bullet option

[chet]

been shooting my 6.5 creedmoor, rifle is the Cabela's model 10T. have about 600=650 rounds thru the gun, during the first 175 rounds or so, the groups started to open up a bit shooting the 140gr bullets, the ELD Match, nosler RDF ect, and about 5 others, so recently the gun is showing better accuracy with the lighter bullet such as the Sierra 123gr match PN 1727, so now these bullets are nearly impossible to find in my area, curious if anyone has used any other brand of bullets in that weight range that might be more readily available and worth a try.

chet

 

[Delfuego]

123 Lapua scenars are good. 120 Amax are still around too. Lots of options.

 

[rardoin]

Chet, you should still be able to shoot the 140gr class bullets with at the original accuracy with that low of a round count in the Creedmoor. If you have a friend with a borescope, have a look in the barrel and see if it is fouled excessively. Just because patches come out clean does not confirm a lack of significant fouling from my experience. There is a good chance that is your issue. Also expect the origin of the lands to have moved several thousandth's out and it may require a longer seating depth to get the accuracy back. Most likely you can get the 140's shooting in that barrel again.

 

[mgunderson]

Thought I saw a few guys trying to get rid of some sierra 142s. Norma 130s are an option when you can get them.

 

[Delfuego]

Thought I saw a few guys trying to get rid of some sierra 142s.

That was me. The 142SMK always shot better than the 140 Hybrid, AMAX or Scenar the for me.

 

[chet]

Chet, you should still be able to shoot the 140gr class bullets with at the original accuracy with that low of a round count in the Creedmoor. If you have a friend with a borescope, have a look in the barrel and see if it is fouled excessively. Just because patches come out clean does not confirm a lack of significant fouling from my experience. There is a good chance that is your issue. Also expect the origin of the lands to have moved several thousandth's out and it may require a longer seating depth to get the accuracy back. Most likely you can get the 140's shooting in that barrel again.

hi rardoin

after 600 rounds thru the barrel, i now have the 140 bullets .025 longer from a new barrel, i did use JB bore paste, i notice when i am pulling my brush thru the barrel i can feel more resistance around the chamber area to about 4" down the bore, after using JB Bore paste i think i got it feelng right, going to check and see if my buddy still has his bore scope

 

[amlevin]

Chet, you should still be able to shoot the 140gr class bullets with at the original accuracy with that low of a round count in the Creedmoor. If you have a friend with a borescope, have a look in the barrel and see if it is fouled excessively. Just because patches come out clean does not confirm a lack of significant fouling from my experience. There is a good chance that is your issue. Also expect the origin of the lands to have moved several thousandth's out and it may require a longer seating depth to get the accuracy back. Most likely you can get the 140's shooting in that barrel again.

I have the same model rifle purchased from Cabela's as well. When the same problem presented itself to me I took an afternoon off and gave the barrel a good scrubbing. My borecam showed the barrel to be rather rough and it had fouled considerably with copper. After several applications of Gunslick Foaming Bore Cleaner I finally got the copper cleaned out. When I got it clean enough that not only did patches come out clean, they felt totally smooth as they were pushed through the bore. At first there were "gritty spots" where the patch seemed to hang up.

First shots after this cleanup produced a nice little ragged hole less than 1/2" in max diameter. (100 yards).

My earlier bore "scoping" (I use a Lyman Borecam) showed what looked like "Chatter marks" that I thought were from the button used to form the rifling. A discussion with the guys at Benchmark determined that they are from the reamer used to properly size the bore before the button is pulled through. They are usually gone after hand lapping but I seriously doubt Savage Laps their barrels before screwing them on the receiver.

 

[chet]

hi amlevin

there is no doubt, savage or any entry level brand will go thru hand lapping, i am afraid i will be scared what a borescope shows, but i know it won't be a brux or any top barrel maker, but this gun has shot probably 10 groups with the 140's at least 1/2" and 2 or 3 around 3/8" and better, i use Boretech "Eliminator" will look around for gunslick foam cleaner, i thought for sure after scrubbing with JB bore paste would do the job, one thing that puzzles me is when this gun was performing at it's best with the 140's is i never touched the trigger, now i have it at 1lb even, you would think it should be easier to get good group. wonder if i go back to a 3lb trigger,LOL, but maybe i was holding the gun tighter, one thing about this gun it is very sensitive to how i hold it. and i want to add one more thing as of yesterdays shooting, i went to the range with 50 rounds some 140's and some 123 sierra 1727, i saved the 123 for the last 5 shots, the barrel was not cleaned during the shooting session, i had 4 just about at 1/4" the first was out by 3/8" i use a fan operated barrel cooler between 5 shot groups. i bedded the recoil lug.

chet