6-5-300wby

[Calvin45]

Barrel life is about 400 rounds, maybe 600 if you baby it. So make sure you don't really mess around with too many combinations. I like H1000 because it's very temp stable, I like a bonded or a mono bullet. 127lrx, Accubond, or partition for hunting.

Midway has new brass also think Peterson ran some not too long ago so you might be able to find some of theirs. The necking down of 300bee brass might work but it depends on the reamer and brass used.

I'm really curious to know how you determine that a barrel's life is over. Is it when there's a certain accuracy requirement that it used to realize and no longer can? Is it when the throat looks eroded to a certain predetermined degree? I know it's an extreme overbore cartridge. I also know there are many folks using 6.5x300, 26 nos, 7 RUM, .30-378 etc for WAAAAAY more than 400 rounds who are happy with the field results.

I recall reading in a hornady load manual back in 2012 how they did observe severe firecracking and erosion of the leade in a .30-378 after a mere 300 rounds, and I beleive it. But the rifle they were testing with still kept shooting well, against expectation. That's why I'm asking here, do you determine no matter what that a barrel has reached the end of its life just based on how overbore the cartridge is and how many rounds you've fired or is it actually based on a notable loss of accuracy performance?

 

[just_jon]

I go by the target. Time for a new barrel when accuracy falls off and there is no other reasonable explanation such as a carbon ring, loose scope rings, etc. My 6.5-300 has 303 rounds on it. Since I've run most of those rounds at or near top end, I'm not expecting it to last more than 500 rounds. However, with load development done, it's primary role will be hunting and as such will probably never see 500 rounds in my lifetime.

I know a guy well that I've seen do the same with that brass.
Said individual also told me He was getting 3800fps with the gun builders ammo, using some kind of 140gr. I tried to explain he wasn't getting near that. No use.

After about 10-12 shots I helped him zero his scope at 100, he wasn't getting anything accomplished. But that barrel was about to glow.

When you don't know, please ask or listen when someone concerned and knowledgable is available. Makes it hurt less to watch!

I know that guy. He also claims he's getting 3600 fps from his 7 STW with 160 grain bullets. I've offered many times to chronograph his load, but he always seems to be too busy to go to the range.

 

[RichCoyle]

I go by the target. Time for a new barrel when accuracy falls off and there is no other reasonable explanation such as a carbon ring, loose scope rings, etc. My 6.5-300 has 303 rounds on it. Since I've run most of those rounds at or near top end, I'm not expecting it to last more than 500 rounds. However, with load development done, it's primary role will be hunting and as such will probably never see 500 rounds in my lifetime.


I know that guy. He also claims he's getting 3600 fps from his 7 STW with 160 grain bullets. I've offered many times to chronograph his load, but he always seems to be too busy to go to the range.

I have a friend like that. He calls himself a loader, not a reloader. One shot in the primer pocket will not hold a primer and he doesn't have a problem with that.

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

You guys with the factory stock. Did you free float it after you got it or after you shot it. Any real difference in group?? Let me know?

Mine was already free floated. Accumark Pro with Krieger barrel

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

Yes, felt recoil is more in lighter rifles, especially with heavier stout loads. A better muzzle brake than their factory offerings might help. You also get more barrel whips (harmonics/vibration) with the 26" over the 24" barrel.

Correct. I purchased a SRS TiPro4 and recoil is unbelievably light like a 6 cm at most if not less

 

[Calvin45]

I have a friend like that. He calls himself a loader, not a reloader. One shot in the primer pocket will not hold a primer and he doesn't have a problem with that.

You know it's amazing when you think about it that we don't hear about way more disasters than we do when one considers how many guys like that are out there. A real testament to how well made and safe in the event of failure most modern rifle actions are.

 

[Phil Rizzo]

I go by the target. Time for a new barrel when accuracy falls off and there is no other reasonable explanation such as a carbon ring, loose scope rings, etc. My 6.5-300 has 303 rounds on it. Since I've run most of those rounds at or near top end, I'm not expecting it to last more than 500 rounds. However, with load development done, it's primary role will be hunting and as such will probably never see 500 rounds in my lifetime.


I know that guy. He also claims he's getting 3600 fps from his 7 STW with 160 grain bullets. I've offered many times to chronograph his load, but he always seems to be too busy to go to the range.

I'm not sure this chap knows what chrony is.
He has very selective hearing without a doubt.

The dude has some very nice full customs that will accomplish things he won't ever approach. And I mean probably 5-6

 

[MagnumManiac]

I'm really curious to know how you determine that a barrel's life is over. Is it when there's a certain accuracy requirement that it used to realize and no longer can? Is it when the throat looks eroded to a certain predetermined degree? I know it's an extreme overbore cartridge. I also know there are many folks using 6.5x300, 26 nos, 7 RUM, .30-378 etc for WAAAAAY more than 400 rounds who are happy with the field results.

Very few barrels just give up the ghost overnight, it is progressive.
I decide a barrel is done when it can no longer shoot under 2MoA, not spraying bullets all over the place, just not precise anymore.
Prior to owning bore scopes, this was the only way to know.

TBH, 500 rounds for a 6.5-300 Weatherby to have a shootout barrel is very conservative, I would say 800-900 is more realistic.

My 338-416 Rigby Improved 45° has 923 rounds down the barrel, only one load will maintain sub MoA, anything else is lucky to go 1.75MoA.
This barrel has been set-back and re-chambered twice, it has fire cracking for about 8", yet the throat (my own design) is still quite good and the rifling is probably missing for 4" of the 8" fire cracking, it is very tired and not responding positively to powder increases.

Cheers.

 

[Calvin45]

Very few barrels just give up the ghost overnight, it is progressive.
I decide a barrel is done when it can no longer shoot under 2MoA, not spraying bullets all over the place, just not precise anymore.
Prior to owning bore scopes, this was the only way to know.

TBH, 500 rounds for a 6.5-300 Weatherby to have a shootout barrel is very conservative, I would say 800-900 is more realistic.

My 338-416 Rigby Improved 45° has 923 rounds down the barrel, only one load will maintain sub MoA, anything else is lucky to go 1.75MoA.
This barrel has been set-back and re-chambered twice, it has fire cracking for about 8", yet the throat (my own design) is still quite good and the rifling is probably missing for 4" of the 8" fire cracking, it is very tired and not responding positively to powder increases.

Cheers.

Your story reminds me of a conversation I had with a retired gunsmith at the gun counter where I work. He mentioned the worst "throat" he ever seen was a .257 weatherby…that had seen somewhere around 1600 rounds down it . Guy just liked shooting it and had fun using it for extreme gopher and prairie dog and other varmint hunting as well as big game hunting. But it couldn't hit the broadside of a barn anymore, and when they took a borescope to it….it was over one foot down the pipe from the chamber before they found anything even loosely akin to "rifling"….

Of course that wasn't just from the round count, but the fact that the guy used it for varminting when it was hot already and just kept shooting. Just absolutely bagged the thing haha.

 

[MagnumManiac]

I don't cook my barrels, however, when shooting F-class there is a time limit, which is why I prefer my 6.5x47 except in really windy conditions.

Cheers.

 

[Hydra6]

I'm really curious to know how you determine that a barrel's life is over. Is it when there's a certain accuracy requirement that it used to realize and no longer can? Is it when the throat looks eroded to a certain predetermined degree? I know it's an extreme overbore cartridge. I also know there are many folks using 6.5x300, 26 nos, 7 RUM, .30-378 etc for WAAAAAY more than 400 rounds who are happy with the field results.

I recall reading in a hornady load manual back in 2012 how they did observe severe firecracking and erosion of the leade in a .30-378 after a mere 300 rounds, and I beleive it. But the rifle they were testing with still kept shooting well, against expectation. That's why I'm asking here, do you determine no matter what that a barrel has reached the end of its life just based on how overbore the cartridge is and how many rounds you've fired or is it actually based on a notable loss of accuracy performance?

I know a barrel is "dying" when velocity drops off significantly. You may not see the accuracy drop off at 100 but you will see accuracy issues further down range as the "fire cracking" damages the projectile.

I have a 26 Nosler and I do not shoot it much - simplified load development and then just hunting. Say you only get 400 rounds of barrel life - I can only dream that I hunt that much in my life!

 

[nealm66]

Just let the barrel cool down between shots. I use 4 minutes for 6.5-300 and 30-378. They are not target rifles no matter how accurate they shoot. This is the struggle I have convincing my brother and my buddy that I reload for and I get how fun it is but definitely slow down and set a timer on your phone between shots. I have no idea how much it costs to have weatherby re-barrel but then you have to do load work up again

 

[nealm66]

We were shooting steel from 800-1200 with my 300 prc, a 338 Lapua and the 30-378 and the 30-378 is king without a doubt from our experience

 

[Calvin45]

I know a barrel is "dying" when velocity drops off significantly. You may not see the accuracy drop off at 100 but you will see accuracy issues further down range as the "fire cracking" damages the projectile.

I have a 26 Nosler and I do not shoot it much - simplified load development and then just hunting. Say you only get 400 rounds of barrel life - I can only dream that I hunt that much in my life!

Oh that's interesting….so as the throat degrades velocity drops off then? Is that basically from throat erosion having created some "freebore" that drops chamber pressure with equal charge weights?