Another 30BR Question ??

H

Hombre0321

Guest
Guys I asked some questions about forming the 30BR cases some time back. Thanks to all that offered advice or even Brass. I have purchased and recieved all of the tooling to form these cases, and turn the necks-i needed this stuff anyway now I have it. Question I have is this...

The Rifle I have is a Farley action and the barrel is marked with a .330 Neck. So just how much clearance to I need between the case and chamber? I have turned a couple of cases and they with a loaded bullet show a finished round with .326 clearance. I that enough?

Thanks Guys Roland
 
Most will probably say that your loaded round should measure .328, some run a little tighter, and some a tad looser. Make them as close to possible to the same, case to case. That, IMO is more important than how much clearance you have.--Mike
 
I have ran some case that were the same as you are asking about against some that only had .002 clearance. In my barrel the cases with .004 clearance shot the best. was it the brass? I cant be sure! I run .003 clearance on my 30br and it seems to work just fine! Lee
 
Roland, by convention, the measurement of a loaded round is taken at the pressure ring. Some bullets will show a .0005 or more greater diameter at the pressure ring.

There are some very good .30BR shooters using .004 total clearance. Al Nyhus, if I remember correctly. But another thing Al does is to keep his freebore diameter quite tight -- IIRC, he uses .3085, maybe a touch more. And Al anneals his cases pretty often. A search of the forum will give you his details, since my memory has a lot of years on it.

Some shooters use as little as .001 total clearance on the loaded round. I could never tell a difference between .001 and .003 total clearance, so I use .002. Some, like me, have reamers with .001 freebore diameter .309, as we use bullets slightly over .3085 at the pressure ring. Etc. etc.

The thing to remember is the rifle as a system, and the components interact. Change the bullet or barrel or something else, and the system may react differently.

Case in point. I have a .30 BR that uses a 25-1/2 inch barrel. Considered too long. For a long time, I loaded to a MV of 2,850. Considered too slow. But I'd take that .30 BR to group matches, and back in the days when we had 50-60 people at a match, it would consistently place in the top 10. Now the .30 BR wasn't even suppose to be any good for group . . .

So you're safe with that clearance. You'd be safe with a lot less. If you've turned a bunch of cases to that neck wall thickness, find a load (powder, bullet, neck tension, seating depth, maybe even primer) where you get just about 1/4 to 1/2 a bullet of vertical at 100 yards, time after time. You're there.

Wind flag time. Get so you can predict what wind will move the bullet half a bullet hole horizontally.

Next is shooting speed. The faster you can run your shots, the less likely you'll miss some big change. Learn to hold off for small changes, and keep shooting.

Much of this is short-range tactics, of course. Long range (800+ yards) puts a lot more emphasis on reloading technique. But the .30 BR maxes our around 600 yards, so short range tactics are appropriate.

Have fun with it,

Charles
 
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I agree with Mike. I prefer .002, but thats just cause that where I was told to turn my first one. Keep them all the same, and if you do, you should be fine. Find that combination that shoots good, and shoot often.
 
Hombre0321 said:
... the barrel is marked with a .330 Neck. ...I have turned a couple of cases and they with a loaded bullet show a finished round with .326 clearance.

Thanks Guys Roland
Click to expand...

Roland,
It wouldn't hurt to actually measure your chamber neck diameter. Just because it is marked 0.330 doesn't mean it actually is. I have a barrel that is so marked, but is actually closer to 0.331, at least according to my calipers. One way to find your chamber neck diameter is to turn small amounts off a case neck until it just barely fits. This way you have measured the chamber neck and your chosen case neck diameter with the same set of calipers, so that you have a more accurate estimate of the clearance.

Cheers,
Keith
 
Man I love this place, ask a question and answers just flow. That statment s begs another question: Is it this place ( Benchrest Central ) ? Or maybe is it Benchrest shooters? Hummmm I'll have to sit, watch and study on that some.....:cool:

Today was range day for me, that means I have to climb those damn stairs. I really wanted to shoot this new Rifle so I turned the necks on 20 Cartridges--they actually were .327 and not my stated .326, turns out that in my case at least a Micrometer gave me a closer reading than my digital calipers. I loaded the rounds with H4198 as it seemed to be the powder of choice from all of the reading I did over on 6MMBR.com site, and loaded them with Berger Target 115 grain bullets. Almost all of the custom bullet guys only seem to sell in lots of 500 to a 1,000 minimum, and I didn't want to order that many bullets just to hear it go bang. The only spare and not hooked to something scope I had was a brand new leupold 10 power variable tactical scope I bought for some reason and don't now have a single use for, anyone want to trade?
I set targets at 200 and 400 yds, climbed those damn stairs set up my brand new "VIPER" rest.
Gunny1webSmall.jpg


And let her fly. I was surprised that the recoil was as light as it was after reading that some folks had something of a problem moving to the 30br from the 6PPC, but since I never shot a 6PPC I guess I wouldn't be the authority on such a thing ;).

My conclusion were to keep it as is for awhile instead of sending it off for a new barrel and such for another long range rifle. It was a blast to shoot and play with, those 20 shells went way to fast and I wished I had loaded more. It shot at 400 yards better than it did at 200yds. using the standered 600 yd target I shot two 5 shot groups at 400yds and both of them would have scored 50-5X at that distance. Only wish I could consistantly do that with my 6mmbr.

Thanks everyone for your advice and comments, I really appricate the fact that you actually believe I am even understanding "Some" of it......

Roland
 
Roland,

When you first posted to BR Central, you indicated a desire to shoot competitively, albeit long range (1,000 yards). Now, it sounds like you have a very good .30BR, which is a 100-300 yard chambering. People have occasionally won with it at 600 yards, but you already have a better 600 yard chambering in your 6-BR.

OK, you also live in Alabama, which is by in large NBRSA country. Now, short-range VFS (Varmint For Score) matches have only been sanctioned in the NBRSA for a year or so, so the number of clubs holding such matches is still small. But I predict it will grow, and quickly. There are already matches in Georgia, though they're IBS matches. Once you leave politics (please), most of us are both IBS and NBRSA members, with no squawking from the shooters.

So if you can afford it, and if competition is still your interest, I'd say don't break up that .30BR just to get another long-range action.

Couple of points: The first is, yes, the recoil is low, esp. if you shoulder the rifle. However, many rifles shoot better free recoil, that is, touching nothing on the rifle except the trigger. Let the rifle come back half an inch or so before it contacts your shoulder. People use to shooting free recoil are the ones muttering about the .30BR's recoil, at least, some of them. I shoot it free recoil, no problems. Most of the people who come from Hunter class benchrest have no problems adapting either -- the .30 BR is smaller than what they're use to. It is pretty much matter of perspective. Far as that goes, I shoot up to a 6.5/06 AI 1,000 yard rifles free recoil. Once I get into the .30 magnums and the .338, like most people, I hang on, even with a 17-pound rifle.

The second is bullets. Many of the custom bullet makers will sell you a hundred or so bullets for testing, if they have a broken lot on hand. You just have to wait until that happens. Or, you can often borrow a few bullets at a match from someone who uses a particular brand. It takes a bit of patience, is all. This isn't to diminish Berger, or any of the custom bullet makers far as that goes. It is simply a fact that individual barrels may have different preferences for different bullets.

BTW, the IBS 600 yard Nationals are in Missouri this year. Another mistake new shooters sometimes make is to think, "Oh, I'm not ready for the Nationals yet." Well, yes, if you're thinking only of winning. But if you're thinking about learning, it is one of the best things you can do. The competition is at a high level, and there will be plenty of people who have addressed the various problems we all face in a variety of ways. If you can go, even though it isn't really "long range," it would help put you on the fast track.

Charles
 
Charles, Once again your advice is appricated. Also by the way Charles I have now shot in my first match. I shot a club match this past Saturday at 500 yds. My intentions were always to shoot in competition, now that I have attended my first match as a competitor I am hooked.

Interesting enough I took the kid that helps me in the shop, now this young man who is 19 has gone with me to the range a couple of times. Thats a good thing because of those %$&% stairs. He is young and the &%$@# stairs don't bother him at all. In practice he has never really shot a group, more like patterns if you know what I mean. We got to the match signed up, payed and set up. While I am right handed I shoot left handed, I was shooting the first relay so we set everything up for a left handed shooter. After my relay Brandon's turn was next, he told me "Gunny I'm just going to shoot left handed too so we don't have to change anything" I told him "Don't be silly dude" but he insisted so we left things as they were.

Now this guy who was shooting around 5 to 7 inch groups at 400 yds sat down for his sighter shots and first target. After he had fired his first relay of two targets or 10 shots for record, the match director goes down to collect and score those first two targets. Brandon had shot on his first target a group of 1.237" and a score of 50-4X at 500Yards, his second target was 1.119" and scored 50-3X. Man was I surprised, I only wish that I had shot as well in my first match--I didn't--. The folks attending the match ( There were 18 shooters I believe) were great to Brandon as well, all took pictures of his group and he got a lot of pats on the back. Good group of folks and a lot of fun as well. I'm hooked!!!

One of the posters here Jim Pittman also sent me a e-mail as there is a shoot in Swainsboro Georga this coming weekend. I have to pass on that one as I have to fly to Maryland this weekend to see the Doc. Normally I would kiss that off to shoot but my wife is a very strong willed little woman, and I'm afraid of her as well.

As to the short range matches. I never actually intended to ever shoot one of those, the Mid and Long range get my attention much more. Those little one hole groups seem to be unattainable. However with that said I really can get my mind wrapped around this VFS deal, so I am going to leave the rifle alone for awhile at least.

Roland
 
Leupold Variable Scope

The only spare and not hooked to something scope I had was a brand new leupold 10 power variable tactical scope I bought for some reason and don't now have a single use for, anyone want to trade?


Roland,

Are you still needing a BR scope in trade for the Leupold variable? If so, what model scope is it? What reticle, tube size etc...? I have a lightly used Weaver T-36 sitting in a set of nicely lapped Kelbly rings with some davidson's bases to fit a Remington action. I even have the original box, papers and extra turrets.

If you are interested, give me a call (813) 205-5424 or e-mail me at MichaelCasselton@yahoo.com

Thanks,
Mike
 
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