Judging from the groups SU35 is shooting (after not doing anything to the barrel at all, despite plenty of suggestions from the Campfire), his rebore turned out very well.
Yeah.....that's what it looked like to me.
I've only taken the 338-06 to the range once, and the 9.3 hasn't been yet, but from my sample size of one, SU35's turned out WAY better than mine. I free floated the 19" barrel of the 338-06 and the action was previously glass bedded. For the first outing, I loaded 9 of the most accurate loads that I have fired in my other 24" barreled 338-06, and shot them into 3 groups. It was pretty horrid. But I have high hopes for the rifle as the bore does look really good. The 9 I alluded to were 225 Hornady's loaded over a medium charge of PP 2000-MR (.75" in the other rifle). They were going about 2440 FPS from the carbine and printed 3-to-5" groups. I followed up with 8 cast fireform loads with the 270 NEI RN over 14 gr Unique, with the bullets a jam fit in the lands. These bullets were going about 1250 FPS and interestingly landed in the same POI as the 225 Hornadys at 2440. I consider this a good sign. Also, the cast were more accurate. I should also add it was an unknown scope - an old Leupold 4X that I had not previously mounted - I could swap that out to if I don't see better results soon but those things are pretty darn rugged and it's odd for them to fail.
The Hornadys had to be seated .060 off the lands due to the throat length versus magazine length. I can seat the 210 Partition right up to the lands as well as the 200 Speer. Next time out I'll be trying one of those to see if getting the bullet closer to the lands helps. It's a real good looking bore and ought to do a lot better than that first trip out, so we'll see (acknowledging all that's been said about how the looks through the bore scope doesn't predict a thing).
Cheers,
Rex
I was remiss in not following up with the result of the JES 338-06's second trip to the range, this time, with no changes to the scope or bedding, but with a new load, the 210 Partition seated 0.025" off the lands and 60, 61, and 62, grains of Big Game as the loads.
On the first trip out, with the 225 Hornady and 2000-MR (which was the most accurate load in my other 338-06 - sub MOA) the average group size was 4.32". On the second trip, with the Noslers, the average group size was 2.02" The barrel is totally free floated, to the receiver ring. My JES rebored 9.3x62 (which
drove nails on its first trip to the range), is bedded to just over the first inch of the barrel, and carefully neutral bedded back at the tang. I think the 338-06 might like this extra support forward of the receiver ring, especially given that the 338 had been set back a half thread (and thus lost that much thread support) back when it was first sporterized, I assume to hide the pin slot that anchored the rear sight sleeve on the original 1903 Springfields.
