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June 21st, 2008
Many readers have been asking: “When are the new 6mm plastic-tipped 111gr Tubb bullets going to be available?” Well, we talked to David Tubb, and he indicated the new DTAC 111-grain MJPT (Match Jacket Plastic Tip) bullets should start shipping next month. These bullets have a shorter bearing surface than the older DTAC 115s, so they should be more versatile, and not require rifles to be chambered with such a long throat. The Ballistic Coefficient, calculated on the bullet design, should be around 0.575. However, David notes that, as with all bullets, the exact BC is velocity-dependent.
CLICK HERE for DTAC 111 Information Sheet (.pdf file)
 David predicts that this new bullet will be more accurate than the DTAC 115 — David’s testing showed superior overall performance from the slightly lighter-weight projectile. The 111 should also be easier to tune than the 115. The 111-grainer’s bearing surface is .015″ shorter than the 115. The jacket draw on the 111 is shorter than a 107 SMK. David says: “Shorter draw translates to better jacket consistency.”
The new 111gr bullet features a plastic tip. This, David believes, provides more consistent bullet-to-bullet BC — and tests by others support that view, so long as the tips themselves are uniform and properly attached. David says: “The typical out-of-the-box bullet could have a spread of 10% in true BC, from bullet to bullet. With the plastic tips you cut down the BC variance considerably. What we’ve seen in field testing is a spread of only 2% in actual bullet BC. This has reduced the shot-to-shot velocity spread as actually measured at long range.” When bullets maintain more uniform speed over the course of flight, you may see tighter groups with reduced vertical spread, all other factors being equal.
This new DTAC 111 MJPT will be available either “naked” or coated with Boron Nitride (BN). Call (806) 323-9488 for current pricing and to place an order. Visit www.DavidTubb.com for more details.
June 20th, 2008
Berger has introduced a new type of 6.5mm bullet. This 140gr design features a thicker J4 jacket and a tangent (non-VLD) ogive. The thicker jacket should provide increased bullet durability when shot at high velocity through 6.5-284s and the short magnums. Berger’s testing showed that the 30-32″ barrels used on many long-range rifles produced increased frictional heat compared to 26-28″ barrels. The new, thick-jacket 140s should handle that heat better. The new bullets have a claimed BC of 0.593 and are designed for 1:9″ twist (or faster) barrels. These new bullets should work very well in 6.5-284 and 6.5×55 match rifles. (Berger does not recommend using its thick jacket bullets for hunting.)
Robert Whitley recently received some of the new bullets. He reports: “The 140gr ‘Thicks’ look great in all respects and I have no doubt they will shoot well based on their design and the obvious quality of manufacture. When you hold a Berger 140gr BT Thick Jacket bullet next to a Sierra 142gr MatchKing, the two look rather similar in length and shape, although the meplats of the Berger 140 gr bullets are closed up tighter.”
The nice, tight meplats on the new Berger 140gr BT “Thicks” should give these bullets an edge in BC compared to other tangent-ogive bullets in the same weight range. Additionally, based on our testing with bullet pointing tools, the small meplats should provide better BC consistency from bullet to bullet. With non-plastic-tipped bullets, we’ve found that the smaller the meplat, the better the BC uniformity.
More Thick Jacket Designs Coming — Including 7mm
The 6.5mm 140gr BT Thick Jacket is the first of a line-up of Thick Jacket bullets to be introduced by Berger in the coming months. Thick-jacketed match bullets will be offered in most of the popular calibers. Long-range shooters will be interested in the new 180gr BT Thick Jacket 7mm bullet. With a claimed BC of 0.642, this should be ideal for 1000-yard and F-Class shooters with .284 Win, 7mm WSM, and 7mm SAUM rifles.
June 17th, 2008
AccurateShooter.com has teamed with Robert Whitley and Carl Bernosky to develop a new AR15-based, 20-caliber rifle optimized for varminting. The chambering is a 20-223 with a PT&G (Kiff) reamer, aka the “20 Practical”, a name coined by Warren Brookman*. The cartridge uses standard .223 Remington brass. Case forming is simple — just neck down the brass (Robert did this in two steps, with .233″ and .225″ bushings). You do NOT have to move the shoulder back as with the 20 Tactical. You can even use your existing .223 Rem Redding dies by swapping out some internal components.
CLICK HERE to Watch 20 PRACTICAL AR VIDEO
While Carl is still working on special (top-secret) “furniture” to help the 20 Practical AR ride the bags, Robert was able to test the first complete 20 Practical AR upper built with a Bartlein barrel. Without any special load development, the gun has proved very accurate, putting 5 rapid-fire shots in a dime-sized group at 100 yards. Robert was using H335 with 40gr bullets. This load runs 3750 fps and Robert thinks more velocity may be possible with H335. We will also test other load recipes for both both 40gr and 32gr bullets. H322 should also be a good choice for both bullet weights. Quickload predicts H322 will send the 32-grainers past 4000 fps, and Warren Brookman says: “For both 32gr and 40gr bullets, Vihtavuori N133 is just about the perfect powder for the 20 Practical. It burns clean, delivers great accuracy and good velocity.”
Robert reports: “I loaded up some new brass today (Winchester brass, factory primed). I only used H335 and the Berger 40 gr BTHP bullets at about .010″ off the lands (2.228″ OAL). The thing is very accurate. First group shot off the bench after sight-in is shown in the video. Keep in mind this was done with no load work-up and I shot fast to ensure the video was not too long. The load was with 26.0 grains of H335 and the Berger 40-grainers going right around 3750 fps.”
If you shoot a .223 Rem currently it’s easy to load for the 20 Practical. You will need a Redding Type ‘S’ neck-bushing full-length sizing die, and Robert recommends a Redding Comp Seater. Then you’ll need some extra bits of kit:
1. Powder funnel that fits .20-Cal case mouths
2. Two neck bushings: .233″ and .225″
3. 20-Caliber cleaning rod with brushes, jag, patches, etc.
4. Decapping rod assembly for 20 Cal (a 204 Ruger one works perfectly — about $15)
*The 20 Practical chambering, a modern 20-223 Wildcat, was popularized by Warren Brookman, whose 20 Practical bolt gun was featured as our 61st Gun of the Week. In that 20 Practical Article, Warren explains the thinking behind the cartridge and shows how to adapt .223 Rem Redding dies.
June 13th, 2008
Put the same load in a variety of barrels (with the same length and chamberings) and you’ll see a wide variance in muzzle velocity. In fact, it’s not unusual to see up to 100 fps difference from one barrel to the next. We demonstrated this with a comparison test of Lapua factory ammo.
Chron Testing Lapua Factory Ammo
We recently chronographed Lapua 105gr 6mmBR factory ammo in three different 8-twist barrels of similar length. The results were fascinating. Lapua specs this ammo at 2790 fps, based on Lapua’s testing with its own 26″ test barrel. We observed a speed variance of 67 fps based on tests with three aftermarket barrels.
Brand ‘S’ and Brand ‘PN’ were pre-fit barrels shot on Savage actions. Brand ‘K’ was fitted to a custom action. All test barrels were throated for the 100-108 grain bullets, though there may have been some slight variances in barrel freebore. With a COAL of 2.330″, the rounds were “jumping” to the rifling in all barrels. Among the four barrels, Brand ‘PN’ was the fastest at 2824 fps average — 67 fps faster than the slowest barrel. Roughly 10 fps can be attributed to the slightly longer length (27″ vs. 26″), but otherwise this particular barrel was simply faster than the rest.
Results Are Barrel-Specific, Not Brand-Specific
These tests demonstrate that the exact same load can perform very differently in different barrels. We aren’t publishing the barrel-makers’ names, because it would be wrong to assume that ‘Brand X’ is always going to be faster than ‘Brand Y’ based on test results from a single barrel. In fact, velocities can vary up to 100 fps with two identical-spec barrels from the SAME manufacturer. That’s right, you can have two 8-twist, 26″ barrels, with the same land-groove configuration and contour, from the same manufacturer, and one can be much faster than another.
Don’t Demand More Than Your Barrel Can Deliver
We often hear guys lament, “I don’t get it… how can you guys get 2900 fps with your 6BRs and I can only get 2840?” The answer may simply be that the barrel is slower than average. If you have a slow barrel, you can try using more powder, but there is a good chance it may never run as fast as an inherently fast barrel. You shouldn’t knock yourself out (and over-stress your brass) trying to duplicate the velocities someone else may be getting. You need to work within the limits of your barrel.
 Factory Ammo Provides a Benchmark
If you have a .223 Rem, 6BR, .243 Win, 6.5×47 Lapua, 6.5×55, .308 Win, 30-06, or 300 WM Rifle, we recommend you buy a box of Lapua factory-loaded ammo. This stuff will shoot great (typically around half-MOA), and it can give you a baseline to determine how your barrel stacks up speedwise. When you complete a new 6BR rifle, it’s wise to get a box of the factory ammo and chronograph it. That will immediately give you a good idea whether you have a slow, average, or fast barrel. Then you can set your velocity goals accordingly. For example, if the factory 6BR ammo runs about 2780-2790 fps in your gun, it has an average barrel. If it runs 2820+ in a 26″ barrel (or 2835 fps in a 28″), you’ve got a fast tube.
June 13th, 2008
Erik Stecker of Berger Bullets confirmed that his company will be producing a new, high-BC 20-Caliber bullet this fall. The new bullet features a conventional, non-VLD tangent-ogive design for greater seating flexibility and, hopefully, increased precision. The new bullet should be the highest-BC bullet available to 20-Cal shooters from a major bullet-maker. Although production dies aren’t ready yet, Berger has set a 0.400 Ballistic Coefficient design goal for the bullet. That would be a significant step up from Berger’s current 50gr, 20-caliber bullet, which has a published BC of 0.295.
We expect the new 55-grainer to require an 1:8″ or faster twist barrel, but the exact twist required will depend on the final bullet dimensions when it is put into production. Expected ship date for the new 55gr bullet is “late August to early September”, according to Stecker. With the correct-twist barrel, the new bullet should work well in most popular 20-caliber chamberings, including 20 VarTarg, 20-223, 20 PPC, 20 BR, and .204 Ruger.
May 28th, 2008
Because of increased raw material and fuel costs, prices of bullets and brass have gone up dramatically in recent months. We are hearing from active shooters that cost considerations are influencing their decisions about what calibers and chamberings to shoot. There is a definite trend to smaller cartridges and lighter bullets.
One prominent match shooter told us: “I’ve been debating between a 6.5×47 Lapua and a 6-6.5×47. After comparing the cost of 6.5mm vs. 6mm bullets, I decided on the 6mm. If I save $7 bucks a box, and shoot 4000 rounds a year (40 boxes of bullets), that’s $280.00 in savings–enough to buy a new barrel.”
Here are some comparative bullet prices for 6mm, 6.5mm, 7mm, and 30-caliber bullets at Midsouth Shooters Supply. Prices are for a 100-count box. Note that the 6.5mm match bullets cost 25% more than the 6mms. For active shooters, the price difference adds up quickly.
| Brand |
6mm |
6.5mm |
7mm |
.308 |
| Berger |
105gr VLD
$27.57 |
140gr VLD
$34.25 |
168gr VLD
$39.15 |
190gr VLD
$41.53 |
| Sierra |
107gr MK
$24.61 |
142gr MK
$30.53 |
175gr MK
$29.16 |
200gr MK
$31.64 |
Here are brass costs for Lapua brass from Grafs.com. Prices are for 100-count boxes. Generally speaking, the bigger the case, the higher the price (except for the .308 Win).
| .223 Rem |
6mmBR |
6.5×47 Lapua |
.308 Win |
6.5-284 |
.338 Lapua Mag |
| $44.79 |
$62.39 |
$82.79 |
$54.99 |
$92.99 |
$211.99 |
Consider Barrel Life Also
Certainly, moving to a smaller caliber can often reduce what you have to pay for brass and bullets. On the other hand, you need to consider barrel life. Hot-loaded 6mms, such as a .243 Ackley, can burn up a barrel much more quickly than a .308 Winchester. In comparing the “operating costs” of various cartridges, you need to factor in barrel replacement costs as well as component prices.
May 27th, 2008
 Site Contributor Danny Reever has tested the bargain-priced PRVI Partizan .223 factory ammo in his 7-twist Sig 556 and AR15. He gives it a definite “thumbs-up”. Danny reports: “You should try some of the PRVI Partizan 75gr Match ammo. I was really surprised. This stuff shoots great. At 100 yards it delivered one MOA, easy, with my Sig 556. With a custom match rifle it might do even better. This is great ammo for the price. I’m going to buy more before the price goes up.”
Danny was also impressed with the brass: “This is quality brass, all boxer-primed and reloadable. For varminting and general-purpose use, I wouldn’t hesitate to stack it up against more expensive brands.”
PRVI Partizan G75gr HPBT Match .223 ammo, item PPA223MATCH, is available from Grafs.com for $10.99 per 20-round box, including shipping. Graf’s also stocks PRVI .223 ammo in other bullet weights: 55gr FMJBT (M193), 55gr SP, 223 REM 62gr FMJBT, and 69gr HPBT-MATCH.
PRVI Partizan 75gr Match ON SALE for $8.99/box
Now through May 31, 2008, MidwayUSA has the PRVI 75gr Match Ammo on sale (ITEM 790565). This is the same stuff that worked so well for Danny. The sale price is just $8.99 per 20-rd box, marked down from $11.99. You may want to jump on this deal before the price goes back up June 1st. (NOTE: 1:7″ or faster twist required.) Midway customers who have tried this ammo agree with Danny — this is quality 1 MOA or better ammo:
In my RRA Predator Pursuit rifle this ammo produces consistent 1 inch groups at 100 yards. Burns clean with no funky powder odors, no feed problems were encountered. Brass is clean and shiny, good practice and hunting round. Get it now before the price goes up. — Juan S., TX
Comparable to MUCH more expensive ammo in both accuracy, and terminal performance. EASILY shoots sub-MOA groups @ 200 yards from my RRA A4 Varmint. Stock up while you can! — Paul J., AL
I shot this ammo out of my Colt H-Bar AR 1-7 twist and got 1″, 5-shot groups at 100 yards. I doubt you’ll do better than that for this price. I will be ordering more. — David A., AL
Wideners has PRVI Partizan 75gr .223 Bulk Packs
Wideners.com also has large supplies of the PRVI Partisan 75gr .223 Match ammo. Price is $82.00 for 200 rounds (10 x 20-ct boxes), or $399.00 for 1000 rounds. The 1000-round price works out to $7.98 per 20 rounds.
Stan Widener tested the ammo and reports: “After firing, the brass was very clean and there was very little residue on the bolt carrier. Very clean powder. The ammo is made with MILAN BLAGOJEVIC powder and GINEX primers. There were no failures or misfeeds of any kind. All rounds functioned perfectly. The cases are very bright and shiny with military anneal mark. With no primer crimp to deal with, the brass should reload well. CONCLUSION: This is truly the best buy you can get in match 223 ammo.”
Great Price at AIM Surplus
Forum member Graymist notes that AIM Surplus has the PRVI Partizan 75gr BTHP Match for $8.25 per 20-rd box or $7.95 per box for 10 or more boxes (200 rounds or more.) Compare shipping costs with other vendors, however, to determine if this is the best deal, given your location. Remember Grafs.com includes shipping in their price.
May 10th, 2008
The Barnes Triple-Shock X-Bullet has long been considered one of the best hunting bullets for game hunters. The all-copper construction provides excellent expansion and very high weight retention. The absence of a lead core means this bullet is also legal in areas (such as parts of California) where lead-containing bullets are banned.
The big innovation in the new Tipped TSX bullet is the addition of a polymer tip. The tip increases the bullet’s Ballistic Coefficient (BC). Additionally, polymer-tipped bullets show less bullet-to-bullet variance in BC than do conventional bullets. More uniform BC can make your point of impact at long range more predictable, shot after shot.
The TSX bullet, like the previous Triple-Shock, has grooves, or “drive bands”, formed in the outer casing. This effectively reduces the bearing surface. The use of drive bands is a proven bullet technology that can reduce friction and barrel copper fouling, while allowing higher velocities for a given bullet weight.
The TSX bullet is available in these calibers and weights:
April 29th, 2008
Forum member Ron Tilley finished fourth overall at the recent NBRSA 600-Yard Nationals. This was an impressive performance for a relative newcomer to the 600-yard game without “local knowledge” of the Sacramento range. The top 3 finishers, Jerry Tierney, Peter White, and Craig St. Claire, all have extensive experience shooting at Sacramento.
While many of the top shooters were using a 6mm in Light Gun (such as a 6 Dasher or 6-6.5×47), Ron campaigned a 260 Ackley Improved. This is based on a 260 Rem case, with the shoulder blown forward to 40 degrees. Improving the 260 Rem case adds just enough extra capacity to get the 140gr-class bullets into the 2900+ fps velocity window where they seem to perform best.
Ron starts with Lapua 243 cases, necked up to 6.5 mm. He was shooting 140gr Berger VLD bullets, pushed by Hodgdon H4831sc powder and Russian primers. Ron says this combination has been “very accurate right out of the gate.” Ron’s 2920 fps load delivers 5-shot groups in the high teens and low twos, with very low ES and SD. In the video interview below, Ron explains the merits of the 260 AI cartridge, and offers tips on case prep and loading for accuracy.
CLICK HERE to WATCH TILLEY VIDEO
Ron was shooting an eye-catching rifle. It featured a carbon fiber and wood Terry Leonard stock, BAT Action, and Nightforce scope. With all-premium components, Terry’s 260AI is a beautiful rig that shoots as good as it looks.
April 24th, 2008
Forum member Skeeter has put together a new 6mm Dasher falling block varmint rifle. The Dasher case is based on the 6mm BR Norma cartridge with the shoulder blown forward about 0.100″ and out to 40°. This gives the Dasher roughly 3.5 grains added capacity compared to the standard 6BR.
Skeeter needed to form 300 cases for an upcoming varmint holiday. Skeeter decided to fire-form his brass without bullets. This method avoids barrel wear* and saves on components. There are various ways to do this, but Skeeter chose a method using pistol/shotgun powder, some tissue to hold the powder in place, Cream of Wheat filled to within an 1/8″ of top of the neck, and a “plug” of tissue paper to hold it all in place. Shown below are cases filled with a pistol/shotgun powder charge topped with Cream of Wheat and then a tissue paper plug.
To ensure the case headspaced firmly in his Dasher chamber, Skeeter created a “false shoulder” where the new neck-shoulder junction would be after fire-forming. After chamfering his case mouths, Skeeter necked up all his cases with a 0.257″ mandrel (one caliber oversized). Then he used a bushing neck-sizing die to bring the top half of the neck back down to 0.267″ to fit his 0.269″ chamber. The photo below shows how the false shoulder is created.
After creating the false shoulder, Skeeter chambered the cases in his rifle to ensure he could close the bolt and that he had a good “crush fit” on the false shoulder, ensuring proper headspace. All went well.
The next step was determining the optimal load of pistol powder. Among a variety of powders available, Skeeter chose Hodgdon Titewad as it is relatively inexpensive and burns clean. The goal was to find just the right amount of Titewad that would blow the shoulder forward sufficiently. Skeeter wanted to minimize the amount of powder used and work at a pressure that was safe for his falling block action.
Working incrementally, Skeeter started at 5.0 grains of Titewad, working up in 0.5 grain increments. As you can see, the 5.0 grain charge blew the shoulder forward, but left it a hemispherical shape. At about 7.0 grains of Titewad, the edge of the shoulder and case body was shaping up. Skeeter decided that 8.5 grains of Titewad was the “sweet spot”. He tried higher charges, but the shoulder didn’t really form up any better. It will take another firing or two, with a normal match load of rifle powder and a bullet seated, to really sharpen up the shoulders. Be sure to click on the “View Larger Image” link to get a good view of the cases.
The process proved to be a success. Skeeter now has hundreds of fire-formed Dasher cases and he hasn’t had to put one bullet through his nice, new match-grade barrel. The “bulletless” Cream of Wheat method allowed him to fire-form in a tight-necked barrel without neck-turning the brass first. The only step now remaining is to turn the newly Dasher-length necks down about .0025″ to fit his 0.269″ chamber. (To have no-turn necks he would need an 0.271″ or 0.272″ chamber).
Skeeter didn’t lose a single case: “As for the fire-forming loads, I had zero split cases and no signs of pressure in 325 cases fire-formed. Nor did I have any misfires or any that disbursed COW into the action of the firearm. So the COW method really worked out great for me and saved me a lot of money in powder and bullets.” To learn more about Skeeter’s fire-forming process, read this Dasher Fire-Forming Forum Thread.
*Skeeter did have a fire-forming barrel, but it was reamed with a .269 chamber like his 10-twist Krieger “good” barrel. If he fire-formed with bullets, he would have to turn all 300 necks to .267″ BEFORE fire-forming so that loaded rounds would fit in the chamber. Judging just how far to turn is problematic. There’s no need to turn the lower part of the neck that will eventually become shoulder–but how far down the neck to turn is the issue. By fire-forming without bullets now he only has to turn about half the original neck length, and he knows exactly how far to go.
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