30" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro's and cons?

[DanielLudwig]

30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

I had a last second pondering about using a longer barrel for my 10-12lb(havent gotten a reply about stock weight yet so weight is up in the air as of yet).300 Wby rifle, and figured id ask and see what the gereral consensus was on the subject. I am going to use a #5 Contour 1-10" twist Lilja barrel, and i was kinda wondering if the gain in velocity from adding another 3" would be worth the added flex(for lack of a better term) of a barrel of this length with a muzzle diameter of only .700". I am sorta holding back on making my dummy rounds for the reamer while i wait for the new 210gr SMK to become available, so i have alittle bit of time to deliberate on the issue of barrel length. What do you guys think?
later
Dan

 

[Hired Gun]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

I don't know about the flex but velocity wise out local smith Darrel Holland proclaims a 30" 300Wby will put it about equal with a 26" 30-378 or put 180's out at 3500 fps. With RL-25 or IMR7828. Why not bump up a contour or two to get the muzzle up equal with the Varmintmaster. About .810" or so. That's what I want to do to all my Accumarks.

 

[BountyHunter]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

IF you are waiting for the 210 SMK and looking at a 10" twist, then better talk to Sierra first. I think you will find that they are recommending 11"-13" twists for the 210 SMK.

They are already out being tested by select 1k shooters, but will be released officially in Jan at the Shot Show.

BH

 

[HoytemanPA]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

I use a 30" 300 Weatherby 1-10 twist. 2950 to 3000 fps with 220 SMKs. Throated 3.735 OAL to touch. My rifle really liked 210 Bergers but I had some occasional no shows on the target. Will be trying the 210 Sierras when available, hopefully they will stay together. If not, my next 300wby barrel will be a 1-11 twist.

 

[demarpaint]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

BH is correct. I spoke to Sierra, and for the big 30's they are recommending the 11 twist for the 210 SMK. BC is not published yet, but they are expecting it to be as good or better than the 240 SMK. Time will tell.

Frank D

 

[DanielLudwig]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

Talked to some people at Sierra and Berger and decided to heed the good word and go with the 1-11" twist lilja. still holding off till Jan. so i can have my reamer made around the 210 Sierra's and 210 Bergers. My OAL will be closer to 3.65" so i can keep a functional magazine, but i want to have the bullets here so i can see how far in i will have them stuffed at that length and decide for sure if i want to go that route. the idea is to have a walking around rifle capable of shooting 1K yds and be comfortable to shoot in a 10-12lb rifle without a muzzlebrake(i hunt without hearing protection and find a brake to be just too uncomfortable in the field after hunting a season with my .35 Whelen equipped with a RW Hart brake). I ran this idea past Clay Spencer and he didnt seem to like it a whole lot and suggested i just build a 17lb legal 1000yd rifle, but i really had already milled over that option extensively and just decided one heavy rifle is enough(i recently had an old custom 1917 Enfield rechambered for 338-06 Ackley by Curtis Moore using a Clay Spencer 1-10 twist barrel, approx. 16lbs bare, possibly more) So im gonna keep exploring options, but i think my plan is set, and im just waiting for Sierra to release the bullets so i can make some dummy cases to mail to Kirby so he can have PTG make the reamer, and i will go ahead and order my barrel at that time along with a Bruce Baer General Purpose laminate, a good recoil pad, Badger bases and rings, and a 6-18 Nikon Buckmaster with the dot reticle. the rifle will be on a 700 BDL magnum action, with either a rifle basix or tuned stock trigger.

 

[LB]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

You cannot decide if you need a 30" barrel on your walking around rifle?

Good hunting. LB

 

[davewilson]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

i don't care what length barrel you get,but most would recommend a broughton before lilja.

 

[Bart B]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

Daniel, by all means get a 30-inch barrel. A 31-inch would also do. Have it countoured with its reinforce (part in front of the receiver) about 3 inches long at the same diameter. As .300 Wby's are notorious for short barrel life (800-900 rounds best accuracy), you can have the barrel cut off and set back a couple of inches and start over with an effective brand new barrel.

May I suggest a Krieger or Obermeyer barrel. They're the best ones going these days. Lilja barrels are kind of iffy; several international shooters have had to try several of them to find one that shoots very accurate. Get one with a .3075-inch groove diameter and .2990-bore diameter to shoot 30 caliber bullet most accurate.

Whippy slim barrels are just as accurate as stiff thick ones.

And a 1:11 or 1:12 twist should work fine for the .300 Wby. cartridge. I shoot a 1:12 twist .30-.338 that puts 200-gr. match bullets out slower than a .300 Wby. will. None of my 15-shot test groups with it at 1000 yards have been over 7 inches so the bullets are obviously well stabilized and shootin' straight.

 

[BountyHunter]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

Bruce baers laminate will weigh about 2-3 lbs finished depending on which size you get. He makes three sizes. He is making me a small 1.5 lb butternut thumbhole right now.

For a carry gun think you will find that a 30" is a little unwieldy. I would go with a 28" Broughton with the 5c rifleing. The 5c rifling is faster than normal and will give you the velocity of a 30" normally.

Broughton barrels right now are kicking butt in all disciplines. Sorry to say Dan Lilja has had some bad metal with occlusions in it that pop up in the bore after firing.
I am using only Kriegers and Broughtons right now, but Clay builds one hell of a barrel also and his last one for me lasted 4 yrs and 2300 rounds in match 300 WSM.

I would see if I could get one of the 210 SMKs from JBR on www.6mmbr.com and seat it where I wanted it and send to Dave Kiff and get my reamer ground min SAAMI and throated for that bullet. If the reamer is ground for the bullet, think you will find that the 300 Weatherby will go over 1000 rounds at match level accuracy, much less hunting. I know mine did.

stock 2-3 lbs
action 2.75 lbs
barrel 4.5-6 lbs
scope 1.5 lbs

BH

 

[DanielLudwig]

Re: 30\" Barrel for a .300 Wby, pro\'s and cons?

what would the difference in velocity between a 30" 3 groove Lilja and a 30" 5C rifled Broughton be? Is the Broughton Barrel REALLY that good? I ask because i havent heard that much about them, to be quite honest.
thanks for the info!
later
Dan