I Received A New 30 Cal 1-18 Twist Bartlien In 400 Mod Stainless.

[jackieschmidt]

I got back from a shipyard yesterday and discovered a new 30 cal Bartlien Barrel in 400 Mod Stainless

I chambered it up this evening and got it on my favorite 30BR VFS Rifle.

The 400 Mod exhibits very little of the free machining qualities of the usual 416R Stainless. I’m not sure what their RC hardness is on this steel, but it machines about like annealed 4140. It finished up just fine, I had no issues doing the machine work, aside from just a little more torque on the reamer as I can notice because I hand ream my chambers after rough boring.

I just did a Bartlien Chrome Moly barrel for my Mauser project, I think the Chrome Moly actually machines a tad better.

If you have ever machined any 304 Stainless, that would be my best assessment as to the 400 Mod machinability.

I guess I can break it in and shoot it Sunday morning. Bartlien’s selling point on this steel is longer barrel life. Of course, that is a secondary aspect for me, as the only thing that concerns me is the overall accuracy capabilities.

I see no reason why it should not perform as well as my other Bartlien’s.

 

[NC/Br Shooter]

That's super nice. Right there. !

 

[Fuj]

How many grooves are you runnin' ??

 

[AlNyhus]

Jackie, are you freshening up the throats on your .30 barrels like you do on the 6PPC's? -Al

 

[jackieschmidt]

How many grooves are you runnin' ??

It’s a regular 4 groove.

 

[LVLAaron]

Those are really tough on reamers. Friend of mine brought me a reamer that had been used on two of them previously... Edge of the reamer felt fuzzy and left a weird surface finish.

 

[FrankG]

I got back from a shipyard yesterday and discovered a new 30 cal Bartlien Barrel in 400 Mod Stainless

I chambered it up this evening and got it on my favorite 30BR VFS Rifle.

The 400 Mod exhibits very little of the free machining qualities of the usual 416R Stainless. I’m not sure what their RC hardness is on this steel, but it machines about like annealed 4140. It finished up just fine, I had no issues doing the machine work, aside from just a little more torque on the reamer as I can notice because I hand ream my chambers after rough boring.

I just did a Bartlien Chrome Moly barrel for my Mauser project, I think the Chrome Moly actually machines a tad better.

If you have ever machined any 304, that would be my best assessment as to the 400 Mod machinability.

I guess I can break it in and shoot it Sunday morning. Bartlien’s selling point on this steel is longer barrel life. Of course, that is a secondary aspect for me, as the only thing that concerns e is the overall accuracy capabilities.

I see no reason why it should not perform as well as my other Bartlien’s.
View attachment 1491916View attachment 1491917View attachment 1491918

Yes, it does machine a little differently, but we've been running the same speeds and feeds like we normally do with no issues.

I'd agree the chamber reamers won't last as long but nothing that we've seen that has been a deal breaker on anything.

That's the 30cal you asked to order Jackie. Sorry it took so long to get to ya but I didn't forget about it.

Let me know how it works for ya.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[3Sigma]

Those are really tough on reamers. Friend of mine brought me a reamer that had been used on two of them previously... Edge of the reamer felt fuzzy and left a weird surface finish.

I would guess it was HSS? My limited exposure to cutting 300 series and 4x40 steels is that carbide is much preferred due to tool wear.

 

[LVLAaron]

Yes - steel reamer

 

[jackieschmidt]

Those are really tough on reamers. Friend of mine brought me a reamer that had been used on two of them previously... Edge of the reamer felt fuzzy and left a weird surface finish.

Keep in mind, with the way I do barrels, the only thing that I use the reamer for is to establish the final finish and dimensions of the chamber. 98% of the metal removal is with drilling and then single point boring.
My goal is not to chamber my barrels with the intent of meeting a production standard, my goal is to establish the best chamber possible.

My reamers last a long time. In fact, the 6PPC I use for my barrels is 20 years old. I lost count of how many barrels I have done for myself in that time, and it still looks and cuts as good as it did when first acquired.

Strictly from a machinist point of view, common sense dictates that when machining materials with less machinability than a material with purpose built free machining qualities, you use more coolant, (or cutting oil), and less speed.

This 400 Mod is in no way difficult to machine. It simply is not as free machining as 416R.

 

[perazziguy]

If that is for a 30br(or variant), with it's barrel life, would this barrel steel last practically forever??

 

[jackieschmidt]

Jackie, are you freshening up the throats on your .30 barrels like you do on the 6PPC's? -Al

Al, not near as often. I thing they are ready for a set back at about 800 rounds.