Barnes Varmint Grenade bullets - 6mm variety

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KaiserNorton

New member
Greetings- I bought a box of Barnes Varmint Grenade bullets (62 gr) to try in my 6mm Remington. Anyone have any experience with this bullet/cartridge combination? Any Load data to share (start/maximums)?

Thanks

Kaiser Norton
 
They ought to really smoke out of that 6mm. I shoot the 55 grain Nosler's out of my 243 at 3950 and could push them over 4000, but they sure work on the coyotes. I'm using H414 which seems to be a good powder for that usage. Have you checked to see if Barnes has an online loading manual.
 
I am having a problem finding any load date on the Varmit Grenades as well...I also have a box of the 62 grainers for my .243...I emailed Barnes but didn't get a response. They do not have an online manual.
 
You may have to call their 800# and get some data from them. My Barnes #3 book has nothing lighter than a 75 in it. They will have what you need if you call.

Look at your data for the 60 to 65 grain bullets.

There isnt a huge difference between the two.

From hodgdons site, the starting loads for H380 in the 60 and 65gr bullets are the same. I have a 6mm and it loves the H380, this is most likely where I would start loading that 62gr bullet.
 
So here is a question to postulate- is it the weight of the bullet that causes pressure to build, or is the the bearing surface resistance, or a combination of the two? The reason I ask is that the 62 gr Varmint Grenade is a LOOOONG bullet for its weight. It is longer than a 70 gr Ballistic tip and nearly as long as their 90 gr BT....

70 gr BT .912
90 gr BT 1.067
62 gr VG .971

Anybody know if Barnes tech service is available on Saturdays??? I am at work during normal business hours during the week.....

Kaiser Norton
 
That is exactly my issue with just matching up some 60-65 grain loads for these things...I want some solid published data (preferably from Barnes) before I try these.
 
You could include seating depth, temperature, altitude, coated bullets and other factors that lead to case pressure. Bearing surface/resistance can play a part in pressure but powder weights are mostly determined on weight of bullet rather than lenght of bearing surface. I dout you would get into trouble with a low end starting load even though the bearing surface is longer. If in dout start a grain or two lighter than starting load, and work it up.
 
OK...I just went and fooled around with some loads. Here's what worked best for me:

45 gr. of IMR 4350 with the 62 gr. Varmit Grenade with a CCI 200 Primer 2.710 OAL.

I also played around with Varget without much success.

I loaded up some Berger 65 gr. Match HPBT's with the same load as above and they were awesome. I think I'll stick with the Berger's for Coyotes and keep some Varmit Grenades on hand for Varmits.
 
Hey archer,
So they didnt shoot all that good? How many different loads did you work up? what did you find on pressure, did both bullets hit it in about the same area?


Kaiser
Quote:
70 gr BT .912
90 gr BT 1.067
62 gr VG .971




I was thinking again about your above post on the lenght of the bullets, now I have never handled the VG's but the bearing surface on the 70gr BT is less than .250 (close as I can measure roughly) About what is it on the VG's
 
I didn't have a chance to work on too many loads...I tried a couple of different loads with Varget and varied the oal from 2.54 to 2.71 and they were minute of paper.

I then went to the 4350 and started at 44 grains at 2.71 oal and went to 45 grains with the VG's. At 45 there were no pressure signs and everything looked good but the best group was about 1.5 inches. From there I went to a load Walt Berger told me to try with 45 gr. of IMR 4350 and the 65 grain Berger Match HPBT. First four shots were inside an inch and that was all I had time for. I am going to increase the this load to 46 grains next time out. I am not one to push the limits. If I find something that works I usually quit and stick to it without pushing the load to the max.

I didn't measure the bearing surface on the VG's. I plan to mess around somemore tonight and tomorrow.

Keep in mind I am not shooting what I consider to be a super accurate gun here. It is a Browning BAR in Brush Camo that I am trying to turn into a calling gun if I can get it to shoot. The last load I did will be acceptable if it shoots at 200 yards as good as it did at 100.
 
Ok, so here are some figures. My Sinclair "Nut" measures .997. The bullets measure thus to the ogive:

bullet / with nut / approx bearing surface
70 gr BT / 1.416 / .419
95 gr BT / 1.577 / .560
62 gr VG / 1.519 / .522

Some other odd facts, diameter of the hollowpoint seems to be .0625, the "core stands .315 high inside the jacket(using my crude measuring skills/tools),and there are striations in the copper jacket that I assume are to help disintegration upon impact.

Kaiser Norton
 
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