot a nice 1/2" group at 300 yards.   I will be taking it down to the 600 yard match in Eatonville in a few weeks and see how it does.

[pianoman9701]

  That's a nice group.

[b23]

I took the 6 BRA out last Saturday and did some powder testing along with some scope tracking/poi testing.  First time out with powder and shot a nice 1/2" group at 300 yards.   I will be taking it down to the 600 yard match in Eatonville in a few weeks and see how it does.

Just about anyone would be happy with that group at 100 yards, let alone 300.  Nice job and well done! 

[hogslayer]

It’s slightly under 17 pounds and is a full on bench gun.  I was really happy about it to.  First time playing with it.  103 Vapor Trials.  About 2930.  There was some worse groups with lower powder charges.  But only show the best ones!