BRA Does NOT Guarantee "Harry" a World Record

[dkhunt14]

Gents,
I believe Mr. Wheeler has said it quite well!
(This is in no reference to anyone on this thread)

Im my life I've known a few that I refer to as (check book champion) so focused on winning at any cost that nothing else seemed to mater.
In my book a true Champion acknowledges the success of others , supports their fellow competitors and is genuinely pleased with their own results at the end of the day win loose or draw.
These true champions you can spot a mile away.
I for one enjoy the journey, everyone finds their winning level in their endeavors.
I don't wish to offend anyone it's just the way I see it.
Regards
SPJ

Just because a guy puts everything into winning doesn't mean he doesn't acknowledge others or help them. Not everybody shoots for the same reason or has the same desires. Matt

 

[mikeeg02]

Just because a guy puts everything into winning doesn't mean he doesn't acknowledge others or help them. Not everybody shoots for the same reason or has the same desires. Matt

I whole heartedly agree with that. I do my best to win, put a lot into what I do, try to have a little fun, but I also do my best to help the people I am shooting with to win too, even if it makes them beat me. I have a team of guys I shoot with, and my goal is for all of us to be on top. Sure I'd love to have me on top of the pile, but its not always my day. And I'll certainly do my best to help anyone that asks for it. Not that I am anyone in particular.

 

[mikeinct]

I have the best plan..GRIN...I only have to shoot better/equal than my last outing at 1000 yds..& I am a happy guy...Mike in Ct

 

[Northridge]

Myron Cope, late announcer for the Steelers, likened ordinary pro football players as just another "Harry". My name is Larry but I shoot like "Harry". To be good at the BR game I feel you should be a machinist, chamber your own barrels, fit them to your actions and be superb in your testing procedures. Wealthy would also be another "must" on the list. Had one of the best gunsmiths build me a new BRA last year. To date my results are disappointing.

With way more than $10,000 in rifle, scope, mounts, dies, cases, various powders, bullets (Vapor Trail, Bergers, Barts, Hornady, Sierra), brake, new target camera, neck turner, hundreds of trips to the range, mega hours on the bench and more... my Dashers easily outshoot it on its best day. I am not alone. At Manatee I know three others who had BRA's recently built. Only one, BR1, has had success with his builds. The others are like me but with less than my 1,000+ rounds of testing. Two others on this forum also correspond with me to discuss their frustration with the BRA. We just cannot get it to shoot well.

Sure my gunsmith told me to trash the Krieger barrel at about the 400 round mark. I resisted because this next test would be the one. The next and the next have long come and gone. The gun is now good for fire forming.

New barrels and the work to get it chambered is both expensive and tough to source. Then after, there are no guarantees. While all the recent hype on the BRA seems to say is it's making good shooters great and great ones, world class. That may be the case but BRA does not take us "Harry's" into the realm of a quality shooter just like that.

I regret my recent foray into frustration with the BRA. It has taken much of the fun out of benchrest shooting for me. Think about this before jumping in with high expectations. You just might be another "Harry".

Capitan mal, I would agree that the 6BRA is not the fix all do everything cartridge as they need a full work up to find success as well. its a bummer your first time to bat with this little cartridge was riddled with disappointment. all I can suggest is a reboot if you will a second try as my own experience has ben very much different and those fellow shooters I have persuaded to try the cartridge have all shot personal best single targets and better starts to a agg season. as tom Mousel stated on this thread check the obvious places for trouble before your second attempt if you haven't all ready. in my short time dealing with this cartridge there are many formulas it is willing to digest well but the same pre and post match troubles need to stay in check to stay on a solid tune, brass, bullets, bags, game day mind set etc. your not lacking in equipment so I expect your second go will be different good luck.

Shawn Williams

 

[CaptainMal]

Interesting ideas have come from this thread and the numerous PM's I have received. I think it would be useful to some if I mentioned a few.

Slow down. Running high 2900 fps may put you into a very sensitive area that does not hold well. Slow down to the lower 2900's. I always ran mine fast, sometimes into the low 3,000's. A no-turn neck is not a bad thing but neither is a turned one. Jury out on that issue.

Tuners work. If you run and see changes, like with Dashers under changing conditions, tune for those conditions. This BRA of mine has no tuner. All my Dashers do and I make use of them. The new barrel will have a new-style RAS tuner/brake.

Dump a problem barrel fast or make changes in it. Sometimes just a shortening makes it run way different. Stop beating the dead horse no matter how lively it looks.

You will not make a good group thinking and hoping. Get out there and shoot.

 

[Tim Singleton]

What I'm guilty of is doubting myself into chasing a barrel thinking its me before I know it I've wasted 500 or 600 rounds
If your platform is proven trust it and don't try to make something happen that just isn't going to
I have to remind myself of this often, every really good barrel I've ever had was immediately obvious

 

[johara1]

It is really bad when you have more than one problem at the same time, not really bad but together they are ...... ask me. An other NF. scope to be sent back after the same questions from NF......... jim

 

[DJB]

What Alex and BR1 said is correct. I declined to stop using that barrel. Just kept on testing. Actually learned some doing it but never got decent results. Agree with many I was the dummy (Harry) that should have stopped earlier.

Now, I do not know the issues with the other two local shooters also having issues getting their BRA's to shoot. BR1 knows them and may know more than me. Also aware of another shooter, Doug Bell, who did lots of testing and then went north for the Summer without much success either.

Seems the best is BT1 and his results sure show his abilities. His name is Steve, not Harry.

By this Fall I will be re-barrelled, chambered and going at it again. I did not give up, just noting to others, as stated by some...the BRA alone does not make it easy.

Larry.....I have to say that, yes I did some testing with the BRA and as of yet, it is not shooting as well as I would hope. I was having my best testing with the 103 Vapor Trail, and then I ran out of them. I was doing some testing with the EPS bullets. They look promising. Twice I went out to do some serious testing, and ended up helping a couple others with their BRA's, so I still have a lot to do with mine. Now that I am back home in WI my testing has been put on hold. Just too many other things I need to do before I can start shooting,and testing again. I still have high hopes for the BRA. My Vapor Trail's are hopefully coming this month or next month. From earlier testing, they are one fantastic bullet. Doug

 

[Kyle Schultz]

Larry.....I have to say that, yes I did some testing with the BRA and as of yet, it is not shooting as well as I would hope. I was having my best testing with the 103 Vapor Trail, and then I ran out of them. I was doing some testing with the EPS bullets. They look promising. Twice I went out to do some serious testing, and ended up helping a couple others with their BRA's, so I still have a lot to do with mine. Now that I am back home in WI my testing has been put on hold. Just too many other things I need to do before I can start shooting, and testing again. I still have high hopes for the BRA. My Vapor Trail's are hopefully coming this month or next month. From earlier testing, they are one fantastic bullet. Doug

I do believe, regardless of the platform, that the bullet is the secret ingredient in any winning sauce.

 

[johara1]

I do believe, regardless of the platform, that the bullet is the secret ingredient in any winning sauce.

Barrel, bullets and no equipment problems...... then you are the week link...... jim

 

[Eric Leonard]

a 338LM doesnt make you a 1 mile shooter either

 

[Alex Wheeler]

If you have been paying attention to the aggs and records over the last few years, theres no doubt that in general things are heading the right direction.

 

[pirate ammo]

I just like to shoot,,if I hit something,thats a plus

 

[comagutsa]

I just wish i could get my 6BRA working ... not everyone can afford to throw away hard earned money at the snap of a finger on a barrel that doesn't work with a new one (about $900 to 1000 in Australia chambered) and try to get it to work .. my 6BRX barrel tuned so quick and easy and with 1500 rounds on it still out shoots my 6BRA. . . I cant get consistency out of it good 1 min same load crap next min .. now has 600 rounds on it and im no closer to a load .. last test i got 3x 108gr bergers at .020 jam into 1 hole at 300m during searing depth test with 30.6gr of 2206h/h4895 and thought i was on the right track. Then i go back to fine tune and same load then measures 1.5 inches with all vert wtf.. pulling my hair out
Hardest barrel I've had to tune. .also a krieger HV 1:7.5 28inch . but 4 other krieger have been great ... trying to save for a new barrel but it will take time

 

[Alex Wheeler]

When I would tune up a new dasher barrel, I would take my my 3 favorite powders to the range as well as a couple of bullets. After day #1 I would know which powder and bullet combo that barrel liked and a pretty good idea of where the load was going to be. I never have had a hard time tuning a barrel in my life and I think thats why. The only barrel I owned that fought me never shot under .5 moa. I fixed it by replacing it. Ad up the cost of components, fuel to go to the range, time, ext. At some point its cheaper to replace the barrel. For me personally, if by 200 I have not seen the barrel show real promise its not worth the time and money to continue with. It will make a great fire form or varmint barrel. I have also made it a point to deal with barrel manufacturers that are good to deal with. If you get a Krieger, Brux, or Rock Creek that wont shoot, they will make it right and so will I. I love what Brux told me. If a Benchrest shooter cant get it shooting by 100 rounds call me. There are good people in this business that do not want anything out there that is not performing. Good barrels dont fight you.

 

[dedeadeye]

Awesome. Good barrels don't fight you. Truer words have never been spoken.
Roger

 

[Northridge]

A client told me awhile back as we where talking about shooting and its finer details "its in your head" & he could not be more correct, it is in my head. what sparked the comment was I stated and I quote "don't miss the forest through the trees" point I was trying to make was usually the answer it right in front of us on the surface not six feet down. in preparing for competition don't force things you have either found disco or not its that simple if on game day your wishing group size before you & your rifle form it you have all ready failed. don't be married to something because of prospect $ lost you will spend much more money going down a rabbit hole. peanut butter and jelly do not always belong on the same sandwich bread, sometimes its peanut butter and pickles or maybe Mayonnaise on toast instead of butter. targets in practice are more important than any target shot on competition days . " Targets never Lie" if my ladders suck that's ok its my fault and I will make a adjustment hopefully for the better. don't get stuck in a rut, we all have been against the wall. if a 30-30 shoots for you by all means run it, if a we little cartridge gets you personal bests cool, maybe your best built 300 wsm gets you there cool beans don't be afraid to be different.


Shawn Williams

 

[Curious]

I have to remind myself of this often, every good barrel I've ever had was immediately obvious

How many bad barrels have you had against very good and generally average ones?

 

[Tim Singleton]

How many bad barrels have you had against very good and generally average ones?

A lot of good or average maybe one in ten above average to great
Never had a bad one
Bartlien or KREIGER

 

[ASbobcat]

Myron Cope, late announcer for the Steelers, likened ordinary pro football players as just another "Harry". My name is Larry but I shoot like "Harry". To be good at the BR game I feel you should be a machinist, chamber your own barrels, fit them to your actions and be superb in your testing procedures. Wealthy would also be another "must" on the list. Had one of the best gunsmiths build me a new BRA last year. To date my results are disappointing.

With way more than $10,000 in rifle, scope, mounts, dies, cases, various powders, bullets (Vapor Trail, Bergers, Barts, Hornady, Sierra), brake, new target camera, neck turner, hundreds of trips to the range, mega hours on the bench and more... my Dashers easily outshoot it on its best day. I am not alone. At Manatee I know three others who had BRA's recently built. Only one, BR1, has had success with his builds. The others are like me but with less than my 1,000+ rounds of testing. Two others on this forum also correspond with me to discuss their frustration with the BRA. We just cannot get it to shoot well.

Sure my gunsmith told me to trash the Krieger barrel at about the 400 round mark. I resisted because this next test would be the one. The next and the next have long come and gone. The gun is now good for fire forming.

New barrels and the work to get it chambered is both expensive and tough to source. Then after, there are no guarantees. While all the recent hype on the BRA seems to say is it's making good shooters great and great ones, world class. That may be the case but BRA does not take us "Harry's" into the realm of a quality shooter just like that.

I regret my recent foray into frustration with the BRA. It has taken much of the fun out of benchrest shooting for me. Think about this before jumping in with high expectations. You just might be another "Harry".

I am very sorry to hear about your expensive investment that didn't work out.
I'd like to share with you what can be done on a budget. Many years ago I used to pay gunsmiths good money, and sometimes wait months, only to find out that the results were "less than satisfactory" to be VERY polite.
That's when I switched to Savage PT actions, which can be had new for $600, and bought a couple of barrel tools from EABCO. I buy reamers and chamber/headspace to my spec's by hand, no lathe. I buy quality barrels that others have given up on from this forum and clean them up.
Attached is a ladder test of my own 6BRO (Optimum) that is a BRDX with Dasher shoulder and taper. The total gun cost (not including scope) was $1,300 (Action $600, stock $500, bbl $200). The Krieger barrel had an unkown round count when I bought it and I've put another 1,000 through it.
Each group is three shots at 50yds. Best group 0.2moa avg (0.1x2). Velocity 3150fps.