Criterion prefits

[Jammer1]

I've run approximately 90 rounds through my Criterion barrel testing 120 gr A-Max and Nosler BTs with RE-15 and IMR 4350. So far, my accuracy has been dismal. I've rebedded my stock because I found a broken rear pillar. Fixed that and tried loads again....no change in erratic accuracy. THe rifle acts like it wants to shoot as it has turned in a couple of sub MOA groups at 100 yards. I'm suspecting the Vortex scope is acting up so took it off and mounted/bore sighted an extra Mueller 6.5X25X44 I had that is a known performer. I'll see if the scope was one of the problems. I've never been more disappointed in a barrels performance like I am so far with the Criterion. My 223AI barrel from Sinarms was shooting bughole right from the get go so I know my shooting and loading technique is not an issue.

I'm not giving up on this build and hope to iron out the bugs in the near future. I will say that copper fouling has not been a big issue with the Criterion barrel. I've gotten light blue on the patches early on but now, no copper indication at all. Maybe another 100 rounds will smooth out what ever problem it has.


GaCop, I had much the same issues with my 260 load development. I tried IMR 435, RE-15, & Re-19 with results that I was not satified with. I knew the rifle was capable of much more. For me, the answer was H4138SC. With 120 Gr SMKs, it shoots well uner .5 MOA when I do my part.

[VjjR]

Who got their phone calls yesterday? cause I hate you all that did

[trailrider121]

Who got their phone calls yesterday? cause I hate you all that did


Not me.. I'm Probably in the same shipment as yours. I'm going to order a 30-06 24" criterion light varmint barrel very soon from Jim.

[ttfreestyle]

i ordered two last week , 6br and 6.5x284. He had both in stock so hope its soon.

[Dano5001]

I had a "missed" call on my cell phone Monday from Northland Shooter Supply ;D

I ordered a .260 Rem last week, Jim had it in stock, hope its here this week. 26" 1-8 twist varmint contour. Got my Bell and Carlson Tactical Medalist stock today, hope to be shooting soon.

[VjjR]

I had a "missed" call on my cell phone Monday from Northland Shooter Supply ;D


Missed calls count... I hate you.

[trailrider121]

Its one of those things were you don't care when it shows up, it shows up early. When your waiting for something real bad takes for ever...

[snowgetter1]

Just got my heavy sporter 243 win in today. Man it looks good. Very fine finish and hopefully it shoots as good as it looks.

[northlander]

As many of you already know the one year introductory period for the Criterion Barrels will be ending as of 9/1/11. Here is a link to this announcement - http://savageshooters.com/SavageForum/index.php/topic,43544.0.html

Before anybody panics, this new pricing will not take effect until 9/1/11. If you would like to get a CBI Barrel prior to this date just let me know.

Jim Briggs
NSS

[trailrider121]

Jim,
I plan to order Criterion 30-06 barrel from you this week,but saw a post saying you'll be back next week.

[JW]

I received my CBI ss 6mmbr barrel this week from Jim at Northland
I am very impressed with the looks/finish of this barrel.
Devcon is curing now!

[BoilerUP]

12% really ain't THAT much of an increase...especially with reports of Criterion's quality & accuracy being posted all over the internet.

[DannoBoone]

12% really ain't THAT much of an increase...especially with reports of Criterion's quality & accuracy being posted all over the internet.


SSSShhhhh!! Ya don't want them to think that they can jack it up more without complaint, do you??

[barthmonster]

Tiny 68,
Not only are they lapped but all of the Reamers were ordered in just for our barrels. All new and made to SAMII minimum spec dimensions. I spoke with the management at Criterion just a short time ago on this subject. They have some proprietary tricks that they do to their buttons prior to using them. The results give you a unique rifling land and a lower bullet drag. They also hold some of the tightest tolerances I have heard of with their chambering procedures.

Jim Briggs
NSS


This sounds something like 5R rifling, which I only recently looked up. Less drag is good...

[ttfreestyle]

i got THE CALL, my 6br and 6.5x284 barrels are on the way. YEAH !!!!

[VjjR]

Best phone call I ever received just a little while ago.

[bootsmcguire]

Glad to see that your Hating Spree is over. :D

[rinodods]

Just helped a buddy finish up his 300wm build with one of these CBI barrels. Gotta say it is pretty sweet. He was grouping 1/2MOA within 8 shots soon followed by lots of steel clanging at 650yrds. No real loaded development. 208 AMAX over 75.5gr H1000 seated to mag length. Velocity was like clock work as well. After the first ten rounds it was all very consistant at 2825 +- maybe 5fps.

[Rocca]

Ok, Ive now shot 409 rounds through my CBI barrel so heres how its done so far.

The barrel when it arrived. It a 28" hvy 260 Rem.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/260b.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/260c.jpg

The parts. The picture doesnt show the CNC machined lug I also got from Jim. It showed up a few days later. Savage 10FCP HS Presicion that I also bought from Jim.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/260a.jpg

All put together and ready to shoot: Scope is a Vortex PST 6-24x50 FFP. I love it.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/260complete3a.jpg
The mat is the VOODOO DELUXE shooting mat/ drag bag. With this stock and a 28" barrel it barely fits. Great mat!
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/260complete4.jpg

Here are the 1st 18 rounds I fired from the gun. I decided to start with 140gr Amax in front of 43.5gr of H4350 since thats the load I found recomended the most in all the posts I could find on the 260. I ,of course, started low at 41gr and planned to go to 44.5 but stopped at the very 1st signs of preassure, no matter how small. That was at 44.2 gr when the primer just started to develop a very slight cup. NOTE: at this point I was seating well into the lands. These test groups were shot at 200 yards.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/P1040144.jpg
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/P1040150.jpg
I'm sure some the groups could have been better but I was JUST getting back into shooting after not much shooting at all in the last 16 years. But I shot A LOT before that. I was also borrowing my Buckmaster 6-18 scope off of my AR15 for this test. My vortex hadnt been ordered yet.

Anyway with it shooting this good I didnt even bother trying any other bullets or powders. I didnt want to use up barrel life looking for something better after shooting a .162 MOA group and more in the 1's and 2's after this test.

Ive now shot 409 rounds through it and the many groups ive chronographed all average 2890 fps. Again its shooting 140gr Amax with 43.4 gr of H4350 and fed 210 primers with Rem brass.
Brass- I planned on trying Rem brass and if it didnt shoot well upgrading to something else. I wish Winchester made 260 brass but they dont and I dont like having brass with the inccorect headstamp (OCD??). After shooting the groups I did I dont see any reason to spend $100.00/ 100 for Lapua when rem brass is $48.00/ 100. I plan to aneal the brass after the 3rd reload.

Just about a month later I had my Vortex scope and 10 round magazines (They use the factory savage bottom metal and are around 87.00 each from Darkeagle.com and they work great) and finally got the chance to do some 1000 yard shooting.
This is the very 1st 1000yd group I have ever shot. (when I hunted years ago my longest shot was 727yards on a prarie dog but I never even attempted 1000yd shots.)
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/1000ydG_1.jpg
The wind was calm at maybe 1 mph. Very little vertical stringing and I guess I screwed up and pulled the last shot way left. I was using my rabbit ear rear rest.

I then switched to my new "sand Sock" filled with sawdust I wanted to try out. Didnt like it at all. Here the next 1000yd group:
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/1000ydG_2.jpg
You can see the 1st group just above the target. Didnt like my new sand sock at all. just to "loose"

The next day I did some 600 yard shooting. Heres one of the groups:
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/600ydG_2.jpg
I didnt adjust for wind at all and the 1 mph wind blew me off target just a bit but I wasnt worried about bullseyes. I was looking for good groups. This one is 5/8" moa. Not bad for 600 yds.

I started running out of ammo and I realized I was down to 3 rounds left so I headed back to the 1000yd range to shoot the last 3 shots.
ALL of the targets in this post were shot using a Harris Bipod except the very 1st test which was off of a rest.

Here are the last three shots I fired at 1000 yards. I borrowed my buddy Clints sand sock on this 2nd day and it worked a lot better than mine.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/1000ydG_4.jpg
I started coloring my bullets with different color permanent markers so I could tell exactly which order the shots were fired in. A different color for each bullet.
2 1/8" 3 shot group @ 1000yards!!! I was bummed I didnt have 2 more rounds to shoot. Note the conditions were pretty much perfect when I shot this.

Since then a friend and I now have a spot to shoot 1000 yds (target is actualy 1010yds from where we set up our shooting bench.) Heres a few picks of the target and a few groups I shot the 1st time out there. The wind was quite gusty so the shooting was tough.
http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/1kcollection.jpg
Alan is in the picture shooting his 6.5x47( In case your wondering why that gun doesnt look like my savage ;) ). I took the pics to show where the target was. The groups are mine though and thats me walking up to the target. The 1st groups measured 7 1/8" (less than 3/4" MOA), the 2nd was 9 3/4" (just under 1 MOA).

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/j394/Rodney_Downs/Guns%20and%20Shooting/260%20Rem/1kcollection2.jpg
These pics show the target at 1x, again at 4x, and me walking up to the target board. And two of the groups I shot. wind was gusty and 8-10 mph on the 1st target, 10-13mph on the 2nd. The notes on the target should say Savage FCP , not FPC.

Cleaning- When I 1st shot it it took a lot of patches and several times through with a bronze brush to get all the copper out. After 100-150 rounds even though I still see what to me looks like a lot of copper build up and the 1st Bore tech eliminator soaked patches come out DARK blue. I soak it in Bore Tech Eliminator with 2-3 patches, then run a bronze brush back and forth about 10-15 times, a few clean patches, soak it again and give it a few minutes then run a few more clean patches and its spotless.

OK, so there you have it. I love my CBI barrel.

[snowgetter1]

Rocca
Great report. Love the details and the view of the open country. I may have to move somewhere out there to strech my savage's out a little.