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Rainier Ultramatch MOD2 Barrel Testing - 6.5cm, 224V, 223 Wylde, 300 BLK
- Thread starter padom
- Start date
Glad I found this thread! I was about to start a build and found a Rainier Match barrel I liked.... Anyone know what the difference is from the Match to Ultra Match? Thanks!
...found it interesting that both images showed the 2836 fps loads were almost same size and smallest overall. Excellent and informative post!
@Rustybroadhead biggest difference between Match & Ultramatch is the blank. Both lines are made the same way. We just use a much nicer blank on the UM.
We do offer a 90 day guarantee on all of our barrels. You buy one, shoot it and don't like it? Send it back for a full refund.
We do offer a 90 day guarantee on all of our barrels. You buy one, shoot it and don't like it? Send it back for a full refund.
I've used the 90 day guarantee. I had an Ultramatch that did not shoot well and returned it. I waited until they got in some of the new UM 2 W/ TiN extension. I got a 18" rifle length SPR that shoots well. Satisfied with the second barrel. Very nice to have that type of guarantee.
Here's a coupon code for an additional 10% off
padom10
padom10
Very interesting thread! I have two of the original Ultramatch barrels (18" SPR & 18" intermediate gas) and they all shoot lights out with both 69 and 77gr SMK handoads. The mod2's look to shoot every bit as good, if not better!
I prefer XBR as well, but do you have any H322? If so, try 22.9gr/69gr SMK's and 21.7gr/77gr SMK's. This is a known load that's a little on the slow side, but it shoots unbelievable for everyone I've talked to in many different rifles.
I prefer XBR as well, but do you have any H322? If so, try 22.9gr/69gr SMK's and 21.7gr/77gr SMK's. This is a known load that's a little on the slow side, but it shoots unbelievable for everyone I've talked to in many different rifles.
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I've got seating depth tests for the 223 with 77smk loaded up. I got 88 ELD / CFE223 OCW and 8208XBR / 80 Amax OCW loaded up for the 224V. Plan is to get to the range tomorrow and shoot them.
Too bad I must have missed the barrel sale it doesn't work today
You can still get 10% off
Because it allows for a thicker barrel forward of the gas block. I dig it.
I got out today to shoot the 224V for the first time. I am very happy with the barrel so far for having no load data or info on this cartridge. Thanks to some info in the Reloading Depot I was able to find a really good starting point. Excellent SD's from both combos tested. Going to take the 1x fired brass and do some load confirmations to make sure I am in the center of the node after fireforming the brass.
With this being such a new cartridge and my first 224V barrel I have no info so a seating depth test will tell us a lot after I pick a charge. Very happy with the CFE / 88 ELD combo. Super soft shooting, very accurate and excellent SD's across the board. I shot 20rd to foul the new barrel of 25.5gr CFE 223 and the 88 ELD at 2.29" COAL and those 20 shots had a SD of 6.4.
22" Rainier Ultramatch 1:7.5 224 Valkyrie - +2 Gas
With this being such a new cartridge and my first 224V barrel I have no info so a seating depth test will tell us a lot after I pick a charge. Very happy with the CFE / 88 ELD combo. Super soft shooting, very accurate and excellent SD's across the board. I shot 20rd to foul the new barrel of 25.5gr CFE 223 and the 88 ELD at 2.29" COAL and those 20 shots had a SD of 6.4.
22" Rainier Ultramatch 1:7.5 224 Valkyrie - +2 Gas
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Recently, I ordered a Mod2 Ultra match, 223 Wylde, 18" barrel from Rainier. I used the SH10 code, & got 10% off. I haven't gotten the barrel put together with a new upper yet. But, I'm getting excited about how it will shoot. Full disclosure, I was thinking about the barrel, but after watching this thread, I jumped right in.... Ha Ha.. Hope it turns out to be a "Great Shooter"..... Thanks padom..... Idaho-5R
I have a 16” “Gen 1” Ultramatch and it is a laser. It does little less than half minute with Magtech 77gr. I just notification that the 20” 223 barrel is back in stock.
Ok, got back out today to do some seating depth test. I have discontinued use of 8208XBR. While it had good SD's and accuracy, I didnt bother with a seating depth test. This powder does not cycle the rifle like CFE223 does. No matter what gas block adjustment it does not want to lock back or cycle reliably where CFE223 has none of these issues. I will go back to this barrel and explore other powders in the future but dont want to hold up the review. The 88 ELD-M's with CFE223 are producing excellent accuracy, good velocity and single digit SD's. Gas block tuned and they cycle 100% no issues and soft shooting. I love this combo!
2655 SD 9
2655 SD 9
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....interesting results on the 8208, just wondering if the +2 gas system is contributing to that cycling issue?
.....for the 8208 powder, would you consider opening the port a bit or swapping the gas block to an "non-bleed off" type later on down the road?
Fast... what powder will be best idk. This is my first 224V barrel/testing. Loving the 88 ELD's at 2650 right now though.
You have any RamShot Tac?? I use it for .223/5.56, 6.5 Grendel, .308, and 6mm Fat Rat.
I have wide variety of powders but dont want to spend a ton of time on each barrel trying to show what every bullet/powder combo can do. Just testing 1 or 2 of the popular ones. I mean it's a hammer right now with the 88 ELD's and CFE223..
Once I finish testing the 300blk and 6.5cm barrels I'll come back to the 224V and test Superformance next.
Correction the 224V is a 1:7.5, not a 1:7 like I indicated on my targets. Sorry about that.
I loaded up 100rd with my CFE223 / 88 ELD-M load to go test at distance today. I zerod the rifle at 200yd since the 100yd range had people on it and I didnt want to wait. Once dialed in at 200yd I punched my data into JBM and started shooting at 300, 400, 500. I then setup my new ShootSteel.com 12"x20" AR500 1/2" plate at 636yds.
It was a very windy day with big gusts consistently. I was very impressed with this load. It was super soft shooting and very consistent. I guess those of you wondering if you need a 1:6.5 or 1:7 can see this 1:7.5 twist 22" Rainier Ultramatch is hammering away with the 88 ELD's.
1xStarline annealed, shoulder bumped .003" and expander mandrel for .002 neck tension
88 ELD-M
1.720" Base to Ogive ( 2.285" COAL)
25.6gr CFE223
CCI 450
2667 SD 9
500yd 3 Shots on Steel confirming dope - I didnt measure this one
636yd - 4.8" Spread / 0.72 MOA
It was a very windy day with big gusts consistently. I was very impressed with this load. It was super soft shooting and very consistent. I guess those of you wondering if you need a 1:6.5 or 1:7 can see this 1:7.5 twist 22" Rainier Ultramatch is hammering away with the 88 ELD's.
1xStarline annealed, shoulder bumped .003" and expander mandrel for .002 neck tension
88 ELD-M
1.720" Base to Ogive ( 2.285" COAL)
25.6gr CFE223
CCI 450
2667 SD 9
500yd 3 Shots on Steel confirming dope - I didnt measure this one
636yd - 4.8" Spread / 0.72 MOA
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Thanks for the update and also for helping to show that a 6.5 twist barrel is not needed.
On another note, I have not started loading for mine yet, but the load data is nice to have. May I ask what dies you are using for yours?
With all the reports Ive read of needing a 1:6.5 for heavies Im glad my testing showed thats not the case. At least not for these 88 ELD-M's. I dont have any 90 or 95smk to test and I dont really care with how well these are shooting.
Im using a Forster Ultra Micrometer seating die and a Forster FL Sizing die with the expander ball removed. I have a dedicated brass prep toolhead setup for 224V on my Dillon XL650. The Forster FL sizing die is set to bump the shoulder back .003 then a 21st Century TiN turning mandrel is in the last station to set .002" final neck tension. I did anneal these 1x Starline cases before sizing.
I got out on this cold Northeast day before the first snow storm comes. It was high 30's/low 40's and pretty consistent 20mph wind. I brought the 10.5" 300Blk Mod 2 barrel on my sbr lower just to put 20rds I had in the shop from my other 10.5" Rainier Ultramatch Gen1 (shilen). Just wanted to get some rounds down it before starting full on load development and testing.
I didnt plan to take any pictures or chrono or anything. Just wanted to foul the barrel. I was very impressed, started off shooting just like my Gen1 did. Stay tuned for a full load workout and testing.
18.2gr H110
125 SMK
1x LC converted and annealed brass
CCI 450
Rainier Ultramatch 10.5" MOD2 300blk
Cronus BTR
SBR Lower
100yd
I labeled the groups in the order I shot them. Scope wasnt zero so I adjusted turrets just so the groups didnt overlap each other. You can see every group got smaller as more rounds went down the barrel.
I didnt plan to take any pictures or chrono or anything. Just wanted to foul the barrel. I was very impressed, started off shooting just like my Gen1 did. Stay tuned for a full load workout and testing.
18.2gr H110
125 SMK
1x LC converted and annealed brass
CCI 450
Rainier Ultramatch 10.5" MOD2 300blk
Cronus BTR
SBR Lower
100yd
I labeled the groups in the order I shot them. Scope wasnt zero so I adjusted turrets just so the groups didnt overlap each other. You can see every group got smaller as more rounds went down the barrel.
Go out back out today to shoot my OCW test with the 224V barrel using 80 ELD-M's and H4895. Started to see slight ejector mark at 25.1gr and heavier mark at 25.4gr. Next up is a seating depth test at 24.8gr that I hope to do Friday. These 80 ELD-M's with H4895 feel like Im shooting my 22LR AR. Virtually zero recoil. The amazing part is the velocity is matching my 26" bolt gun 80 ELD-M load.
Worthy to note, I did have to reconfigure my JP SCS to work with the 80's. It was all setup for the 88 ELD-M/CFE223 running great (1 Tungsten/2 Steel and Green spring) but that would not reliably cycle with the 80 ELD/H4895 loads no matter what gas setting. This should really not be run with a Tungsten weight, but I didnt have anymore steel weights on my so I just went to the lightest white spring in my spring pack and tuned gas which is pretty wide open but now feeds 100% and is super soft. I am going to switch out the Tungsten weight for all steel and retune the springs on my next range trip to allow my to close the gas block down some as its all the way open. I suspect this is a result of the +2 gas system.
Worthy to note, I did have to reconfigure my JP SCS to work with the 80's. It was all setup for the 88 ELD-M/CFE223 running great (1 Tungsten/2 Steel and Green spring) but that would not reliably cycle with the 80 ELD/H4895 loads no matter what gas setting. This should really not be run with a Tungsten weight, but I didnt have anymore steel weights on my so I just went to the lightest white spring in my spring pack and tuned gas which is pretty wide open but now feeds 100% and is super soft. I am going to switch out the Tungsten weight for all steel and retune the springs on my next range trip to allow my to close the gas block down some as its all the way open. I suspect this is a result of the +2 gas system.
I've been debating between the Rainier UM 2 and Criterion hybrid for my 300 BLK build. My only concern with the UM is the .800 gas block which seems very uncommon. Do you see any fitment issues if this was to go in a Geiselle MK14 rail? I don't see anyone else with this combo to confirm how snug things are.
J W, Sorry I can't be much help with your hand guard question. I used a new Aero Precision Enhanced M4E1 M-Loc hand guard. It is actually pretty large, & has plenty of room for that gas block. Good Luck with your choices!!!!! Idaho-5R
Tagging as I will be loading for the exact same .224 barrel tonight.
I have 10 lbs of IMR4895 and I’m hoping it matches H4895 close enough.
I have 10 lbs of IMR4895 and I’m hoping it matches H4895 close enough.
Didn’t have time to load before range today. Factory 60 grain tipped Varmint shot 1 MOA or just over. Factory federal 90 SMK was 3 MOA.
Not great but it’s possible this ammo was from the bad lots. Will load my own and test more.
Not great but it’s possible this ammo was from the bad lots. Will load my own and test more.
So, what came of the review on the 6.5cm barrel???
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