New 224 valk barrel chamber length question

[NCHillbilly]

So, got a new 224 valkyrie barrel to fit ar-15 platform. 24", 6.5tw, 5R, stainless. I am not naming the manufacture until I put it together and fire it. I have a 6.5 CR barrel from the same manufacturer that I am very happy with.

My issue, if it is an issue, is that the chamber seems to be short, at least compared to another valkyrie barrel that I've had for a few years. To be honest, I always felt my original barrel's chamber was too long.

So this evening, I gathered all the bullets that I may use to load for this new barrel and began measuring them using the hornady bullet comparator. I measured cartridge base to ogive, and c.o.a.l. Starting with hornady 75gr eldm and going up to sierra 90gr mk, none of the coal measurements made it out to the normal mag length of 2.260". The longest I had was the hornady 75gr eldm at 2.226"

I'm happy that I will now be able to tune the overall length without cutting up mags, but I'm concerned that I'll lose case volume due to the bullets being deeper in the cases.

Sorry for the long-winded post. Anybody have any thoughts on my situation?

 

[Constructor]

You will lose case capacity but probably not enough to effect velocity 50fps. It is only the diameter of the bullet going back into the case X the length. I would back off charges then work back up. Try H4895, it seems to be the best in the Valkyrie with 80gr bullets.

 

[357Max]

So, got a new 224 valkyrie barrel to fit ar-15 platform. 24", 6.5tw, 5R, stainless. I am not naming the manufacture until I put it together and fire it. I have a 6.5 CR barrel from the same manufacturer that I am very happy with.

My issue, if it is an issue, is that the chamber seems to be short, at least compared to another valkyrie barrel that I've had for a few years. To be honest, I always felt my original barrel's chamber was too long.

So this evening, I gathered all the bullets that I may use to load for this new barrel and began measuring them using the hornady bullet comparator. I measured cartridge base to give, and c.o.a.l. Starting with hornady 75gr eldm and going up to sierra 90gr mk, none of the coal measurements made it out to the normal mag length of 2.260". The longest I had was the hornady 75gr epdm at 2.226"

I'm happy that I will now be able to tune the overall length without cutting up mags, but I'm concerned that I'll lose case volume du to the bullets being deeper in the cases.

Sorry for the long-winded post. Anybody have any thoughts on my situation?

For reference the 75 eldm's touch @ 2.345" in my Craddock.
77smk, tmk, & RDF's are 2.2-2.25" load length
80.5 Berger's like some jump +- .050 loaded 2.290"

So in mine I haven't been able to get 75 or 80 eldm's to work. Same for 85.5 Berger's (2.360" touch). With the short throat I'd start with the bullets that cant reach the lands with the std free bore. 70RDF, 75 & 80 eldm, 85.5 Berger. If you can get any of these to shoot well, then great. If not, I wouldn't be happy having to load 77smk @ 2.100" & will limit you to 223W speeds most likely.

The best speed I've had has been with Lever & how much depends on brass. 224V brass is all over the map. 31.2 - 32.7 h2o of once fired. Hornady has the least & Federal is upper end, but it's softer & primer pockets go south fast. I think Starline (far left) is the best with decent capacity with reasonable pocket life.
Wall uniformity on the Hornady (2nd from left) is terrible.

 

[NCHillbilly]

Thanks to both of you gentlemen for the reply. After I posted last night, the situation was getting the better of me, so I took a factory hornady 88gr match rd, (the only factory ammo I have), and colored the bullet with a sharpie and chambered it with the bolt locked in. I did this 4 times and the lands never made a mark, so I think I am doing something wrong with my o.a.l. checking tool. I've never had issues before, but for some reason, every bullet that I checked came up way shorter than I thought it should.

BTW, when I checked the hornady 88gr eldm with my o.a.l. tool, I got an oal of 2.205", but the factory rd is 2.245", and didn't touch. I've got to figure out what I"m doing wrong.

 

[357Max]

Thanks to both of you gentlemen for the reply. After I posted last night, the situation was getting the better of me, so I took a factory hornady 88gr match rd, (the only factory ammo I have), and colored the bullet with a sharpie and chambered it with the bolt locked in. I did this 4 times and the lands never made a mark, so I think I am doing something wrong with my o.a.l. checking tool. I've never had issues before, but for some reason, every bullet that I checked came up way shorter than I thought it should.

BTW, when I checked the hornady 88gr eldm with my o.a.l. tool, I got an oal of 2.205", but the factory rd is 2.245", and didn't touch. I've got to figure out what I"m doing wrong.

I have the Hornady guage & have never used it.
I just remove the ejector from the bolt, make dummy rounds starting long and bump back till I can get bolt lock. Makes it easy when I go to set dies back up. Set seater to the dummy with projectile I want to load for.

 

[NCHillbilly]

I've never had an issue with the hornady tool up until now. I've used it with numerous other barrels with good success. It's just confusing when I can chamber a factory round that measures .040" longer coal than the same bullet in the modified case on the hornady tool.

I'll figure it out, but at the moment I'm perplexed.

 

[NCHillbilly]

For reference the 75 eldm's touch @ 2.345" in my Craddock.
77smk, tmk, & RDF's are 2.2-2.25" load length
80.5 Berger's like some jump +- .050 loaded 2.290"

So in mine I haven't been able to get 75 or 80 eldm's to work. Same for 85.5 Berger's (2.360" touch). With the short throat I'd start with the bullets that cant reach the lands with the std free bore. 70RDF, 75 & 80 eldm, 85.5 Berger. If you can get any of these to shoot well, then great. If not, I wouldn't be happy having to load 77smk @ 2.100" & will limit you to 223W speeds most likely.

The best speed I've had has been with Lever & how much depends on brass. 224V brass is all over the map. 31.2 - 32.7 h2o of once fired. Hornady has the least & Federal is upper end, but it's softer & primer pockets go south fast. I think Starline (far left) is the best with decent capacity with reasonable pocket life.
Wall uniformity on the Hornady (2nd from left) is terrible.
View attachment 8093969

Hornady and starline is what I've used up to this point. I like the starline better, but sometimes it's hard to come by. I've got enough of both that I shouldn't need anymore.

 

[NCHillbilly]

So, I have come back to the issue above, and wouldn't you know it, it turns out, it was user error on my part. When originally trying to check oal with all of the bullets I intend to try, I was oh so carefully easing the bullet into the chamber with the oal tool. At the first slight sign of interference, I would back out the tool and take my measurement. Apparently, there is either a very, very slight step or tiny burr or something in there that I was catching. Keep in mind, this barrel has not been fired, or even brushed out.

Anyway, I went back with a bullet that I had colored, and did my check again, but this time used a little more pressure. Voila, I felt it push in a little farther. Removed the dummy cartridge and bullet, measured, and now my hornady 75gr eldm measures 2.320" oal. This is only slightly smaller than the chamber in the other barrel I have. Went back through the whole selection of bullets and got longer, albeit more consistent measurements. Now I can breath a sigh of relief. Onto the build.