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Free bore effect on precision.

I currently have a combination for my 338 LAI that shoots very well in my single shot action CTH, but will have too long of an AOL for a mag fed repeater I want to do. The reamer for the CTH has a .300 FB, I will need to reduce that to the .175-.225 range in order to keep the same jump to the lands as the current load and have it fit in the 4.050 MDT mag. I will have to reduce the base to tip loaded round from 4.1 to 3.9ish.

Bullet being used is a Berger 300 OTM

It is possible I will run into donut issues with a 3.9 OAL, but have inside neck reamed in the past and had no issues keeping great precision with a previous 338 LAI I had.

The bottom line is, if I do the new reamer- do I have a good chance that the same powder and jump will "likely" shoot well with the new reamer, or does a different FB length tend to change the powder choice / Jump, etc.

Current powder is N570.
 
I currently have a combination for my 338 LAI that shoots very well in my single shot action CTH, but will have too long of an AOL for a mag fed repeater I want to do. The reamer for the CTH has a .300 FB, I will need to reduce that to the .175-.225 range in order to keep the same jump to the lands as the current load and have it fit in the 4.050 MDT mag. I will have to reduce the base to tip loaded round from 4.1 to 3.9ish.

Bullet being used is a Berger 300 OTM

It is possible I will run into donut issues with a 3.9 OAL, but have inside neck reamed in the past and had no issues keeping great precision with a previous 338 LAI I had.

The bottom line is, if I do the new reamer- do I have a good chance that the same powder and jump will "likely" shoot well with the new reamer, or does a different FB length tend to change the powder choice / Jump, etc.

Current powder is N570.
You Sarge, are quite an acronymist! ;) jd
 
I would tend to think your "Jump" with your current barrel/load (which is seating depth)
is barrel dependent on where it likes seating depth
vs freebore dependent
and that your new barrel will likely have a seating depth of its own that it likes regardless of jump
(Bullet exit timing)
---
I could be wrong here though in that:
similarly chambered bores with loads all = at same seating depths with same bullet - may perform very well in general, regardless of a different barrel
---
So I would think it is possible, what you are describing but be prepared for your new barrel to possibly like a new and different seating depth, meaning, your "Jump" is likely to be "barrel dependent"
vs
Same bullet using same Jump dependent
---
Manson can regrind your reamer for a new profile, much cheaper than a new reamer
 
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