Chamber too short??

[Paddyd]

Barrel is on it's way back to me. Throat is of minimal length, but I decided to not do any cutting and let natural erosion do the work for me. Eventually, those Nosler bullets will fit.
Let me say this about CBI..
BEST customer service I have ever had.. and I mean that with all sincerity. From the first phone call they were there to serve and do whatever I wanted to that barrel free of charge including to and from shipping. CBI seems to be 100% committed to their products and I will be ordering more barrels from them in the future.

 

[Texas10]

I'm shooting a Criterion 8 twist chambered in 223 from NSS. Probably have about a thousand rounds down the barrel, mostly 69 gr Lapua's and 24.4 gr Varget. Bullet is seated well down in the case, in fact, I had to drop the charge from 25.2 because I couldn't get reliable seating due to powder crunch and trying to keep to .005 into the lands.

I have measured only a few thousandths of throat wear, with some good amounts of fire cracking, so if you're going to wait out the throat erosion, be aware that fire cracking will also take a toll on accuracy.

I am about at that point of taking a reamer to it and moving the throat out to fit the heavier bullets.

Next time I'll order a 223 Rem Match which has the longer throat. Or maybe I'll get a Wylde hair and get a Wild.

 

[6MMsteve]

Criterion has a 223 and 223 match the match will have a longer throat for heavy bullets

 

[Paddyd]

Well I decided to not alter the throat and have found a decent load the first time out. Used Nosler 53 gn Varmageddon in LC18 cases, .020" off the lands over 26.0 gns of Benchmark. 5 rounds @ 100 yds measures 0.335" center to center.
I think this CBI barrel is showing great promise for a first attempt. I have some Hornady 68's over Varget to test tomorrow after the wind dies down. If I do another 223 barrel I will do a 1/8 twist with a match chamber so I can shoot the 80 grainers. Kudos to Criterion barrels. They not only manufacture great barrels, but they have the best customer service I have ever seen. When I called asking about seating depths, they immediately issued a UPS slip to return it for inspection. Then they offered to re chamber it to whatever I desired. When I told them I would go with it as is, they had it back to me in 2 days.. Do they make the best barrel out there? Who knows. I'm sure there are others that will shoot as well or better, but for what I need they have exceeded my expectations. My next Savage pre fit will be a CBI. I have a 110 FP in 308 that shoots good, but coppers up badly and am seriously thinking of another barrel.