Removing Savage Muzzel Brake.

[barnesuser28]

On our Savage 110 fcp hs 338 Lapua , i noticed that the last 3/4"-1" of the barrel still has tooling marks. There are about 160 rounds down the tube and we did a proper brake in. I also noticed that past 1" from the muzzel i could see streaks of copper in the rifling but the area with tooling marks doesnt have any copper streaks. I am thinking the last inch of the barrel is over diameter and that is why i am getting slow velocities. (2700 fps MAX with a 280 grain bullet rather than 2750-2825 fps most guys are getting with 300 grain bullets in the same rifle) So i want to take the break off and get a better look but i am not sure how i should so it. Also, i got pressure signs at 85 grains of retumbo where most guys are going up to the 90 grain range. Sorry if this is the wrong section to post this. Thanks for any help!

 

[barnesuser28]

I'm seriously considering a rebarrel, I just took another look down the bore and it was shiny with copper.

 

[barnesuser28]

I guess my main questions is can it be removed by hand?

 

[green 788]

yes... with a padded wrench of the right size (big crescent wrench will do)... righty tighty, lefty lucy... so turn it counter clockwise.

Clean the barrel well... and if there are tool marks in the muzzle, I'd be talking to Savage about that.

What speed are you getting with what powder and bullet combo?

Dan

 

[barnesuser28]

Getting 2707 fps with 280 grain LRX and 84.4 grain with my old lot of retumbo. Had pressure signs at 85 grains, flattened primers, heavy bolt lift, etc

 

[geargrinder]

Speed is secondary to accuracy. How does it shoot?

 

[barnesuser28]

It shoots really good. An average of .3" at 100 yards with the smallest being .277" at 100 yards and the largest .425" at 100 yards.

 

[green 788]

I should have mentioned that the flat areas inside the ports is where the wrench would go.

But I agree with geargrinder... if it's shooting that well, I wouldn't touch a thing.

We're getting 2700 fps (just over) with 300 SMK's and 89.3 grains of Retumbo (Lapua brass)... Maybe now that the barrel is broken in, you can try the Retumbo again... when the lands dress forward a bit (at the rearmost edges), pressures drop. You're using Lapua brass, I'm assuming...

I've pushed the MV to 2800 with ~93 grains of Retumbo, but at the expense of stretched primer pockets... and 89.3 shoots the best anyway...

Those tool marks you're seeing must not be harming accuracy to any significant degree. Who knows, you could get a new perfect barrel and it wouldn't shoot as well as what you have.

I think if the barrel was over-sized at the very end, you wouldn't be getting the accuracy you're getting... so I wouldn't suspect that.

Dan