Freebore on custom Weatherby?

[urds1406]

Hi Everyone,

first of all thanks for everyone's help on previous posts, your assistance is appreciated. I am currently having a 338-378 Wearherby built in town. The specs are as follows:
Stiller Tac 338 action
28" Kreiger barrel
Hs precision stock

My question is should I have the smith provide the factory recommended freebore? I should mention I do reload my own ammunition. A few more things you should know. I am wanting to shoot 300 grain Bergers along with a detachable mag. I should be able to get a coal of around 3.77 and fit in the mag. Berger lists a suggested coal of 3.750.

Thanks,

Kane

 

[MagnumManiac]

All of my Weatherby barrels have either 3/8" freebore, that is 270, 300 and 340, and my 375 Weatherby has 1/2" freebore, original freebore for this was .720"!!
I do not find the freebore lacking in accuracy.
If you want to throat it to suit your bullet choice, you WILL have to reduce loads, pressure will rise very fast with less freebore.

Cheers.
gun)

 

[el matador]

At Berger's recommended COAL you will be seating part of the ogive down into the neck. It won't hurt anything but it might look a little weird.

I personally would keep the Weatherby freebore. It may or may not affect accuracy to a small degree, I have no idea. I just don't like the idea of a gun labeled "338-378" that cannot shoot factory ammo labeled "338-378". Even though you reload it's possible the gun will not always be yours. And who knows which ammo the next owner will use.

Sounds like an awesome build, be sure to post pics when you get it all together. I'm a big fan of the cartridge.

 

[LongRangeJunkie]

Twelve years ago before I knew anything like I have learned from this site, a buddy of mine took my 300 Weatherby to his smith to true and rebarrel. At that time all I knew was more speed, so I was set on shooting Nosler 165 BT. I only shot the gun a few times and actually thought I was shooting 165's but there were some bullets that were sticking and I actually had to take a rubber mallet to open the bolt. I later realized that there were a few 180 grain BT mixed in. The COAL were the same for the 165 and the 180's because of magazine length so the free bore should be the same for either, if I am correct. So, why was I have the problem with the 180's? Still have a lot to learn. A LOT!

 

[rcoody]

Twelve years ago before I knew anything like I have learned from this site, a buddy of mine took my 300 Weatherby to his smith to true and rebarrel. At that time all I knew was more speed, so I was set on shooting Nosler 165 BT. I only shot the gun a few times and actually thought I was shooting 165's but there were some bullets that were sticking and I actually had to take a rubber mallet to open the bolt. I later realized that there were a few 180 grain BT mixed in. The COAL were the same for the 165 and the 180's because of magazine length so the free bore should be the same for either, if I am correct. So, why was I have the problem with the 180's? Still have a lot to learn. A LOT!

The way Roy Weatherby got the velocities he did was with that long freebore. let the bullet get a running start and also give that pressure at firing a little more room. Same thing they did with the .223 to create the 5.56.

Play with Roy's freebore and you no longer have a Weatherby.

 

[LongRangeJunkie]

In my rifle the freebore should be the same whether I am shooting 165 or 180's if the COAL is the same............shouldn't it? Again I only had problems with the 180's sticking.

 

[rcoody]

In my rifle the freebore should be the same whether I am shooting 165 or 180's if the COAL is the same............shouldn't it? Again I only had problems with the 180's sticking.

you need to use a stoney point overall length gauge and find out where your lands are with each bullet you use. It will be different with every bullet. A long pointy bullet like a berger vld can have a much longer COAL than a round nose soft point. There are many bullets that will jam in the lands if they are loaded mag length.

If you measure your COAL with a bullet comparator where you are measuring to the Ogive of the bullet you will get a much more accurate picture of what is going on.

 

[LongRangeJunkie]

you need to use a stoney point overall length gauge and find out where your lands are with each bullet you use. It will be different with every bullet. A long pointy bullet like a berger vld can have a much longer COAL than a round nose soft point. There are many bullets that will jam in the lands if they are loaded mag length.

If you measure your COAL with a bullet comparator where you are measuring to the Ogive of the bullet you will get a much more accurate picture of what is going on.

Okay thanks. I did not think about the Ogive.......still learning. I have decided I want to shoot heavier bullets, so I may need to get the chamber recut. The barrel only has a half dozen rounds through it. For many reason I just have not shot this rifle since I had it rebarreled

Any suggests from your experience what bullet in the 180 to 210 grain?

 

[LongRangeJunkie]

you need to use a stoney point overall length gauge and find out where your lands are with each bullet you use. It will be different with every bullet. A long pointy bullet like a berger vld can have a much longer COAL than a round nose soft point. There are many bullets that will jam in the lands if they are loaded mag length.

If you measure your COAL with a bullet comparator where you are measuring to the Ogive of the bullet you will get a much more accurate picture of what is going on.

Should I add that I did not have this problem with the factory barrel. I guess I should assume that the factory barrel had a lot more freebore built in to eliminate this problem?

 

[just country]

morning, I am having a 7mm Wbee made. the smithy ask me if I wanted

to short throat the barrel. all this does is shorten the wbee standard free bore.

which if understood could increase the accuracy of the barrel. wbee's have long

throats. in some instances this causes average accuracy. my 257 and 2-340

do not suffer from this standard. love my wbee's. sometimes factory ammo will

not shoot to one's standards. u have to play with the seating depth of

bullet to shell to throat or shoot different bullets to find a favorite in a certain caliber

. l favor barnes,lapua sierra's nosler accubonds, nosler new technologies and berger's.

in that order.barnes and bergers can sometimes b a pain to get to shoot in certain

bullet weights regardless of the caliber. food for thought.gun)