Who is shooting 34" barrels in F Class TR?

[newbieshooter]

Larry you seem to know your stuff and I was hoping to ask you a few questions on an FTR set up. I’m new to the game and just entered my first match at the Canadian nationals in Ottawa. I used. Savage 12 FTR 308 and lol I was shooting 155.5 Fullbore’s against everyone’s 200x grain projectiles with 30 years experience on me ! anyhow looking at this post regarding barrel length and pressures & velocity has me thinking of stepping up to heavies and if possible a 32” barrel. Would you suggest a shilen barrel for the job to go onto the savage target action? I’ve owned a shilen in 6.5 and it was well made. Thanks.

fyi:
http://forum.accurateshooter.com/th...ue-watch-it-guys.2448516/page-6#post-37419217

 

[XTR]

2015 thread resurection


@Bovine1979 I definitely think you should switch from the 155s to 200s for F-TR. Esp the way the wind can blow at Connaught.

All the barrel manufacturers make good barrels, sometimes they make great one, and occasionally they make a dog. I've been fortunate so far I've not had a bad one. Though I've only had one great one.

As to barrel length, I tried running a 34" Keriger on a 308 in 2013 or so. I found that it was running slower than my 30" barrel. I didn't wait for it to "break in", I took it to my smith and had 2 inches lopped off. I've since side by side tested 30" and 32" barrels with identical chambers and loads. The 32s were on average <15FPS faster than the 30s running Varget and 200 Hybrids. I don't buy any more 32" blanks. It appears that a 308 just doesn't have the capacity to keep accelerating the bullet much past 30, at least with the 200 class bullets. I know some of the Palma(TR to you) guys run 32s, but I think that may be more about sight radius than bullet performance. Oh, and I believe Will Chou won the F-TR Canadian Championship once running a 29" barrel.

I'm not sure who is cutting chambers up in Canada. I think Gord H is doing some of the ones for the NB guys. I'm not sure what reamers they are using. If you can find something like a 2013FTR reamer from PT&G with a 168 or 170 freebore it's about perfect for the 185s and the 200-20x. Personally I think the Hybrid needs a .030 longer freebore, but they work fine in chambers from that reamer too.

Most of us running 200s are running them in the range of 2600 to 2700 FPS, that is not stepping on it hard. The 200-20x or the 200 Hybrid both work great, and there really isn't a lot of difference in the two. Again, that's not a particularly hot load. Actual load will depend a lot on the freebore and which bullet you chose but with Varget/N140/N150 it's usually in the 43 to 44.5 gr range in Lapua Palma brass, but don't try that with a .095 freebore designed for 155s. It will be lower, work up. Don't chase velocity. Accurate beats fast, we aren't competing in bullet races.


I'm leaving for Fredericton/Gagetown NB tomorrow to shoot the Atlantics and the Mini-Palma.

 

[swd]

Larry you seem to know your stuff and I was hoping to ask you a few questions on an FTR set up.

Savage dasher is no longer on the forum. He was banned for posting unsafe load data.

 

[XTR]

Interestingly enough there is an article in the Bulletin on this website today about 338L and barrel length, and the limited data collected in that test showed an increase in velocity for the heaviest rounds when going from 30" to 29" . As noted in the article the data set is small and further testing may have gotten a different number, but it goes to show that at some point barrel length doesn't gain you enough to be worth the extra things it brings, like cost, weight, handling (I put the weight into heavier contours)

@Medic505 *comment deleted so as not to lose posting privileges on this site*

 

[garandman]

I'll speculate that a stiffer / thicker barrel may help you more than an extra 2" of length. At SOME point, all the powder is burnt up and more length won't get you more velocity.

I've heard the longer the barrel, the more severe the "whip" and that shorter barrels are stiffer. Stiffer barrels are theoretically more predictable / less prone to variances in shot dispersion.

Making weight is the issue with heavier barrels.

Disclaimer: Poster makes no other warranties,express or implied, and hereby disclaims all implied warranties, including anywarranty of merchantability and warranty of fitness for a particular purpose.

 

[swadiver]

i have shot Connaught in the Canadian Nationals and the Worlds. took a Silver medal at 800 meters and did ok in the overall standings with a .308, 30" Bartlein, throated at .185" freebore, Savage Target action, Berger 200 Hybrids, Varget, Lapua Palma brass. just about 2700 fps, easy bolt lift, primers look good.

imho, a 30 inch barrel is just about ideal for 1000 yds with the .308. these days, i shoot mostly mid range at 600 yds, and use a 28" Bartlein, same reamer used and same load and bullets. on average, only about a 15 fps difference between the shorter and longer barrel. the 28" shoots as good or better as the 30".

 

[davidjoe]

My latest F-Open barrels are 35.5 to 36 inches, tapered from 1.45 for 6 inches to right at 1.0 at the muzzle. This is approximately 55% of the weight limit in the Barrel. The velocity continues to increase in both .284 and Saum. To keep this in perspective, a .22 long rifle bullet has 1 grain of powder in it. While it may not benefit from more than 18-20 inches of barrel, the fact that 1 grain of powder can use all of 20 inches of 22 caliber barrel volume is indicative of headroom in F rifles. I will say that match bullet jackets may not survive any more speed and friction, though.