260AI...picture heavy

[LongRange]

LOL...id love to but it left his hands so now its on the post office...i did get a call earlier from my local PO saying that they looked around and dont have it but he was going to E-mail the higher powers and try to get some more info so we will see...its my Charlie Brown luck...im use to it.

[LongRange]

well i just got a call from my local PO and they found my barrel...i guess it was sitting in Memphis TN all this time...they said its back in route and should be here by tuesday so it looks like this is back on for next weekend.

now if UPS can find my new forster original trimmer and 3 way cutter head LOL!!

[mattri]

Glad they found your barrel, will be watching this with interest.

[LongRange]

Me too but now its sitting in Memphis TN and hasnt moved...ill give it until morning and if it hasnt moved ill be on the phone with USPS again as well as send an E-mail to the head post master...the barrel was shipped on 11-27...i ordered a bartlein blank on 12-2 and got it today.
Needless to say im starting to get a little frustrated with all of this.

[LongRange]

well it moved from Memphis TN to Memphis TN...at least its moving again so im hoping to have it some time this year or the first part of next year.

[greenhornet-1]

Wow, That sucks about your barrel! At least they found it. I've been thinking about having my Striker 260 improved. I have dies all ready so all i need to do is pull the barrel and have the chamber reamed!

[LongRange]

yep...i have 2 other packages that got side tracked as well...i guess its not my month for shipping....it left Memphis so ive got my fingers crossed that it shows up this week.

[Dewey7271]

That's the same exact fireform load I use, I think you'll find it works well.
I run 140 ABs in mine with 48.5 H4831SC, runs around 2960 or so. 26" barrel. Before someone asks, thats where the OCW fell.:p Using the ABs because I also hunt it.
Sorry about your shipping woes. I think you and I have the same shipping gremlin following us.:heh:

[LongRange]

i posted in Winnies thread about this before i seen your post here LOL...that good to hear because im looking for as close to 3000fps as i can accurately get other wise all of this wont be worth it to me...if it all pans out ive got a new bartlein blank and will order a reamer and have it chambered in 260AI.

MAN i hear ya about the shipping...i had 3 paks MIA...2 showed up yesterday and i just called the post office about my barrel again..ive never had shipping issues like this before.

[schnyd112]

USPS and the holidays can get pretty shaky. They have lost certified mail, medium flat rate boxes, and even an overnight priority package headed to the Stockton court house in the past 3 weeks. Let alone returning mail, with the correct address, on several occasions. Glad to hear things are back on track for now. Let me know when you get that thing put together.

[LongRange]

Well its not really back on track yet...i called my local postal guy this morning at 830 and he called me about an hour ago and said its still in Memphis...he said at 15 days(tomorrow)i can file a claim online and if USPS thinks they are going to have to pay a claim it will get things moving right quick..ill file a claim sunday morning and order a reamer monday...if the AI dont workout i can always sell the reamer.

[LongRange]

a little update...my barrel showed up at my local post office this morning according to the tracking and shows monday as deliver date...so its looking like next weekend for fire forming and load development.

[scooterf79]

Finally lol....cant wait to see how it works out.
Scooter

[LongRange]

well look what final showed up...and on a sunday to boot....

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/1450053801.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1450053801.jpg.html)

jim did a fantastic job and even stamped the chamber end with the cal....got it all back together....

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/1450053809.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1450053809.jpg.html)

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/1450053811.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1450053811.jpg.html)

Jim was right on the money with the free bore...i asked for .190 to .195 and as far as i can figure its right at .188 to .190...i took a case and used my K&M expander to open up the neck enough so a bullet would fit snug then removed the extractor and ejector and slowly closed the bolt on the case and took my measurements...after i fire form i will make a modified case out of one as i have the drill bit and tap.

142g SMK BTO 2.339
140g berger hybrid BTO 2.326
139g lapua BTO 2.354

i will jam the bullets .015 or so so i get good fire forming and hopefully no FTFs....ill start with the 142g SMKs for fire forming and then run OCWs with all 3 and go with the one that shoots the best...if i can get off work early a couple of days this week ill get some of the fire forming done..should go pretty quick shooting 20 shot groups.

[schnyd112]

Looks like fun! You really like that break huh? I have to go talk to the smith now to see what it will take to get mine built. Hoping to have everything done before the February practice. I have about 100 rounds of .220 swift I need to burn up before I say good bye to my rifle for a little while. I also have to open the barrel channel so I will need to work on that after Christmas.

[LongRange]

love these breaks...i shot a few different breaks on my 300wm and they all had some kind of jump....the recoil eliminator comes straight back and maybe a 1/4moa of muzzle rise if that....the other thing i like is ppls reactions when they see it.
im going out saturday and sunday so if you can get away come out and you can burn up those 100 rounds and we will see how much pressure these winchester cases can take...at $26 bucks per 50 ill be happy with 5 loads.

i had the smith trim this break(needs another .200 trimmed off)last week and was telling him your about ready so he will take care of you when you are.

[thatguyshm]

Very nice looking rifle. I'm interested in this thread quite a bit. I've been looking at the different 6.5's out there, not entirely sure what route to go. I'll be building my second Savage shortly that will be a 300 Winny, then on to the 6.5 project.

Off topic note, with your annealing set up, did you fab the brackets yourself? And how do you water dunk the brass to cool it off quickly? Thanks.

-SHM

[LongRange]

yes i made the brackets and i just pull them outta the socket by hand and dunk them...i keep my right hand fingers wet and move quickly.

i like the standard 260 a lot but have wanted to do an AI for a long time so here it is...barrel,brass and dies im in this about $250 bucks so it was a cheep way for me to see if it was worth all the extra work for the AI....if you hand load build a 260 if you dont the creed is the way to go.

[LongRange]

so i cut outta work a little early today so i could get out and fire form a few pieces of brass and also to see how my 4831sc and CCI250 idea was going to work.
first round BANG...second round BANG...third round CLICK...CLICK...CLICK...and you know what happened next...powder dump....and you know where my cleaning rod was right?? YEP left it laying on the bed because i was in a hurry...im pretty sure i made up a few new words on the way back to the house to get it.

so i get back out knock the bullet out load another round and 3 CLICKS...no bang but another powder dump so i pulled the extractor this time...load another and 3 CLICKS...a few more choice words as i was adjusting the firing pin protrusion...i had 6 FTFs outta 30 rounds...i guess .003 neck tension isnt enough to fire form AI'cases LOL!!! i will run .006 neck tension on the rest and that should solve that.

it was dark by the last 10 rounds so i just sat off to the port side of the rifle to feed since i had to run the rod in to knock the cases out and fired them into the hill side...i didnt even try to chrony any because it was getting dark...ill chrony on saturday when ive got more time...i did shoot 1 10 shot group and am expecting this to be a very accurate combo...8 of the 10 shots took a double tap to fire....

well the pics are not loading to photo bucket so ill post the rest tomorrow.

the cases blew out nicely and the case capacity gain was 3gs...54.4g H2O before and 57.4gs H20 after fire forming...the primers still had nice round edges and the primer pockets are still nice and tight...i will shoot all 100 rounds twice before i run them through the body die so they are formed well and tight to the chamber...

http://i1239.photobucket.com/albums/ff515/LTT-/Mobile%20Uploads/1450237421.jpg (http://s1239.photobucket.com/user/LTT-/media/Mobile%20Uploads/1450237421.jpg.html)

the COAL went from 2.028 to 2.015-2.017 on the 24 cases that fired but i expected this as ive heard from others and read the case necks shorten

at this point i will say im pretty happy...im curious about the speed when FFing and also to see how fast the 142g SMKs will go accurately...id really be happy with 2975 but will settle for 2950...im going to stick with the 142g SMKs for now as they show a lot of potential right outta the gate.

[schnyd112]

That is a sexy looking case all formed up. Excited to hear what kind of velocities you end up getting. You think something got screwed up when you disassembled your bolt to find throat length? Or is it just trying to find a good place to set your shoulder? I should know by tomorrow evening if I need to be at work this weekend. I will let you know when I find out. Got a bunch of swift/.45/.357 loaded up and it's burning a hole in my pocket.