RPR barrel looking at end of life Planning

[Dead Eye Dick]

This barrel is working on something close to 2500 rounds. Still shooting pretty good. Not a picky barrel, but not a fast barrel. However, that was never a problem because it was always a fun gun and never a competition rifle.

So, I will rebarrel it sooner or later, and bound to be sooner than I would like. I have a fortune in 6.5 Creedmoor brass and there is a thought that 6.5 Creedmoor replacement makes a lot of sense. Easy to see (and hear) hits on target. Plenty of caliber if I ever wanted to drag that heavy thing up into a deer stand. And as far as going into a deer stand, the thing loves ELD-X's. Maybe another barrel will also shoot them well. So, sticking with 6.5 is a good option

But I have a desire to go with a lighter caliber (already have two fine big game rifles, much success with both) Next option is 6 Creemoor. Necking down all that 6.5 brass, is an option and Brenda has a .243, so, depending not he weight chooses, the two rifles might share some of the bullets and powders. the big six works with a lot of what I already have and use.

Then there is the GT series, either the 6GT or the wildcat .25GT. Like em both and when the MPA enters into this same area, it will become one of these two rounds. I like wildcats having been an IHMSA competitor.

Finally, a choice I am really leaning towards, a fast twist .22-250. Once upon a time, I owned a 250 Savage (Model 99 Lever). it is one of two rifles I have always regretted selling. So, I kind a like the case and it is very close to the Creedmoor case. A real plus is that it uses the .473 case head size, so no bolt alterations would be necessary. with a long treat and a 1-6.5 twist, the 90 and 95 grain Sierra's should work for a practice rifle. And, with the heavier bullets, Superformance is one of the best recommended "book" powders.

Having plenty of experience with the 7BR and with .308, I have NO desire to use the 308 or ANY derivative of the bench rest series. But if a bolt change was a viable option, I might consider a 6TCU.

Choices, choices, nothing is cast in Steel yet.

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

6CM might make sense as you can resize brass and powders are the same.

What do your reloading component tea leaves tell you? Are you stacked on .264 Projos?

Barrels are cheap to buy, expensive to feed, but you already know that.

Also, how does Brenda feel about you stealing her precious projos?


My long term concerns are mostly ammo related at this point in my journey.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

6CM might make sense as you can resize brass and powders are the same.

What do your reloading component tea leaves tell you? Are you stacked on .264 Projos?

Barrels are cheap to buy, expensive to feed, but you already know that.

Also, how does Brenda feel about you stealing her precious projos?


My long term concerns are mostly ammo related at this point in my journey.

Got plenty of 6.5 bullets. I have This particular barrel has well over a thousand 143's and 144's well stashed in the gun safe for this rifle. (am I getting paranoid or what?) Also I use use large primer brass in the RPR to separate it from the brass used in the MPA with its much tighter chamber. And I have a lot of brass, most of it older, but all seem to still have tight primer pockets.

Frankly, as far as Brenda is concerned, she leaves the reloading up to me, and she is happy as long as I have a good supply of loaded .38 special, 9mm and ..32 H&R magnums ready for her to shoot.

My problem has been finding the 130 grain 6.5 that I shoot in the MPA. But having good luck with my Norma 130's till they run out. Then what. One point I have found so far with the 6.5 Creedmoor's that I own, they are so tolerant of different brands of bullets. The RPR shoots both Berger hybrids and Hornady ELD-X's at almost the exact same point of aim, with identical downrange profiles. Same with the MPA with Berger 130 VLD's and Sierra 130 Matchkings. Tailor the load and I can forget which bullet I am actually shooting.

What I should have done with is what we were considering during the Obama years was obtaining the equipment to swage bullets. Lead is no problem, been casting since the mid 1970's. Finding the jackets would be an issue unless I managed to obtain the tooling to make my own.

 

[D̷e̷v̷i̷l̷D̷o̷c̷A̷Z̷]

Having shot and loaded for both the 243w and 6CM; I doubt you will find anything new loading up 6CM if that’s what you are chasing…..Aside from sizing 6.5CM to 6CM.


But a guy has to do something to keep busy.

 

[PinesAndProjectiles]

I was shooting 6.5 Creed when I replaced my barrel.
I switched to 6 Creedmoor as I already had a lot of brass.

If you go this route, give your smith some necked down brass and chamber accordingly.

I didn’t and had to neck turn everything.

It was a huge pain in the ass and I’ve since pledged to never neck turn anything again.

Luckily, I was able to find a member who let me borrow his setup if I were to buy the cutter and case holder.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

I was shooting 6.5 Creed when I replaced my barrel.
I switched to 6 Creedmoor as I already had a lot of brass.

If you go this route, give your smith some necked down brass and chamber accordingly.

I didn’t and had to neck turn everything.

It was a huge pain in the ass and I’ve since pledged to never neck turn anything again.

Luckily, I was able to find a member who let me borrow his setup if I were to buy the cutter and case holder.

Been there, nick turning is not a way to enjoy a spring afternoon with the birds singing and the targets waiting to get rung.

Used to create .221 Fireball cases from .223 cases. Neck turning was required. Cases looked like crap when I was done. Later tried some in my chamber without the necks being turned. No chambering issues, no pressure issues so, i put the stuff up and it has stayed in the back of the drawer under the reloading table since. It did not hurt that the panic of the time ended and the prices of Fireball cases became a bit more reasonable.

 

[HousePlant]

6CM goes through barrels quickly. But it shoots and you get can factory ammo all over unlike the other 6mm varieties (excluding 243 hunting ammo) and, for this guy, that's a plus. I can reload. But the whole process is something I simply don't want to do if I can't simply walk out into my backyard and test it. Instead I have to drive bloody 2 hours to get to a range and it's usually jam packed because the closer one is closed.

 

[Dead Eye Dick]

Well fellows, I owe everyone who responded to this post an apology. I dug through all of my old data and I think the round count is closer to 2000 rounds. Still not a spring chicken, but a lot less than I was thinking.

 

[CMP70306]

Also one more point, it may be difficult to get the .22-250 to feed correctly above 3 or 4 rounds. Due to the taper the cartridges tend to point more and more downwards as more shells are added to the mag until the top round will nose dive and not feed correctly. On my dads rifle I went to the 3 round MDT mag as the regular 5 round AICS were hit or miss.

 

[308pirate]

This barrel is working on something close to 2500 rounds. Still shooting pretty good. Not a picky barrel, but not a fast barrel. However, that was never a problem because it was always a fun gun and never a competition rifle.

So, I will rebarrel it sooner or later, and bound to be sooner than I would like. I have a fortune in 6.5 Creedmoor brass and there is a thought that 6.5 Creedmoor replacement makes a lot of sense. Easy to see (and hear) hits on target. Plenty of caliber if I ever wanted to drag that heavy thing up into a deer stand. And as far as going into a deer stand, the thing loves ELD-X's. Maybe another barrel will also shoot them well. So, sticking with 6.5 is a good option

But I have a desire to go with a lighter caliber (already have two fine big game rifles, much success with both) Next option is 6 Creemoor. Necking down all that 6.5 brass, is an option and Brenda has a .243, so, depending not he weight chooses, the two rifles might share some of the bullets and powders. the big six works with a lot of what I already have and use.

Then there is the GT series, either the 6GT or the wildcat .25GT. Like em both and when the MPA enters into this same area, it will become one of these two rounds. I like wildcats having been an IHMSA competitor.

Finally, a choice I am really leaning towards, a fast twist .22-250. Once upon a time, I owned a 250 Savage (Model 99 Lever). it is one of two rifles I have always regretted selling. So, I kind a like the case and it is very close to the Creedmoor case. A real plus is that it uses the .473 case head size, so no bolt alterations would be necessary. with a long treat and a 1-6.5 twist, the 90 and 95 grain Sierra's should work for a practice rifle. And, with the heavier bullets, Superformance is one of the best recommended "book" powders.

Having plenty of experience with the 7BR and with .308, I have NO desire to use the 308 or ANY derivative of the bench rest series. But if a bolt change was a viable option, I might consider a 6TCU.

Choices, choices, nothing is cast in Steel yet.

What's more fun for you, shooting or load development?

The answer to that will lead you to the caliber