6.5 build

[woods]

actually cases that use faster burning powders will wear out barrels sooner than slower powder cartridges.

Large overbore calibers that use slower powders like the 264 win mag and 257 Weatherby with slow powders like 870 are the reason they are barrel burners

Larger underbore calibers that use faster powders like the 375's and 458's that use faster powders like RL15 or 4320 are known to last a long long time

 

[Twodogs10mm]

The Douglas is a 1 in 8 and the Shilen is a 1 in 9

I couldn't detect any difference but didn't do a lot of load development with 140 gr bullets in the 1 in 9 where a problem might have developed with a low velocity load

I'm getting ready to order a barrel for a 6.5 Remington mag build on a savage long action. Was the shilen barrel a select match grade or match grade barrel, how many grooves? The Douglas?
I hope to get results like yours, thanks for the info.

 

[woods]

I was not into number of grooves back then so I did not specify on either the Douglas or the Shilen

So the Douglas was just ordered as a 1 in 8 twist #4 contour (.650" muzzle) Premium Air Gauged Tolerance and has 6 grooves. Finished at 26" but still seems trim and slim

The Shilen was ordered the same in Select Match Grade 1 in 9 twist #4 contour (.650" muzzle) and probably had 6 grooves although I can't check it right now since I did sell it to a friend. Before I sold it I was contemplating cutting the barrel down to 24"

Anyway the Douglas seems decidedly slimmer than the Shilen and the websites list the weight of the Douglas as 6 oz less weight

I started to think and pay attention to number of grooves on my last build which was a Pac-Nor 3 groove in 375 Ruger. I really like the Pac-Nor 3 groove since it is very fast and cleans up better than any of the other aftermarket barrels I have. But it may be because the large bore size facilitates the benefits of the 3 groove and a .264" might be a little tight for a 3 groove.

 

[vegas steve]

Large overbore calibers that use slower powders like the 264 win mag and 257 Weatherby with slow powders like 870 are the reason they are barrel burners

Larger underbore calibers that use faster powders like the 375's and 458's that use faster powders like RL15 or 4320 are known to last a long long time

i have found this to be incorrect,the slower burning powders burn cooler and distribute the burn across a longer area of the bore,thus creating a more even wear and extending barrel life compared to the hotter burning faster powders. the chart that is illustrated here is obsolete information.

 

[Twodogs10mm]

I was not into number of grooves back then so I did not specify on either the Douglas or the Shilen

So the Douglas was just ordered as a 1 in 8 twist #4 contour (.650" muzzle) Premium Air Gauged Tolerance and has 6 grooves. Finished at 26" but still seems trim and slim

The Shilen was ordered the same in Select Match Grade 1 in 9 twist #4 contour (.650" muzzle) and probably had 6 grooves although I can't check it right now since I did sell it to a friend. Before I sold it I was contemplating cutting the barrel down to 24"

Anyway the Douglas seems decidedly slimmer than the Shilen and the websites list the weight of the Douglas as 6 oz less weight

I started to think and pay attention to number of grooves on my last build which was a Pac-Nor 3 groove in 375 Ruger. I really like the Pac-Nor 3 groove since it is very fast and cleans up better than any of the other aftermarket barrels I have. But it may be because the large bore size facilitates the benefits of the 3 groove and a .264" might be a little tight for a 3 groove.

Woods, or anyone else, I'm still getting ready to order my 6.5 Rem Mag barrel and am trying to determine how far or deep to set the throat. I would like to shoot both 130 and 140 gr bullets. I have 100 berger 140gr hunting VLD's but I am not limiting myself to one bullet I would like some lee way in seating depth for different bullets, but want to seat the long bullets out far enough as to not inpinge on case capacity. Woods I was wondering what reamer you used and if you know the length of your throat? also what bullets would you recomend as I will probably need to load some dummy rounds to send to pacific tool to have my reamer made.
I am new to long range shooting and will mostly be ringing steel at long range, but would still like to shoot hunting bullets at long range if I feel I am proficent enough with my shooting.

 

[Twodogs10mm]

Oh, the 6.5 REm Mag build I am doing is on a Savage 111 long action so I have all the room I need to seat the long bullets way out there and still fit in the magazine

 

[woods]

Hey 2dogs, I just seated a 130 gr Accubond at the length I wanted to stick it out of the case (3.100") and told the smith to set the beginning of the lands where it would have .025" jump. I'm no smith, but I believe they can set the leade and lands where they want with a piloted neck reamer. Is there a reason you are purchasing your own reamer?

The smith had the reamer. I don't know if he owned it, borrowed it or rented it.

Bullets are tricky and will take some tinkering with a comparator. Long time ago I discovered that in the 270, the 130 gr TSX was longer from the point where the comparator hit to the tip of the bullet than the 140 gr TSX was. IOW sometimes the lighter bullets are "pointier" than the heavier ones. That being said, I would just seat a 140 gr VLD (if I was considering loading them at all) where the base of the bullet was even with the neck/shoulder junction and tell the smith (or the reamer manufacturer) to set the lands .025" off that.

Personally I love the 130 gr Scirrocco and a friend of mine also loves them

Three 6.5mm bullets, head to head for elk/deer - 24hourcampfire

but am thinking of trying the 120 gr TTSX

(I like pass thru's)

 

[Twodogs10mm]

Hey 2dogs, I just seated a 130 gr Accubond at the length I wanted to stick it out of the case (3.100") and told the smith to set the beginning of the lands where it would have .025" jump. I'm no smith, but I believe they can set the leade and lands where they want with a piloted neck reamer. Is there a reason you are purchasing your own reamer?

The smith had the reamer. I don't know if he owned it, borrowed it or rented it.

Bullets are tricky and will take some tinkering with a comparator. Long time ago I discovered that in the 270, the 130 gr TSX was longer from the point where the comparator hit to the tip of the bullet than the 140 gr TSX was. IOW sometimes the lighter bullets are "pointier" than the heavier ones. That being said, I would just seat a 140 gr VLD (if I was considering loading them at all) where the base of the bullet was even with the neck/shoulder junction and tell the smith (or the reamer manufacturer) to set the lands .025" off that.

Personally I love the 130 gr Scirrocco and a friend of mine also loves them

Three 6.5mm bullets, head to head for elk/deer - 24hourcampfire

but am thinking of trying the 120 gr TTSX

(I like pass thru's)

Thanks Woods, I think I well get some 130 gr Scirrocco's too and seat them even with the neck/shoulder junction to compare with the 140 gr VLD's. Hopefully the length to the ogive will be close enough I can just adjust seating depth a little and be able to shoot both.
The reason I'm thinking of having a reamer made is: A reamer made to my specs (throat length) will cut the chamber and the throat in one cut, which would theoretically be more concentric than cutting the chamber with the reamer and then making a second cut for the throat with a piloted neck reamer. And the Gals at Shilen said thier reamer is 20 years old and hasn't been used since 2007, and the person she talked too said it might be a good idea to have a new reamer made. Also Dave at PTG said one cut would be more concentric and I could use the reamer to make my on seating die.

I will have to do more bullet comparisons, the reason I'm trying the VLD's is the high BC, and they expand at long range. I am new to the long range game and will not take a long range shot at an animal until I prove myself and equipment capable. With that said for a true long range shot I think one should have time to rechamber a round and replace a cartridge with a less frangelble bullet for say 400 yards and in for a more frangeble long range bullet like the VLD.
Thanks again for your input Woods it helps.