HARPERC
Well-Known Member
It always makes me smile watching the .264 Winchester Magnum turn into a conservative choice.
The other thing that I've learned about the "barrel burners" is that a lot of competitors use them, and the strings of fire is what does the majority of the damage. If you were to subject your rifle barrel, continuously, to the heat and pressure it endures while firing, it would last for just over one second, which thermodynamicly makes sense, as heating is not a linear increase, but logarithmic. Sorry, starting to wade out into the weeds.
This is a useful trip into the weeds. How barrels get used has a lot to do with how long they last.
I also am a huge fan of the 264WM been loading and shooting one now since 1972 have owned 7 over the last few years used them on ground hogs and deer Great little cartridgeIt always makes me smile watching the .264 Winchester Magnum turn into a conservative choice.
I have a Blaser R8, which is a multi-caliber rifle. I currently have a 30/06 and my next cartridge will be something fast and flat.
As I am researching calibers I'm learning more and more about overbore rifles and how they can blow through a barrel within 800 rounds or fewer. The question I have, as I try to pick a round, is what causes the rapid deterioration of the barrel? Is it velocity of the round or the shear amount of power that is ignited? In the long run I am looking for performance first but If I can have both then perfect because the barrels run about $1,200.
The calibers I have considered thus far is:
6.5x284
Nosler 28
Nosler 27 (new)
264 Win Mag
270 Weatherby
My shooting will mostly bee Midwest deer but want to be ready if an elk hunt comes up.
I have owned a blaser since the late 90s. And a R8 since 2009. Great guns but one thing to remember. They tend to like factory seating ...standard OAL. I had 8 barrels for my R93..most were fabulously accurate. The 257 especially a true one hole rifle. It loved 100 grain bullets. I also had a 264 win. It was awesome 3/4 MOA with **** near everything you fed it....now on the flip side. The 6.5-284 in my R-8...while fabulously accurate with 100-120s. It was 1/2 to 3/4 with 143 ELDs but 147 it was lackluster. The 9.3x62 barrel was quite possibly the most accurate barrel I ever owned. For a bigger bore--a true one hole rifle. Enjoy your R8. I gave up on blaser when they started poking my eyes out on scope mounts,the first set I bought were around $200 the last set was $500. Great accurate system that you do not have to tune that much--and they flat out work. The are also great to travel as they takedown--the first pic is of my first R8 in a 30-06 simi-weight and a last light Gemsbok , next is my wife with my R93 257 WBY in Africa . Out of the list you gave and my experience with Blaser I'd go 264 win mag. Again Enjoy!
No mine was in a R93...i had a 6.5-284,30-06,338 win mag, 9.3x62 in a R8--just figured they still made a 264 win mag