E R Shaw throat length waaaay too long

[Old Medic]

After waiting five months for a barrel from E R Shaw, finishing a 6.5 Creedmoor build and struggling with load workups (multiple bullets, powder, primers, seating depth, etc) I am very disappointed. To get the bullet anywhere near the lands I am far over blind mag length. I suppose I could shoot it as a single shot (actually not sure that would work either), but it was to be a deer rifle, so that is not preferred.
Does anyone know if long throat length is common with Shaw? Did you find a LR bullet that would shoot accurately way off the lands?
So disgusted I'm considering ordering another Savage prefit from another company.
I don't have throat length tools. I simply apply slight neck tension to the case, insert a bullet so that it will slide back into the case when touching the lands, gently push the round into the chamber and draw the bolt back and measure. This has been good enough to develop extremely accurate loads in multiple rifles.
If you have seen this what did you do?

[LoneWolf]

I actually just tested berger 140 Hybrids in my 6.5x47 from .020-.100 off and didn't see a bit of difference other than picking up 20FPS as I got closer to the lands. This is with about 1500rds on the barrel. Reset to .035 off and just finished 17th at the Peacemaker Fall Scramble PRS match. Could have been top 5 if I hadn't taken the wrong distances to one stage.

[darkker]

I bought a "Blem" Shaw Creed barrel from Gunshack something like 2 or 3 years ago. The throat on it is within 0.001" of my RAP, and a M77 Predator.
The RAP needs Berger VLD's to be seated way deep for the factory joke of a mag, and still somewhat deep now that I'm running Magpul's in an MDT. Both shoot perfectly fine, just has somewhat lower velocity due to gas bleed-off around the bullet during jump.

[Old Medic]

Thanks for the replies.
I've tried 130 Bergers, 140 SMK, 143 ELD-X, 140 SST seated all kinds of depths with RL17 and H4350. Probably my luck, and I got a lemon. About tired of screwing with it.
Who makes a barrel around Shaw's price point with a medium contour along the lines of Savage's heavy sporter y'all would recommend?

[Robinhood]

Berger hybrids or 142 smk. Load to mag length if you need to, or single load. Like Berger King, have it your way

[gbflyer]

How bad is it and what are your expectations? FWIW, I've had good luck with X-Caliber, I've got one pre-fit and several more I've chambered.

[foxx]

Thanks for the replies.
I've tried 130 Bergers, 140 SMK, 143 ELD-X, 140 SST seated all kinds of depths with RL17 and H4350. Probably my luck, and I got a lemon. About tired of screwing with it.
Who makes a barrel around Shaw's price point with a medium contour along the lines of Savage's heavy sporter y'all would recommend?

2 great sources, similar price as ER Shaw if you use Green Mountain blanks (ideal choice for hunting barrels, in my opinion) or you can choose higher end blanks like Excaliber...

Apache Gun Works
Bison Gun Works

I have used their barrels exclusively to build hundreds of hunting rifles the past few years. Absolutely NO barrel related complaints or issues whatsoever. They are ALL excellent shooters.

[J.Baker]

So here's a couple questions:

1. Have you shot it yet?
2. Have you done any load development work for it?
3. If so, how did it shoot?

Some people have this misguided notion that they need to load the bullets to be touching or close to touching the lands for them to shoot accurately. The truth is most bullets will shoot just as well seated 0.040-0.080" off the lands. I've found that typically those wanting to seat out to the lands are the hot rodders trying to squeeze every last FPS out of the cartridge and thus don't want to give up that little bit of case volume. If you need more speed, you need to jump to a bigger cartridge.

[Old Medic]

So here's a couple questions:

1. Have you shot it yet?
2. Have you done any load development work for it?
3. If so, how did it shoot?

Some people have this misguided notion that they need to load the bullets to be touching or close to touching the lands for them to shoot accurately. The truth is most bullets will shoot just as well seated 0.040-0.080" off the lands. I've found that typically those wanting to seat out to the lands are the hot rodders trying to squeeze every last FPS out of the cartridge and thus don't want to give up that little bit of case volume. If you need more speed, you need to jump to a bigger cartridge.

In order:
1. Yes. Many, many times.
2. See my previous comments
3. The rifle is very sporadic as for as group size.

gbflyer:

As far as expectations - I have built several rifles and been a reloader for years. Naturally, like all trained and competent shooters, I want to shoot bugholes, but for what this rifle was built for (a whitetail rig for sub 300 yard shots) I would be satisfied with .75 MOA. That's not much too ask when you roll your own. I don't keep a rifle if it won't do that. Just a personal requirement. This rifle, with a 5 shot group, averages around 1.25 no matter the load. I want a 6.5 Creedmoor in the line-up, and with the time and effort I have in this rifle I don't want to scrap the whole project. I think I will simply install another barrel.

[darkker]

Hhmmmmmmm.....
If you do get another barrel because you think this one is a dink, let me know. I'd like to see if I can make it shoot.

[Old Medic]

Hhmmmmmmm.....
If you do get another barrel because you think this one is a dink, let me know. I'd like to see if I can make it shoot.

While drinking coffee this a.m. and pondering this whole deal, I think I'll scrub the bore, shoot a box of factory through it and start over with load development just to give it the fairest chance. But if I can't get it to do any better, how much would you be willing to finance my next barrel purchase? Hahaha!

[J.Baker]

I will remind you guys there's a rule regarding buying/selling outside the classifieds.

[gbflyer]

In order:
1. Yes. Many, many times.
2. See my previous comments
3. The rifle is very sporadic as for as group size.

gbflyer:

As far as expectations - I have built several rifles and been a reloader for years. Naturally, like all trained and competent shooters, I want to shoot bugholes, but for what this rifle was built for (a whitetail rig for sub 300 yard shots) I would be satisfied with .75 MOA. That's not much too ask when you roll your own. I don't keep a rifle if it won't do that. Just a personal requirement. This rifle, with a 5 shot group, averages around 1.25 no matter the load. I want a 6.5 Creedmoor in the line-up, and with the time and effort I have in this rifle I don't want to scrap the whole project. I think I will simply install another barrel.

Gotcha. Good luck, hope you get it shooting to your standards.

[deertroy1]

I have a new McGowen in 6mm Rem that's the same way as your barrel.

[SageRat Shooter]

Who makes a barrel around Shaw's price point with a medium contour along the lines of Savage's heavy sporter y'all would recommend?

I have 3 Criterion barrels and every one of them is a .5 MOA shooter (two in 22-250 and the last one in 260 Rem) for roughly $50 more than the Shaw barrel (per barrel). I ordered mine through NSS.

[Steelhead]

Hybrid, ELD and sierra match kings love jump.
I regularily jump them a tenth of an inch with great results
dont sweat chasing lands with many modern target bullets.

[s3silver]

That's a bummer! Nothing worse than to be excited over a new barrel (not to mention the 5 month wait time) only for it not to shoot.

Have you contacted Shaw to see if they'll do anything?

[Txhillbilly]

I've used two Shaw 6.5 CM barrels on builds,there's nothing wrong with the throat's with them. I shoot the Berger 140 VLD's out of both of them. One is a DBM center feed action,the other is a staggered feed action with a blind mag.
The COAL of the center feed loads are 2.877" which is .010" off the lands.
The COAL of the staggered feed loads are 2.871" also .010" off the lands.

Both fit well within the length of the magazines,and both loads shoot under moa.