BBL life.

[4xforfun]

I have a 6-6.5x47 with 2300 rounds. Still a shooter, but noticed the FPS falling off. Was 3050, now 2970. My guess is it just getting long in the tooth. I am going to shoot 'er till it bucks me, as it is my FAVORITE "play" gun, but don't want to have a whole bunch of ammo loaded up when she goes. Any idea when that will be? 39 H4350 and 108 Berger BT. CCI450


Also.... my 6.5 x 47 1000 br comp tube. 1500 rounds and not 100% sure I will do another one. Any Idea when it will lose it's way to the X ring? I don't want to have a bunch of 6.5 stuff at the end of life. I will move it to steel plinking after the BR thing if I can. 39.8 H4350, 140 LRBT Berger CCI 450 at 2820 FPS

Thanks,
Tod

 

[Stan Taylor]

Hell ,Todd shoot it till it pukes.

 

[moondog]

My 6.5x47 has 2300 rounds on it now. I have another barrel chambered up ready to put on. I just can't pull it yet because the damn thing is just so accurate! I've not heard of a 6x47 going that long

 

[Tommie]

Hard to predict. Rate of fire is just as (if not more) important as total number of shots.

 

[FeMan]

I'd say 2301 on the 6-6.5x47. Lol!

My buddy ran a 6.5x47 to 4500 hard, match rounds and it was still shooting 0.2 moa. That's a rarity for sure. Expect for 1, my 6.5x47s have run well into the low to mid 3,000's.

 

[4xforfun]

I'd say 2301 on the 6-6.5x47. Lol!

My buddy ran a 6.5x47 to 4500 hard, match rounds and it was still shooting 0.2 moa. That's a rarity for sure. Expect for 1, my 6.5x47s have run well into the low to mid 3,000's.

Love to hear that. I know every tube is different. I took it the Tommy's big shoot in June at Vapor Trail and just missed the top 10, but don't feel too bad, as there was absolutely FIERCE competition .

I already have a new 6-47 tube for my "play" gun, but am going to start new brass.

Thanks,
Tod

 

[tmwinds]

Hell ,Todd shoot it till it pukes.

Just don’t look at it with a bore scope. It will never shoot again.

 

[K22]

Hard to predict. Rate of fire is just as (if not more) important as total number of shots.

This is absolutely true in my opinion- I see guys at the range shooting round after round even on bolt rifles so much so that the barrel is so hot you can touch it. Heat is one of the number one issues shortening barrel life in my opinion.

 

[spike-55]

I have a 6-6.5x47 with 2300 rounds. Still a shooter, but noticed the FPS falling off. Was 3050, now 2970. My guess is it just getting long in the tooth. I am going to shoot 'er till it bucks me, as it is my FAVORITE "play" gun, but don't want to have a whole bunch of ammo loaded up when she goes. Any idea when that will be? 39 H4350 and 108 Berger BT. CCI450


Also.... my 6.5 x 47 1000 br comp tube. 1500 rounds and not 100% sure I will do another one. Any Idea when it will lose it's way to the X ring? I don't want to have a bunch of 6.5 stuff at the end of life. I will move it to steel plinking after the BR thing if I can. 39.8 H4350, 140 LRBT Berger CCI 450 at 2820 FPS

Thanks,
Tod

@Stan Taylor can fix you up with another tube that will be right!!! shoot and load till she drops and have one ready to spin up!!!!
stan

 

[INTJ]

I have a 6-6.5x47 with 2300 rounds. Still a shooter, but noticed the FPS falling off. Was 3050, now 2970. My guess is it just getting long in the tooth. I am going to shoot 'er till it bucks me, as it is my FAVORITE "play" gun, but don't want to have a whole bunch of ammo loaded up when she goes. Any idea when that will be? 39 H4350 and 108 Berger BT. CCI450


Also.... my 6.5 x 47 1000 br comp tube. 1500 rounds and not 100% sure I will do another one. Any Idea when it will lose it's way to the X ring? I don't want to have a bunch of 6.5 stuff at the end of life. I will move it to steel plinking after the BR thing if I can. 39.8 H4350, 140 LRBT Berger CCI 450 at 2820 FPS

Thanks,
Tod

Given 6 BRAs and 300 WSMs usually stay competitive in LR BR to 1200-1300 rounds, I would think your 6.5x47 is near the end of its BR life at 1500. It might go another 300 or so.

I won't take a chance with a competition barrel. When they get to 1000 rounds I start getting restless, and that is exacerbated by me having my own lathe. Others shoot them till then shoot poorly in a match.

 

[4xforfun]

Others shoot them till then shoot poorly in a match.

LOL......well, since the nearest match for me is a 1000+ mile weekend...+ match fees, + 2 nights hotel, + meals, + the cost of components and gunsmithing....etc.......I AINT WAITEN THAT LONG!! lol

 

[Walt Krafft]

LOL......well, since the nearest match for me is a 1000+ mile weekend...+ match fees, + 2 nights hotel, + meals, + the cost of components and gunsmithing....etc.......I AINT WAITEN THAT LONG!! lol

Given that, you need 2 new barrels NOW. Screw the old ones back on for practice.

 

[Devin Wiggett]

I agree with INJT I've had barrels go south like someone flipped a switch, I'm changing my comp barrels at 1000 rounds, for me it's a risk after that. I also own a lathe so it is a little more time and cost effective.

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I hear that they last around 6 seconds.

 

[Stan Taylor]

I agree with INJT I've had barrels go south like someone flipped a switch, I'm changing my comp barrels at 1000 rounds, for me it's a risk after that. I also own a lathe so it is a little more time and cost effective.

Otay

 

[lotech]

I've had many barrels replaced in the last fifty+ years. A good example has been my New Ultra Light Arms in 7x61 Sharpe & Hart Magnum (very similar ballistically to a 7mm Remington Magnum). I enjoy trying many different bullets and powders during load development.

I actually kept track of the rounds fired on the first barrel until around 550 rounds. Subsequent rounds fired through this barrel and the second and third barrels are estimates based on notes in my range book. I can't shoot tiny groups "all day long" like some of the Internet guys, but I've fired enough 1/2" to 5/8" groups to know that this rifle is accurate. At around 900 rounds on the first barrel, groups started opening slightly. At about 1200 rounds, seldom could I shoot a 100 yard group less than about 1.5". Okay hunting accuracy, sure, but hard to accept in a rifle that once shot much better.

When I called Melvin Forbes, the builder, to inquire if he'd put a new barrel on the rifle, he asked if I had a thousand rounds through it as that was about the point, in his experience, where accuracy deteriorated with 7mm magnums of that case capacity. Surprisingly to me, our estimates were very close.

The second barrel also gave good accuracy to about a thousand rounds. I've only put about three hundred rounds through the third barrel and don't shoot it like I did when I was doing all the load development. Most of my loads have been about maximum. All three barrels have been Douglas stainless.

 

[4xforfun]

I've had many barrels replaced in the last fifty+ years. A good example has been my New Ultra Light Arms in 7x61 Sharpe & Hart Magnum (very similar ballistically to a 7mm Remington Magnum). I enjoy trying many different bullets and powders during load development.

I actually kept track of the rounds fired on the first barrel until around 550 rounds. Subsequent rounds fired through this barrel and the second and third barrels are estimates based on notes in my range book. I can't shoot tiny groups "all day long" like some of the Internet guys, but I've fired enough 1/2" to 5/8" groups to know that this rifle is accurate. At around 900 rounds on the first barrel, groups started opening slightly. At about 1200 rounds, seldom could I shoot a 100 yard group less than about 1.5". Okay hunting accuracy, sure, but hard to accept in a rifle that once shot much better.

When I called Melvin Forbes, the builder, to inquire if he'd put a new barrel on the rifle, he asked if I had a thousand rounds through it as that was about the point, in his experience, where accuracy deteriorated with 7mm magnums of that case capacity. Surprisingly to me, our estimates were very close.

The second barrel also gave good accuracy to about a thousand rounds. I've only put about three hundred rounds through the third barrel and don't shoot it like I did when I was doing all the load development. Most of my loads have been about maximum. All three barrels have been Douglas

I keep EXACT records of number of shots fired through each BBL to + or - .000046 rounds per 1,000,000 and also the exact load data!!

 

[lotech]

My compliments to you, 4X, but few of us carry preciseness to that point. While I wish I had more accurate records, it's not a priority and would take something away from my enjoyment if I added another chore. That's not a criticism of your bookkeeping.

 

[4xforfun]

My compliments to you, 4X, but few of us carry preciseness to that point. While I wish I had more accurate records, it's not a priority and would take something away from my enjoyment if I added another chore. That's not a criticism of your bookkeeping.

Well I MAY be stretching the truth by several decimal points!! LOL