gotta love Shilen....

[LongRange]

well i decided to swap my barrel out before the match season starts as i wasnt sure if the old barrel would make through with almost 2900 rounds through it and i didnt want to get caught in the middle of the season swapping barrels and working up new loads...i should of waited as this was just to easy LOL!!
ill skip the riffle pic as it looks just like it did before the swap...28" shilen select match i got from Jim last march besides its whats on the inside that matters right!?! the new barrel came from shilen and i sent in 6 dummys to chamber it to so that 142g SMKs,139g lapuas and 140g hornadys would seat with just the boat tail in the case touching the lands...in other words a LOT of free bore. i went out this morning despite the 20+MPH winds(because i was like a kid at Christmas)mostly to fire form the new fully prep'd lapua brass. i did a light break in...fire 1 clean for 5 rounds then fire 5 and clean Xs 2 and started shooting as both 5 round groups took 5 patches to remove all copper. now for the good stuff ;)....

first up is the difference in free bore...left is a 140g hornady seated touching the lands in the old barrel...right is a 140g hornady touching the lands in the new barrel...free bore gain from old barrel to new barrel is .128"

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/photo-21.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo-21.jpg.html)

keep in mind when looking at these groups the wind is blowing 20+mph from 10 o'clock to about 12 o'clock of shooter and im trying to hold for wind(something i need to work on)....

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/photo3-30.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo3-30.jpg.html)

gotta love 100V in a 260 :(

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/photo1-58.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo1-58.jpg.html)

like i said ;) .....

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/photo2-58.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo2-58.jpg.html)

[Robinhood]

Great shooting. The arrow might be good but the Indian is too.

[eddiesindian]

28" lenght barrel Dave?

[LongRange]

28" lenght barrel Dave?

yes sir...according to shilen its their tactical chamber...supposed to be a little tighter and shilen doesnt have a tight neck in 260 but the tac chamber is .296 compared to their standard which is .297...im going to have PTG make me a reamed for the next barrel with a little tighter chamber and a .294 neck.

[LongRange]

i also went out yesterday and fire formed the other 50pcs of brass i had prepd and things didnt go so well. all the groups opened up with the largest being 2" and the smallest about 1"...after 15 rounds i was like WTF? i pulled the scope and checked base screws...all good...checked action screws SEVERAL times...all good...i then started playing with torque tuning and nothing changed. on saturday i couldnt set up my chrony because of the winds...yesterday was nice early but was calling for high winds again later so i had a chance to chrony some loads and needless to say they were all over the place...one group round 1 was 2837 and round 3 was 2927 and the rest were all in between. i had 10 rounds left and was sitting there waiting for the barrel to cool with a 100 things going through my mind as to what could be going on...fouled barrel?...the wind the day before blowing the bullets into the same hole(or REAL close)every time LOL!! well i grabbed 2 of the last 10 and started looking at them still thinking WTF is going on here?? then it came to me like a slap in the face...not one piece of brass had collet marks on them from the lee collet die!!
i felt like a dumbass!! i was in such a hurry to beat the wind i forgot these cases needed to be neck sized.when i got home i read the sticky note i wrote and stuck on top of the box...FULLY PREPED NEED TO NECK SIZE!! the neck turning expander leaves the necks at .291 to .291.5 outside measurement after turning...the loaded neck size is .292...the cases on saturday were .289.5 to .290 after running through the LCD.

like i said i really feel like a dumbass and i wore my flame suit today because i know when yobuck reads this ill never live this one down LOL!!!

[eddiesindian]

I played hell with the wind yesterday as well. I was sending them out to 1000 and found myself having to hold upwards of 7moa for windage. I hit 7 out of 12 so all was not lost. I decided to quit after I saw the wind flags start shifting directions. The flags were flying full out in only one direction 1st thing in the morning but started shifting later durng the day.
Glad you found your mistake.
Take a chill pill Dave......the accuracy monsters will be there next time.
LOLOLOLOLO

[upSLIDEdown]

We shot 1070 yesterday in a full value wind that was at least 10-12 mph. 2.1 mils of wind on a Creedmoor. Was good practice. :)

[LongRange]

i was holding 3 to 3.5moa at 205yds for wind...like i said it was blowing here saturday...friday there was 92mph winds in the foothills around here and a good 60+ in town and it just kept blowing right through saturday.

[eddiesindian]

3 moa @ 200?......wow......
Hard for me to do.....but wind at that velocity "forces" me to quit while Im ahead.
Sure it may be good for practice......but in the end?...it becomes more of a guessing game at the expense of my wallet.
now if I had somebody supplying the components for my addiction?.....well hell............thats a different story..loololloo

[yobuck]

i also went out yesterday and fire formed the other 50pcs of brass i had prepd and things didnt go so well. all the groups opened up with the largest being 2" and the smallest about 1"...after 15 rounds i was like WTF? i pulled the scope and checked base screws...all good...checked action screws SEVERAL times...all good...i then started playing with torque tuning and nothing changed. on saturday i couldnt set up my chrony because of the winds...yesterday was nice early but was calling for high winds again later so i had a chance to chrony some loads and needless to say they were all over the place...one group round 1 was 2837 and round 3 was 2927 and the rest were all in between. i had 10 rounds left and was sitting there waiting for the barrel to cool with a 100 things going through my mind as to what could be going on...fouled barrel?...the wind the day before blowing the bullets into the same hole(or REAL close)every time LOL!! well i grabbed 2 of the last 10 and started looking at them still thinking WTF is going on here?? then it came to me like a slap in the face...not one piece of brass had collet marks on them from the lee collet die!!
i felt like a dumbass!! i was in such a hurry to beat the wind i forgot these cases needed to be neck sized.when i got home i read the sticky note i wrote and stuck on top of the box...FULLY PREPED NEED TO NECK SIZE!! the neck turning expander leaves the necks at .291 to .291.5 outside measurement after turning...the loaded neck size is .292...the cases on saturday were .289.5 to .290 after running through the LCD.

like i said i really feel like a dumbass and i wore my flame suit today because i know when yobuck reads this ill never live this one down LOL!!!

Your one of the few guys on here that i can have some fun with lol.
But probably the wind did blow them in rather than out.
Hey how much for a roof just labor. shingles are in my garage as are the rusty nails.
Pitch dont mater right? i got some guy with wet clothes will do it for $15 hr. can you match that?
Do you charge to remove the old ones?

[Steelhead]

yes sir...according to shilen its their tactical chamber...supposed to be a little tighter and shilen doesnt have a tight neck in 260 but the tac chamber is .296 compared to their standard which is .297...im going to have PTG make me a reamed for the next barrel with a little tighter chamber and a .294 neck.
My chamber is on the small side of .296

Nice shootin!
Good to see the BTHP's are workin for ya, now you gotta try the Berger Hybrids!
TRUST ME!!!

I have two Shilen barrels an am extremely happy with both, next will be a 28"

[LongRange]

Your one of the few guys on here that i can have some fun with lol.
But probably the wind did blow them in rather than out.
Hey how much for a roof just labor. shingles are in my garage as are the rusty nails.
Pitch dont mater right? i got some guy with wet clothes will do it for $15 hr. can you match that?
Do you charge to remove the old ones?


For $15 bucks an hour you better jump on that!! But make sure hes a roofer.
My labor would be $100 per square up to 6n12 and goes up $50 bucks an inch past that...the $100per would include tear off...i wont roof over old shingles it looks like sh!t after a summer and the chance of blow off is high...i like you but dont want to be married to your roof lol!!

[LongRange]

My chamber is on the small side of .296

Nice shootin!
Good to see the BTHP's are workin for ya, now you gotta try the Berger Hybrids!
TRUST ME!!!

I have two Shilen barrels an am extremely happy with both, next will be a 28"

Can you post a few of you charges and velocities? Or PM me....im asking because im thinking this is another fast barrel...ill know for sure saturday and ill post.
I had my neck tenison issue last sunday but most every 43g 100v load i clocked was 2895+...most were over 2900.

[Steelhead]

Can you post a few of you charges and velocities? Or PM me....im asking because im thinking this is another fast barrel...ill know for sure saturday and ill post.
I had my neck tenison issue last sunday but most every 43g 100v load i clocked was 2895+...most were over 2900.

In winter temps 43.9 of H4350 and 140 bthp's with coal of about 2.835 gets 2797 and 2830 at summer temps.
That load has no issues baking in the sun at 100+.

24.8 of H4350 and 140 hybrid @ 2.875 gets me 2840 at 35 degrees, not heat proven but I'm thinkin it will be ok.

Win 243 brass on both.

I wouldn't call mine l a fast barrel, but pretty normal.

I never could get above 42.5 in the heat without blowing primers and wrecking brass with the Nosler brass.
Speed wer about 20-30 below you in a 26" barrel.
Mine were loaded to fit AICS mags.

[LongRange]

In winter temps 43.9 of H4350 and 140 bthp's with coal of about 2.835 gets 2797 and 2830 at summer temps.
That load has no issues baking in the sun at 100+.

im going to revisit the H4350 load i posted this weekend as it looks very accurate and will post speeds but im pretty sure at 44g its right at 2900 which would be about right if your shooting a 26" barrel.


24.8 of H4350 and 140 hybrid @ 2.875 gets me 2840 at 35 degrees, not heat proven but I'm thinkin it will be ok.

Win 243 brass on both.

I wouldn't call mine l a fast barrel, but pretty normal.

I never could get above 42.5 in the heat without blowing primers and wrecking brass with the Nosler brass.
Speed wer about 20-30 below you in a 26" barrel.
Mine were loaded to fit AICS mags.

the 24.8 must be a typo? i think you meant 44.8g? ive got plenty of room left and could probably go up to 45.5g of 4350 before compressing...ill have to check my COAL but off the ogive 2.395 is touching the lands with the 140g hornadys...i have to retrain myself to load rounds...im use to grabbing them by the bullet and dropping them in now i have to grab them by the case and drop them in bullet first or the head hits the bolt head and sticks in the lug slot on the right side and they kinda jam.

[Steelhead]

Yea, typo
44.8, by the appearance of brass and primer I could go further.


Out of curiosity how far did the lands move back in the life of your old barrel?

[LongRange]

.007 I think...I'll look and let you know later or in the morning...it wasn't much compared to my 300 barrel...about 1100 through the fractory 300 and lost .015.

[LongRange]

Steel...i just checked and i lost .008 in my old shilen barrel from new to 2800ish rounds.

[LongRange]

well i went out this morning to confirm loads and it didnt go like id hoped...first i cleaned the barrel and shouldnt have as it took 10 rounds to start shooting again...42.5g of 100v was no where near the speed i thought but was accurate...the pulled shots was all me as i had a few millers friday night...

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/photo1-59.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo1-59.jpg.html)

now this is interesting...i figured this load was about 2830-2860fps...im very happy with the speed and pretty sure less millers and seating depth will tighten this group up..i shot two groups with this load and both were the same as far group and FPS...

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/photo2-59.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/photo2-59.jpg.html)

[LongRange]

also forget to say that the above groups were shot with .004 neck tension...i backed my die off to .002 as thats where ive had my best results at.