My Savage 9 twist barrel shoots Nosler 70gr RDF's really well but the short throat is a real problem playing with seating depths. I can't even get the bullets out to the length Nosler recommends. Is is possible to get a reamer and have the throat cut just a tad longer?
How to "fix" a short throat 22-250
- Thread starter Lefty Trigger
- Start date
Why do you need to get to the recommended length?
The throat will erode quickly. I bet 500 rounds and you'll have another 0.04" or so.
Yes, a unithroater can do it but I wouldn't. Load them at the lands and shoot. Ignore the COL in the book unless it interferes with magazine length or some other critical dimension. COL is trivial.
The throat will erode quickly. I bet 500 rounds and you'll have another 0.04" or so.
Yes, a unithroater can do it but I wouldn't. Load them at the lands and shoot. Ignore the COL in the book unless it interferes with magazine length or some other critical dimension. COL is trivial.
B23
Gold $$ Contributor
You'll gain a little velocity due to the extra usable case capacity if you're able to stretch them out, but it's not going to be all that significant really.
If your setup is shooting really well for you the way it is, I'd be inclined to leave things alone and just be happy with how well it shoots instead of trying to squeeze a few extra FPS out of it.
If your setup is shooting really well for you the way it is, I'd be inclined to leave things alone and just be happy with how well it shoots instead of trying to squeeze a few extra FPS out of it.
FPS is not really the issue as these bullets shoot better slowed down a tad. I'm only running them at 3100 FPS. My issue is there is so much of the bullet back in the case, like 3/4 of it or more. It's almost like Savage only wants you to shoot 40gr bullets out of it. I should also mention that when the bullets are seated to the lands the case mouth is just starting to the taper of the bullet and you can just barely start to see a gap.
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That 70 RDF is a long bullet. I shot 50 last week and 50 this week in my .223 1-9 twist Savage barrel. I loaded them at 2.260 for mag length. If I was to put them in my Savage 22-250 barrel and ran into the same thing your going thru I'd throat it. Savage throats are never generous, tho I doubt they were trying to confined you to 40-50 grain bullets.
I can buy the throat reamer for $65 and I have a smith friend that said he would cut it for me if I get the tool. I'm thinking of doing this since I already have the tools to remove/replace the barrel. I'm thinking the throat limitation is a limiting factor for getting the most of the longer bullets.
B23
Gold $$ Contributor
I guess I'm a little confused on what it is you are want then. You already told us it shoots really well, and, you said velocity/FPS isn't the issue. So I gotta ask, if it shoots really well and they are going plenty fast to suit you, what more is there to ask for?!
So what if the bullets are seated deep in the case and the OAL is short. I'd hate to see someone take a really good shooting rifle and turn it into, other, just because they thought the bullets were seated to deep in the case.
If it ain't broke.
I have same nonproblem , my 22-250 krieger 8t has a .0 freebore . i have to seat 69 tmk very very deep. I was afraid this would be a big problem but it's just the opposite . 40.5 grain's of Superformance makes 3550 fps and zeros , - high one's. Wow! So i would say don't mess with it.
DogBuster
Silver $$ Contributor
shoot a couple hundred rds out........shorter boolits........
I'll bet the throat will lengthen on its own.........
searcher
Gold $$ Contributor
If you knew your rifle will like that RDF bullet seated out where you want it - and there is a very low chance of wanting to go back to a shorter bullet, I'd be tempted to do what you are looking at doing just to get the base of that bullet out of the powder column - and ideally - out of the doughnut realm. The drawbacks could be reduced accuracy with your load (more space - higher S.D.'s) reduced accuracy with any increased powder load, inability to shoot the lighter bullet "factory" loads in the future that the gun was designed around, etc. pretty easy to do yourself if you are good at using dummy cases and good at measuring such - if not - have your smith do it as planned.
DirtySteve
Gold $$ Contributor
I have a 300 WSM with a short throat.. SAAMI spec... Should I use a throater or get a new reamer to lengthen the throat.?? Shooting 210 Berger VLD's..
NorCalMikie
Gold $$ Contributor
Nuf said. Don't fix it if it ain't broke!! Get a bunch of rounds down the barrel and you'll be wishing it STILL had a short throat. You could also think about going to a lighter bullet. I start off with the lightest bullet I can get my hands on THEN, go heavier as the throat wears, and it will. sometimes sooner than you think.
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DogBuster
Silver $$ Contributor
Nuf said. Don't fix it if it ain't broke!! Get a bunch of rounds down the barrel and you'll be wishing it STILL had a short throat. You could also thing about going to a lighter bullet. I start off with the lightest bullet I can get my hands on THEN, go heavier as the throat wears, and it will. sometimes sooner than you think.
exactly..........
38 grs burned (or more) in a 224 bore every shot.......
set up in a p/dog patch with a few hundred 53 V max's
problem solved
I would try going the other way - seat deep (baking of the powder of course) and see what happens. The tendency is to start long and work back, but rarely does anyone try going the other way. Many of the newer bullets shoot really well when seated deep. You are not going to find any of the factory ammo using Lapua Scenars, Berger Hybribs, Sierra MK's, etc. running long yet they shoot well.
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