Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Barrel Life and the 6.5 Creedmore

Just don't back the truck up too.

No, gotta leave it where you park it.

I have a better bench, this one is easier to set up. I even redesigned this one. Have a better version.

DF

.....word.....

It’s a consumable. Just as are bullets, powder, etc.

Think the quality/hardeness of the blank plays just as much of a roll in life as does strings of fire, powder used etc. I scoped 2 barrels last week from the same maker that I had loose off actions, a 6.5 CM with right at 2200 and a 6.5x47L with 3400. Both still shoot sub MOA easily with good ES/SDs and all I’ve ever done is adjust the COAL to keep the bullets on the lands and the powder to keep me in my “window”. I’ve chased out on the Lapua as far as I am comfortable with, and looking in the bore I saw minimal firecracking in front of the throat. With 2” of shank I’ve got plenty room for a set back and I’ll keep running it till it starts giving me a reason not to. I’ve got others from other makers that I’ve schit canned or run solely as practice barrels with less rounds through them and far worse looking bores.

i have Remington 700 Varmint 223 Rem. 8-9,000 rounds dog towns lots of heat over a few years and target shooting

Remington 700 Custom Lilja barrel 257 Weatherby Mag. about 1200 rounds it was fast 100 gr bullet 4,000 fps /Ohler used

My Bergara is the Woodsman, accuracy has been outstanding.Would really love to have a couple of wind free hours with it. Having the prettiest wood I have seen on a factory rifle in a long time is a bonus. I'll likely be ready for something else before I shoot 3500 rounds through it.


That's gotta be about the best piece of wood ever put on a Bergara...

DF

Improved version. And, long enough for the free standing Magnetospeed, no barrel contact.

And, with this version, one's arm doesn't get into the tailgate cable...

I shot a .270 until I couldn't seat a 130-grain bullet long enough to reach the rifling. Took 32 years. I have no idea of the round count, but it was my main hunting rifle most of that time. Despite the worn throat, the last three-shot group was 3/4". I sent it back to the factory for a new barrel because I was restoring the rifle to as-new condition so I could pass it down. Given how walnut and blue is no longer favored, I doubt it will ever need another.

DF, is that a #1 Protektor?

I'm guessing the life would be almost the same as a 6.5x55 Swede unless of course, the campfire knows of some reason why not?

No, it's a Wichita Arms BR 1000 rest. My wife is from Wichita and I visited Wichita Arms while up there visiting her folks around 40+ yrs ago.

It wasn't a big place, but interesting. It is a good, solid cast iron rest. I see they're now in Mulberry KS, which is in SE KS, Crawford Co, which is on the MO line, a good ways from Wichita.

Those are Protektor front and rear bags.

The orange aluminum rest I rigged to hold the Magnetospeed is Hoppe's

DF

Thanks DF. I am very familiar with both rests, as I have and use both. I recently bought a protector #1 front bag, but was wondering about the #2 protektor front bag, as i place the front bag closer to the front action screw, than you do. Im thinking yours is a #1 protektor, as it is narrower than the #2.

Not sure, will check.

You're probably right.

DF

No number on the pad. It’s about 2” wide at the top, less down in the recess.

DF

Thanks DF. The one I use on my Wichita Arms, is a number 3 I think. I lay a piece of leather over it because my rifles float around in it. I just bought a number 1 Protektor for my Hoppes rest, but I think I'll replace the #3 with a #2. Should make for a more stable set-up. Oh, since this is a 6.5 creed thread:


I developed a load for this Tikka T3x Superlite, I'm not going to try and burn the barrel out on this one. That's what the el cheapo savage is for.... . The Tikka has 100 rounds downrange now, and shoots like this:


I'll be curious to compare how the Tikka barrel does for wear vs. the Savage barrel....Time and rounds downrange will tell....

It makes sense that some steels will wear better than others.

I just wonder if rough factory barrels will wear faster than slicker custom barrels. Never heard that mentioned.

Some say SS barrels wear better than chrome moly barrels.

And, how barrels are handled has to be a factor.

How bad does a barrel have to be, to be considered finished?. What's the "cut off" point?

It's not a simple question, not a simple answer.

DF

Stainless steel has less contaminates in it which can start to pit. It also machines a little smoother but I am not sure if this is why they last longer or it is the metallurgy of the steel, probably both. Micro lands wear faster than larger bore groove combinations. Polygonal barrels are said to wear longer because there are no acute angles to erode. I am betting a poly barrel Creedmoor could get close to 5,000 rounds. David Tubb was shooting poly barrels for at least one season but I haven't seen any info on round counts with them.

6.5x55 may last longer even though it holds more powder 3-4 grains but is usually loaded to lower pressures. Heat which goes with pressure is what erodes the barrel.

I am stealing that.

You are right buddy. Exactly what i was thinking..

Shooter behavior matters too - I have a buddy who can’t stop if he’s hitting what he wants... he’ll shoot until you can’t touch the barrel.

Anytime you touch a barrel and your hand jerks away from heat it means the barrel is over 180 degrees on the surface - and you should stop shooting because you are burning up the throat.

It also matters how hot you load..

I figured 1000 rds of creedmoor is about $390 for components, including 100 pieces of brass.

If you shoot three times that much, treat yourself to a new barrel, you deserve it!