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Alpha 6bra reamer

03machstock

Anyone have any luck with an alpha 6bra reamer? I have a 6bra barrel now that shoots like crap with ~350 round in it so I’m pulling the plug on it and starting fresh. Going to order a bartlein blank, found a new gunsmith. He said he has 2 reamers, one was an alpha 6bra .135” freebore. I’m going to be shooting Barts hammers in Peterson brass with varget preferably, pending what the barrel likes. I also have 105hybrids and n540 on hand. Would the alpha reamer work with these components or should I ask him more about his other reamer? I’m looking for something that hammers out .3-.4” or smaller 5 shot groups that’s not picky.

Update:
I ordered a bartlein blank and someone was nice enough to turn me on to the other reamer the smith has that’s a proven hammer, which is exactly what I’m looking for. Thanks for the replies!
 
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As far as I know, you can use Peterson or Lapua in an Alpha chamber though DEFINITELY not the other way around, as myself and a ton of others have tried it.

What’s wrong with your current setup? It’s really hard to make a BRA shoot worse than .350, like you’ve got to try hard to make one suck.
 
Clancy said:
As far as I know, you can use Peterson or Lapua in an Alpha chamber though DEFINITELY not the other way around, as myself and a ton of others have tried it.

What’s wrong with your current setup? It’s really hard to make a BRA shoot worse than .350, like you’ve got to try hard to make one suck.
Click to expand...
This one sucks. Chasing my tail since day 1. Fire forming loads never showed promise so after about 120 of them I tried to do a quick load development but anything I went back to never repeated. It hates 105 and 109 hybrids, and varget. I worked up a load with n540 and Barts hammers, but nothing repeats. Just when you think your on to something you re shoot it and it shoots like shit. My buddy suggested loading up 20 of my best load and shooting 4, 5 shot groups so I did. It would shoot all 4 groups totally different. Anywhere from a .35 to a .9 and everything in between. I went back and forth with the smith trying all sorts of experiments but I’m done throwing money at it. Iv tried 3 primers, 5 bullets, 2 powders, but the only thing consistent, is that the barrel is not.
I’m going to start fresh with a bartlein and a new smith.
 
03machstock said:
This one sucks. Chasing my tail since day 1. Fire forming loads never showed promise so after about 120 of them I tried to do a quick load development but anything I went back to never repeated. It hates 105 and 109 hybrids, and varget. I worked up a load with n540 and Barts hammers, but nothing repeats. Just when you think your on to something you re shoot it and it shoots like shit. My buddy suggested loading up 20 of my best load and shooting 4, 5 shot groups so I did. It would shoot all 4 groups totally different. Anywhere from a .35 to a .9 and everything in between. I went back and forth with the smith trying all sorts of experiments but I’m done throwing money at it. Iv tried 3 primers, 5 bullets, 2 powders, but the only thing consistent, is that the barrel is not.
I’m going to start fresh with a bartlein and a new smith.
Click to expand...
How many scopes?
 
Similar issues with my Alpha reamed barrel. New barrel, new brass, and Tuner. Will not shoot consistent. Sent scope to Nightforce and they sent me a video of them beating it on a bench to say its all good. Going to cut an inch off and rechamber to see if it shoots any better.
 
03machstock said:
This one sucks. Chasing my tail since day 1. Fire forming loads never showed promise so after about 120 of them I tried to do a quick load development but anything I went back to never repeated. It hates 105 and 109 hybrids, and varget. I worked up a load with n540 and Barts hammers, but nothing repeats. Just when you think your on to something you re shoot it and it shoots like shit. My buddy suggested loading up 20 of my best load and shooting 4, 5 shot groups so I did. It would shoot all 4 groups totally different. Anywhere from a .35 to a .9 and everything in between. I went back and forth with the smith trying all sorts of experiments but I’m done throwing money at it. Iv tried 3 primers, 5 bullets, 2 powders, but the only thing consistent, is that the barrel is not.
I’m going to start fresh with a bartlein and a new smith.
Click to expand...
Once in Great while you get a barrel that is C... even name brand ones, looks good thru a borescope ?
 
135 fb may be on the long side for the hammers. I use a BRA with 104 fb and don’t think I’d want it much longer. The Gungnir may be a better fit for that fb. I use them with 150 fb in a Dasher. If you’re sticking with Barts he could provide better info. He also has the Dagger that would likely work with the 135 fb.
 
Lapua gold box 6BR new. Length 1.554 Web .468. Neck new, no bullet .266
Alpha brass, 6BRA new. Length 1.555. Web .467. Neck new, no bullet .265
Alpha 6 Dasher. Loaded Length 1.550. Web .467. Neck with bullet seated .268

Same enough to not be worrying about it.
 
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03machstock said:
This one sucks. Chasing my tail since day 1. Fire forming loads never showed promise so after about 120 of them I tried to do a quick load development but anything I went back to never repeated. It hates 105 and 109 hybrids, and varget. I worked up a load with n540 and Barts hammers, but nothing repeats. Just when you think your on to something you re shoot it and it shoots like shit. My buddy suggested loading up 20 of my best load and shooting 4, 5 shot groups so I did. It would shoot all 4 groups totally different. Anywhere from a .35 to a .9 and everything in between. I went back and forth with the smith trying all sorts of experiments but I’m done throwing money at it. Iv tried 3 primers, 5 bullets, 2 powders, but the only thing consistent, is that the barrel is not.
I’m going to start fresh with a bartlein and a new smith.
Click to expand...

Was the rifle a known shooter before this barrel, or is it a new combo? Honestly, you can’t go wrong with Alex Wheelers original BRA reamer and fire formed Lapua brass. My last one had be worried for a minute, but I finally found a load with Barts Gungnirs that it really likes. The one before it liked everything that I fed it, so I guess you never really know.
 
Not 6 BRA (which I do shoot in F Class) but in 6.5 I had a barrel that was billed as a match grade barrel. I probably dumped 200 bucks down that barrel trying different powders, different charge weights, different primers and different bullets. Never did get that barrel to shoot. Out of frustration I ordered a cheap prefit, screwed it on and had it shooting 1/4 MOA with my originals recipe. Do not know what was wrong with the barrel.
 
Mark W said:
Was the rifle a known shooter before this barrel, or is it a new combo? Honestly, you can’t go wrong with Alex Wheelers original BRA reamer and fire formed Lapua brass. My last one had be worried for a minute, but I finally found a load with Barts Gungnirs that it really likes. The one before it liked everything that I fed it, so I guess you never really know.
Click to expand...
Yea I have a .223 barrel I switch back and forth that shoots good. It’s atleast consistent in group size/shapes with the same load.
 
ronsatspokane said:
Not 6 BRA (which I do shoot in F Class) but in 6.5 I had a barrel that was billed as a match grade barrel. I probably dumped 200 bucks down that barrel trying different powders, different charge weights, different primers and different bullets. Never did get that barrel to shoot. Out of frustration I ordered a cheap prefit, screwed it on and had it shooting 1/4 MOA with my originals recipe. Do not know what was wrong with the barrel.
Click to expand...
That’s where exactly where im at.
 
boltfluter said:
Why not talk to the barrel mfg and see if they can help you out? Sounds like you have a good case. Just a thought.
Paul
Click to expand...
I did, I tried a bunch of stuff that they kept telling me to try but I told them im done dumping time and money into it. I just ordered a bartlein blank, and someone was nice enough to turn me on to a proven reamer with the new smith im working with. So when this new barrel hammers I’ll reach back out to the old manufacturer/ smith with my results and see what they have to say. And if this barrel doesn’t hammer, it’s definitely something else in my system. Worst case now will be I have 2 good barrels and need to find some other problem, but my .223 shoots good so I’m confident it’s the barrel.
 
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