Group Buys 220 Thunderbolt Reloading dies Group Buy

[padom]

Alright guys. Ive finally got dies worked out. When and how much will all depend on you guys. The more pre-orders we can get the cheaper the sizing dies will be.

I am going to open up a pre-order group buy for the dies to see who all is on board. We really need 30 to get the price down.. Less than thirty and we are going to be about double of what it would be if we got 30 or more.....

Wayne at Might Armory has committed to making his Gold Full Length Resizing die in 220 Thunderbolt for me. It will have the same mandrel (vs a button) like all his other GOLD resizing dies and will come with 2 of his Super duty decapping pins. For those of you that don't own any of Might Armory's GOLD resizing dies, the fit and finish is beautiful. He single point cuts the ID of his dies, they are not reamed so the finish is beautiful. They are heat treated so they will last forever and the bore is slick as snot. You can feel the difference sizing brass with a MA Gold die vs a Redding, Forster, RCBS, etc...

Price of the Gold sizing die will be $250 or less. Final pricing will depend on the total number of orders. If we can get 30 or more, Im told this number could get down to about half...

Here is some info on MA Gold dies

The Mighty Armory GOLD MATCH is a Precision Match Series Sizing Die that includes a Decapping shaft and pin

• "Worlds Toughest" Reloading Dies
• 100% CNC machined
• High Grade Tool Steel, Three Treatments
• 5 Bore Finish
• Heat Treated Drop in Expander Shaft.
• Concentricity near .0000
• Modular Design, No tools Needed
• Better than Carbide.
• Finest Sizing Die in the industry.

Includes:

• Mighty Armory GOLD MATCH Sizing and Decapping Die
• Mandrel expander shaft
• Two Super Duty .057 decapping pins
• Pointer - a guide used in place of the pin

For seating dies, they will be Redding Micrometer 220TB seating dies. The cost will be the actual cost of the Redding Micrometer seating die (roughly $100 per die) + $50 for Keystone Accuracy to machine the bushing for the 220TB case.



Anyone that wants in on this group buy please post your in and Ill PM you for some basic info.... name, email address to put you on the Group Buy list. Once we get 30 or more Ill make this official and take payment and get all the necessary info, invoices, etc together. If this goes for say a month or more and we dont have 30, Ill post a final price for the quantity we have and see if everyone still wants in...

 

[padom]

Some information on 220 Thunderbolt

Brass used is Hornady 6mm Hagar purchased from Creedmoor Sports.

Creedmoor Sports - Precision Reloading and Shooting Gear

Shoot and Reload with the Pros! Creedmoor Sports has served the Precision Shooting Community for over 40 years in Centerfire, Small-bore, Air Rifle and Pistol Disciplines.

www.creedmoorsports.com

The brass is lubed and ran into the 220TB sizing die and thats it. No trimming, no neck turning, no nothing. 1st firing is just as accurate as fireformed brass.


Case capacity and load data is very comparable to 22BR which is where I started with my load development. Guys may ask, why not just use 22BR. Because 220TB can be fired from a standard AR15 and a bolt gun where a 22BR cannot be shot from an AR15.

Bolt face used for 220TB is 224V/6.8SPC.... So in an AR, you would use EVERYTHING used for shooting 224V, only difference is you install a barrel chambered with 220TB. Keystone Accuracy is the one with both the AR15 and long freebore bolt gun (or single feed AR) reamers.

Barrel life, seeing around that 2000-2500 mark with button barrels (Green Mountain) and 2500-3000 with cut rifled Bartlein or Krieger barrels.


Here is some data for you.


220TB AR15 - fed from a mag and chambered with AR15 mag feeding reamer

77 TMK - RE15




73 ELD-M - RE15





26" Bighorn TL3 / Bolt Gun fed from MDT 224V Magazines and chambered with long freebore reamer


26" Green Mountain Button Barrel


88 ELD / RE15






80SMK - 29.5gr RE15





90SMK - RE15








90SMK - Varget






90SMK - 28.3gr Varget Supressed 100yd




90smk - 28.3gr 300yd





90smk - 28.3gr 500yd

 

[padom]

26" Bartlein Barrel

90smk Varget Charge test with new lot powder - Top row no suppressor, bottom row with suppressor




90smk - 28.6gr Varget

 

[bunsen27]

I'm in for a set. A 220 Thunderbolt rifle from John is on my 2022 list.

 

[padom]

If there is enough interest, I can see about setting up a Bartlein 1:7 224 barrel blank group buy as well for you guys wanting a fresh new 220TB Bartlein barrel... Why dont you guys post if you want a Bartlein blank as well and if we have enough interest Ill get with @Frank Green

 

[W54/XM-388]

I'm assuming if you went with the new Bartlein BB steel, you could increase your barrel life to possibly around 4000 to 4500 rounds.

 

[Kimber.204]

Dom,

I'm in for a set of dies. Thanks again for setting this up. I know you've been working on this for years.

Regards,
Ross

 

[padom]

I'm assuming if you went with the new Bartlein BB steel, you could increase your barrel life to possibly around 4000 to 4500 rounds.

No clue about that. I havent tested any 400MODBB barrels. Saying it will increase barrel life by 1000-1500 rounds I would say unlikely but possible....

 

[MarinePMI]

I'm down for a set.

 

[padom]

I'm down for a set.

PM Sent

 

[Frank Green]

220TB....if you can do that out of a gas gun....that's slinging 90gr bullets!!!

 

[padom]

220TB....if you can do that out of a gas gun....that's slinging 90gr bullets!!!

Sure can but unfortunately with 90's you have to single load them.... John Scandale, Owner of Keystone Accurracy created this cartridge back in 2009 I believe it was and competed at Camp Perry with it for years.

I only shoot your normal 73/75/77gr AR15 stuff which screams out of this thing in an AR15, feeds from the mag and is super accurate! Out of a bolt gun, the 88/90 and 95 really shine with the longer freebore so you have a lot more case capacity and barrel life is excellent. With Bartlein 224 1:7 Im getting between 2500/3000....

Another guy mentioned above possibly increasing that by another 1000/1500rd by using your 400MODBB? Whats your thoughts on that Frank? You think it would take your 2500/3000 barrel life to 4000/4500???

 

[Frank Green]

Sure can but unfortunately with 90's you have to single load them.... John Scandale, Owner of Keystone Accurracy created this cartridge back in 2009 I believe it was and competed at Camp Perry with it for years.

I only shoot your normal 73/75/77gr AR15 stuff which screams out of this thing in an AR15, feeds from the mag and is super accurate! Out of a bolt gun, the 88/90 and 95 really shine with the longer freebore so you have a lot more case capacity and barrel life is excellent. With Bartlein 224 1:7 Im getting between 2500/3000....

Another guy mentioned above possibly increasing that by another 1000/1500rd by using your 400MODBB? Whats your thoughts on that Frank? You think it would take your 2500/3000 barrel life to 4000/4500???

I’d like to say yes but with all the variables involved...type of powder etc...

If you truly got 2500+ then I’d say it should be do able. I’ve got a barrel coming back right now...was 6x47 Lapua in a gas gun. Slinging 107gr type bullets at 3125fps. Needless to say I think he is stepping on it!!! He normally would get 800-900 rounds with that set up. Best ever was like 1200. So he bought a 400modBB material and did it up. He pulled it at 2,290 rounds.

I should have the barrel back any day now. Gonna cut it a part and take a look at it.

Later, Frank

 

[j-dubya]

Put me down for a Bartlein too. I’ll go with the new MODBB too if the option is available. That’s what I’ve had in mind all along.

 

[COB_MASTER]

I’d like to say yes but with all the variables involved...type of powder etc...

If you truly got 2500+ then I’d say it should be do able. I’ve got a barrel coming back right now...was 6x47 Lapua in a gas gun. Slinging 107gr type bullets at 3125fps. Needless to say I think he is stepping on it!!! He normally would get 800-900 rounds with that set up. Best ever was like 1200. So he bought a 400modBB material and did it up. He pulled it at 2,290 rounds.

I should have the barrel back any day now. Gonna cut it a part and take a look at it.

Later, Frank

Hi Frank, any update on the above - did you have a look at that barrel yet?

 

[Frank Green]

Hi Frank, any update on the above - did you have a look at that barrel yet?

Barrel hasn't shown up as of yet. I'm hoping UPS or Fedex hasn't lost it! I just left the guy a message asking for an update.

It's been so busy that hard to keep on top of everything. On March 1st we shipped 3 finished ammunition test barrels to Aberdeen Proving Ground and Fedex lost two of the three. Don't ask me how they did that. One was returned to us last week damaged! Was able to save it and ship that one out but now now have to make a couple of replacements as quick as possible.

It's always something!

I'll let ya know what I find out.

 

[Frank Green]

He just messaged me back. Still has it. Says he will ship it out with in 24 hours.

 

[Frank Green]

Got the barrel in today. Five us looked at it. Gas port wear looked really nice. Throat wear is approx. .070". 2290 rounds fired in 6x47 lapua with it running velocities up to 3125fps. The crown was still nice and sharp at the edges. The throat for that round count looked pretty good. No chunks of metal gone from the edges of the rifling and the cracking was pretty decent looking over all. Had cracking but not as much as I thought it would show. Barrel came in dirty which is what I requested. Gonna clean it and take another look at it after cleaning.

 

[COB_MASTER]

Got the barrel in today. Five us looked at it. Gas port wear looked really nice. Throat wear is approx. .070". 2290 rounds fired in 6x47 lapua with it running velocities up to 3125fps. The crown was still nice and sharp at the edges. The throat for that round count looked pretty good. No chunks of metal gone from the edges of the rifling and the cracking was pretty decent looking over all. Had cracking but not as much as I thought it would show. Barrel came in dirty which is what I requested. Gonna clean it and take another look at it after cleaning.

Any news/photos of how the clean barrel looked inside?

 

[Frank Green]

Any news/photos of how the clean barrel looked inside?

Here are the pic's. Sorry not the clearest pics. First one is right at the case mouth. The next two are of the gas port area. The next two are of the throat/lead area of the chamber and the very last one is about 3" in front of the throat/lead area.

 

[COB_MASTER]

Here are the pic's. Sorry not the clearest pics. First one is right at the case mouth. The next two are of the gas port area. The next two are of the throat/lead area of the chamber and the very last one is about 3" in front of the throat/lead area.

Looks amazing!!!

 

[Frank Green]

Looks amazing!!!

Like I said....it looks pretty good for the beating it took in my opinion. No chunks out of the sides of the lands etc...anywhere that we could find. The gas port wear looks really good as well. The cracking/heat checking at the case mouth and throat area....all looked better than what we usually see.

 

[jakelly]

Like I said....it looks pretty good for the beating it took in my opinion. No chunks out of the sides of the lands etc...anywhere that we could find. The gas port wear looks really good as well. The cracking/heat checking at the case mouth and throat area....all looked better than what we usually see.

Yeah, that looks pretty decent. Did the guy employ any bore polishing regime? If he didn't, that probably could have gone exceptionally long.

 

[Frank Green]

Yeah, that looks pretty decent. Did the guy employ any bore polishing regime? If he didn't, that probably could have gone exceptionally long.

No bore polishing per say.

He did use a one patch with JB Bore Compound on it and would run it back and forth 10x (not the JB Bore Brite!) during cleaning every 300 rounds.

That will help keep the carbon fouling in check but it's not polishing the bore per say and removing material (steel) from the bore of the barrel.

We received the barrel in dirty. I told him I wanted to look at it dirty and I would clean it ourselves. I only used solvent. Then took the pictures.