Tight Neck or No?

[Phil3]

Hi,

I am putting together a Savage target action rifle on which I plan to use a Criterion barrel. On the Northland Shooters Supply website, it says, "Criterion can custom chamber barrels using customer reamers if preferred to have the barrel chambered to your exact specifications". How can I best take advantage of that? I will be using Lapua brass, and am OK with neck turning, so why not run a tight neck chamber? If so, what chamber size works well?

Thank you.

Phil

 

[Terry]

What cartridge?

 

[Gabe22BR]

Hi,

I am putting together a Savage target action rifle on which I plan to use a Criterion barrel. On the Northland Shooters Supply website, it says, "Criterion can custom chamber barrels using customer reamers if preferred to have the barrel chambered to your exact specifications". How can I best take advantage of that? I will be using Lapua brass, and am OK with neck turning, so why not run a tight neck chamber? If so, what chamber size works well?

Thank you.

Phil

Maybe , YOU NEED TO CALL THEM and ask would be the simplest answer

 

[Phil3]

Sorry, this will be a 6mmBR, probably 1:8 twist. - Phil

 

[Alex Wheeler]

.268" is a good size, light turn.

 

[SS427]

.269 is probably what I would go with now. Full clean up of the neck and not so thin the neck becomes fragile like a .262 neck is. Even the PPC guys are going with these thicker necks now.

 

[Dan Hall]

OK I understand that turning the neck was needed in days past and we all got used to just going that route for the perfect wall thickness and better accuracy and it was needed with the lack of quality brass; However, it has now been proven by several competent shooters that neck turning is no longer needed to make Lapua Brass have a uniform neck wall thickness and shoot BR quality groups. So why not go with a reamer that gives you your desired clearance with factory brass ?? Makes life easier for us??

 

[ballistic64]

Hi,

I am putting together a Savage target action rifle on which I plan to use a Criterion barrel. On the Northland Shooters Supply website, it says, "Criterion can custom chamber barrels using customer reamers if preferred to have the barrel chambered to your exact specifications". How can I best take advantage of that? I will be using Lapua brass, and am OK with neck turning, so why not run a tight neck chamber? If so, what chamber size works well?

Thank you.

Phil

Maybe , YOU NEED TO CALL THEM and ask would be the simpleton answer

I can't begin to imagine the combined years of experience possessed by all the members of this forum, so what is wrong with asking a question?

 

[savagedasher]

Years before they made reamer's with guide bushing and chambered by hand or with a stray rest tight neck chamber was a must.
Reamer's now with guide bushing now can chamber so perfect tight neck don't have much of a advantage. Larry

 

[jim_k]

Nothing wrong with a little neck turning. Just make sure the bullet will fall through the case neck after firing, so the neck is not dangerously tight. The tighter the neck, the more often you should check.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

If you want all you can get from a cartridge, you turn.

 

[dantiff2]

I built a 6BR for target shooting with a tight neck chamber several years ago. The chamber neck dia. was .270" requiring me to turn all of my "OLD" Lapua necks for this barrel. Several years down the road. Lapua changed their dimensions on the 6BR brass. Now, I no longer needed to turn the necks because a loaded round was measuring .268-.2685. So the curiosity got the better of me and I tried shooting groups with the "new" blue box Lapua brass without turning the necks. To answer your question. I will never chamber a gun for a tight neck chamber again. My Shilen barrel shot the exact same groups with the two brass. There was zero difference. My gun still shot the same average. Testing was done at 100 and 200 yards from a bench rest.

Hope this helps. You might have a different result.

Dan

 

[Dan Hall]

Phil3. Figure how much clearance you want in the neck, that would usually be about 2/1000s, and the rest of the body, then get on the phone with one or more of the quality reamer cutters, Heinrickson,good luck there, or Dave Kiff at PT&G. Discus with them what bullet you plan on shooting. Be as specific as possible here so they can figure what the best freebore figure will be. Fact is its not a bad idea to call these guys right away and bend their ear for as much information as you can get. They've cut a lot of reamers and know more than you can imagine about your chamber needs. Especially the 6 BR/ Dasher these days. Then order a reamer. It's never a bad thing to have the reamer your rifle is chambered with. Its gonna cost somewhere around $150 and you can always sell it if you decide to change. This is part of the intrigue of building a rifle. The more you know about your chamber the better ammo you can make.
So Have Fun and shoot straight and far.

 

[LCazador]

Phil3. Figure how much clearance you want in the neck, that would usually be about 2/1000s, and the rest of the body, then get on the phone with one or more of the quality reamer cutters, Heinrickson,good luck there, or Dave Kiff at PT&G. Discus with them what bullet you plan on shooting. Be as specific as possible here so they can figure what the best freebore figure will be. Fact is its not a bad idea to call these guys right away and bend their ear for as much information as you can get. They've cut a lot of reamers and know more than you can imagine about your chamber needs. Especially the 6 BR/ Dasher these days. Then order a reamer. It's never a bad thing to have the reamer your rifle is chambered with. Its gonna cost somewhere around $150 and you can always sell it if you decide to change. This is part of the intrigue of building a rifle. The more you know about your chamber the better ammo you can make.
So Have Fun and shoot straight and far.

This is great advice. Dave Kiff at Pacific Tool can do a reamer for you and help you out with the specs. Ask for a blue print of your reamer for future reference and don't forget to order a go guage with your reamer. As for neck turning Lapua brass, it is not as consistent as it used to be. A recent lot that I purchased needed more than three thousands to clean up. So take the current dimension that Lapua is running .269" minus three thousands. That's a .266" neck. So a .268" chamber will work best but check with Dave. When you have more than .002" to clean up you will definitely benefit from neck turning. Most of the serious bench shooters I know are still neck turning!

 

[BenPerfected]

Phil3. Figure how much clearance you want in the neck, that would usually be about 2/1000s, and the rest of the body, then get on the phone with one or more of the quality reamer cutters, Heinrickson,good luck there, or Dave Kiff at PT&G. Discus with them what bullet you plan on shooting. Be as specific as possible here so they can figure what the best freebore figure will be. Fact is its not a bad idea to call these guys right away and bend their ear for as much information as you can get. They've cut a lot of reamers and know more than you can imagine about your chamber needs. Especially the 6 BR/ Dasher these days. Then order a reamer. It's never a bad thing to have the reamer your rifle is chambered with. Its gonna cost somewhere around $150 and you can always sell it if you decide to change. This is part of the intrigue of building a rifle. The more you know about your chamber the better ammo you can make.
So Have Fun and shoot straight and far.

Excellent advice, the Internet is not a good place to decide on the best chamber/reamer.

 

[Phil3]

Phil3. Figure how much clearance you want in the neck, that would usually be about 2/1000s, and the rest of the body, then get on the phone with one or more of the quality reamer cutters, Heinrickson,good luck there, or Dave Kiff at PT&G. Discus with them what bullet you plan on shooting. Be as specific as possible here so they can figure what the best freebore figure will be. Fact is its not a bad idea to call these guys right away and bend their ear for as much information as you can get. They've cut a lot of reamers and know more than you can imagine about your chamber needs. Especially the 6 BR/ Dasher these days. Then order a reamer. It's never a bad thing to have the reamer your rifle is chambered with. Its gonna cost somewhere around $150 and you can always sell it if you decide to change. This is part of the intrigue of building a rifle. The more you know about your chamber the better ammo you can make.
So Have Fun and shoot straight and far.

Thank you so much for this advice. I note that you say to discuss with Dave Kiff what bullet I plan on shooting. Hmmm..., I am not sure. I will be shooting probably 85% at 100 yards, and the rest of the time at 200 yards. And if I feel like making a 4 hour round trip, 300 yards. What bullet (and twist) is recommended? Armed with that info, I will call PT&G. I see on the 6mmBR page, it is said the 80 grain Berger or 74 grain FB Bergers are good for short range. Safe bet for my use?

Thank you.

Phil

 

[big bad bill]

Dear Phil3,
If you are going to be shooting at primarily 100 and 200 yards, consider getting a 13 or 13.5 twist and shoot Berger Column, Barts or other custom 65 grain bullets. You can expect to shoot almost as well as a 6PPC with a barrel, properly fit and chambered, from one of the premium barrel manufacturers. I would not expect as good of results with an 8 twist and the medium weight bullets you spoke about. I have 6BR barrels in 14, 13.5, 8 and 7.5 twists and my fast twist barrels do not shoot any bullet as well as the slow twists with 65-68 grain premium bullets at short range.
Good luck on your project.
Bill

 

[Phil3]

Bill,

Thank you. I found the Criterion website shows the following.

6mm 1-8 twist (with 1-7.5, 1-9, 1-10, 1-14 options)
6 BR Norma, 6 x 47 Lapua, 6 XC, 6mm Dasher, 243 Win., 243 Win. Match, 243 A.I., 243 A.I. Match, 6mm Creedmoor

Looks like I have a choice of 1:10 or 1:14 options for twist. At 200 yards max, what do you think and what bullet for that?

I wish I could shoot further, but here in the San Francisco bay area, that is not possible. 200 yards is it. If I happen to move to a place where I can shoot further, I can get another barrel with a tighter twist.

Phil

 

[Dan Hall]

A good 6BR load with custom BR bullets (65-68 grain) will shoot out to 200/300 yards with uncanny accuracy. If 200 yards is your limit a good 13.5-14 twist barrel with something like Bart's 68gr Ultra's will shoot as good as you want. I have found though that the 6BR, with it's slightly larger powder capacity than a PPC, really likes flat base 80 grain and VLD 87 grain Berger bullets. Both my standard BRs shoot the 87 gr Berger VLDs into 1/4" groups at 200 yards. Now you will need a 1-10 twist barrel for this but this barrel will also shoot 68 grains Bart's into a hole. The options are almost endless. The toughest part may be deciding which route to go.

 

[BenPerfected]

Bill,

Thank you. I found the Criterion website shows the following.

6mm 1-8 twist (with 1-7.5, 1-9, 1-10, 1-14 options)
6 BR Norma, 6 x 47 Lapua, 6 XC, 6mm Dasher, 243 Win., 243 Win. Match, 243 A.I., 243 A.I. Match, 6mm Creedmoor

Looks like I have a choice of 1:10 or 1:14 options for twist. At 200 yards max, what do you think and what bullet for that?

I wish I could shoot further, but here in the San Francisco bay area, that is not possible. 200 yards is it. If I happen to move to a place where I can shoot further, I can get another barrel with a tighter twist.

Phil

Phil,
Where do you shoot in the SF Bay Area? Will are planning to be moving there in about a year.
Ben