Should I get a new barrel or, stick this one out?

[CanusLatransSnpr]

I have a Savage VLP chambered in 22-250 Rem with a 26" 9" twist barrel, factory barrel mind you. Since I started shooting this rig I haven't been able to really get it to shoot consistently. With the load it likes best, 52gr. Berger Match Varmint on top of 38.0 gr. H380 in Win brass and WLR primer, one day it will shoot great and the next it will shoot poor. I have tried many different bullets, powders, only one other primer, and a couple different kinds of brass and I still can't get this thing to shoot consistently. I clean the barrel every 12-20 shots so the barrel isn't getting really dirty. I will say it coppers quickly though and it only has a touch over 500 rounds down the tube. Its a bear to clean, atleast compared to my handlapped McGowen .243 Win barrel. It still has the factory crown on it also. What I want to know is should I stick this one out until its dead or, get another barrel. Any and all input is appreciated as always. Thanks!

Mike

 

[snowpro440]

I would get a new barrel in the contour an fluting that I wanted in an ackley Improved an make it a tight neck . I will soon be rebarreling my Ruger M77v in 22-250AI . If your gonna shoot you might as well hit what your aiming at...

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks snowpro!

Mike

 

[coyoteklr]

i've become such a McGowen barrel fan that i want to say rebarrel..... but you might try some jb bore paste and then try a mag primer with the 380..... it made a difference in my ruger 250 using ramshot big game......i use fed. and cci mag primers. give it at least 20 rounds then jb it again and another 20 and see if it makes a difference.....i would also go with the ackley improved ... if nothing else that what a difference in saving the brass and barrel...

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

coyoteklr: I have used jb bore paste to clean this barrel on several different occasions. Actually, I'll clean it up Butches Boreshine to get all the powder fouling out, and some copper. Then I go after it with jb bore paste sometimes, every 100 rounds or so. It seems to help a little but, this damn barrel fouls up so badly with little shooting. I've tried some Rem 9 1/2 Magnum primers before but, I may try them again. I'll try what you suggest, the mag primers and jb then see what happens. I know where I can get some Fed mag primers to try if the Remmys aren't suitable. If I do decide to rebarrel, hopefully Northland Shooters Supply will have one in stock for a quick turn around. The soybeans will be sprouting soon and I want atleast 2 good shooting rifles for the groundhogs ! Thanks for the help!

Mike

 

[therifler]

sorry to hear about your troubles . i would offer this thought rather than tell you what to do . the money and time you are spending to try and get a bad barrel to work right ,might be better spent on a new barrel . T.R.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

T.R.: I have pondered that same scenario also. I don't like throwing good money after bad. Sometimes I wonder if isn't the nut behind the trigger thats the problem here? The last time I shot the 22-250 I shot horrible groups with the pet load and then pulled out the .243 with its pet load and shot a .260 3 shot group with that gun. The .243 is built on the same action as the 22-250 but with a McGowen barrel and an HS stock. The 22-250 has the action bedded to the laminate stock so I don't think its a bedding problem.

Mike

 

[Jayman_10x]

Mike,

Your concern about the nut is well taken. I would bring it to a competant gunsmith to inspect. If that checks out, then re-barrel, have the action trued and have the lugs lapped. For my money, Hart Barrels gets the nod here.


Jason

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Jason: The nut I was referring to was myself ! I'm not too concerned about the barrel nut but, good heads up on that though! I have a good smith nearby so thats not too difficult. An old shooting friend of mine, God rest his soul, swore by Hart Barrels too so I know how you feel! Thanks!

Mike

 

[CaptainMal]

Good luck waiting on a new barrel. I just gave up on a bad McGowen and am patiently waiting for a Krieger. Most all of the top barrel makers told me it would be up to a year to get a new barrel.

If you want two rifles right now, I say order a new barrel but plan on using the old one for a while.

 

[coyoteklr]

captainmal.....
interesting about McGowen barrel....... they are in a busy time and it only took me 8 weeks for a special order.... got the barrel 3 days ago...
i know the manager and he is as honest as the day is long....i just talked to him about 2 weeks ago and that subject came up .... i've had such good luck with them that i asked if they run into bad barrels.... he said that since he started they have only had 5 bad barrels..... it is hard for me to believe that they would not replace yours..... what exactly is giving up on the bad barrel......won't hurt to call.... i'll bet a 20 dollar bill that they will ...... i'll check with him in a couple of weeks and if he won't replace it i will give him 20 dollars to send to you.... that way nobody but you and he will know......no he won't tell me because i won't ask.
even Lilja is only about 3 to 4 months.......no where near a year.... and they are also crem de la crem......
both exellent Montana companies....

 

[K22]

9" twist is quite fast for a 22 250 considering that most manufacturers use a 14" twist. Savage seems possessed with the fast twists in the 22 250 and 223 however many shooter report that these are excellent rifles. I don't know, I don't own any Savages.

You may want to try a heavier bullet, say 60 grain. H380 is a good powder for this caliber but I've experienced erractic results also, some days good, some days not so good. I'd try Varget or H4895 if you have any.

Laterly I've been using IMR 4350 with 55 grain Noslers with excellent results, groups under 1/2 moa but my rifles have 14" twists. One advantage I've notice with IMR 4350 is that I get very little case stretch which can be an issue with this caliber given the tapered case.

Also, I've found that bullet seating depth in this caliber in my rifles changes group size quite a bit. I've been using 2.400 in one rifle and 2.350 in another.

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I appreciate it. I have several different powders at my disposal: H380, H414, H4895, Varget, I4320, and I4007SSC so I may try one of those other than H380. I haven't given up on this one quite yet but, I'm getting close. A little more shooting and we will see. Thanks again!

Mike

 

[Goofycat]

You mentioned about the "nut behind the trigger." Before you get into changing barrels, etc., why not have another shooter (who has a history of being known for accuracy) print some groups with the rifle? It won't take care of the barrel-cleaning problem, but it might reveal any technique problems you might have.

Frankly, if it were my rifle, I would be looking for a re-barrel, merely due to the fact that your copper-fouling that seems to be "over the top" is a sign of a rough bore. I know that I have no problems cleaning my Hart-barreled .22-250, and that if I had to go through all the cleaning procedures you have described, I would not be a happy shooter. But....if you should choose to shoot the rifle only occasionally, such as for coyotes, I would leave the rifle as is and search for a rifle in Ackley Improved (if your heart is set on a .22-250), or other caliber that can fulfill your shooting/hunting goals. Also, there are used BR rifles that are for sale by BR shooters that can perform PD duties, even though they produce groups that are "only" 1/2 MOA. These rifles usually have had all the work done on the actions and triggers, bedding, etc.., and can be a good buy at a steep discount from what they cost new. Also, you don't have to wait for the rifle to be constructed.

 

[Goofycat]

I Googled up .22-250AI rifles for sale and found this one. I don't know how much money you possibly had in mind for a used rifle, but this is only one example of what's out there in used-rifle land:

http://www.gunsamerica.com/923756914/Guns/Rifles/Benchrest-Varmint-Rifles-Misc/Rem_40_XB_KS_22_250_Ackley_Improved.htm

Here's another one (sold) I saw on LRH. The owner had all the good stuff completed at considerable cost, then lowered the price to sell the rifle as used. Is it a shooter? Who knows, but it gives you another glimpse of what's out there:

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f25/nesika-custom-22-250-ai-varmint-rifle-58650/

 

[coyoteklr]

have someone else shoot it cause i don't think you can..... ouch..ouch that probably hurt.....
everybody has bad days but if he has a 243 with a mcgowen barrel i think he would know what a good gun shoots like and the 22-250 doesn.t sound like it is...
those guns look and sound nice, but as you said don't know if they are good shooter or not..... my gunsmith will build you a 22-250AI with a mcgowen barrel and a stock with a fn/win action trued for 1600 and it will shoot or he won't sell it to you....he doesn't build and then just hand it to you...
i would try to smooth out the barrel and if it did'nt shoot better i would rebarrel with a mcgowen.... they are really good shooters at a reasonable price... 225.....the other choice is Lilja at 325.... the inside of these barrels are as smooth as baby butts, even under magnafication.....and are proven shooters .It would probably be another 275 for the work to rebarrel....

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

Goofycat: I would have another with the knack for shooting accurately shoot it but, there is only one and we both keep very different schedules. Plus one on the used bench guns too. I would like to go that route but, funds right now won't allow that kind of expenditure. I appreciate the research done though.

Coyoteklr: If I do get another barrel, I will probably go with a pre-threaded pre-chambered barrel from them again. When I get it, screw the old one off and screw the new one on. That is one of the nice things about shooting a Savage. Thanks again!

Mike

 

[Samdweezel05]

Thanks for all the replies guys, I appreciate it. I have several different powders at my disposal: H380, H414, H4895, Varget, I4320, and I4007SSC so I may try one of those other than H380. I haven't given up on this one quite yet but, I'm getting close. A little more shooting and we will see. Thanks again!

Mike

Try out the H4895 you have now. I haven't had very good luck with H380 in any of my .22-250's. I use IMR4895. Also, I don't know how you are loading them but try and slow them down a bit. I have had a couple of Savage .22-250 barrels that didn't like to be pushed very fast. Almost like the rifling isn't doing it's job very well and they have a hard time to stabilize bullets if you load too hot. Good luck with it.

 

[coyoteklr]

i appologize captainmal.... after reading some of your past posts you didn't give up easily...... sorry about hy-jacking the thread........

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

I will have to try the H4895 Sam! First though I'm going to have to get some more bullets. I have a box of 53gr. Sierra Match Kings but, I discovered today that they are really inconsistent in length. Varying as much as .005" from one bullet to the next, not cool! Whats bad is I have a box of cheap Speer 52gr. Varmints, $14.00 a box, and they only vary .0005" from the bunch that I measured. Too bad this rough barrel of mine blows them up or I would use them. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention how this barrel would blow these cheap Speer bullets up didn't I? Reguardless, I need some more bullets before I do any testing. I will post results when more bullets are attained ! Thanks!

Mike