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Barrels

These are all the posts related to precision rifle barrels.

How Fast Does A Barrel Erode?

how fast does a barrel wear

This article focuses on how quickly the lands of a rifle barrel usually erode, especially for mid-sized cartridges that are popular in precision rifle matches. It also explains how many shooters try to manage their seating depth and bullet jump over the life of the barrel. These are topics don't seem to get much attention and are rarely discussed in any comprehensive format, so hopefully it provides some useful information and tips. The article also poses some questions that might make us rethink priorities when it comes to managing bullet jump, at least when applying the concepts to some specific shooting disciplines where you might fire 100-200 rounds over the course of a weekend.

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Best Rifle Barrel – What The Pros Use

Most Accurate Rifle Barrel

Barrels are deceptively simple, yet crucial to the precision required for long-range shooting. I once visited the shop of Benchrest Hall of Famer Cecil Tucker and I recognized a unique opportunity to learn from a legend. So I asked him the million dollar question: “What is the most important thing when it comes to precision rifles?” Cecil didn’t hesitate. He seemed to have been preparing his whole life to answer that elusive question, and it was on the tip of his tongue: “The barrel and the bullet.” Deceptively simple. Retired Army Ranger Sniper, Ryan Cleckner, explains “just as the receiver is the main part of the rifle for legal purposes, the barrel is the main part of the rifle for accuracy purposes. ...

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Barrel Field Test Featured In Modern Advancements Volume 2

Barrel Test in Modern Advancements In Long Range Shooting

Lots of people have asked what I’ve been working on, and I’m excited to finally be able to tell you guys about a huge project I’ve invested a ton of time in over the past several months. Last year, Bryan Litz and team over at Applied Ballistics ask if I’d be interested in contributing to Volume 2 of their Modern Advancements in Long Range Shooting series. I have immense respect for the work those guys have done and the huge impact they’ve had on me and the rest of the shooting community, so I was honored to even be asked. ...

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Precision Rifle Barrels – What The Pros Use

Best Custom Rifle Barrel

This is an exciting post, because many believe the barrel is THE most important component of a precision rifle. That’s hard to argue with, although I’m sure some would. I recently surveyed the top 100 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS), and this post reviews the barrels those elite shooters were using in 2015. The PRS tracks how top competitors place in major rifle matches across the country. These are the major leagues of sniper-style competitions, with targets typically from 300 to 1200 yards. These world-class shooters represent the best of the best in terms of long-range shooting in ...

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Rifle Barrels – What The Pros Use

This post reviews the rifle barrels the best precision rifle shooters were using in 2014. The data is based on a survey of the top 50 shooters in the Precision Rifle Series (PRS). The PRS tracks how top competitors place in major rifle matches across the country. These are the major leagues of sniper-style competitions, with targets typically in the 300-1000 yard range. This is the 3rd year we’ve collected this data. For more info on the Precision Rifle Series and who these guys are scroll to the bottom of this article. So here is the list of the most ...

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Best Rifle Barrel – What The Pros Use 2013

This post is about the rifle barrels the best precision rifle shooters are using. It is based on what the top 50 long-range shooters nationwide brought with them to the Precision Rifle Series (PRS) Finale a couple weeks ago. These are tactical/practical style matches with target engagements ranging from 25 to 1,200+ yards, but there is definitely a focus on the “precision” rifle part regardless of the range. For more info on who these guys are, and why you should care what they think scroll to the bottom of this article. Update: These are results from the 2013 PRS Season. The data ...

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Best Gunsmiths, Actions, Barrels & Stocks: What The Pros Use 2012

Meet The Pros The Precision Rifle Series (PRS) is a championship style point series race based on the best precision rifle matches nationwide. PRS matches are recognized as the major league of sniper-style rifle matches. At the end of each year, the scores from 15 different matches are evaluated and the top 50 shooters nationwide are invited to compete head to head in the PRS Finale Match. The info below is based on the equipment those pros brought with them to the most recent finale. This is a great set of data, because 50 shooters is a significant sample size, ...

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6.5 Creedmoor Barrel Length & Muzzle Velocity

One of my closest friends has two 6.5 Creedmoor rifles made by Surgeon Rifles that he has tried a couple different barrel sizes on.  He started with a 26″ barrel, because that is what Surgeon typically used but lately we’ve been shooting in more practical/tactical long-range competitions where you have to carry the rifle for miles every day … so he wanted to lighten the load.  He was also planning to add a suppressor to his rifle, and a 26″ barrel + 9″ suppressor makes for a pretty long and cumbersome rifle.  He eventually rebarrelled to a 22″ barrel, which ...

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Barrel Length and Velocity

I recently had an opportunity to fire the same 223 Remington ammo over a chronograph out of 3 very different barrel lengths, and recorded the muzzle velocity differences I observed.  The chronograph was an Oehler 35p, which is one of the most accurate in the industry.  The ammo fired was Federal’s 55gr FMJ ammo, and all of it was out of the same box. Here are my measured results: Barrel Length (inches) Average Muzzle Velocity (fps) 20″ 3019 fps 16″ 2837 fps 7.5″ 2135 fps Here is an inferred trendline based on the measured velocities for other 223 Remington barrel ...

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7mm Rem Mag Chamber Print

When the 7mm Remington Magnum was originally released, it was met with overwhelming demand.  Every rifle manufacturer rushed to offer rifles chambered for the new cartridge, and in the rush some of the chamber dimensions varied slightly from different manufacturers.  This variation in the 7mm Rem Mag chamber dimensions has carried on to today, and there is still more differences in the chamber dimensions than for virtually any other rifle cartridge. What’s a chamber print? A “chamber print” is an illustration of the chamber reamer used to cut a rifle’s chamber.  It contains all of the key dimensions related to ...

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