I just got a 6mmVLS a few weeks ago and it seems to like both of these bullets flying pretty well at 3465fps for the TNT's and 3485 for the BT. It's turning in .3's with either at 100 and 1.5 at 300. I have never shot many varmints with either one! What are your thoughts on the two? I have probably killed more groundhogs with 75 grain Speer HP in a .243 than I'll ever see again(and yours included) but just tried these two bullets and they seem to work! The 87 grain VMax's are EXTREMELY consistent in this rifle also! Just a wee bit slower than what I'd like to see for long range stuff. They are doing 3263 and shooting in the low .3's! Just some of your ideas if you will! Thanks, GHD

I've never shot the TNT so I can't compare em, but I do shoot the 70 grain Ballistic Tip in a 6BR. I'm just a little over 3,300 and even at that it'll spread a P-Dog over about 15 feet at 300 yards. Very accurate.

Groundhog Devastation,

I guess if your looking to get long range performance out of your 6mm, of the two I would choose the Ballistic Tip for its higher B.C. numbers and higher velocities.

Depending on what range you concider "Long Range", you would be better served with the heavier 87gr V-Max at lower velocites if we are talking over 500 yards.

At ranges over 500 yards, high B.C.'s are more important then velocity. Bullet drop is easy to correct for with a mil-dot style scope and it is also consistant always, no matter where you are.

What is very hard to correct for is wind drift which is a constant variable. The heavier slower bullets will cut wind drift at long range over the faster lighter bullets.

If youare talking about ranges less then 500 yards. The 70 gr Ballistic Tip will do just as well.

From what I have seen with the medium size 6mm's on chucks at ranges out past 400 yards, they really lack the energy to anchor a big chuck without s front end, solid hit. They work fine but a hit a bit far back will result in a lost chuck.

And for those that say they can hit a chuck in the head or chest everything under field conditions at 500 yards and beyond, your a better shot then I.

Hope this helps a little, out to a bit over 400 yards I would go with the 70 gr Ballistic Tip. Anything ove rthat, I would put the light bullets away and pull out the heavier stuff.

Good SHooting!!!

50

Hey - I am just getting ready to load some 70 gr. BT's for my 243 win. Any ideas on where to start?? Thanks Maddog

Maddog,

I would start with either 40.0 gr of VarGet and work up or 45.0 gr H-414 and go up from there.

Out of a 24" barrel these starting loads will be good for 3400-3500 fps and with top loads you should break 3600 fps without much trouble.

Good Shooting!!!

50

Fiftydriver, The 6mm shot the 87 grain VMax's into 1.13" at 300 yards today so I think I'll play with that one awhile!
MADDOG, in your .243 try 41.0 grains of VARGET and the 70 Nosler BT!!! If it doesn't shoot well it will be the first .243Win I've ever heard of that wouldn't!!! GHD

Fiftydriver, I just shot the 6mm again today and it did under 1/2 inch at 300 AND 400 yards using them "ole slow 87's!!!!" Guess what's going to be stuffed in all my brass!!! The 70BT and the 87 VMax are neck and neck out to 500 but after that the 87 has an advantage! I'll take accuracy over velocity n most anyday and this one has the accuracy!!!
MADDOG, Just like fiftydriver said and also me, VARGET is probably going to be a winner in your .243 and also try the H-414 as I got great accuracy using 46.0 grains of 414 and the 70 grain BT in the .243. HOWEVER, I buy VARGET in 8lb cans instead of 1lb anymore! If there is a better powder out there I haven't seen it!!! GHD

Groundhog Devastation,

Sounds like a hell of a shooter. Obviously you can load match ammo as well as shoot to the same level as well.

There is very little more satisfing then walking up to a 1/4 mile target and seeing a half inch group.

Will on paper the two bullets are identical out to 500 yards, I have always found that on targets such as chucks(hogs) and coyotes, the heavier pills stop the fight much quicker then the light bullets.

Congrats on such a fine rifle, sounds like your ready for yet another varmint season and well armed.

Good SHooting!!!

50

I like the TNT's but I just finished up a box of 6mm 72gr. Barnes Varminator that shot at least as well in my 6m 30-30 AI and its a sub .500" gun. Pretty cheap too!

50, They're starting to come out around here! I saw a couple today but I try to wait until they have time to "reseed" for next year on my normal hunting spots! Wait till midMay to June 1 before getting serious on them places! I'll shoot a few before then on overgrown kudzu banks or places that get too overgrown for decent shooting during "season"! Got to try this one out! Where is Vaughn MT? Only place I'm familiar with out there is the Miles City area up to Cohagen.....love that area!!! GHD

I use the Nosler 70gr. Bal.Tip in my .243Win., and it's certainly a winner. Not only is it an accurate bullet but devastating on woodchuck. I just purchased a Remington VLS in 6mm Rem. and feel sure it will do well there also. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Groundhog Devastation,

I agree with your seeding program, us varmint hunters need to make sure those little vermin get enough babies on the ground for next season.

I live on a small 60 acre plot in the sticks about 15 miles west of Great Falls which is about 6 hours northwest of Miles City.

Took my 221 FB out a few times already to clean up the hay field of gophers as soon as possible but in my serious hunting areas, I will wait another month or possibly two depending on the weather.

Will hit the chucks hard from now on, if its sunny and calm, they will be out even down to 32 degrees sunning themselves.

Good Shooting!!!

50

I turned my 6mm into a 6mmAI 70grBT just over 3800fps. five shot group at.3. Makes every thing into red mist.

Groundhog D;

Once you mentioned that you have used the Hornady 75 grain HP in the past, curious as to why you would change?

I have used that same bullet for a long time. Inexpense, untrendy, and just works! I have tried the ballistic tips and the TNT. Although I use them in 22 caliber, I just love the 75 grain HP too much to change.

With the 6mm Rem, I don't know if you have noticed that on this same site where they post some of the rifle loads that they tasted ( Walter, Saeed et al), but they have a load for a 6 mm Rem, using H 414, using up to 51 grains and list a muzzle velocity at 3900 plus!!

Have you tried that? Seems unbelievable. Due to all the rain out our way, have not had a chance to work up to that level and chronograph it. It also listed their tightest group with that powder at that velocity. I am going out to shoot ground squirrels this Sunday, since they are finally running.

Good luck with that 6mm and let us know how she does once Wood chuck season hits down your way. ( I am a native from child hood down your way, most of my relatives still live there.
Giles Co VA and Monroe and Mercer Co WVA.)

Cheers
Seafire

seafire, I know Giles Co well! I went to school at VA TECH and hunted a lot in Giles, Craig, Pulaski(still hunt in these places sometimes) and I go to Mercer Co several times a year! As far as 51 grains of H414 and a 75 grain bullet in a 6mm......I'm not pulling the trigger!!! The highest published load I've seen for that one is 47.5 grains from Hodgdon's book! Most manuals stop at 46.0! I did shoot 49 grains of H414 and the 70 grain BT in my 243AIthat gave 3764fps and were fairly accurate and consistent.
As far as the post about my using 75 grain Hornady HP, I used a bookoo of 75 grain SPEER HP years ago in a 243 Winchester! My load for that one was 36.0 grains of 3031 and a CCI BR2 primer. It would tend to dispatch groundhogs pretty readily! Not the fastest load on the block but accurate! GHD

GHD:

After our little exchange on the H 414 loadings posted one Accurate Reloadings main page, I did load up some 75 grain HPs in the old Remington( a long action) in 6mm.

OAL was 74.76 mms, and the primer was a CCI LR. Cases were Remington.

The boom was louder than my 223s for sure, but I have been shooting them a lot lately, so the boom for the 6mm may not have been out of line for a 6mm.

I loaded up and went out and shot one round each in the rifle just to see if I had pressure problems. Went with 48 grains, 49, 50 and 51 grains of H 414. NO PRESSURE PROBLEMS AT ALL. The case with 51 grains was resized and a new primer went in as tight as before. The 51 grain load was in a new Rem case.

Haven't had a chance to go out and chronograph the results, but will let you know, the results. I have to go up to Seattle to bail and account out of some problems the next few days, so it may not happen until this weekend.

I shoot my loads into a arbitrary tree in the woods nearby and I can tell you, a 75 grain HP from a 6mm Remington with 51 grains of H 414, sure makes the bark fly!!!

Inpact on a varmint would probably be equivalent to a rocket launcher if the bark flying was any indication. The bullet passed thru the tree and blew a hole and surrounding bark was blow off about 9 to 10 inches above and below the exist hole on the tree.

The tree is a myrtle wood tree, and was about 12 inches in diameter. I shot it from about 25 yrds. Several hunks of bark off of the back of the tree were about 10 feet from the tree.

Bet on a wood chuck or a prairie dog it would be a case of " NOW YOU SEE IT, NOW YOU DON'T".

Cheers and good shooting,
Seafire

As an update to the post about seeing that Accurate Reloading lists a load with a 6mm Rem and a 75 grain VMax and 51 grains of H 414.



I finally had the opportunity to go out and chronograph some of these this morning in a 6mm Remington, with a 24 inch barrel.



Cases were Remington, primer was CCI LR and wt was 51 grains of H 414. Bulllet was a Hornady 75 grain HP seated to an OAL of 74.76mm. This rifle is a Model 700 Long Action ADL rebarreled from 30/06 to 6mm Rem.



Velocity from a cold barrel,

1. 3759

2. 3775

3. 3793

4. 3823



So the velocity increased as the barrel heated up.

The cases were necked sized in a Redding Die.



Hope anyone can find this useful. Hope to get to the range and test the accuracy leve. This particular rifle has a one in 8 twist, in a 24 inch Stainless PacNor barrel, in a heavy sporter contour.





Update: March 16th. Took a batch of these out to the range to see how they grouped as someone asked. The 3 shot groups were either all touching or could be covered with a dime at 100 yds. However this particular rifle has a PacNor Super match grade barrel so it shoots most stuff well.





cheers and good shooting

seafire

some one was asking about groups with this load.
51 grains of H 414 and a 75 grain HP.

At one hundred yards, the groups went from one hole to being able to be covered by a dime.

Tested on March 16.