Personal Results with a Criterion Barrel

[swadiver]

I can only relate one experience with Criterion from NSS. I purchased a new 8 twist, match chambered barrel in .223 and am still in the load development stage. I intend to shoot only two types of bullets from this barrel; the 69 grain Sierra Tipped Match King, and Berger 73 grain Match, HP.

According to the Berger Twist rate calculator, the Berger is the better choice with an SG of 1.9. It also sits just at the lands when at ideal seating depth in the brass.

Right now I am still closing in on the load recipe for the 69 grain. At 25.9 grains of Varget it puts 3 of 5 under a nickel at 200 yds. By far, the best performance I've attained from any load from this gun (model 12 BVSS). I am hoping that tweaking the seating depth will bring the other two into the group, although total group size is still under 1/2 moa at this distance.

Of course, it could well be the shooter and not the load, and reading the wind is always the challenge.



I have a NSS supplied Criterion barrel on a Savage action. this 1/9 twist barrel shoots 73 Berger target bullets in the .2's and .3's @ 100 yds. Varget and IMR 8208 XBR both do the trick.

[rjtfroggy]

I sent an email to Criterion about the barrel, have not heard back as of yet.
Also screwed on the Douglas and so far it looks promising only 35 rounds down the tube and one group is four in a hole (little oblong ) and one just out of the group. These are all left overs from a couple weeks ago that were loaded for the other barrel so I need to tweak a little.

[RC20]

One reason I got the X-Caliber was to cross check my shooting vs the original 12FV barrel. Long term needed anyway for the quantity I am shooting.

Also got antsy to get going and the 30-06 Bull is still 2 to 4 weeks out. Summer only last so long up here! (we shoot all year but I do like the more relaxed summer shooting)

An interesting twist (pun intended) was I fabbed up one load for the bull 308 (picked up some H168ZMax on a good deal) and the Savage barrel was shooting those as well.
Awful day wind wise at the range so have to repeat (unfortunately weekend was taken up by errands, medical appointment, house work, sigh)

[Robinhood]

I reload for both 308 bolt and my 308 AR. Both 1:10 twist. From everything I have read, 168 gr bullets are optimum bullets for the 1:10 twist. As was said above, try a heavier bullet and different powder before giving up on that barrel. Give varget and 168 gr match or A-Max a try. Or, bump up to 178 ELD bullets.

Interesting The most accurate 10 twist 308 loads I have shot are 175 to 190 grain. For the 12 twist I have great success with 155's to 185's. Thinking the optimum twist for a 308 is around 11.

[copterdrvr]

The Criterions can shoot light bullets-here's a group shot at 300 yards with a .308 my buddy and I put together on a 700 action. I'm sure the group would have been under an inch if it wasn't for the pulled shot that I *****ed to my buddy about when I touched it off.

And of course, would you guess which shot of the five it was??????

I have some better groups but can't find them right now.

http://i754.photobucket.com/albums/xx186/copterdrvr/IMG_1511_zpsjhcb46fn.jpg (http://s754.photobucket.com/user/copterdrvr/media/IMG_1511_zpsjhcb46fn.jpg.html)

[RC20]

Well I really see two bad shots there, the lower left 3 are ok, the other two, sheese, what were you thinking, a whole 1.476 at 300, how awful! - you only got one that hit the aiming point for crying out loud ! :p

Now granted, on a bad day I can beat that at 100 easily, say 7/8 or so.

[copterdrvr]

Yeah, we all have better days sometime! :cool:

I had some 125 grain Sierra Matchkings laying around that I load for my 300 Blackout and wanted to see what they would do. I was amazed that I got some groups that ran in the 1.6 inch range at 300 yards with the Criterion barrel. Talk about a no-recoil load in the .308!

[mousemotors]

Every once in a while a bad barrel is made, at least that is what I have heard. I have not experienced for myself though. If the barrel is bad I am sure Criterion will make it right, they are pretty well top notch. I have had great luck so far with their barrels holding a .120 to a .130 at 100 yards on 7mm08's. But then again I have some factory Savage and ER Shaw barrels that will run with the best of them.

[J.Baker]

This thread exemplifies why I never liked doing and won't ever do another barrel review. You can buy 10 identical barrels from the same manufacturer and generally speaking there will be at least one dud, six or seven "average" shooters (1/2"-1" groups), and one or two hummers that will consistently shoot 1/2" or better groups. The only way to do a proper review/evaluation is to sample a large batch and base the conclusion of an average of all of them after firing thousands of rounds. Most of us mere mortals can't afford to conduct that kind of evaluation, and even if we could it still really wouldn't prove anything more than we already know now - that buying a barrel always has been and always will be a crap shoot no matter who made it.

[rjtfroggy]

^^^^ And this is why I did not and will not trash Criterion or anyone else, it is always luck of the draw.

My one and only phone call went unreturned as with the only email, but I will persue it further when time allows.

[cowtownup]

I have a CBI 260 Rem Match in a bull contour that I could only get 3/4 minute groups out of consistently. I tried 142 SMK and 140 Hybrids and H4350 as a propellant. I called Josh at CBI and he sent me a shipping label to return the barrel to them. I talked to him today and they didn't find anything out of line with the barrel. He said they would re-lap the barrel and re-crown it and send it back and if didn't shoot better they would replace it. Josh has been friendly and understanding, but I enjoy shooting more than I do putting barrels, scope mounts and bases off and on a rifle.

I've since received this barrel back from CBI and it does shoot better. It's more on line with a 1/2 moa barrel now. I think I could get it to be more consistent with more practice on my part. So, I appreciate what Josh did for me as far as customer service goes, however my next barrel will be a cut rifle barrel. I just got to try it and see.

[cowtownup]

10 shot groups at 300 yards with 41.8 grains of H4350 under a 142 SMK with CCI BR primers..
260 Remington shooting 2" stickers...
Average FPS 2746 with an SD of 6.7 over 10 shots..
CBI 28" Bull 8 twist match chamber...

I have a couple shots each group that really open the group up, but if I could figure out what was causing those I'd be in business..

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/TEST%2015%20300%20YD%2041.8%20H4350%20CBI142SMK%20 1st%2010%20shots_zpsbvugwlfm.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/TEST%2015%20300%20YD%2041.8%20H4350%20CBI142SMK%20 1st%2010%20shots_zpsbvugwlfm.jpg.html)

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x256/cowtownupp/TEST%2015%20300%20YD%2041.8%20H4350%20CBI142SMK%20 2nd%2010%20shots_zpsqsx02w3g.jpg (http://s185.photobucket.com/user/cowtownupp/media/TEST%2015%20300%20YD%2041.8%20H4350%20CBI142SMK%20 2nd%2010%20shots_zpsqsx02w3g.jpg.html)

[RC20]

Who are the cut barrel mfgs?

Long term that would be interesting to try.

[Ranger3]

I have two Criterion barrels a 243 and a 262. The .243 shoots in the .2s and .3's. all day where is the 260 is more of a .5 moa and it is my FTR rifle but at 1000 it shoots very well I'm looking at my third Criterion barrels 6 br and the customer service at Criterion is exceptional I've had to send in my 260 and it came back much better.

[CriterionBarrels]

Thank you rjtfroggy for notifying us of your grouping issues with that .308 barrel. As per our earlier discussion I think we could help tighten those groups up a bit with the lighter loads by slowing the twist rate down some (rather than a 1-10 twist we'll spin up a replacement in 1-13 twist). We also have a chambering reamer that is a bit better suited for shorter, lighter, bullet configurations with a more appropriate freebore length. Since the intended purpose of the barrel is 200 yard benchrest competition, we should be able to configure that barrel to better perform in its intended setting.

I sent your replacement barrel out to the shop with a notice to have it fast tracked through production, so you should be receiving it within the next four weeks or so. Please let us know if we can help with anything else!

-Josh