When do you give up on a barrel?

[toasty]

Picked up a 6mmbr no turn 8 twist barrel about 6 months ago from Urban Rifleman. This is a savage action with a bench rest stock and trigger at 12oz. I have a 22br from UR that shoots lights out and was getting groups that beat these on the first range session. I am working up a long range pdog load with 70 SKBs or Nosler 80 BTs and at 600+, I need to be shooting in the .2moa range. Tried a couple different powders and primers for both bullets and just can't get this to shoot. I get a few groups that show signs it can shoot .3 3 shot groups at 100 yards, but once I validate the groups with 5 or 10 shots, they end up at .5moa or larger. I am now at 150 rounds and haven't found anything close to what I am looking for. So when do you guys give up on a barrel?

 

[alf]

Eight twist and 70/80 grain bullets don't compute for long range, depending of course on your definition of LR.

You can't force feed bullets a barrel doesn't like.

People say get a fast twist because they shoot little bullets just fine, depending of course on what your definition of just fine is.

Some barrels seem to take 100-150 rounds to settle down.

Get some 103/105/108 of some flavor and give them a go.

 

[NC/Br Shooter]

I have a 28 inch 6bra bbl I got 6 months ago. Put it on 3 months ago. Loaded up the same load from identical barrel . Went above and below on charge. Messed with the seating depth. Nothing. This went on for 300 rounds. Was shooting Berger 108s. 6bra.
One day, I figured I'd yank it off. But instead loaded up some Berger target 105s. Loaded some at +10 jam and -20 , -30 ect. All at 30g of 15.5.
I'm taking this barrel to match in the morning.
For some reason this barrel would not shoot 108s, but it loves 105s. I was about to give up on it.
So don't give up so soon. I bet it will drive nails.
BTW, on my main gun, I got a : Urban rifleman barrel I just got back in tune. I originally had it in tune, then ran out of the bullet s I was using. Later when I got more,vI tired using the same load. Wouldn't work. I'm at 31g of charge now with that barrel. Point is, the tune changed after 500 rounds. And I guess same goes for chasing 0s.
Good luck!

 

[wvlongshot]

Have you shot said barrel at longer ranges to see what it's actually doing? 100yd testing may not give you all the info needed.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

Never have, I guess I’ve have been lucky and always got good one

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

1.2 inches at 600? that would be awesome.

Frank

 

[urbanrifleman]

1.2 inches at 600? that would be awesome.

Frank

Right? With 70 grainers? THAT would be sweet.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Picked up a 6mmbr no turn 8 twist barrel about 6 months ago from Urban Rifleman. This is a savage action with a bench rest stock and trigger at 12oz. I have a 22br from UR that shoots lights out and was getting groups that beat these on the first range session. I am working up a long range pdog load with 70 SKBs or Nosler 80 BTs and at 600+, I need to be shooting in the .2moa range. Tried a couple different powders and primers for both bullets and just can't get this to shoot. I get a few groups that show signs it can shoot .3 3 shot groups at 100 yards, but once I validate the groups with 5 or 10 shots, they end up at .5moa or larger. I am now at 150 rounds and haven't found anything close to what I am looking for. So when do you guys give up on a barrel?

.5 moa 10 shot groups with varmint bullets...

How much you want for it?

 

[Clancy]

Take one (1) premium bullet and do a full blown .005 at a time depth test from touch to 50 off, that’s just 33 rounds. Use a like warm powder charge. Pick a powder with an appropriate burn rate. I’d highly suggest N135.

See what happens.

On the other hand, you’re shooting half moa bullets in the wrong twist and getting half moa. Not unusual. Sure, I’ve seen them shoot smaller but it’s not to be expected.

A Berger 87 VLD would be excellent. They get nasty. For that, I’d move to N140 or dirty ole Varget.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Take one (1) premium bullet and do a full blown .005 at a time depth test from touch to 50 off, that’s just 33 rounds. Use a like warm powder charge. Pick a powder with an appropriate burn rate. I’d highly suggest N135.

See what happens.

On the other hand, you’re shooting half moa bullets in the wrong twist and getting half moa. Not unusual. Sure, I’ve seen them shoot smaller but it’s not to be expected.

A Berger 87 VLD would be excellent. They get nasty. For that, I’d move to N140 or dirty ole Varget.

Do they now??? Please dish on the 87 Berger please!!

 

[Clancy]

Do they now??? Please dish on the 87 Berger please!!

Mean little machines, like an overgrown Varmint bullet.

I’ve not shot them at 6BR velocities but can’t imagine the gore diminishing much. I shoot 68s in my BR.


If he did use that bullet, a quick little depth test from 10 in to 20 off would make that barrel you chambered come to life.

Guess we will see?

 

[pdog06]

Since you’re gearing it for 600yds plus I think maybe try some 103-105’s. Or if you wanna go lighter maybe some 87gr vmax.

I have the same urbanrifleman barrel and will probably be getting another soon to run 3 br’s. Mine shoots 105’s great and just had it in Wyoming last week shooting dogs and reached it out to 1114yds for my longest kill shot. Shot many in the 4-700 range that almost got boring with no wind…lol They had no idea what it grouped @100yds.

With my 2 br’s on a day when there was a 10-14mph constant wind, there was a huge difference in wind drift between the 8twist with 105’s and the 12 twist with 70’s out past 500yds. Which is to be expected, but backs up my thought of a heavier bullet for that range. You most likely will have wind to deal with.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Mean little machines, like an overgrown Varmint bullet.

I’ve not shot them at 6BR velocities but can’t imagine the gore diminishing much. I shoot 68s in my BR.


If he did use that bullet, a quick little depth test from 10 in to 20 off would make that barrel you chambered come to life.

Guess we will see?

What do you shoot the 87s in?

 

[toasty]

Take one (1) premium bullet and do a full blown .005 at a time depth test from touch to 50 off, that’s just 33 rounds. Use a like warm powder charge. Pick a powder with an appropriate burn rate. I’d highly suggest N135.

See what happens.

On the other hand, you’re shooting half moa bullets in the wrong twist and getting half moa. Not unusual. Sure, I’ve seen them shoot smaller but it’s not to be expected.

A Berger 87 VLD would be excellent. They get nasty. For that, I’d move to N140 or dirty ole Varget.

Thank you all for all the feedback. The 70 SBK can not be loaded at the lands with this 104 freebore. The nosler 80 BT, however, can be loaded at the lands and that it what I shot this morning with N135. I expected better results, but I have not done any seating depth work with this bullet as I was finding a node this morning.

I have shot the 70 SBK at 300 yards and results were worse than at 100 yards. I had close to 3" groups at 300. I get that my twist is not ideal and perhaps the long freebore combined with the fast twist is just not going to let me shoot the accuracy that I am hoping for.

If it sounds like I am knocking this Urban Rifleman's barrels, let me be clear, I am not, he puts out great barrels. Like I said, I have 22BR that was shooting lights out from day 1 with 53 vmax also in an 8 twist. My worst groups with that barrel are better than my best with this barrel. His 22br was so good, I expected to throw this on and repeat that success easily.

I haven't thrown in the towel yet. The .5moa with a mismatched bullet to twist and chamber is a good sign that I can get it to shoot better with the right bullet.

 

[Clancy]

What do you shoot the 87s in?

Did shoot them in 243, a Krieger 1:9. A good friend and three-peat state champion coyote hunter shoots them in 6x47 Lapua. Holesssss.

That 243 barrel shot very well, but when I tried a 6 BR there was no going back. I don’t own a custom at all now that’s not a BR variant.

 

[Clancy]

Thank you all for all the feedback. The 70 SBK can not be loaded at the lands with this 104 freebore. The nosler 80 BT, however, can be loaded at the lands and that it what I shot this morning with N135. I expected better results, but I have not done any seating depth work with this bullet as I was finding a node this morning.

I have shot the 70 SBK at 300 yards and results were worse than at 100 yards. I had close to 3" groups at 300. I get that my twist is not ideal and perhaps the long freebore combined with the fast twist is just not going to let me shoot the accuracy that I am hoping for.

If it sounds like I am knocking this Urban Rifleman's barrels, let me be clear, I am not, he puts out great barrels. Like I said, I have 22BR that was shooting lights out from day 1 with 53 vmax also in an 8 twist. My worst groups with that barrel are better than my best with this barrel. His 22br was so good, I expected to throw this on and repeat that success easily.

I haven't thrown in the towel yet. The .5moa with a mismatched bullet to twist and chamber is a good sign that I can get it to shoot better with the right bullet.

If you’re hell bent on a 70, the 70 varmageddon will reach the lands. You might could buy some off a Leprechaun or Bigfoot these days. Lands in my .104 BRA.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Those bullets will jump A LOT.

 

[Clancy]

Those bullets will jump A LOT.

If you mean the 70 Varm yea….

I’ve seen them shoot 0s indoors with jumps from touch to 50 off. My dad’s gun shoots them .120 off.

Pretty easy to get along with. Almost match worthy. Unobtanium, but when they come back I’m getting several thousand.

I like them because they’re very good shooters, and a coyote shot with one just looks like he went to sleep. I don’t save coyote fur, but I don’t want a mess either.

 

[Murray Brook]

I've been also using the 70 gr Var Nosler in my 6mm PPC USA Sako with .080 jump and they shoot great, but very hard to find. I was lucky and was able to source 300 last week.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Long story short. I think you have unrealistic expectations of the bullets you have chosen. It wouldn't matter the twist. My a twist will shoot 80 Bergers and 85 Sierra hollow points into quarter inch no problem sometimes into much smaller. As far as your groups at 600 I've never seen 70 grainers do worth a crap past about 300 shooting groups. The ballistic coefficient is horrible they start slowing down and they drift around all over the place. The numbers you're talking are more like an f class rifle.

I think the barrel you have is probably outstanding. I think you should just go shoot prairie dogs and stop worrying about everything so much.