Apollo wrote:Go with what you have and your plan. The big chance is that you will probably find your setting further from the lands than where you start testing.
Berger 105's aren't far away at any time so I wouldn't sweat too much. Keep an eye on BRT & Q-Store to see who gets them first and be quick. I'll be taking 1,000 as soon as I see them arrive even though I don't have a barrel chambered for the 6mm VLD's as yet. If I'm still waiting for the shipment then I know a few guys I can probably get 50 from to do load development.
Lapua Scenar are another choice but don't know what the supply is like in 6mm. I use 123gr 6.5mm Scenar for the time being until I can afford a re-chamber and use the newer 130gr VLD's again after Berger reduced the length by near 0.090" and stuffed my accuracy in my very long throated barrels.
I was given some A-Max one time and it didn't take long to work out why they were free. Dimensions were all over the place compared to Berger or Lapua so I gave them away as well to someone that didn't want them for competition shooting.
I shoot a .243W (Factory Class) but for accuracy with my restricted factory 1:10 twist barrels I found that the Berger 90gr BT Target were the most accurate and gave me a 1st Place in a 300m Fly Shoot. I also use them for varminting so I only needed to develop one load. I do not advise this to the unwary but my loads are jammed 0.020" soft seated but I have not had a problem yet removing a live round (carefully) if for some reason I didn't shoot it. If I used more neck tension and actually jammed the bullet in the lands it might be a different story.
I would not give my rifles to anyone else that wasn't experienced as also the triggers are very light at much less than 8ozs and in one case about 2ozs set mode..ie keep you finger well away from the trigger unless you intend firing immediately. I don't hunt, varminting from a fixed position and rest / bipod with these and I love it with a crisp light trigger.
Apollo wrote:Wow, $90/100 for Lapua Scenars. I'd better find out from the LGS what my next 500 Bulk Pack is going to cost. At least if they are ordered and put on back-order the price is fixed at the current rate. Last time I bought Scenars I think they were half that in a bulk pack.
95gr VLD's do not work in my 1:10 Twist due to the bullet length, not weight.
They are all going up all the time at present (US$ conversion) so hope our dollar improves more as it is doing at present for when the next shipments get paid for. I think the last lot of 130gr 6.5mm VLD's were near $70 per hundred. Glad they weren't for me and double glad I have a few thousand of those in reserve. More fun to come weight sorting and then Moly Coating when the warm weather returns.
Gwion wrote:My amax load was all fire formed just on the lands and then I went 10thou out and found it worked well. I'd be looking at max mag length and compare that to max length touching lands. You may find you are limited to mag length and end up 50thou off.
I'm with Chronos in that 2thou is neither here nor there and found 5thou to be the same. 10thou seemed to be a good point for me. I've also experimented with the 'soft seating' and had good results but agree with you, it is not suited to a field load.
Summing up I found 10thou off or just on the lands to give me best results with the 7mm amax.