Greetings all.
I'm about to throw in the towel on my new build. It isn't even all that new anymore. The thing just won't shoot to my satisfaction. After over 500 disappointing rounds, I give up.
I thought I knew what I was doing when I spec'd this out. I wanted something in a 6.5mm. I'd read stuff about different choices in that caliber and decide on a 260 AI of sorts. I say it that way because its not a plane jane 260 AI. Its more of a 6.5mm-08, Imp., 40 deg. shoulder. 260 AI is easier to say. I had this PT&G reamer ground with a .296 neck. I use Lapua 260 brass and that gives me .002 clearance with a loaded round. I realize that doesn't give much room for crud so I try to keep necks and chamber squeaky clean. The freebore is long, .188. For comparison, if you were to order the 260 AI reamer that Midway sells you'd get a .298 neck, .060 freebore (PT&G print # 30219). A 140 gr. Berger HPBT-LR just touches the lands at an overall cartridge length of 3.085 inches. The Berger 140 gr. VLD touches the lands at 3.000 inches. Likewise, a 142 gr. MK touches at 2.954 inches. This long freebore does a couple of things for me. It keeps the tail end of the bullet out of the case and leaves room for powder. It also keeps the bearing surface of the bullet ahead of the shoulder/neck junction so as to avoid any interference with possible doughnuts created during the fire forming process. That was the plan anyway. What else this particular chambering does for me I'm not certain. I have second thoughts about it now.
I used my single shot action that came with my Savage F/TR for the foundation. It had proven to be very reliable in the factory F/TR stock with the 30 inch, 308 barrel even after 3000 rounds.
I ordered a 26 in Brux barrel with an 8 twist in the same contour as the F/TR barrel so I would be able swap barrels into the same stock. This barrel was finished to 25.5 inches. My 308, 260 AI and 223 AI are all the same contour.
After realizing how much I missed shooting the F/TR I ordered a new McMillan A-5 for the 260 AI. It came fully inletted and fits like a glove. I was a little surprised, and happily so, that this was more of a push-in fit rather than a drop-in fit. I haven't done any bedding yet, but probably will in the near future. Although, I don't think bedding is my problem. This has shot just as poor in either the F/TR or A-5 stock.
The scope I use is a NF NXS 12-42 56mm with an NP-R1 reticle mounted on an EGW 20 MOA base using EGW rings as well. I've shot this scope mounted over my 223 AI and had no problems with it. I've got a NF 12-42 BR, CH-3, on the 223 AI now, same mount setup. I'm confident in my rings, bases and scopes.
As I mentioned, the factory Savage 308 barrel is as good, or better, than one could expect for an off-the-shelf rifle barrel. At my last trip to the range with it before I disassembled it, I halfheartedly put my last 20 rounds of 175 gr. MK's through the chronograph and into the 100 yard target. More clover leaves reminded me why Its not much of a challenge to shoot at 100 yard targets. This was my powder-puff load, about 2650 IIRC. When I ordered the barrel for the 260 AI build, I ordered a barrel for my Savage Mod. 12 LRPV at the same time. I'd replace the factory 26 inch, 9 twist barrel, chambered in 223 Rem. with an 8 twist barrel of the same length and had it chambered it in 223 AI. This was a repeater/DBM target action and the plan was to end up with a nice little varmint rifle. I put the big BR scope on it initially just to get it dialed in. I was astonished at how it shot an 80.5 gr. Berger. As an experiment I took some ammo I'd loaded up on the Dillon 550 for my Mini-14. This was unsorted mixed brass with some 55 gr. SPSX's. This is not precision ammo. The Mini will eat anything. Still, I was shooting great at 200 yards, fire forming all the way. Best group of the day was ¾ inch, center to center. It makes me hesitate to take off the BR scope.
The reason I bring up my other two rifles in describing my problems with my 260 AI is for reference. It shoots so bad compared to them it makes me think something is wrong, obviously. A good group of five shots for this rifle is at best around 1 ½ inches at 200 yards. I'd say an average group is more like 2". I've tried several different bullet and powder combinations and seating depth variations. Any were just as bad as the next. I've measured loads from 2770 to 2960 fps. with the 139 gr. to 142 gr. sized bullets, it doesn't seem to matter. Lately I've been trying 123 gr. bullets too. I thought that may make a difference. No. I bought QuickLoad to try to help me out. While I'm still learning QL, I'm not doing any better.
There has got to be something I can do different. I have looked over, studied, my load logbook, chrono results, old targets, and come to the conclusion that the barrel is the most likely suspect. Right or wrong I have another one on order. It should be ready to install in a couple of weeks.
I shoot a lot. Probably 100 rounds a week of some kind or another, if not more. This just isn't fun. If anybody has suggestions, or ideas, or opinions, or a magic wand I can borrow…
Any help would be appreciated.
Thx
B
I'm about to throw in the towel on my new build. It isn't even all that new anymore. The thing just won't shoot to my satisfaction. After over 500 disappointing rounds, I give up.
I thought I knew what I was doing when I spec'd this out. I wanted something in a 6.5mm. I'd read stuff about different choices in that caliber and decide on a 260 AI of sorts. I say it that way because its not a plane jane 260 AI. Its more of a 6.5mm-08, Imp., 40 deg. shoulder. 260 AI is easier to say. I had this PT&G reamer ground with a .296 neck. I use Lapua 260 brass and that gives me .002 clearance with a loaded round. I realize that doesn't give much room for crud so I try to keep necks and chamber squeaky clean. The freebore is long, .188. For comparison, if you were to order the 260 AI reamer that Midway sells you'd get a .298 neck, .060 freebore (PT&G print # 30219). A 140 gr. Berger HPBT-LR just touches the lands at an overall cartridge length of 3.085 inches. The Berger 140 gr. VLD touches the lands at 3.000 inches. Likewise, a 142 gr. MK touches at 2.954 inches. This long freebore does a couple of things for me. It keeps the tail end of the bullet out of the case and leaves room for powder. It also keeps the bearing surface of the bullet ahead of the shoulder/neck junction so as to avoid any interference with possible doughnuts created during the fire forming process. That was the plan anyway. What else this particular chambering does for me I'm not certain. I have second thoughts about it now.
I used my single shot action that came with my Savage F/TR for the foundation. It had proven to be very reliable in the factory F/TR stock with the 30 inch, 308 barrel even after 3000 rounds.
I ordered a 26 in Brux barrel with an 8 twist in the same contour as the F/TR barrel so I would be able swap barrels into the same stock. This barrel was finished to 25.5 inches. My 308, 260 AI and 223 AI are all the same contour.
After realizing how much I missed shooting the F/TR I ordered a new McMillan A-5 for the 260 AI. It came fully inletted and fits like a glove. I was a little surprised, and happily so, that this was more of a push-in fit rather than a drop-in fit. I haven't done any bedding yet, but probably will in the near future. Although, I don't think bedding is my problem. This has shot just as poor in either the F/TR or A-5 stock.
The scope I use is a NF NXS 12-42 56mm with an NP-R1 reticle mounted on an EGW 20 MOA base using EGW rings as well. I've shot this scope mounted over my 223 AI and had no problems with it. I've got a NF 12-42 BR, CH-3, on the 223 AI now, same mount setup. I'm confident in my rings, bases and scopes.
As I mentioned, the factory Savage 308 barrel is as good, or better, than one could expect for an off-the-shelf rifle barrel. At my last trip to the range with it before I disassembled it, I halfheartedly put my last 20 rounds of 175 gr. MK's through the chronograph and into the 100 yard target. More clover leaves reminded me why Its not much of a challenge to shoot at 100 yard targets. This was my powder-puff load, about 2650 IIRC. When I ordered the barrel for the 260 AI build, I ordered a barrel for my Savage Mod. 12 LRPV at the same time. I'd replace the factory 26 inch, 9 twist barrel, chambered in 223 Rem. with an 8 twist barrel of the same length and had it chambered it in 223 AI. This was a repeater/DBM target action and the plan was to end up with a nice little varmint rifle. I put the big BR scope on it initially just to get it dialed in. I was astonished at how it shot an 80.5 gr. Berger. As an experiment I took some ammo I'd loaded up on the Dillon 550 for my Mini-14. This was unsorted mixed brass with some 55 gr. SPSX's. This is not precision ammo. The Mini will eat anything. Still, I was shooting great at 200 yards, fire forming all the way. Best group of the day was ¾ inch, center to center. It makes me hesitate to take off the BR scope.
The reason I bring up my other two rifles in describing my problems with my 260 AI is for reference. It shoots so bad compared to them it makes me think something is wrong, obviously. A good group of five shots for this rifle is at best around 1 ½ inches at 200 yards. I'd say an average group is more like 2". I've tried several different bullet and powder combinations and seating depth variations. Any were just as bad as the next. I've measured loads from 2770 to 2960 fps. with the 139 gr. to 142 gr. sized bullets, it doesn't seem to matter. Lately I've been trying 123 gr. bullets too. I thought that may make a difference. No. I bought QuickLoad to try to help me out. While I'm still learning QL, I'm not doing any better.
There has got to be something I can do different. I have looked over, studied, my load logbook, chrono results, old targets, and come to the conclusion that the barrel is the most likely suspect. Right or wrong I have another one on order. It should be ready to install in a couple of weeks.
I shoot a lot. Probably 100 rounds a week of some kind or another, if not more. This just isn't fun. If anybody has suggestions, or ideas, or opinions, or a magic wand I can borrow…
Any help would be appreciated.
Thx
B
