longer barrel slower powder????

mcharger440

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Sep 9, 2012
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minco, ok
I am asking based purely on theory but would going from a 26" barrel to a 31" barrel alter your load if so how (338 ultra mag) using retumbo and Berger elite hunter 300gr I haven't even got it Bach from my smith yet im just looking for knowledge help if you can
 
In my experience, changing to a slower burning powder with a longer barrel is not a mandatory consideration. It's an option that could be considered to refine a load. Of more importance is the effect of the new barrel in terms of accuracy, velocity, and ES. Using your current load in the new 31" barrel will likely produce a higher velocity, and require a change in your ballistic information. I have more often found that switching from a long barrel to a short one may require changing to a faster powder because of the blast produced by not having enough barrel length to burn all the powder. For me, the best situation when changing to a different length barrel is when I get the same, or better accuracy and ES, and only have to modify my ballistic information any change in velocity. This all assumes the previous barrel was a good performer and being changed because I burned it out. If the barrel was changed because of poor performance, I would consider a slower burning powder in my load development with a replacement barrel that had the length to burn it.
 
thank you that's what I was after one more question on the same note my Col has been pushed out to 4.088 so I loaded 95gr of retumbo and am not close to capasity so I have a lot of room am I on the right track with powder or should I contemplate a slower powder and more of it to fill the space as much as possible I know this is just theory as I haven't even pulled the trigger yet just want to know my thinking is right or wrong
p.s. Ackley imp. On the 338 ultra or not worth the effort?
 
Retumbo is a pretty slow powder. If you have room in your case, I would work up slowly, or you could consider a faster power that fills more of the case. I happen to prefer the temperature stability of Retumbo. Improving the 338 Ultra? I am happy with the ballistics of my 338 Lapua, so I'm the wrong person to answer this.
 
I was going to build a lapua but my smith didn't like the idea in a 700 and the 700 was already an ultra mag so it was alot cheaper not to mention I traded a 300 weatherby vangaurd strait for it
 
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