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Bullets to barrel, or barrel to bullets?

Ok, so as competition goes I understand the want/need for consistency. Hence why we will buy large quantities of bullets of the same lot number (compared to a hunter reloading for a few shots a year).

But say that you didn't have a large quantity of one particular lot number.
"X" bullet shoots great in "A" barrel.
But you switch barrels.

Would "Y" bullet possibly shoot better in the new "B" barrel?

Or do you hope and stick with "X" bullet because it worked well in the old "A" barrel?
 
I'm not a big bullet chaser. My barrels are bartlin, brux or kreiger. I shoot clines 108 in 30 never have tried any other. I keep my ears open to what the winners are doing.
In my ppc I've changed for a season but i don't wear out a barrel testing. Choose it, buy 1500, see what the season does. Same with 6mm bra. Ive tried several over the years.

I prefer "lotts" but a 105 is a 105, 108 is a 108 by the same manufacturer, imo
Right now I'm fighting my first 6.5x47 and 140 g bullet.... I have 130g bullets. I'm about to change.
So frustrating.....
 
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Ok, so as competition goes I understand the want/need for consistency. Hence why we will buy large quantities of bullets of the same lot number (compared to a hunter reloading for a few shots a year).

But say that you didn't have a large quantity of one particular lot number.
"X" bullet shoots great in "A" barrel.
But you switch barrels.

Would "Y" bullet possibly shoot better in the new "B" barrel?

Or do you hope and stick with "X" bullet because it worked well in the old "A" barrel?
WHAT !!!!
 
Ok, so as competition goes I understand the want/need for consistency. Hence why we will buy large quantities of bullets of the same lot number (compared to a hunter reloading for a few shots a year).

But say that you didn't have a large quantity of one particular lot number.
"X" bullet shoots great in "A" barrel.
But you switch barrels.

Would "Y" bullet possibly shoot better in the new "B" barrel?

Or do you hope and stick with "X" bullet because it worked well in the old "A" barrel?
Well Ken, you need to match the bullet to the barrel. You can get some help with a tuner but not a 100% thing. So you try the old bullets in the new barrel. If they work fine. If not you sell them or keep them for future use, perhaps fireforming or for an upcoming barrel. Now a smart guy has his own reamer, uses 1 good smith, and learns the cartridge. Now upcoming barrels will usually work with very close the same recipe. Like JMayo above, I don't want to use the best portion of a barrel life testing, but in competition. If you keep jumping around, guess what? You will always be searching. I think most guys read too much, get too many different ideas many that are b.s., and are always floundering. I have been through a bunch of ppc and brx barrels. Within a tenth or two of powder and a few thousandth of seating I used 1 powder and 1 bullet and have always been competitive. So when seeking advice remember this idea. People go see a surgeon because something hurts. They get told, You need surgery. Duh! You expected a different answer.
 
I'm not a big bullet chaser. My barrels are bartlin, brux or kreiger. I shoot clines 108 in 30 never have tried any other. I keep my ears open to what the winners are doing.
In my ppc I've changed for a season but i don't wear out a barrel testing. Choose it, buy 1500, see what the season does. Same with 6mm bra. Ive tried several over the years.

I prefer "lotts" but a 105 is a 105, 108 is a 108 by the same manufacturer, imo
Right now I'm fighting my first 6.5x47 and 140 g bullet.... I have 130g bullets. I'm about to change.
So frustrating.....
Try the 130s. They’re my accuracy bullet. I’ve only taken them to 600 yards but they are accurate to that distance. Stiller repeater action, Bartlien barrel chambered by Bob Green. I play with lots of other guns but when I need a gun to reassure myself that I can still shoot, I load some Berger 130s for that 6.5x47 and go have fun.
To the OP: I find some barrels shoot better with x bullet. Can’t say why but you just have to test. When you find that magic combination of bullet, powder, etc for a barrel, buy a bunch.
 
I am not a competitor but a precision shooter, or at least I attempt to be.

In my experience, some individual rifles will just not shoot a particular bullet well not matter which powder, primer, seating depth, etc. employed. I believe it is the most influential factor in obtaining desired accuracy assuming a suitable powder is being used.
 
All of my barrels are cut on the same reamer and I use quality components which I buy in large lots.

I do a seating depth test on each barrel. Beyond that the most I am willing to test is + or - .2gr of powder.

If the barrel does not shoot the bullets/powder provided, the barrel is either scrap or goes in the practice only pile depending on how off the performance is. I have been through enough barrels now to know that if the barrel does not shoot the combination I am using, it is not worth chasing.
 
Try the 130s. They’re my accuracy bullet. I’ve only taken them to 600 yards but they are accurate to that distance. Stiller repeater action, Bartlien barrel chambered by Bob Green. I play with lots of other guns but when I need a gun to reassure myself that I can still shoot, I load some Berger 130s for that 6.5x47 and go have fun.
To the OP: I find some barrels shoot better with x bullet. Can’t say why but you just have to test. When you find that magic combination of bullet, powder, etc for a barrel, buy a bunch.
The 130 Berger and 123 SMK do very well in mine.
 
I believe the answer to the “Bullets or Barrels” question is that both matter. u cannot shoot small without the best of both. That said, I will venture that if u talked to many of the top competitors in any shooting game, they have settled on a particular bullet/ powder combination. Barrels are worn n changed and that “ Go To” bullet n powder are what the new bbl is started with. There may be a small change in the seating depth or small changes in powder charge, but if it doesn’t shoot, you have a bbl issue. Don’t spend a lot of time n components trying to make a barrel shoot when known loads fail u. Screw on a different bbl. It will be cheaper in the long run.
Jeff made a good point about owning ur own reamer. That goes a long way to keeping ur chambers the same from bbl to bbl. I fit my own bbls and within a caliber, the headspace can be controlled so that ur brass ( n shoulder set back) can be used in the new bbl no issues.
Over the last ten years, I have been thru five 6 mm BRX bbls and the same bullet n load will shoot in all of them.
You will find that occasionally u discover a bbl and lot of powder or bullets that are magical. Those are put aside for big matches as they don’t come along that often. The “Hummer” bbls and one hole bullets are used sparingl.
I believe we are living at a time when there are a host of bbl makers that all produce high quality products. U cannot go wrong with any of the top makers. Even what some will call second tier bbls will supply outstanding accuracy. If u cannot get a bbl to shot, talk to the manufacturer, they don’t want an inferior product out there.
 

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