lets talk about barrel life...

[longrange1]

so ive shot a few different calibers...300 win mag...260rem...260rem 40* improved(this one was fun)...6mm creedmoor and now a 6.5x47 lapua(which i love and is the caliber ive settled on).

now ive been shooting long range for the last 12.5-13yrs and for the last 6-7yrs local PRS/tactical and a few F-class on top of the long range stuff and so we are clear long range is out to 1760yds or so for me...the farthest ive shot with hits is 1845yds.

in this time ive shot out 26 barrels so right at 2 per year and of those 26 barrels ive had a few bad ones...one that just would not shoot anything under an 1' at 100yds EVER and i put 900 rounds through it before pulling it...two that went bad right around 850 rounds and one i just pulled that shot ok...never anything to brag about just ok and at 1050 started throwing flyers so at 1100 it became a jack handle.

now my accuracy standard may be a little different than the average persons is...i dont expect benchrest or world record F-class accuracy(i can not shoot world record groups anyway)but i do expect a 1/2 minute or so at 1000yds on a nice day...and by nice day i mean weather wise...so for me when a barrel will no longer shoot a 10-13" 5 shot group at 1000yds and/or when it starts throwing random unexplained flyers its done.

now since everyone loves and shoots the 6.5 creed we will use it or 6.5mm cals that are close to it like the 260rem or the 6.5x47(little smaller but you guys get the idea)for this...and please no GUESSING OR REGURGITATING things youve heard or read...i know first hand how many ACCURATE rounds you can get out of most of the 308 based 6.5s but id like to hear from some of you guys what your getting out of your barrels before your seeing things go south.

[diver160651]

lets talk about barrel life...

so ive shot a few different calibers...300 win mag...260rem...260rem 40* improved(this one was fun)...6mm creedmoor and now a 6.5x47 lapua(which i love and is the caliber ive settled on).



now ive been shooting long range for the last 12.5-13yrs and for the last 6-7yrs local PRS/tactical and a few F-class on top of the long range stuff and so we are clear long range is out to 1760yds or so for me...the farthest ive shot with hits is 1845yds.



in this time ive shot out 26 barrels so right at 2 per year and of those 26 barrels ive had a few bad ones...one that just would not shoot anything under an 1' at 100yds EVER and i put 900 rounds through it before pulling it...two that went bad right around 850 rounds and one i just pulled that shot ok...never anything to brag about just ok and at 1050 started throwing flyers so at 1100 it became a jack handle.



now my accuracy standard may be a little different than the average persons is...i dont expect benchrest or world record F-class accuracy(i can not shoot world record groups anyway)but i do expect a 1/2 minute or so at 1000yds on a nice day...and by nice day i mean weather wise...so for me when a barrel will no longer shoot a 10-13" 5 shot group at 1000yds and/or when it starts throwing random unexplained flyers its done.



now since everyone loves and shoots the 6.5 creed we will use it or 6.5mm cals that are close to it like the 260rem or the 6.5x47(little smaller but you guys get the idea)for this...and please no GUESSING OR REGURGITATING things youve heard or read...i know first hand how many ACCURATE rounds you can get out of most of the 308 based 6.5s but id like to hear from some of you guys what your getting out of your barrels before your seeing things go south.

[ar15barrels]

now my accuracy standard may be a little different than the average persons is...i dont expect benchrest or world record F-class accuracy(i can not shoot world record groups anyway)but i do expect a 1/2 minute or so at 1000yds on a nice day...and by nice day i mean weather wise...so for me when a barrel will no longer shoot a 10-13" 5 shot group at 1000yds and/or when it starts throwing random unexplained flyers its done.

I consider a barrel "shot out" when it will no longer hold DOUBLE the accuracy of when it was new.
Since they usually shoot 1/4moa when new, your 1/2moa grouping is right in line with about where I would be pulling them off as well.

I typically see 308 sized 6.5's lasting about 2300 rounds before they lose peak accuracy.
Everyone screams and cries about that saying they shot theirs over 3000 rounds, but I guarantee you that if they know what they are doing, they were doubting those last 500 rounds or they have a much lower accuracy requirement.

[Mustang]

Since we are on the topic...do SS barrels last longer than CM barrels, from an precision standpoint?

[Bigtwin]

Mustang, from my understanding chromoly barrels last longer yet stainless steel barrels are more accurate. If I'm wrong I'm sure somebody will come along to correct me but that is my understanding.

[diver160651]

I consider a barrel "shot out" when it will no longer hold DOUBLE the accuracy of when it was new.
Since they usually shoot 1/4moa when new, your 1/2moa grouping is right in line with about where I would be pulling them off as well.

I typically see 308 sized 6.5's lasting about 2300 rounds before they lose peak accuracy.
Everyone screams and cries about that saying they shot theirs over 3000 rounds, but I guarantee you that if they know what they are doing, they were doubting those last 500 rounds or they have a much lower accuracy requirement.

Yes, I would agree with your statement.. But for me, it went from a raged hole gun to over 1/2", sometimes.. All the times, with the 140s, but the 130s seemed much happier.. And yes, the last bunch of matches I did have questions.. It ran the rounds through and didn't place all that poorly. Honestly I was amazed, as I said.

I know people want BR accuracy, but controlling the wobble, managing stage plan and the time, are the real killers for the type of shooting longrange1, you and I are primarily doing. And if we are honest, we need to admit our targets are generally MUCH larger than the 1/2"+ barrel issue.

[rm1911]

[russ69]

As a rifle competitor, rather than a gunsmith, I would say the barrel needs to be changed when you loose confidence in it's ability to do it's job.

[longrange1]

I can shoot small enough groups at 100, but at distance, to much influences for me to use that as my benchmark. Just my personal thing.

If the group size at 100 becomes much larger than 1/2” or if I loose speed and SDs (then it will open up soon), I know it’s time.

I like you, have had bad barrels, some way overbore go away in <900 rounds.

<<Not sure what just happened but everything below this jus vanished >>

Quick retype: I ran my main 6.5C over 4200 and still was doing well in the match types you and I shoot. Was running 2840 with 140s and Factory 130 Prime was at 2910. Not sure why this Krieger ran so long. But it was still me missing more than the barrel.

Anyway I have a couple new barrels coming..

diver you are one of a hand full of guys that could say he got 4200 rounds through a creedmoor that i would actually believe especially at those speeds.

i know a guy that shoots in the series back east and said he got 3600 rounds through a 6.5x47 and i believe him but ive not had(or seen)that luck in any 6.5 rifle...and is the reason i decided to try the 47.

also you randal and i are on the same page...at about a 1/2min a barrel is done.

I consider a barrel "shot out" when it will no longer hold DOUBLE the accuracy of when it was new.
Since they usually shoot 1/4moa when new, your 1/2moa grouping is right in line with about where I would be pulling them off as well.

I typically see 308 sized 6.5's lasting about 2300 rounds before they lose peak accuracy.
Everyone screams and cries about that saying they shot theirs over 3000 rounds, but I guarantee you that if they know what they are doing, they were doubting those last 500 rounds or they have a much lower accuracy requirement.

this is my exact thoughts and experience with the 6.5s...i had a shilen go 2800 but that was running 140s at 2700 it would not shoot anything faster than 2725 so pretty light loads for a 260.

i see all the talk and ive heard it on the line and i just laugh to myself...guy that shoots at our matches claims he got 3500 through his creed and set the barrel back and got another 3500...now i know this is BS because i had 1 barrel set back and will never do it again.
all of the other 6.5 barrels have gone away between about 2000 and 2500 plus or minus a few hundred either way but most right at 2100-2200.

[longrange1]

Since we are on the topic...do SS barrels last longer than CM barrels, from an precision standpoint?

ive heard the same thing about CM barrels lasting a little long but ive not heard SS is more accurate.
i can tell you i shot out a factory CM and 3 shilen SS barrels in a 300wm...the factory went about 1050 at 1100 it was pretty bad one shilen went 900 and 2 went right around 1000-1100...but ill also say im a little harder on barrels than the average shooter and i also shoot faster loads than the average shooter.
i will take a load that is a little looser but faster over a slower 1 hole load.

this is the beauty(and the curse)of living right across the street from where i shoot...i can go out early and shoot my load development run home and load up rounds to verify and be back to test within 1hr then start gathering dopes the following day...or even same day...3-4 times out in a day is not uncommon for me.

[longrange1]

now since we are talking about barrel life have any of you seen unusually short barrel life lately?

i have...my buddys 6xc started going at 900 and normally goes 1200-1500
my smiths 6xc went at 600 he set it back recrowned and still would not shoot
my last 6.5x47 barrel went at about 1050....first barrel went 2175
another guy i shoot with had a 6CM go at 900

[diver160651]

now since we are talking about barrel life have any of you seen unusually short barrel life lately?



i have...my buddys 6xc started going at 900 and normally goes 1200-1500

my smiths 6xc went at 600 he set it back recrowned and still would not shoot

my last 6.5x47 barrel went at about 1050....first barrel went 2175

another guy i shoot with had a 6CM go at 900

[longrange1]

lets talk about barrel life...

i agree...ive been there chasing loads trying to find that perfect 1 hole load and the problem is i can not shoot 1 hole groups consistently and im not a group shooter anyway...maybe when i can no longer work barricades or move i will start bench or F-class shooting...but yeah ive shot thousands of rounds chasing that elusive load.

i love the 6CM but after having several miss calls last year when i seen hits or no dust splash at the target and the short barrel life i decided to go back to a 6.5 and the 47 is just so easy to load for and stupid accurate that is what i settled on.

123g lapuas at avg 3027fps is quite a load...about the same recoil as a pellet gun and 5.2mils at 850yds makes me happy LOL.

[diver160651]

i agree...ive been there chasing loads trying to find that perfect 1 hole load and the problem is i can not shoot 1 hole groups consistently and im not a group shooter anyway...maybe when i can no longer work barricades or move i will start bench or F-class shooting...but yeah ive shot thousands of rounds chasing that elusive load.

i love the 6CM but after having several miss calls last year when i seen hits or no dust splash at the target and the short barrel life i decided to go back to a 6.5 and the 47 is just so easy to load for and stupid accurate that is what i settled on.

123g lapuas at avg 3027fps is quite a load...about the same recoil as a pellet gun and 5.2mils at 850yds makes me happy LOL.

Sorry to derail this a tiny bit~

That's fast out of a 47

Thats 1/2 mil lower than what I get in the valley areas and up by you, you'd still be about .2 tenths or so flatter when I am running 130's from 26" barrels. I have never run the 123 Scenars. What barrel length and powder (H4350) are you running?

I think I am going down from 26 to 24, but not sure what that might do to my velocity as the barrels themselves can have a fairly big velocity spread between them.

Maybe once I get my barrels back the 123 should be on my radar? Funny, I went from 105's to a 6.5- 140s/130s other than trying the 120 flatlines, I skipped over the 123s. I 'm sure the small primered 47 and lapua C brass is easier to load for, but I have thousands of Prime once fired large primer Creeds.. Have you found the 123 to be sensitive to jump like the Berger VLDs?

Back to barrels, any idea how running @ or just above most Dasher speeds, might play out life wise in the 6.5?

Sorry for all the questions -

[longrange1]

lets talk about barrel life...

Sorry to derail this a tiny bit~

That's fast out of a 47 [emoji4]

Thats 1/2 mil lower than what I get in the valley areas and up by you, you'd still be about .2 tenths or so flatter when I am running 130's from 26" barrels. I have never run the 123 Scenars. What barrel length and powder (H4350) are you running?

I think I am going down from 26 to 24, but not sure what that might do to my velocity as the barrels themselves can have a fairly big velocity spread between them.

Maybe once I get my barrels back the 123 should be on my radar? Funny, I went from 105's to a 6.5- 140s/130s other than trying the 120 flatlines, I skipped over the 123s. I 'm sure the small primered 47 and lapua C brass is easier to load for, but I have thousands of Prime once fired large primer Creeds.. Have you found the 123 to be sensitive to jump like the Berger VLDs?

Back to barrels, any idea how running @ or just above most Dasher speeds, might play out life wise in the 6.5?

Sorry for all the questions -