I am considering a 16-17" 6br barrel. I want to be able to shoot the 55's and also the 80's. What would be your pick for the twist rate??

A 1:10 is what you need. There is one maker out there insisting that a 1:14 will stabilize the 80 grain bullets, but that is just not the case, especially considering the moderate velocities the 6BR operates at. I've gone through quite a few small-capacity 6mms over the years, and a 1:10 is the do-it-all (55-85/90 grain) twist.

Thanks Bobby!

I also wanna be able to shoot the 70's, have you used them much for varmints??

I am considering this as a long range varmint rig, do you think this would be a good replacement for a 22-250?

Yes, I think it is an excellent replacement. And since you prefer 70 grain bullets, you are in luck as there are a number of excellent varmints bullets out there, from the tried-and-true Hornady SX to the Speer TNT and those of plastic-tipped persuasion.

With the 6mm bullets, you'll notice a more pronounced impact downrange as opposed to similar impact with a lighter .22 cal projectile.

One thing I forgot to mention: Don't overlook the Berger bullets. I pick them up fairly often off the classifieds, e-bay and gunbroker for about the same price as "standard" bullets. The accuracy of the 65 grain HPs in my 22" 6 TCU is simply amazing. These aren't quite as fragile as the MEF versions, but they are still rather explosive.

My brain must be on pause. I realize I didn't fully answer your question regarding 70 grain bullets for varmints. My favorite of the 70s is still the SX, and it's racked up a few critters for me over the years, from rats at a dump pile to coyotes out to as far as I care to shoot. It doesn't have the fancy presentation of a colored, plastic tip; instead, this one's a blue-collar performer that doesn't disappoint.

But as much as I like the SX, the 70 grain Ballistic Tip, a tougher bullet than the Hornady, is so accurate that it's almost scary. It usually shoots with the best of the benchrest bullets. I've played a bit with the BlitzKing, and it really takes apart the smaller varmints -- almost as well as the SX. I'm not content with the performance of the TNT yet as I've had Jeckel & Hyde performance at single shot pistol velocities: a few complete pass-throughs with evidence of only minimal expansion. Other times, it works as intended. I attribute this to the small opening in the HP cavity. I feel that if it impacts at a slight angle, the nose can pinch shut and cause the bullet to act more like a fully-jacketed slug than an expanding HP. The oepning filling with hair or hide may contribute to the problem as well.

T/C Nut-

That is indeed a nice group. But to have it "verified", you should send me the barrel for 3 months. I'll then send it to Mike; he'll send it to Jules, who will send it to Dave.....and so on.

If we can all match that group, the target will be "validated," and you can get your barrel back. Otherwise, it's back to more testing so we can verify that barrel's accuracy...

And to add what Bobby forgot to say is, you need to supply the ammo as well so everything is the same to verify the target.

I too have always been a fan of 6mm Handguns. Over the years I have played with the 6mm-223, 6mm T/CU, and a .243.

I guess I have always leaned towards barrels with a 1 in 12" twist rate. I wanted the lightest weight bullets to be the most accurate, and never really figured I could push anything over 80grs. fast enough to be worthwhile in the smaller 6mm Handguns. My current 15" VVCG 6mm T/CU has a 1 in 12" twist barrel, and shoots the 55gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips quite well.

Larry

my 13"vvcg 6br shoots 80gr sierra sspb's nice with 1 in 12" twist. my 6tcu also does with 1 in 10" twist.

Thanks for all the info! If i decide to do this, it will be a rebarrel of my XP to 6BR in either a full bull or heavy vamint taper. The only thing that i use this rig for is varminting and that is why i am curious about the 55-70 grain bullets. I might at some point find a need to use the 80's but the others will be what i use the most. Thanks again!!