New ELR Rig

[brando]

Now that I'm back in New Zealand, I just picked up a new barrel conversion I had my local smith working on. It's a 36" Bartlein 5-R progressive twist 1-10/9 chambered for .338 LM Improved with a JDJ reamer.

I've been frustrated in the past couple of years here at ELR matches where I clean targets out to 1400m then get bested at 1600 and 2000 by guys with 32" barrels shooting 300s. My 26" barrel shoots 250s nicely but not 285s and is really picky with 300s and there's no way to match their velocity.

So this barrel started as a 37" non-tapered blank and is heavy as it looks. I'm not going to flute it just yet but I might contour it a bit more to bring the weight down. The goal with the improved chamber and barrel length is to push 300s at 3100+ fps which should stay supersonic to nearly 2100m.

[Click Boom]

Gnar.

[postal]

WOAH!!!!!!!!!!!

That things a monster.... What does it weigh? like 22-23 pounds?

Please keep us updated on your load development. Very curious just how fast you can push those...

[hj_S14]

[bsumoba]

Holy Smokes Batman!

[brando]

The barrel alone weighs 10lbs, so that should make the rifle close to 18lbs. I'll be fire forming brass and breaking in the barrel over the next couple of days, so I'll take pics of it in the field.

[Mute]

Dayum!

[pvl925]

what are you trying to do .. take down small aircraft that?

[brando]

I'm trying to keep a 300gr Scenar supersonic out to 2200 yards

[Hk996]

DTA covert?? NICE!! Imagine if that wasn't on a bullpup rifle!

[Black Majik]

That is very sweet. What type of powder/charge weight are you looking to use? Definitely looking for a range report on this. Way cool.

[GJC]

[brando]

I just fireformed about forty cases and broke in the barrel. The heavy barrel weight combined with the old muzzle brake means it hardly moves - recoil feels like a .223 AR.

My plan is to start load development with N570 and I expect that the improved chamber will allow me to push past what was too hot in a standard chamber.

[BillyGoatCrawler]

Videos please..... please.....?

[iluvmycolt]

Sweet rifle, OP.