PRS Talk Proof ss prefit or Bartlein blank

sprink21

sprink21

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Minuteman
Jun 20, 2014
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Vancouver, WA
#1
Do Proof ss prefits have close to the same accuracy potential as a Bartlein chambered by a reputable smith? If not are we talking 3/4-1 MOA for the Proof and 1/4-1/2 MOA potential for the Bartlein or similar higher grade barrels? Just trying to figure out if it’s worth paying almost twice what I can get the Proof prefit for? That’s a decent amount of components I could buy with the difference or do I just stop being poor, suck it up and save a little longer? Im looking at trying a few PRS matches next year and have a Zeus QC SA on the way. I know this question has been asked in the past but want to see if opinions have changed.
 
#3
The accuracy most of us can achieve (me included) shooting either barrel in a positional sport would be negligible in comparison.
If shooting more Benchrest style scoring and target size stuff I would go the Bartlein chamber choice every time.
I go through a barrel a year at least and can't justify/afford to do the Bartlein route.

I think your gonna squeeze some more accuracy out of that Bartlein. My proofs have always been 3/4-1" with no load development at all. I think I could get better accuracy if I tried. But for my needs this is fine.
 
#6
Skip the proof prefit. It's too much of a gamble. Some shoot some don't. My theory it has more to do with their chambering than blank building. A proof blank cut by a good smith is not much more for piece of mind. A bartlien cut by a good smith Is almost guaranteed to shoot great. This is not the place to try and save costs IMO.
 
#7
I semi-regularly shoot with one of the best smiths in the country and my ~$500 Proof prefits shoot just as good as his ~$900+ custom barrels. We've traded jokes about it, and he's said that even if he told his customers that an off the rack prefit was just as good, they wouldn't believe him and would still want to pay more for a custom (just to make them feel better).

It's not a oeuvre, it's a tube of steel with a hole drilled through it.

more rounds downrange > fancy pants kit
 
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#9
Rob01 said:
Proof or Bartlein by a smith aren't the only two choices. Look at a PVA Osprey barrel. I have a few and they all shoot great. They are $725 with the muzzle threaded. What caliber you planning to use?

Prefit Barrels with Osprey blanks - Page 2

patriotvalleyarms.com patriotvalleyarms.com
Click to expand...
Going with a 6.5 Creedmoor since I’ve already got everything to hand load for it. Another thing holding me up with the proof prefit is that I’m sure it’s the SAMMI .199” fb and I’d like to try something in the .160-.170” range
 
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#10
sprink21 said:
Going with a 6.5 Creedmoor since I’ve already got everything to hand load for it. Another thing holding me up with the proof prefit is that I’m sure it’s the SAMMI .199” fb and I’d like to try something in the .160-.170” range
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure PVA has a .169 6.5 Creedmoor reamer. I know I had them do me a barrel a few years back with one. @bohem Josh from PVA is on this site and maybe can chime in.
 
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#12
I have had good luck with proof pre fits. I have used proof prefits in different calibers .223, 6CM, 6.5CM, and recently got one for a 7PRC they have all shot great using Berger factory ammo and even better with hand loads.
 
#13
sprink21 said:
Going with a 6.5 Creedmoor since I’ve already got everything to hand load for it. Another thing holding me up with the proof prefit is that I’m sure it’s the SAMMI .199” fb and I’d like to try something in the .160-.170” range
Click to expand...
PVA has a 0.150 FB plus neck chamfer which turns into a 0.166 total freebore, its a special request reamer that isn't listed on the website. Depending on what bullet you're using you may or may not want it though, most of the time that people ask us for it the barrel comes back because they want to shoot something other than 130 VLD's and our normal Creedmoor is more optimal for lots of bullets.
 
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#14
I had good luck with a Proof prefit in 6 Dasher for PRS. Just pulled it at 2400 rounds but was shooting great. Screwed on another Proof prefit in 6 Dasher to finish the season. Plan on swapping back to the 2400 count Proof prefit in off season for practice.
 
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#16
Lightning8 said:
I had good luck with a Proof prefit in 6 Dasher for PRS. Just pulled it at 2400 rounds but was shooting great. Screwed on another Proof prefit in 6 Dasher to finish the season. Plan on swapping back to the 2400 count Proof prefit in off season for practice.
Click to expand...
What sizing die are you using with your proof 6 Dasher? Alpha brass?
 
#17
I’ve only had one Proof SS prefit, and it was a hammer. As good as the bartleins or benchmarks I’ve had chambered by smiths.

I could be mistaken, but I believe proof sources the chamber work to various smiths, which could explain variability.

Based on quality and turnaround times, I typically is TS Customs. But I’d buy another proof prefit based on my own experience.
 
#18
I’m running a proof SS prefit for my 6mm dasher right now. It shoots fine, but I did notice that the neck/shoulder junction on my fired brass is slightly rounded in comparison to sized casings. Asking a couple pros at the range, I was told this is likely due to them running their chamber reamers too dull to properly cut the neck/shoulder junction, just to save a few bucks. I think the barrel itself shipped from Evolved Ballistics after I put the order in through Proof, so unsure if maybe they were the ones who did the prefit work maybe or just a reseller?

A slight annoyance, but it still shoots fine for me as a new PRS shooter.
 
#19
CK1.0 said:
Why?
Click to expand...
In my mind it would allow me to reach the lands with a 130gr class bullet. I shoot mostly 142gr SMKs out of my current 6.5 Creedmoor and they’re seated out there a ways just to get close to the lands where accuracy has been best. But I’m also putting together a 6.5 creedmoor gas gun and hoping to use 130gr Bergers in both.
 
#21
sprink21 said:
In my mind it would allow me to reach the lands with a 130gr class bullet. I shoot mostly 142gr SMKs out of my current 6.5 Creedmoor and they’re seated out there a ways just to get close to the lands where accuracy has been best. But I’m also putting together a 6.5 creedmoor gas gun and hoping to use 130gr Bergers in both.
Click to expand...

IDK, I know I'm going against the grain by saying it, but I don't think seating depth or jump matters nearly as much as I once did and many still do... If anything, just like I've started to realize with reloading, it's more about things staying the same and being consistent over time than finding some perfect load recipe (that probably isn't that "perfect" due to the pathetic sample sizes we use to make such decisions).

Given the choice between being right up on the lands versus jumping, I prefer to be able to have enough jump where I don't even really have to think about the lands eroding on me fast enough to change things much.

It might be sacrilege, but for my last 2 barrels, I never even measured and don't even know where the lands are. I've just been loading my rounds to fit in my mags, not worrying about it, and have been just putting my energy into trying to shoot better, and things have never been better, my gun has never been more accurate (even versus when jamming them). Whether 10 thou off, or 100 thou off, the monkey pulling the trigger has more to do with it than any of that stuff IMHO.

YMMV.
 
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#22
CK1.0 said:
IDK, I know I'm going against the grain by saying it, but I don't think seating depth or jump matters nearly as much as I once did and many still do... If anything, just like I've started to realize with reloading, it's more about things staying the same and being consistent over time than finding some perfect load recipe (that probably isn't that "perfect" due to the pathetic sample sizes we use to make such decisions).

Given the choice between being right up on the lands versus jumping, I prefer to be able to have enough jump where I don't even really have to think about the lands eroding on me fast enough to change things much.

It might be sacrilege, but for my last 2 barrels, I never even measured and don't even know where the lands are. I've just been loading my rounds to fit in my mags, not worrying about it, and have been just putting my energy into trying to shoot better, and things have never been better, my gun has never been more accurate (even versus when jamming them). Whether 10 thou off, or 100 thou off, the monkey pulling the trigger has more to do with it than any of that stuff IMHO.

YMMV.
Click to expand...
I agree. I'm on my second barrel and have not measured anything. Shoot the same load as the 1st barrel. It hammers.
 
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#23
I was talking about it (seating depth) the other day with a guy at work who has started getting into long-range and had found Erik Cortina on Youtube...

Cortina has a video from a few years back about seating depth and not chasing the lands, and IMHO, while he seems like a great guy, he's basically brainwashed a whole swath of reloading/rifle guys into thinking a few thou of seating depth matters lol.

I had watched the video before (years ago) but watched it again, and the only thing I get from it now is: if a guy has gotten good enough at reloading to where all their seated rounds come out to being within 1-3 thou of each other base-to-ogive, then they should stop worrying about that shit because they've already got that part figured out. They should maybe move on to something like, IDK, practicing real shooting techniques like: trigger control, finding their natural-point-of-aim, etc, you know, stuff that actually matters... instead of driving back and forth to the range burning gas and components, endlessly doing "load development". :rolleyes:

Maybe I should become a Guntuber and make a video titled "Dicking around with seating depth endlessly is stupid! Don't do it."... :ROFLMAO:

 
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#24
It does matter if you are shooting fclass or benchrest where any infantesimal increase in precision can be difference between winning and not placing.

The problem is dirt shooters and Chad's who don't know any better take the shit as gospel when they can barely put 5 rounds into a pie plate.

He is also an internet personality. He makes money from getting idiots to watch his shit and buy his shitty tuner brake. Coming out and telling the masses his advice is not applicable to 99.5% of shooters is not good for his bottom line. Dumb people can make your rich.
 
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#27
I know you have already made your decision, but thought I'd share my experience with a proof prefit anyway. It hammers!
Here are the first five rounds of my reloads after running 40 rounds of a couple different factory rounds to break in.

The load was one I had worked up for a different rifle. I don't know how much better it will get with a full load work up, but I'm not mad with the results so far.

Defiance Ruckus Action
Proof Steel 6.5 Creedmoor
Ballistic-X-Export-2024-10-12 14_28_13.817410.png
 

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