Need info on OAL

[sgt_jamez]

So I ordered a Shilen 6mmBR barrel from James Kessler (the new barrel guy at NSS), and i had originally spoken with Jim about freebore. I intend to use the 105 Amax and he assured me the barrel would readily accommodate that. My order was placed and many weeks later I get my barrel. Using the Hornady OAL gauge, I find the distance to lands OAL to me 2.181". I tried several times using other 105 Amax's with the same result. When I run those numbers through Quickload, I find that my total seating depth to be .594". This seems definitely wrong to me. So I called NSS who then informs me the barrel has to be sent back to Shilen for them to look at and possibly be recut (at my cost). He sent me a reamer print stating that was the standard reamer used and the print showed a freebore of .060". My research shows a .060" freebore to be consistent for use with far lighter bullets. Is that true? I was told to send my barrel with dummy rounds set for my desired length so if the chamber needs to be recut they will have that already. So I ask this, where along the neck is the ideal spot for the base of a boat tail bullet? If I have to have the chamber recut, how do I know what specs to give? I feel as though even though I asked for a barrel suitable for the 105s, I was sold a barrel for 60-68gr. Before I send this back to Shilen, I need to know how to set up my dummy rounds and your collective input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

[Hector]

I just received that same barrel in 6BR a week ago from NSS. I also got that same reamer print, .060 freebore and .271 neck. I measured the distance to the lands also with the Hornady gauge and got a OAl of 2.343 which I was happy to find. The neck turned out to be .272 which is also good.
I don't know if this matters but I got the Select Match barrel.

I believe the ideal seating depth is if that point on the bullet, where it starts to taper for the boat tail,(still full caliber) is above the neck-shoulder junction. The AMax has the longest body of the 105's and is longer then the 107 sierra.

Anticipating the short freebore I called Shilen and asked about cutting it longer. It would cost " $45.00+$20.00 for shipping and take about two weeks".

[sgt_jamez]

Ok, so if I am getting 2.181" it would seem to indicate a problem with the barrel. I wish I was at 2.343" because I'd be headed to the range tomorrow as opposed to the post office to mail this barrel back.

[Texas10]

I don't know if my experience was typical or not, but i got a new match barrel from NSS and before fitting into the action, made some OAl measurements too. They were not at all consistent, so i put a camera down the chamber and looked at the throat. It appeared to me (and I am an amateur) that there were burrs at the start of the lands. I went ahead and shot it to break in the barrel, and looked again. Burrs gone, throat look "normal" and all my initial OAL measurement changed, and became consistent.

As I said, my experience may not be typical, but then I may be the odd man out because I have that dang endoscope camera and am always looking down the bore with it.

By comparison, I just picked up a new 12FV from Cabelas in 22-250 and looked into that bore with my camera. The throat look "normal" to me, but then that barrel was shot at the factory, so I would not expect to see burrs left over from machining.

[Zero333]

It's common for Shilen to short throat their Savage pre-fit barrels.

Any competent smith should be able to re-throat it with a throater reamer for $50 or less. You can order 6mm uni-throater from PT&G and re-throat it yourself with out a lathe.

Berger 105 hunthing VLD will work good with the 0.060 freebore because it has a short bearing surface and long nose.

[Ryfulman]

Not apples to apples here but I have a 243. 10 twist Thompson center dimension. I am using those 105 amax bullets in mine seated wit a kiss. Rifle shoots excellent and is more capable than I am as a shooter.
I suggest you use the a dummy round to establish where the lands kiss and just have a look. Might as well bust a few off and see if it will work for you. If it doesn't what have you lost since you're going to send it back anyway right.
I'd try it out personally.

[thatguyshm]

I have a 6mm br barrel that I don't have screwed onto a receiver yet, but using the Hornady oal get 2.400" exactly with the Berger 105 hybrid. If you have to pay for the service to fix your free bore, then I'd headspace it and shoot it a few times anyway to see if it's a burr that will get knocked off. Just my thoughts..

[sharpshooter]

Standard freebore for the 6 mm BR Norma is .082". This works well for about every bullet, except 105 Amax. For the Amax you need about .110". It seems to be for all the bullets in that class, the Amax is the least accurate.