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At what point do you give up on a barrel?

MikeMcCasland

MikeMcCasland

Team Texas F-T/R
Let's say you have a barrel from one of the better known barrel makers out there, and you just can't seem to get it to shoot the way you'd like; how many rounds will you shoot for "load development" before just giving up and pulling it off?
 
MikeMcCasland said:
Let's say you have a barrel from one of the better known barrel makers out there, and you just can't seem to get it to shoot the way you'd like; how many rounds will you shoot for "load development" before just giving up and pulling it off?
Click to expand...
If it is a NEW barrel and you simply can not get it to shoot well, you will know in NO MORE than 300 rounds. "Generally", you will know if a barrel is going to shoot REALLY well right out of the starting gate. Some barrels are on the finickey side and they need work. However, if you are no further ahead after 2-300 rounds, it will NEVER shoot to expectations. Now different disciplines demand more or less levels of accuracy. I shoot F-Class and I want NO MORE than 1/3 M.O.A. at 300 yards for load development. I like to see a bit less, however getting down towards 1/4 M.O.A. on even a semi-consistent basis is no easy trick! I can't do it! So I settle for basically 5/8ths to 1.125" at 300 yards on a consistent basis. That will allow me to shoot "cleans" with HIGH "X" counts! If a barrel won't do that, I am not wasting very much time or components on it.
 
Seriously, ^^^^ What Ben posted. First time out, I usually know if it's a good one but 300 rounds and no cigar, it's bye bye. If it's a cartridge you are familiar and experienced with, 100 rounds max. The choices are money and TIME wasted on components, or change barrels.
 
MikeMcCasland said:
Let's say you have a barrel from one of the better known barrel makers out there, and you just can't seem to get it to shoot the way you'd like; how many rounds will you shoot for "load development" before just giving up and pulling it off?
Click to expand...

My last barrel I tried four different bullets
With the usual seating depth tests. Two powders also with charge tests
Two primers
Three diff neck bushings. I had just about decided this would be a fireform barrel and just shoot average until the last bullet I tried, then it came alive. This was at about 350 rounds. Maybe I missed something with the first combinations or maybe it took that bullet to get it going. This was a br setup so the testing was done at 600 and 1000 in the best conditions I could get. Good luck with your barrel. Troy
 
Per my data I'm 790 rounds into this thing, and it averages 1.16 MOA across all load development. I can get it to shoot some good groups with a certain bullet/powder combo, but the only downside is it's an anemic charge and ~200 FPS below where it should be.

I've tried 4 different powders, 5 different bullets, and still can't find something that'll shoot consistently.

Some of this I attribute to a scope problem I discovered midway through the process, however it's killing me knowing how much money I'm investing in something that will probably never shoot.

I just bit the bullet and ordered a new barrel; it's been an expensive evening.
 
MikeMcCasland said:
Per my data I'm 790 rounds into this thing, and it averages 1.16 MOA across all load development. I can get it to shoot some good groups with a certain bullet/powder combo, but the only downside is it's an anemic charge and ~200 FPS below where it should be.

I've tried 4 different powders, 5 different bullets, and still can't find something that'll shoot consistently.

Some of this I attribute to a scope problem I discovered midway through the process, however it's killing me knowing how much money I'm investing in something that will probably never shoot.

I just bit the bullet and ordered a new barrel; it's been an expensive evening.
Click to expand...
You probably just remedied your situation!
 
My last rifle, a 20 Practical I fired 2 rounds to get it "on" paper at 100 yards. I didn't move the crosshairs. My next five rounds, I could cover with a dime. So, I guess it took 7 rounds. My 6-284 took over 250 rounds! I was ready to stick it way back in the safe. I was being hardnosed and trying to make it shoot with a popular powder for it. Long story short...I tried a powder that had showed some promise at the start of the fiasco and finally night turned to day!
 
MikeMcCasland said:
Per my data I'm 790 rounds into this thing, and it averages 1.16 MOA across all load development. I can get it to shoot some good groups with a certain bullet/powder combo, but the only downside is it's an anemic charge and ~200 FPS below where it should be.

I've tried 4 different powders, 5 different bullets, and still can't find something that'll shoot consistently.

Some of this I attribute to a scope problem I discovered midway through the process, however it's killing me knowing how much money I'm investing in something that will probably never shoot.

I just bit the bullet and ordered a new barrel; it's been an expensive evening.
Click to expand...

Good move. You're probably going to say to yourself, "I should have done this sooner". Expensive? Yes, but consider that it may be a lesson that will save you money in the future. Please report back how your new barrel shoots.
 
if it is a caliber you have perviously owned and had a load. Let's say a 308 Win. shooting 44.3 grs of Varget loaded to 2.82 with a 175 SMK. And you shot it in the new barrel and it shoots say +1 MOA... I would not waste a lot of time with it. i would try some more loads but not go passed 250 rounds. I would then call the maker and let them know what you have done and how it is shooting. He should replace it if it was a "match grade barrel".
 
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Here's the first five shots at 100 yds. out of a new, fresh chambered .223R, Lilja barrel. This load worked in an AR, figured I'd try it in a bolt gun. One more trip to the range, done.
 

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MikeMcCasland said:
Per my data I'm 790 rounds into this thing, and it averages 1.16 MOA across all load development. I can get it to shoot some good groups with a certain bullet/powder combo, but the only downside is it's an anemic charge and ~200 FPS below where it should be.

I've tried 4 different powders, 5 different bullets, and still can't find something that'll shoot consistently.

Some of this I attribute to a scope problem I discovered midway through the process, however it's killing me knowing how much money I'm investing in something that will probably never shoot.

I just bit the bullet and ordered a new barrel; it's been an expensive evening.
Click to expand...
Mike, of course I was joking around about the 2225. This was a $550 barrel and never shot better than 1/2 moa. I expected 1/3. If it had shot 1.16 moa I would of been done much earlier. I doubt you'll get any $ back from the maker but they may give you a discount. If you want to try them again! Can't speak for Proof but Kreiger rocks. Cheers Mike A
 
I recently dropped off a 700 action to get trued/rebarreled with a Bartlein and talked about this with my smith (knowledgeable dude; shoots for Lapua). He offered to borescope it, but I figured no amount of borescoping is going to make it shoot any better; plus I didn't want to burden him with this. I also decided against calling the barrel maker; with as many rounds down the pipe as I have, it'd probably come across like someone just trying to scam them out of a barrel. That said, I bought it directly from this barrel maker, and they were the ones to do the chambering.


As far as the platform, this is for an AR10, so it's not as easy to find someone who will mess with them (they're not standardized like a 15). Proof was the only off the shelf cut-rifled barrel with a +2 gas system (6.5 gas-guns trash the hell out of brass).

This time I'm going with a 22" vs the 20" I have now; hopefully the length combined with the longer gas system will give me some more velocity. I was struggling to get 2800 FPS with 123s out of this barrel. I could get excellent groups if I ran the .260 at 6.5 Grendel speeds, but what's the point, ya know?
 
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