• If you are being asked to change your password, and unsure how to do it, follow these instructions. Click here

Barrel recommendations

Going to put a new barrel on my Christensen Arms Mesa chambered in .28 Nosler. Nothing wrong with my current barrel other than it's the factory 1-9 twist and I've developed a load that it really likes using Berger 195 EOL. Berger tech told me that the bullet will become unstable somewhere around the 700 yard mark, I can't remember the exact yardage but it was up there somewhere. Wondering if I should increase my barrel length, is there a benefit to a longer barrel, 28"-30", what manufacturers do you guys suggest, right now I'm leaning towards Brux

It's not about the length. It's twist rate. You should be running something in the 1:7.5-1:8 range for those 195's. Id drop the bullet weight down to the 175-180 range and use up that barrel. Next go round get tighter twist barrel and run the 195's.
 
Lots of good barrels made today. Iv'e been using Benchmark mainly because their made in the state that I live in and it's a 2 hr. drive to their shop if I were to have a problem ( I have not ) I've used Douglas in the past and Shaw on 2 rifles that had to be sent back to have the head space redone.
 
Going to put a new barrel on my Christensen Arms Mesa chambered in .28 Nosler. Nothing wrong with my current barrel other than it's the factory 1-9 twist and I've developed a load that it really likes using Berger 195 EOL. Berger tech told me that the bullet will become unstable somewhere around the 700 yard mark, I can't remember the exact yardage but it was up there somewhere. Wondering if I should increase my barrel length, is there a benefit to a longer barrel, 28"-30", what manufacturers do you guys suggest, right now I'm leaning towards Brux
I put a Krieger 26" 1-8" twist barrel on my Browning Xbolt in 28N and I luv it
 
as to your question about length, I put a xcaliber on my highpower rifle mostly because I found a very good buy on some, I put one on my rpr and chambered it in 260 because I own the reamer and have been shooting 260 for 25 years in highpower and over 20,000 rnds so I can guess what will probably shoot and really don't do any load development , I take it to a match and if it doesn't shoot well I tweak a little untill it does. I took that xcaliber to a match and the first 20 shots out of produced a 200 score with 17x's the highest score I have ever shot the next 20 were with a different powder and the score was identical 200x17 so I don't think it was a fluke. the barrel was 27 inches long, as long as I could keep it and the electrinic target scoring device said I averaged 1925 fps at the range we were shooting, 600yds. I also took another rpr whose factory barrel I put a 6.5x284 reamer into but the barre is only 24 inches long. Thar rifle shot well also 200x7 but not any where as good as the xcaliber did but the velocity was average 1950 fps at 600 so I've got a barrel burner cartridge not giving any better balistics then a much gentler cartridge I was very dissapointed in the 6.5x284, I know all the guys using them at 1000 yds used 30 inch barrels and at long range it is not smart to give up velocity it is your freind. Especially if you are going to use a cartridge with a high ratio of powder to caliber it would not be smart to handicap it by shortening the barrel. I just took an old m54 winchester and put a 28 inch barrel in 6.5x284 and nobody I have handed it to has said anything was strange when I asked. Short barrels are a foolish fashion statement
 
For those of you who don't know it, the Browning X-Bolt in 28 Nosler comes standard with a 1:8 twist. I recently acquired one, and am having fun breaking it in. So far, I haven't loaded anything over 175, but it's nice to know that I can go up in bullet length should I want to.
 
Top