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billg Offline OP
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I've got a CVA v2 .50 cal. I'm trying to do some load developement and I'm now trying some Thor bullets. As I'm pushing the bullet down the bore I have more or less constant pressue/resistance/friction most of the way down. When I get close to the bottom, I've noticed a very real lessening of the pressure to the point that the bullet almost free-falls the last 1.5-2 inches before hitting the powder. Got the same results from the Hornady FPB.Is this normal?--Bill


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What you're feeling is, obviously, the bore being slightly larger in diameter at the breech.

Is it normal? Yes and no. It's not designed that way but bores can vary in diameter. It greatly depends on the manufacturing process as to how consistent a barrel is. CF "match grade" barrels that are hand lapped and/or air gauged are held extremely tight tolerances. A run of the mill factory barrel, CF or ML, that's manufactured with no further checks can be less than ideal when it comes to consistency in bore diameter.

With that said, then have you ask "Is it a problem."

Probably not. It's far more critical for the bore to be even in diameter near and at the muzzle. This is where inconsistencies can have a far greater affect on accuracy.

The end all answer is "Does your ML shoot accurately enough?" If it doesn't then it's time to contact CVA and explain the problem.

If were my barrel, I'd do one check just to see how consistent the barrel is at the muzzle. Pull the breech plug, start a projectile from the muzzle, push it down halfway, then push it from the breech end out the barrel. If it felt good and it shot accurately ... I wouldn't sweat it.


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the barrel might be ringed or bulged, it usually occurs just ahead of the charged load, as a result of not entirely seating the bullet/sabot on the charge.

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Is it normal? Not for a good barrel.

Is it normal for a CVA barrel? Yes.

Thor bullets are critical on fit. It will show a bad barrel right away.


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Originally Posted by smokeeter
the barrel might be ringed or bulged, it usually occurs just ahead of the charged load, as a result of not entirely seating the bullet/sabot on the charge.


No offense and I'm not trying to be disagreeable.

It is possible that the barrel bulged but I think it's unlikely if the projectile still maintains contact. If it fell through the barrel with absolutely no contact then I think it would far more likely.

It's worthy of checking though. Any detectable deformity (bulge or ring) on the outside of the barrel and especially at the "chamber" (I know, there isn't one) would be reason enough for me to make a tomato stake out it.

You could check it with a straight edge on the outside of the barrel and/or remove the breech plug and drive a slug out the breech end to see if there's a noticeable change confined to a small area.

If there's any question about the integrity of the barrel send it to CVA and let the experts have a look at it.


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Out of 7 CVA's. I only had one that had even pressure all the way to the powder with a Thor.

Surprisingly it was the cheapest model Wolf that had the good barrel.

CVA's answer was to shoot Powerbelts.

I'll just stick to using sidelocks.

Last edited by Mauser_Hunter; 01/01/13.

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It makes you wonder if the extra 5 step honing process the real Bergara barrels receive includes air gauging and how much variation is considered acceptable.

A light knurl on the Thor above the skirt might help tighten it up.

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Originally Posted by Overkill45
It makes you wonder if the extra 5 step honing process the real Bergara barrels receive includes air gauging and how much variation is considered acceptable.

A light knurl on the Thor above the skirt might help tighten it up.


I wondered that too, because two of the guns were V2's.

I did try to knurl the Thors. It only helped a little. I didn't trust the bullet to stay on the powder while hunting.

I had come up with a temporary plan for the hunt. I used one of the bigger Thors that wouldn't start down the muzzle, and loaded it through the breech a little past where it would sit over the powder. Then I poured in the powder through the breech, screwed in the breech plug, and rammed the bullet down on the powder from the muzzle. It worked, but was slower loading. I marked the ramrod so I knew how far to push in the Thor from the breech.


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billg Offline OP
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is there a reason why I don't have the same experience with PBs?--Bill

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With the Thor, you will notice any SLIGHT change in bore diameter. My advice, push the Thor down and then point the barrel down at the floor and give the butt pad a good work out and see if the bullet unseats. If not, chances are that it never will move off even in the field.

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Originally Posted by bigblock455
With the Thor, you will notice any SLIGHT change in bore diameter. My advice, push the Thor down and then point the barrel down at the floor and give the butt pad a good work out and see if the bullet unseats. If not, chances are that it never will move off even in the field.


Good call. That is a very serious concern. You don't want a projectile to move off the powder charge.

I'd go even one step further. Remove the breech plug, push a Thor down from the muzzle and then see how much tension there is by using the ramrod from the breech end. I'd want to "feel" some resistance.

One other thing. A loose fitting projectile could potentially cause ignition problems with BH209.

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Is there a reason why I don't have the same experience with PBs?

The plastic skirt on PBs is flexible.

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My Thors load with thumb pressure, zero issues with BH209 going off.

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I only mentioned that because I've read that BH209 likes a firmly seated projectile. I guess it might also depend on how BH209 friendly the breech plug is. I dunno ... just a guess.

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Loading with thumb pressure if fine, as long as it holds that same pressure all the way down to the powder.


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Originally Posted by billg
is there a reason why I don't have the same experience with PBs?--Bill


Yes. You aren't loading the bullet. You're loading the plastic skirt. It will conform to different diameters much better than a solid copper bullet like the Thor.

Last edited by Mauser_Hunter; 01/01/13.

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Originally Posted by fish head
Originally Posted by smokeeter
the barrel might be ringed or bulged, it usually occurs just ahead of the charged load, as a result of not entirely seating the bullet/sabot on the charge.



It is possible that the barrel bulged but I think it's unlikely if the projectile still maintains contact. If it fell through the barrel with absolutely no contact then I think it would far more likely.

It's worthy of checking though. Any detectable deformity (bulge or ring) on the outside of the barrel and especially at the "chamber" (I know, there isn't one) would be reason enough for me to make a tomato stake out it.

You could check it with a straight edge on the outside of the barrel and/or remove the breech plug and drive a slug out the breech end to see if there's a noticeable change confined to a small area.


The barrel could be rung and not visible from the outside , even with the aid of a straight edge. and as far as maintaining contact inside the barrel , well that depends on the severity of the bulge.Either way have it checked.
Sometimes it is visible by looking thru the bore with the plug out and a light at the muzzle, might be able to see a halo. This just sounds like it's in the right place ( just ahead of the charge/bullet).

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billg Offline OP
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Thanks for all the input-- I'll be giving CVA a call tomorrow--May have to check out their barrel guarantee. Bill


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Push them hard. They'll try and shrug it off, and tell you the Thor is being sized on the way down, and gets loose at the powder.

Don't go for it. Just tell them you can push that bullet out the breech, reload it and it's still tight on the upper part of the barrel. It's not being sized on the way down.


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billg Offline OP
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Mauser--Sounds like you've had first-hand experience with them--How'd it work out?--Bill


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I got a big run around. They finally gave in, and agreed to having me send it in. That was no guarantee they were going to fix it. I sold the gun to someone who just uses sabots, and he never had a problem.

It only has to vary .001 to have a problem with Thors. I'm kind of picky, and like a tight fit over the powder.


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