Spec me a .284 barrel for Open gun

[wolfman]

Please bear with me- I'm an FTR shooter dabling on the Dark Side. I'm thinking about setting up a .284 barrel on my backup gun for messing around at the odd local match. I have a Barnard S sitting in a MacMillan MBR stock. The stock has a 3 way but, and a bit of wieght added. What do I do as far as barrel goes? I'm thinking 1-8.5", straight cylinder at 30", but I'm all ears. Thoughts?

 

[ShootDots]

Please bear with me- I'm an FTR shooter dabling on the Dark Side. I'm thinking about setting up a .284 barrel on my backup gun for messing around at the odd local match. I have a Barnard S sitting in a MacMillan MBR stock. The stock has a 3 way but, and a bit of wieght added. What do I do as far as barrel goes? I'm thinking 1-8.5", straight cylinder at 30", but I'm all ears. Thoughts?

8.5 is excellent. I ordered and received a Bartlein 1-8.75 30" straight-tube. I have not shot it yet as my 1-8.5 is doing excellently.. You are right where you should be..

 

[BradY]

Had no luck at all with an 8.5 twist krieger in 284 shehane. Now have two barrels in 9 twist by same manufacturer (in Aus) and they shoot lights out. I only use HV profile barrels.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

Check your weight before you go straight taper to make sure you can make it

 

[wolfman]

thanks gents. Assuming 180 class bullets, and new Norma brass (hoping I can get away with not turning necks), what should the neck and freebore dimensions be?

 

[ShootDots]

thanks gents. Assuming 180 class bullets, and new Norma brass (hoping I can get away with not turning necks), what should the neck and freebore dimensions be?

If you are shooting 180 Hybrids or VLD's, you want AT LEAST a .220 freebore>>> my opinion is a .230-.235 is BEST! But if you plan on using the 180 Scenars, you need AT LEAST a .285 and a .300 freebore is NOT out of the question. And if you want a "no-turn" neck, the Norma brass has a neck wall thickness of 16K. So you need 16 + 16 + 284 + 4 for clearance, brings you to .320 to .322 chamber.. I hope this helps..

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Most of my f-class shooters have went back to the regular 284 vs the shehane. They ended up back at the 2830-2850 node anyhow so the went back. The trend seems to be toward 32" barrrels. My reamer has a .225" freebore and was made for the 180 hybrid which is what most are shooting. My pick at the moment for a 7mm barrel would be a Brux, with Krieger a close second.

 

[wolfman]

thanks gents- I really appreciate your input. I spend 90% of my shooting time focused on FTR, so to use that in an analogy, I'm looking for the equivilent of the US FTR reamer/ 185 juggernaut/lapua case combo, for .284. I won't have time to tweak and tune any more than I absolutly have to. I would like to set up a barrel with a no turn neck, and a throat designed for an easy to tune bullet. I'm not sure if that should be 180 hybrid or the scenar?

 

[ShootDots]

thanks gents- I really appreciate your input. I spend 90% of my shooting time focused on FTR, so to use that in an analogy, I'm looking for the equivilent of the US FTR reamer/ 185 juggernaut/lapua case combo, for .284. I won't have time to tweak and tune any more than I absolutly have to. I would like to set up a barrel with a no turn neck, and a throat designed for an easy to tune bullet. I'm not sure if that should be 180 hybrid or the scenar?

Remember 1 thing: If you use the Scenar, you will be setting back the barrel in a relatively short time as the Scenar needs A LOT longer freebore than the Hybrid does. You may very well run out of case neck before you run out of barrel life if you open with a freebore of .300 and find out your rifle may not like the Scenars. So choose carefully. I use a .230-.235 freebore and use the Hybrids first. Then when the throat opens up from use, I go to the Scenars at that point. IF your use a freebore of .230 and your rifle does NOT like the Hybrids that well, you can use a UNITHROATER and open up to .300! Not the reverse!!

 

[wolfman]

The idea is to make this as trouble free as possible, so it sounds like a .320 neck, with .230 freebore shooitng hybrids is where I should be looking. Thanks very much guys

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I would NOT do a no turn in this case. When you neck up 6.5 Lapua brass you induce a lot of thickness variation. Neck tension is every nit as important as you r powder charge or seating depth. If you must do a no-turn I'd get my hands on some Norma 284 brass and mic it out for thickness consistency. If its good than use it. But if you see more than .001" in thickness variation I'd not use it. After seeing the results of 1k testing, I turn everything, period.

 

[savageshooter86]

I would NOT do a no turn in this case. When you neck up 6.5 Lapua brass you induce a lot of thickness variation. Neck tension is every nit as important as you r powder charge or seating depth. If you must do a no-turn I'd get my hands on some Norma 284 brass and mic it out for thickness consistency. If its good than use it. But if you see more than .001" in thickness variation I'd not use it. After seeing the results of 1k testing, I turn everything, period.

Alex do you sort by thickness variation before turning, or just turn them?

 

[Keith Glasscock]

I don't know what Alex does, but I turn everything. I've set my reamer at .315 neck to enforce the requirement. It does make a difference.