For you guys shooting the 6mmBr what kind of barrel life do you normally get out of your rifles? Does this round shoot better pushed to it's max or does it give good accuracy at a reasonable load?
barrel life question
- Thread starter cntryboy1289
- Start date
I tried to answer this earlier but it didn't post, Huh?
What I said was this is the 64 thousand dollar question... How long will a barrel last, how good will this barrel be?
There are many answers to that question and many ways to word that question. In competitive "Point Blank" Bench rest,,which is where I am, 100, 200, and 300 yard formal and informal matches), the barrels are mostly for 6 PPC and 6 BR, also slight numbers of .22 short PPC, and .30 BR. These barrels last as long as they are competitive. Meaning if I have a barrel on my gun that won't agg with the best of them, why am I trying at this shoot. That being said, the barrels don't last very long. Some barrels are no good after 800 rounds, some never were any good, some last 2500 rounds,.30 Br being the exception there). Some of the thirties have been known to last 8000 rounds. That is the barrel on your rifle for competition purpose only...
If you plan on doing live varmint hunting the barrel is by all means good for that for a number of more rounds.
If you are buying a barrel for long range competition,something I am new to) you can get a barrel 31 to 32 inches long finished length. By doing this you optimize the burning of slow powder behind long bullets. When that barrel is shot out,6BR), which will last a lot longer than in point blank BR,,less accuracy demands), you can have your rifle smith set the barrel back a few inches and re-chamber. Now you have a 29 inch or so barrel still long enough for optimizing the slow powder and long bullets. The other thing is now you have a barrel that you know was good,was it?), and the barrel has been cared for,was it?) and it is lapped in with your rounds, from the first go around. Many "long range" high power and F-class guys are doing this. It lengthens the usable time for the barrel. after a few times doing this the barrel will be short enough that you don't want to do this anymore, but they are still accurate for Varmints.
Barrels, when you find a good one, make the most use of it. Don't waste ammo and time with a barrel you know is no longer competitive. Odds are the barrel is burnt in the first inch or so from the chamber. If there is plenty of length, re-chamber it. If not use it for something else.
A lot of Point Blank BR guys have gone to Moly or Danzac on their bullets. I have moved over to Danzac, I find that using it I can return to the same impact point after cleaning sooner, and the barrel shoots cooler,doesn't heat up as hot or as soon). Also during a aggregate,5 matches) I don't have to give as thorough a cleaning to the barrel. What I do is between matches I clean with 2 patches of GM top engine, then 2 dry patches, then 2 patches of penephite,lock ease type suspended graphite). This cleaning helps get the powder fouling out, and preps the barrel for the next match. I can do this all day,10 matches) or two aggregates. At the end of the day I clean basically the same way but I brush with the GM Top Engine Cleaner in the Barrel then flush with 2 patches before going to dry patches. By doing this and cleaning properly you can definitely extend the life of your barrel.
Hope this helps...
I can't for the life of me figure why the last time I typed this it didn't post.
Pbike
What I said was this is the 64 thousand dollar question... How long will a barrel last, how good will this barrel be?
There are many answers to that question and many ways to word that question. In competitive "Point Blank" Bench rest,,which is where I am, 100, 200, and 300 yard formal and informal matches), the barrels are mostly for 6 PPC and 6 BR, also slight numbers of .22 short PPC, and .30 BR. These barrels last as long as they are competitive. Meaning if I have a barrel on my gun that won't agg with the best of them, why am I trying at this shoot. That being said, the barrels don't last very long. Some barrels are no good after 800 rounds, some never were any good, some last 2500 rounds,.30 Br being the exception there). Some of the thirties have been known to last 8000 rounds. That is the barrel on your rifle for competition purpose only...
If you plan on doing live varmint hunting the barrel is by all means good for that for a number of more rounds.
If you are buying a barrel for long range competition,something I am new to) you can get a barrel 31 to 32 inches long finished length. By doing this you optimize the burning of slow powder behind long bullets. When that barrel is shot out,6BR), which will last a lot longer than in point blank BR,,less accuracy demands), you can have your rifle smith set the barrel back a few inches and re-chamber. Now you have a 29 inch or so barrel still long enough for optimizing the slow powder and long bullets. The other thing is now you have a barrel that you know was good,was it?), and the barrel has been cared for,was it?) and it is lapped in with your rounds, from the first go around. Many "long range" high power and F-class guys are doing this. It lengthens the usable time for the barrel. after a few times doing this the barrel will be short enough that you don't want to do this anymore, but they are still accurate for Varmints.
Barrels, when you find a good one, make the most use of it. Don't waste ammo and time with a barrel you know is no longer competitive. Odds are the barrel is burnt in the first inch or so from the chamber. If there is plenty of length, re-chamber it. If not use it for something else.
A lot of Point Blank BR guys have gone to Moly or Danzac on their bullets. I have moved over to Danzac, I find that using it I can return to the same impact point after cleaning sooner, and the barrel shoots cooler,doesn't heat up as hot or as soon). Also during a aggregate,5 matches) I don't have to give as thorough a cleaning to the barrel. What I do is between matches I clean with 2 patches of GM top engine, then 2 dry patches, then 2 patches of penephite,lock ease type suspended graphite). This cleaning helps get the powder fouling out, and preps the barrel for the next match. I can do this all day,10 matches) or two aggregates. At the end of the day I clean basically the same way but I brush with the GM Top Engine Cleaner in the Barrel then flush with 2 patches before going to dry patches. By doing this and cleaning properly you can definitely extend the life of your barrel.
Hope this helps...
I can't for the life of me figure why the last time I typed this it didn't post.
Pbike
Not sure myself, I tried to answer the first post and it didn't post that reply either. I thank you for your time and the reply. I was thinking of starting it off around 30" and was following the same train of thought. I have not done any competeing as of yet, but want to get invloved in it with this build. I guess my next question would be rather you would consider the 6mmBR to be a good magazine feeding round or would it be better suited to a single shot round? I am still planning the build so I am trying to ask as many questions as I can before I lay the money down. I have no experience with the caliber, but from what I have found here on the site, I am leaning toward it.
The question for caliber remains, becuase of the function in the firearm...
Are you shooting "long Range high power", "competitive BR", or "F-Class"? Some cartridge designs are better for function in a repeater, some seem to be better designed for accuracy and single shot function. One of the reasons the XC works for High Power, is because David Tubb designed it to function without falter. That's good for a repeater, I like a design like the short fat cartidges in a single shot, which is what is used in BR.
So what are your intentions with the rifle?
Pbike
Are you shooting "long Range high power", "competitive BR", or "F-Class"? Some cartridge designs are better for function in a repeater, some seem to be better designed for accuracy and single shot function. One of the reasons the XC works for High Power, is because David Tubb designed it to function without falter. That's good for a repeater, I like a design like the short fat cartidges in a single shot, which is what is used in BR.
So what are your intentions with the rifle?
Pbike
I plan to start doing some Br shoots in the 100-300 yd range. I also hope to use it as a varmint rig as well when the time comes.
If you are buiding for BR shoots check out the BR guns being used...
Rarely will you see one with a barrel over 22 inches, It's just not needed. Also there are weight restrictions, 10.5 lbs for Light Varmint and 13.5 pounds for Heavy Varmint, or Varmint for Score. Get a BR Gunsmith to build the rifle and you'll be happy, and a lot better off. Accuracy is the name of the game, at 100 to 300 there is no need for long bullets either. A PPC or BR, or short BR, will do with 1:14 twist barrels and 65 to 68 grain flat based bullets.
Don't get into BR and try to reinvent the wheel, Get used to it learn it and adapt from there.
Just my advice, Hope it helps
Rarely will you see one with a barrel over 22 inches, It's just not needed. Also there are weight restrictions, 10.5 lbs for Light Varmint and 13.5 pounds for Heavy Varmint, or Varmint for Score. Get a BR Gunsmith to build the rifle and you'll be happy, and a lot better off. Accuracy is the name of the game, at 100 to 300 there is no need for long bullets either. A PPC or BR, or short BR, will do with 1:14 twist barrels and 65 to 68 grain flat based bullets.
Don't get into BR and try to reinvent the wheel, Get used to it learn it and adapt from there.
Just my advice, Hope it helps
Thanks for the info. You might can tell I am new to the world of competition shooting and am very thankful for forums like this so I can learn before I have to pay for it.
BountyHunter
Gold $$ Contributor
Countryboy
suggest you look at good used BR guns from Bob White at Shooters Corner in NJ, save quite a bit of money and good guns. He has link on BR central under complete rifles. At his site download "THE LIST", about 30 pages of used guns, scopes and reloading equip.
He has hundreds of used BR rifles and is known for being the go to guy for a used br gun. He is 100% accurate on his descriptions. He is past IBS president and active comp shooter.
He also has all the reloading equip to start you.
BH
suggest you look at good used BR guns from Bob White at Shooters Corner in NJ, save quite a bit of money and good guns. He has link on BR central under complete rifles. At his site download "THE LIST", about 30 pages of used guns, scopes and reloading equip.
He has hundreds of used BR rifles and is known for being the go to guy for a used br gun. He is 100% accurate on his descriptions. He is past IBS president and active comp shooter.
He also has all the reloading equip to start you.
BH
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