Got my rig put together (Hart barrel) and got some range time. Pix included.

[Michael Eichele]

Well, I finally bit the bullet and ordered a Hart barrel a little over a month ago. As many of you know I have been shooting a factory 700 in 308 with the 24" 5R barrel with a McMillan M40A1 stock with great success not only in accuracy but ending hunts succesfully as well. After shooting out the barrel, more like cleaning it out, I was stuck shooting the 155 AMAX at 2725 FPS. This was the only accurate load I could find after abusing this barrel. The best loads before I ruined the barrel were the 178 AMAX, 190 SMK, 175 SMK, 155 AMAX, 155 SCENAR and 150 ACCUBOND. The best overall was the 190 SMK.

I had the action blue printed and a Brownell after market firing pin assembly installed. Yesterday I broke in the new Hart sendero contour 26" 11x barrel. After the break in (I never judge a new rifle based on the first outing!) fired two groups using the 190 SMK and VARGET. 43 grains wasnt too promising but 44 grains was 1 MOA and 2710 FPS with NO extraction flaws or pressure signs on the brass or primer.

Today I went out now that all that excitment was over and used the 190 SMK and RL15. 42 and 43 grains was good accuracy but not excellent. 44 was .4 MOA at 300 yards and 2691 FPS!

After running the 190, I tried a few 155 SCENAR bullets using 43.0 of RL15. Velocity was 2810 and accuracy was just over .3 MOA at 300 yards. All in all I think the accuracy potential is excellent.

 

[Joel Russo]

Nice rifle Michael.

Looks promising once you work the vertical out of it.

Keep us posted.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I like it. RL15 is my choice for the 308win as well. Are you going to leave the steel in the white?

 

[johnnyk]

Nice stick Mike. JohnnyK.

 

[FEENIX]

I see dead pigs!

Nice rig ... thanks for sharing.

 

[Michael Eichele]

I like it. RL15 is my choice for the 308win as well. Are you going to leave the steel in the white?

I am not sure. I am leaning towards a charcoal grey.

I also find RL15 as my "go to" powder for the 308. I actually have never had the type of results with VARGET that alot of others have claimed. I have used VARGET in 4 different 308's. I have however had excellent results with BENCHMARK just not with any high velocities. The accuracy is very good with BM though. But the best ballance between accuracy and highest velocities for me has always been RL15. I have not experienced major temp sensitivity with it either, or the slower versions for that matter.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I think the charcoal gray would add nice contrast to the weapon.

I started out reloading with the 308win I had 3 rifles chambred in it but I am down to just my M1A in 308win now. But the go to powder is still RL15. Never had any luck with VARGET either IMR4064 on the other hand works great!

I just love the weapon hope it brings you many down animals.

 

[rsbhunter]

Fantastic rig!!!! I have been hearing about the cleaning too much thing my self, what is your cleaning frequency now, # of rounds and how many between cleanings? I just started working on my custom 300 RUM and don't need to help eat up the Kreiger bbl. by to much cleaning.....Thanks, rsbhunter

 

[roninflag]

always had great sucess with i-4064. alos could the verticule be from shooting over the bi pod? i don't shoot f-tr. i have never tired a bipod. your horisontal is like in the ones. great looking rig. ron

 

[Michael Eichele]

I think the charcoal gray would add nice contrast to the weapon.

I started out reloading with the 308win I had 3 rifles chambred in it but I am down to just my M1A in 308win now. But the go to powder is still RL15. Never had any luck with VARGET either IMR4064 on the other hand works great!

I just love the weapon hope it brings you many down animals.

You mean to say many more animals! "Jenny" already has many critters to her name. Shots between 25 and 763 yards. Jenny has not missed any big game animals she has let lead fly at.
19 critters since 2002. A few were shot twice, a few were one shot kills including the 763 sheep. Most of the shot more than once critters were dead on thier feet after the first shot. In most cases the second shots were simply follow up insurance.

6 dall sheep (763, 600, 425, 400, 550, 225 yards)

2 caribou (330, 25 yards)

2 black bears (60, 200 yards)

3 wolves (360 yards)

4 deer (80, 90, 200, 318 yards)

2 moose (338, 602 yards)

I too have used 4064 with decent results. My old 788/308 loved it. All my other 308 have done well with it but not exceptional.

 

[Michael Eichele]

Fantastic rig!!!! I have been hearing about the cleaning too much thing my self, what is your cleaning frequency now, # of rounds and how many between cleanings? I just started working on my custom 300 RUM and don't need to help eat up the Kreiger bbl. by to much cleaning.....Thanks, rsbhunter

My cleaning tecniques in the past included way too tight fitting patches, too much amonia and too much JB.

My current technique is looser fitted patches, NO JB and NO amonia. I also use a bronze brush now. IMO, the bronze brush is what reall gets rid of powder fouling. I have first had experience that shows too much JB can and will over time wear the lands down. I can see using it on a rough factory barrel but not a smooth custom barrel. Hart strongly recomends NOT using JB or similar cleaners.

I run a wet patch down the bore using Hoppes 9 copper solution. Then a soaked bronze brush back and forth 10 times. Then a dry patch, a wet one, a dry one and another wet then dry one. This is all I have had to do to get my Hart back to a mirror shine. Copper fouling was only an issue with one bullet and a very minor issue at that. To get that out, I ran a wet patch through and let her sit upside down for a few hours. I ran a dray patch through and the copper was gone. Quick, effective and easy!

I was reading in the Benchrest shooting primer the other day and one of the things noted was that barrels that had used amonia based solvents either during break in or over the life of the barrel or both had many more cracks inside with fewer shots than barrels that had many more shots and had never seen an amonia based solvent. The thought was because amonia based solvents dry out the steel where as other types keep them more in their natural state. I dont know if this is true, but I will in a year or two. I know what my barrels look like when used with lots of JB and amonia, soon I will know what they look like when not used with these. IMO a good custom barrel will not need amonia or JB.

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

A YA

Thats what I ment when I said it but now knowing what a history you have with it changes things a little.

What I ment to say was I hope it continues to bring down game with such grace as can only be atributed to your shooting abilty.

Jongun)

Once again congrats on the new tube it looks great!

 

[trueblue]

Michael,
What is the muzzle diameter on your barrel ?
I don't see a sendero contour listed on Hart website. Is it there #5 @.700 or
.830 at the muzzle ?
Go with the gray, it will look great.
JIM

 

[Michael Eichele]

Michael,
What is the muzzle diameter on your barrel ?
I don't see a sendero contour listed on Hart website. Is it there #5 @.700 or
.830 at the muzzle ?
Go with the gray, it will look great.
JIM

.830"

If you look closely on thier web site, it is listed. (sendero)