First BR Rifle - Barrel- Walther or Douglas

[lukehalee]

First, great site. I have learned much.

I've got a Savage LRVP action and want to build rifle for local BR action. Planning to go 6mmBR. Was thinking Douglas barrel or maybe a Walther, but have found neither get much press. One better than the other, or would you recommend someone else?

Thanks much,

Mark

 

[rayjay]

I have an SSS/Douglas 12 twist 6mmBR bbl on my 112 single shot and am very happy with it. Make sure you get a precision neck, either the 272 no turn or something that requires neck turning. I have the 272 on mine and I can shoot 3's, 4's, 5's [ such honesty, admitting to 5's ] with an occasional 2.

Whatever you do don't get a SAAMI chamber [ does such a thing even exist for the 6mmBR ?? ]. Shilen now has prefit Savage bbls and that will be my next purchase.

 

[Forum Boss]

Luke,

There's a guy at my club who put a Douglas on his Savage, chambered it in 6BR and it shoots great. That said, if you can save a little more money, I'd go with one of the premium barrel makers: Bartlein, Krieger, PacNor, Broughton,and there are others), Shilen. Jason also has a new Rock 5R that's shooting really well. My PacNor pre-fit hammers on my Savage.

With one of these, and a good chambering job, there is a very good chance you can shoot repeatable 2s and occasional high ones,with the short bullets).

I just haven't heard much one way or the other about Walther.

If you are shooting 100/200, I'd do a 12-twist. Otherwise an 8 or 8.5 so you can shoot the long bullets at 300, 600 and beyond.

 

[lukehalee]

It will be a 100/200 gun. So are you recommending 12 turn and lighter bullets?

2's would be the goal, understanding that I will be the limiting factor for a while. To get a Shilen would you order straight from them, or someone else. I don't think the others you mentioned do pre fits for Savages do they? If someone else, please help.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[savet06]

I would recommend ordering from a place like brunoshooters.com. They order so many from Shilen that they get great prices. I just ordered a varmint contour for the LRPV 30BR, and the cost is about $60 less than ordering straight from Shilen. They can't do custom contours or rifling like some of the other companies, but their reputation and ability to order a pre-fit custom barrel is a real bonus.
By the way, both Shilen and Bruno's were fantastic to work with, and made sure that everything I was looking for was attended to. Great experience.
Mike

 

[lukehalee]

savet06,

Thanks, I will give them a call.

I have also thought about a 30BR. Half of the matches at the local range are for score. Is recoil really that bad. I know shooting from a bench is different, but I have shot a 308 off a bench and it didn't seem that bad.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[Forum Boss]

PacNor and Shilen do PreFits.

Walther offers a PreFit, but when I asked them about the dimensions it was a SAMMI spec. If you have your own reamer they can use it, but PacNor offers a .272 neck with a minimum spec chamber cut with a latest generation Kiff reamer.

If you go PacNor, don't just ask for "Savage Contour". You'll want it bigger at the muzzle.

Re Twist--the short-range guys would say 14 or 15-twist, but then you might as well chamber it for PPC. The BR has the horsepower to shoot the 80s which shoot great in a 12-twist.

 

[Shelley]

I vote for the 30BR. I've let lots of folks shoot my 10.5lb 30Br and never had anyone think the recoil was out of line.

I've had lots of PPCs and 6BRs also. I love them all but I'm overly fond of the 30BR.

Shelley

 

[tightneck]

I second the vote for the 30BR...JMO, but I think 30's have a lot more going for them. Easier to keep in tune and great shooting 30 barrels come along with much more regularity than great shooting 6mm barrels.

 

[lukehalee]

If I do a 30BR, any one you prefer for tight necks, chambers, and throat lengths?

Thanks,

Mark

 

[kampfeld]

The most commonly used and probably the best configuration for the 30Br.is a .330 neck and zero free-bore. 17 or 18 twist. If you go 6Br, for close range a 13 or 13.5 twist will work well for up to 80 grn. bullets.

 

[tightneck]

I use the Randy Robinette 30 br reamer. As Kampfeld pointed out, it's a .330nk with zero freebore and is perfect for launching 115gr-120gr custom pills out of a 17 or 18 twist barrel. I'm really not sure it's nessecary to go with a .330nk, as a .332nk works just fine for some shooters.