6BR Shines at 500 Yards with PacNor Barrel
You don’t hear much about PacNor barrels in long-range competition, but FORUM member Wes J (aka P1ZombieKiller), proved that they can shoot “lights-out” in a rig assembled by a talented gunsmith. Wes tells us: “Since I restocked my 6BR more than a year ago, I have not had a chance to shoot it much since I have been playing the 100-200 game. Well, last week I decided to take it out and do some playing at 500 yards. I have to give some serious props to my buddy (and fellow FORUM member) ‘PREACHER’ who did the chambering and barrel work for me. He can certainly make a gun shoot good. The barrel is a PacNor 1:8″ twist. My load was 105gr Berger VLDs pushed by 29.6 grains of Varget.” The five-round, 500-yard group shot by Wes J with his 6BR, measured just 1.240″, as measured by OnTarget software. Now that’s one accurate rig!
This Editor knows something about the potential of a PacNor barrel. I have a 3-groove stainless PacNor SuperMatch on my trusty Savage-actioned 6BR. This barrel shoots quarter-MOA or better in calm conditions, and it cleans up super-easy. The interior finish is so good, I’ve never had to brush the bore or use abrasives, and after 750 rounds it shoots as well as ever. I attribute the easy cleaning to the fact the lands in a PacNor 3-groove are wide and flat, so they are gentle on bullet jackets. I think accuracy is helped by the fact that PacNors run on the tight side (0.236 land dimension) with a good amount of choke. That works well with the 105gr Lapua Scenars and 103gr Spencers I like to shoot. You can read more about my rifle, nick-named the “Poor Man’s Hammer”, in this Feature Article from our archives. In its last outing the Poor Mans’ Hammer put 3 shots in under 0.200″ (measured center to center) at TWO Hundred yards. If you get a good one, PacNor three-grooves can definitely shoot.
Target Measurement with OnTarget Software
We used OnTarget software to measure the 5-shot group in the target above. This easy to use software is very repeatable, once you get a feel for plotting the shots. The basic version 1.10 of OnTarget is FREE, while there’s a modest $11.99 registration fee for version 2.10. In addition to group size (in inches), OnTarget plots distance to aiming point, and the software automatically calculates the group’s vertical height, horizontal dispersion, average to center (ATC), and group size in MOA.You can run a measurement on a scanned target or a photo of a target. You’ll need some known reference to set the scale correctly. The target above had a one-inch grid so it was easy to set the scale. Once you’ve set the scale and selected bullet diameter and target distance, you simply position the small circles over each bullet hole and the OnTarget software calculates everything automatically, displaying the data in a data box superimposed over the target image. To learn more about OnTarget Software, read AccurateShooter.com’s OnTarget Product Review. This article covers all the basics as well as some advanced “power user” tips.
Similar Posts:
- 1.240″ Group at 500 Yards — PacNor Barrels Can Definitely Shoot
- PacNor Barrels Can Shoot — 1.240″ Group at 500 Yards Is Proof
- Ron Boyd Shoots 1.462" 5-Shot Group at 1000 Yards
- Measure Your Groups Precisely with OnTarget Software
- OnTarget Software Measures Group Sizes from Scan or Photo
Tags: 6mmbr, OnTarget software, PacNor, Preacher, Varget
I wonder why its so trendy to put a muzzle brake on light recoiling guns such as the 6br. It is legal according to the rule book, but unpleasant to share the firing line with.
EDITOR: Tanner, for most shooters, the benefit is reduced pitching, rolling, and jumping on the bags — more so than reduced force felt on the shoulder. The gun “stays put” better, and this allows the shooter the return the gun to battery more quickly. Guys tell us that, with the brake, they have to do less fiddling to put the cross-hairs back on the target for the subsequent shot.
I would agree. I shoot a very heavy 6.5BPC and while the recoil is negligible it does pop and twist, forcing me to adjust every shot. If I were to compete with a gun like that I would DEFINITELY use a break.
Thank you for the feedback.
I’ve been using Pacnor exclusively for the last 4 years (Super match grade 30″ 6.5×284 1:9 Polygonal is my favourite)with similar results. Can’t see any reason to change. It certainly shoots better than I can!
Is it possible to identify the Make / Model of the Rifle Stock ? Thanks.
the stock is a handmade stock that was given to me by a very dear friend.