Is my custom barrel a waste? Help

[DngBat7]

So major quandary today. I tend to get wordy, so I’ll try to get to my point. I know I’m gonna be asked, so I’ll say this right off the bat. It’s a 6.5cm, 1/8 twist, 26” custom as barrel. Roughly 6-700 round count

I normally shoot Berger 140 hybrids. If I touch (not jam) the lands, my coal is 2.935, or with comparator 2.255. That is pretty long. With special magazines, tip of bullet is almost touching the front of mag. See pic

So last night I ordered Berger 130 vld s from Bruno’s. (Free shipping right now, btw). As soon as I opened my eyes and woke this morning, I realized that something was wrong. (Yes, I dream about reloading). When I was going through measurements in my head, realized something was wrong

Please look at photo of the Berger 140 hybrid. Below the black line on the bullet is where the bearing surface is in the case neck. You can see the caliper. I’m no expert, but it does not seem by much. So between that measurement and how little room is left in my magazine. I’d say I am kind of done with this barrel? I was in the process of having a custom die made, but I realize that will be a waste, I don’t own the reamer so it’s not like I can use the die after this barrel? I realized I cannot even use the Berger 130’s. (Or any shorter bullet for that matter). I will be a mile away from the lands. If I tried touching the lands, the bullet won’t even be in the case anymore.

This seems strange. The barrel is fairly new. Why would a barrel maker reem such a long throat?

Last, after this how hard is it to get my own reamer made with a smaller neck diameter and shorter throat? I am assuming you get a finish reamer and keep it for all your future builds and dies?

 

[rardoin]

Is that sharpie mark placed when the bullet is seated at touch length or at your standard load? If at touch then you are fine. Keep backing off touch 0.020-0.025" in a coarse seating depth test until you find another sweet spot. Don't be afraid to go past 0.1" off the lands with the 140 hybrid...seriously. If the mark is placed while at touch length you still are ok for probably another 800+ rounds unless you are trying to get 2850+ fps.

 

[DngBat7]

Is that sharpie mark placed when the bullet is seated at touch length or at your standard load? If at touch then you are fine. Keep backing off touch 0.020-0.025" in a coarse seating depth test until you find another sweet spot. Don't be afraid to go past 0.1" off the lands with the 140 hybrid...seriously. If the mark is placed while at touch length you still are ok for probably another 800+ rounds unless you are trying to get 2850+ fps.

The sharpie mark is when the bullet is seated in the brass at max coal (touch length) and I drew the sharpie mark around the bullet exposed on outside of the brass.

This may sound stupid, , but don’t you get the best accuracy being right off land, touching or Jammed? I know it depends on rifle. I am saying in general

 

[Richard Coody]

believe me bullets will jump and be very accurate. even VLD's. try the berger jump test. you will be surprised

 

[DennisH]

It definetly seems like your throat is pretty long.

You stated it's a custom barrel. Did you make any special request when you ordered it?

Hopefully the quick solution I am thinking of right now is having your barrel set back. I would load up a couple of dummy rounds with the bullet seated exactly where you want it. You will have to make a decesion if your 130's are what you like, or if the 140's are your preferred bullet. I have done this many times, plus the barrels we turned for others was handled the same way. I personally like the bullet bearing surface in the neck around 80%. This is a personal preference. I don't want any of the bearing surface sticking in the case. IMO it puts pressure all around the bullet when firing. If the bullet is just a little far out, the pressure hits the "boattail" end of the bullet. Again, JMO,and all has worked good for me

Which brass are you using? Which action are you using?

Unless it's a Savage, you will probably have to send the entire rifle to your gunsmith, or the company that turned your barrel.

It should be simple to due, all depends on your contour of the barrel. Let it know how it works out.

Dennis

 

[DngBat7]

It definetly seems like your throat is pretty long.

You stated it's a custom barrel. Did you make any special request when you ordered it?

(No special request was made)


Hopefully the quick solution I am thinking of right now is having your barrel set back. I would load up a couple of dummy rounds with the bullet seated exactly where you want it. You will have to make a decesion if your 130's are what you like, or if the 140's are your preferred bullet. I have done this many times, plus the barrels we turned for others was handled the same way. I personally like the bullet bearing surface in the neck around 80%. This is a personal preference. I don't want any of the bearing surface sticking in the case. IMO it puts pressure all around the bullet when firing. If the bullet is just a little far out, the pressure hits the "boattail" end of the bullet. Again, JMO,and all has worked good for me

Which brass are you using? Which action are you using?

(Lapua, rpr)

Unless it's a Savage, you will probably have to send the entire rifle to your gunsmith, or the company that turned your barrel.

It should be simple to due, all depends on your contour of the barrel. Let it know how it works out.

(It’s a straight contour. It’s is stupid accurate. And I wanted to make a custom die which I just ordered. But it seems like a waste?)



Dennis

 

[L.Sherm]

A saami 6.5 CM reamer has .199 freebore it sounds like that's what was used on yours.

 

[DngBat7]

It definetly seems like your throat is pretty long.

You stated it's a custom barrel. Did you make any special request when you ordered it?

Hopefully the quick solution I am thinking of right now is having your barrel set back. I would load up a couple of dummy rounds with the bullet seated exactly where you want it. You will have to make a decesion if your 130's are what you like, or if the 140's are your preferred bullet. I have done this many times, plus the barrels we turned for others was handled the same way. I personally like the bullet bearing surface in the neck around 80%. This is a personal preference. I don't want any of the bearing surface sticking in the case. IMO it puts pressure all around the bullet when firing. If the bullet is just a little far out, the pressure hits the "boattail" end of the bullet. Again, JMO,and all has worked good for me

Which brass are you using? Which action are you using?

Unless it's a Savage, you will probably have to send the entire rifle to your gunsmith, or the company that turned your barrel.

It should be simple to due, all depends on your contour of the barrel. Let it know how it works out.

Dennis

If I had a new barrel reamed for a 130vld, which is a @.080 shorter bullet than the 140 hybrid. Will the 140 hybrid still work in it? Or will it be over pressured?

 

[DngBat7]

A saami 6.5 CM reamer has .199 freebore it sounds like that's what was used on yours.

So your saying this is normal?

 

[L.Sherm]

Yeah

 

[L.Sherm]

I used 130 vlds in one 6.5CM that had been chambered with a .199 saami reamer it shot really well at 2.86 O.AL. As stated above sometimes the VLDs shoot good with jump only one way to find out.

 

[DennisH]

believe me bullets will jump and be very accurate. even VLD's. try the berger jump test. you will be surprised

"The Berger Jump Test", I am one of the many who put my VLD's kissing the lands, or jamming them in the lands .010 to .020!

One reloading day, I made a mistake and seated my bullets way too deep. Long story there. However, to my "surprise" the rifle was shooting them very accurately.

To make this short, I now have three rifles, two that like to be .020 off the lands, and one that likes being .050 off the lands. All sub MOA @ 600 yards.

When developing a load for a new barrel, I start at .080 off the lands and work my way to the lands sometimes going into the lands .030. I usually shoot 4 shot groups when narrowing it down to the perfect load. It's amazing how just .2 difference of powder makes a big difference on your grouping. Same goes with primers. I can get a consistent group of .30 MOA @ 100 yards. At this point I try different primers which easily makes the rifle a sub 1/2 MOA @ 100 yards. I also have a few other wild theories I faithfull follow that makes a difference. I start out shooting with .50 grains between groups. Example; 40.5 first, then 41.0, 41.5, 42, 42.5. This puts you in the money the first time. After deciding which looks the best, my next loads are in the .20 difference range between case charges. Once satisfied, here comes the 600 yard range.

When close, I start testing in .2 difference in my charge, then .1 to see if it makes a difference. This is a simple process that has never failed me.

Twice in my life, I was advised loads, or read an article that had a load perfected and was recommended. I hit the jackpot 2 times, and was very close on others!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone,

JMO, Dennis

 

[DennisH]

Example when I was dialing in a load and testing 139 Lapuas. Notice how the groups started opening up, the narrowed down as the charges were increased.




Another example below.

 

[jds holler]

This is Gods way of telling you to STOP this hocus pocus of shooting magazine fed repeaters, and load your rifle "single shot" as rifles were intended. jd

 

[DngBat7]

Lol. So everyone give me your opinion. Should I continue with having my custom die made or not seeing what I said above

 

[dcali]

Don’t assume huge jumps are bad. Sometimes they’re fine. But in general, if you want to shoot mag length rounds, make sure your freebore is appropriate for that OAL.

 

[JRS]

Lol. So everyone give me your opinion. Should I continue with having my custom die made or not seeing what I said above

Are you talking about a bullet seating die?

 

[DngBat7]

Don’t assume huge jumps are bad. Sometimes they’re fine. But in general, if you want to shoot mag length rounds, make sure your freebore is appropriate for that OAL.

So if I ever decided to have my own reamer made, does the amount of throat or free bore I want it to have all depend on what bullet I want to shoot?

 

[DngBat7]

Are you talking about a bullet seating die?

No. I just sent in brass to have a custom full length bushing die made

 

[dcali]

Lol. So everyone give me your opinion. Should I continue with having my custom die made or not seeing what I said above

No. You want to at the very least own your own reamer, which is as easy as calling up a vendor like JGS and telling them what you want. If you don’t know exactly why you want custom dies, you don’t need them.