6.5 Barrel Life?

[stgw77]

Hi, I am on my 3th 6.5X47L barrel now. I use 120 gr class bullets all the time, launched at 2800 fps (mild, accurate, low-recoil load). I love that round!!! It is optimal round for 600yds F-class shooting for me. My previous barrels lasted 2.500-3.000 top-accuracy rounds (button rifled Lothar Walter barrels, 1.25" straight cylinder - with single point cut rifled you might get more barrel life). Both barrels shot exceptionally well till end, than accuracy went sounth like she felt off the clif. I am on my 3th barrel now, after 1.500 round I can see "dark coloured" rifling, 1" in length from the chamber, which I can not cean out. That means I will need to set-back the chamber. I start with 28" finished length and cut 2" away (26" finished lenght). After that I will replace it with new barrel. By the way, I use single base Vithvuori N150 powder. Hard to beat in this cartridge, I use only this stuff. Best accuracy, good barrel life, single digit ES/SD with CCI BR4. Varget is another good option. Hope it helps you.
3.000 accurate rounds from 6.5 SAUM at those speeds? Sorry, but with my experience with 6.5X47L I think not (my opinion)...

 

[wwbrown]

I have shot a bunch of 6.5's in competition and hunting and I tell F-class shooters to order a new blank as soon as you get the new barrel installed on your action so you may have one on hand when it goes south.

I shoot LR F-class primarily and I will be chambering up a 280 AI using 30-06 Lapua brass with the original case dimensions to hopefully get an edge over the 6.5's in wind and maybe barrel life.

 

[Elwood]

3.000 accurate rounds from 6.5 SAUM at those speeds? Sorry, but with my experience with 6.5X47L I think not (my opinion)...

It is claimed that a slow burning powder (H1000) and low pressure is why it has such a good barrel life, personally I will be happy (ecstatic) with 2000 rounds.

I spent several hours yesterday on Quickload trying to find another powder that was single base and slow, several sprang to mind such as N170 and N165, neither could produce the suggested velocity that H1000 could achieve at 55000 psi, which was 3040 fps with 61 grains and a 28 inch barrel. To get N165 to equal that speed the pressure went up to 58000 psi

Reloader 25 was the only powder that I could find that could match H1000, but RL25 is a double base powder. Other than that it looks like Retumbo is the only other logical choice.

So it would seem that if things don't work out the first thing to change is the bullet, luckily there's plenty of 6.5's to choose from, or just hot rod it and enjoy the first 800 rounds

Time will tell, well that and a borescope.

 

[Titandriver]

stgw77 - I think you are right, 3000 rounds seems to be on the low side! Quote from George on 28 May 2013 after he won the Snipers Hide Cup: The 6.5 did Its Job. I will pull the Barrel with just over 4000 rounds about 4034 or so give or take about 10, I kept pretty good count. I will keep this barrel for training as it still shoots great. just lost alot of velocity.

 

[mikecr]

Before I believe it, I'll wait to see if someone in IBS achieves anything with a cool load of H1000,, or with a gun from GAP.
I don't think George shot the sniper whatever with many rounds down the bore. I think it was a new barrel.

 

[Titandriver]

Well, here's what he posted two weeks before the match: "Im going to shoot the 6.5 SAUM with 3600+ rounds on it at the Cup. its a little slower than when new but still hammers. With the practice and the match it will put it over 4000. Its been shot hard, there are at least 15-20 people here on the hide that have seen me shoot this rifle at Matches and at Pats Icebreaker. It has never been babied, shot lots of rapid 10-15 shot strings and has always either shot 140's at 3100 or 130's at 3250 with H1000 and a little retumbo at first. Its had one setback but not a full setback just 2 turns .122" and chamber bump that was at 2200 rounds and was mainly because I had the barrel off for a new brake and decided to go ahead and do it since it was off and seemed like a good Idea."

 

[dkhunt14]

I know I built 3 different 6.5-284's for 1000 Br and I will never build another one. They are too hard to keep tuned and barrel life was terrible. They were also fussy to get tuned. Just lots of better choices. Matt

 

[mikecr]

Well Matt, maybe you should have added another 5gr capacity, on the already overbore 6.5x284, and managed 4x MORE barrel life :
Hell, you might have gotten thousands more accurate shots from your barrels -just by changing to magic pixie powder!

 

[Titandriver]

Seeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.....mikecr's starting to get it!

 

[mikecr]

I'm running 60.5 grs of H1000 in my 700 LA 6.5 Rem. mag with 142 MK's or Berger 140 VLD's averaging 3150 fps, will let you know if I can make it to 3000 rounds!

You'll pass best precision at half the pipe dream.

 

[Titandriver]

AWESOME!!! Thanks for the encouragement mikecr! 4000 rounds here I come!!!!!