Shilen Barrels

[46490]

Any pros or cons with the Shilen Ratchet 4 groove barrel 17T for a 30BR? What would be a good finished length of the barrel? It will be a .330 no turn neck chamber. Any recommendations for bullets and powder. Future plan is for BIB's bullets once they get stock - gut I need a good bullet now,

Thanks

 

[jackieschmidt]

Any pros or cons with the Shilen Ratchet 4 groove barrel 17T for a 30BR? What would be a good finished length of the barrel? It will be a .330 no turn neck chamber. Any recommendations for bullets and powder. Future plan is for BIB's bullets once they get stock - gut I need a good bullet now,

Thanks

In my opinion, It is a waste of time to make a 30BR barrel any longer than 22 1/2 inches. I cut mine to that.

I have never shot a Shilen Ratchet, as I prefer cut rifled barrels. But their barrels are some of the very best.

How are you planning on using a .330 no neck turn? When you neck a Lapua 6BR case to 30 cal, the neck walls will be too thick to not neck turn.

Most shooters are using around .009 to .0095 neck wall thickness in a .330 neck chambers as most good 30 caliber 112 to 118 grn bullets will have a gas ring at the base that measures .3085/.3087.

 

[WayneShaw]

Jackie is spot on on everything. One of the best barrels I ever had was a Shilen 17 twist in 30 cal. I don't think it was a ratchet style, this was over 10 years ago. I won a lot of wood with it.

A good barrel is where you find it, they all make good and bad, and sometimes great!

 

[46490]

In my opinion, It is a waste of time to make a 30BR barrel any longer than 22 1/2 inches. I cut mine to that.

I have never shot a Shilen Ratchet, as I prefer cut rifled barrels. But their barrels are some of the very best.

How are you planning on using a .330 no neck turn? When you neck a Lapua 6BR case to 30 cal, the neck walls will be too thick to not neck turn.

Most shooters are using around .009 to .0095 neck wall thickness in a .330 neck chambers as most good 30 caliber 112 to 118 grn bullets will have a gas ring at the base that measures .3085/.3087.

The no turn neck was for the reamer spec. I do plan on turning them. What is a good sizing die using mandrels.

 

[jackieschmidt]

The no turn neck was for the reamer spec. I do plan on turning them. What is a good sizing die using mandrels.

I guess I am confused as to what you are referring too.

If you have a reamer that is “no neck turn”, that means you can seat a bullet in the unaltered neck of the intended case and that loaded case will chamber and fire with no problems.

I feel pretty safe in saying that if you neck up a Lapua 6BR case to 30 caliber and seat a bullet, it will not work In a chamber that was cut with a reamer that features a .330 neck.

I can’t give an opinion of mandrels for necking up 30BR cases because I blow them out rather tha neck them up.

 

[AlNyhus]

There's some major confusion going on here...either in terminology or what you think you're going to get for a chamber versus what you're really going to get.

After expanding the neck, the 'lump' at the bottom of the new neck (that used to be the shoulder) will measure .336-.337.

That figure and the terms "no turn" and ".330 neck diameter" make no sense, at all. -Al

 

[46490]

There's some major confusion going on here...either in terminology or what you think you're going to get for a chamber versus what you're really going to get.

After expanding the neck, the 'lump' at the bottom of the new neck (that used to be the shoulder) will measure .336-.337.

That figure and the terms "no turn" and ".330 neck diameter" make no sense, at all. -Al

My terminology may not be correct. The reamer is a .330 Robinett no turn neck reamer. That is how it was explained to me. Upon expanding the necks of the 6mm lapua brass I will need to turn the necks using your formula to get the proper neck thickness and I plan on using a Harrell's sizing die. Am I missing something here. I have tried reading all that I can. This is my first attempt with the 30BR and I want to get it right. Any clarification and help from you is greatly appreciated. Please PM me and get me on the right track.

 

[RGRobinett]

My terminology may not be correct. The reamer is a .330 Robinett no turn neck reamer. That is how it was explained to me. Upon expanding the necks of the 6mm lapua brass I will need to turn the necks using your formula to get the proper neck thickness and I plan on using a Harrell's sizing die. Am I missing something here. I have tried reading all that I can. This is my first attempt with the 30BR and I want to get it right. Any clarification and help from you is greatly appreciated. Please PM me and get me on the right track.

We need a pic of the reamer print.
Unfortunately, there are a multitude of [so called] Robinett 30BR reamers, which feature differing dimensions, thus ARE NOT what one would expect on a reamer bearing my name peruse this link:

The [so called] Robinett 30 BR reamer- exposed.​

If the print states, "NO TURN", that's a "red flag" for certain. RG

 

[AlNyhus]

We need a pic of the reamer print.
If the print states, "NO TURN", that's a "red flag" for certain. RG

Amen to both of the above....from the man that knows!

Here's 'the lump' on 6BR cases that have been expanded to .30:

 

[tmwinds]

Jackie is spot on on everything. One of the best barrels I ever had was a Shilen 17 twist in 30 cal. I don't think it was a ratchet style, this was over 10 years ago. I won a lot of wood with it.

A good barrel is where you find it, they all make good and bad, and sometimes great!

Wayne is correct. A great barrel is where you find it. Wayne built me a .30 BR about 10 years ago with a Pacnor barrel. 10 years and probably about 8000 rounds later it shoots better than when new. I wouldn’t trade that barrel for a gold monkey.