regarding weatherby...what is "freebore"?

[Dr. John]

what is freebore in the weatherby rifle? what is it's purpose? effect accuracy?
I am looking into a 340 weatherby alaskan. are they accurate?

 

[Darryl Cassel]

Hello

Freebore in the Weatherby Factory rifle gives the bullet a longer distance before it contacts the rifling. The bullet acually jumps to the rifling. Benchrest shooters long ago found that a rifle is much more accurate when the bullet starts out just touching the lands of the rifling or not more then .010" to .015" inch from the lands.
Most Weatherby rifles you cant touch the rifling even if you just barely seated the bullet in the neck 1/8".

It was devised to give a little bit more velocity but, at the expense of accuracy.

Most Weatherby factory rifles do not hold very good accuracy as compared to standard "Normal" chamberings.

You could have a good gunsmith chamber a 340 Weatherby without freebore on a custom barrel and it would be a much more accurate rifle in most every case.

Darryl Cassel

[ 04-14-2002: Message edited by: Darryl Cassel ]

 

[Dave King]

Dr John

Welcome to Long Range Hunting!

I see you got an admonishment on a 400 yard moose rifle on another board, that probably won't happen here.

Welcome, Have Fun and Be Safe.

 

[littletoes]

Dr. John, I think Mr. Cassul might have forgot to tell you that NEVER use loads developed in a freebore rifle in another gun that isn't freebored. Extreme pressures will result. littletoes.