1:16 30br

T

tiny68

Member
I just got a 1:16 30BR as a starter rifle. It is currently 26" with a brake installed. I don't figure anyone would like a brake next to them at the line so loosing a few inches with a fresh crown will be first order. My question is what bullets would you 30BR shooters recommend trying with the 1:16 twist?

Thanks for helping a beginner, tiny
 
Since it's a 30BR, I'm guessing that you're going to shoot some Score matches. In IBS, muzzle brakes are allowed in 600 & 1000 yard matches, but not the short distance game. You could try the 118 grain like many are using, I'll bet a nickel that you'll be just fine. Another note, keep the weight to 13.5 pounds or less.
 
tiny

tiny68 said:
I just got a 1:16 30BR as a starter rifle. It is currently 26" with a brake installed. I don't figure anyone would like a brake next to them at the line so loosing a few inches with a fresh crown will be first order. My question is what bullets would you 30BR shooters recommend trying with the 1:16 twist?

Thanks for helping a beginner, tiny
Click to expand...

as for muzzle breaks I think you have it right...folks won't much appreciate you next to them. If you are going to shoot IBS score you can't use a muzzle break...against the rules.

a 16 twist barrel will shoot any of the most popular bullets from the major suppliers of quality BR bullets on .925", .945" and 1" jackets. more an issue is the amount of freebore you use, this being a function of the jacket length and radius of the ogive. specifically BIBs 112 gr on the .925" jacket or his 1" 10 ogive will work well in a zero or up to say 15 thou freebore length. If you want to shoot 1" 7 ogive bullets you will likely need 40 or so thou of freebore so as to be able to keep the base of a seated bullet no more than half way or so down the case neck. wilson dies only size about 2/3rds of the case neck. good luck.
 
reamer info

I was told it was chambered with a Robinette reamer, with zero freebore...

Maybe the 10 ogive would be worth a try.

What should a have this cut down too? 22"? I may shot it a few times, but I definitely planned to loss the brake.

tiny
 
tiny, check out the article regarding relative barrel 'stiffness' on Dan Lilja's web-site < www.riflebarrels.com > once you open the "Aritcles" section, look for the title [something like] A Look at the Rigidity of Benchrest Barrels . . . based upon experience, I wouldn't opt for a barrel longer than 24" - and that length only for the sake of "proper" balance, which you'll probably find more important than a few FPS of velocity. In my experience, the difference between 22 and 24" long barrels (of the same make, same components, same day) has been about 24-27 FPS - within a range that our chronographs cannot precisely determine;in the 3,000 FPS area, most are probably only accurate to +/- 30 FPS os so.

I agree with greg - the 16" twist will handle almost any bullet you try - right up to any weight based upon the 1.080" long jacket; this could include weights up to about 150. The only 'deal wrecker' for the short/light bullets would be an excessively long freebore. RG

P.S. here's a direct link to dan's excellent article: http://www.riflebarrels.com/articles/barrel_making/rigidity_benchrest_rifles.htm
 
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My test results.

When I first got a very slow twist barrel for my 30-30, it was a fairly new thing at the time. Back in the late 90's I called Hart Barrels and asked them for a 18" twist. They didn't make them, and told me they had no intentions of doing so. I bugged them for a year before they agree to make the button and rifle me a barrel. Before it was shipped, they called me and told me that the twist came out a little slower than 18". I asked how much and he said 18.7" twist. So the rumor about one of the 18" twist barrels being on the slow side is very true.

I decided to run a simple 5 shot group test just to see when things would really go bad. First I tried 125gr., one small hole. Then I tried 135gr., one small hole. Then I tried a 150gr. (and this was a boat tail Sierra MatchKing), again one small hole. Then the 168gr. Matchking, only three out of five hit the paper at 100 yards, and all were sideways.

I'm not saying shoot 150gr. out of a 18" twist. This is to close to the edge for match conditions. I'm saying the 135gr. is the heaviest I would shoot out of an 18" twist. I am also saying that Randy is right on the money for a 150gr. being the heaviest for the 16" twist.

Michael
 
Sample packs of 30 cal customs

Thanks for the input everyone.

I have been doing a search for bullets. Sorry, I don't know the names yet and their/your accomplishments. Does any of the custom 30 cal bullet makers sell a sample pack (maybe 25-50 bullets of each weight/ogive)? The few websites require an order of 1000s bullets. No problem buying that many once I know what too buy. I can't buy a 1000s of everything. This is a budget project for learning to say the least.

Tiny
 
I can sell

I can check the prices of Bergers at my dealer cost, and let you have them at my cost in 110-150gr.

Michael
 
I think if you call Randy of BIB bullets or Ronnie Cheek they can fix you up with some smaller sample packs, call these guys they will really go out of their way to help you out. Steve
 
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