New barrel

[jsh]

Help me spend the kids inheritance.
Figure I will need a new barrel by next year. Straight up 204 as I have have plenty of supplies to wear one out.
39BK or 40 Vmax as I have a healthy stash. I see little need in wasting 32-34’s as the 20VT will launch them with less heat and powder.

Need a Savage prefit.
Thinking zero free bore if possible.

I am all ears.
Jeff

[Rick in Oregon]

Well Jeff, you could call Pac-Nor for one of their SS Super Match barrels, and if you're after a tight chamber to match spec's, I'll give you my reamer print number that's on file there. You can spec out your barrel on their website, then call and work out the finer details. PM me if you want the print number. It is a true Match chamber, but be aware the neck ID is .230" and has .015" freebore.

I had them do up one as an 11T, 3-groove, Holland lug, blueprinted the action and skim bedded it into my H-S Precision stock I supplied along with the action. It shoots in the .2's all day with the 39gr SBK and any of the 40's at just over 4,000 fps in 24" length. Best decision rifle-wise I ever made.

[Bill K]

You threw me Rick. Is the supposed to be 39 SBK instead of 30 grn ?

[skipper]

If you have a smith use a custom reamer on your new barrel, have him use that same reamer on the cut off barrel blank. He can make you a nice chamber gauge that will help you get seated into the lands.

[jsh]

Rick, many thanks for the offer. I will keep it in mind.
I have RP, WW and Nosler brass. I will do some measuring as I don’t want to get into a neck turning marathon or have clearance issues.
Also I will still shoot factory ammo if I find some priced right. I bought several K of 204 and 223 cheaper than I could load a few years back.
It has been a number of years since I had a Pacnor.

Skipper, I am of the thoughts that things wear and they don’t wear as precise or straight as when machined. If this was something that was shot very little and only at paper, I might consider it.
There are some Cortina haters out there, hard to argue with someone of his success.
Prior to internet and YouTube I had come to pretty similar thoughts he did. I quit chasing length, at least as hard as I did early on. I will admit to tinkering with it but more times than not I end up back at or very close to where I started I the beginning.
I had a particular barrel set back a few times, using the same reamer. I honestly saw little gain for the cost and he was giving me a deal to boot. Accuracy would bobble around 300 and drop bad at 500.


Prior to me having a Savage, it was either a Shilen or Hart.

Since the prefits have gained a following I have used Shilen, Mcgowen Preferred Xcaliber Criterion Shaw/(second hand known problem child).

[Bill K]

Jeff, another thing to keep in mind also with the match chamber, is ( correct me if wrong Rick) factory ammo will not fit and work with it.

[skipper]

I'm not speaking for Rick, however if your smith creates a non-SAMMI chambering they will usually stamp the side of the barrel. My custom 204 Ruger has "204 Ruger .228 NK" engraved on the side of the barrel as a warning/reminder that factory ammo will not fit. I turn my competition necks to .010 thickness.

SG&Y 204 Ruger.jpg (85.67 KiB) Viewed 518401 times

SG&Y 204 Ruger 2.jpg (57.27 KiB) Viewed 518401 times

[Bill K]

Good point Skipper. I know two of my barrels were marked as such by the gunsmiths. One by the old Xcaliber marker/owners and one by Bob Green.
Nice touch they do or did and that way you know what it is.

[Rick in Oregon]

You threw me Rick. Is the supposed to be 39 SBK instead of 30 grn ?

Correct Bill. Good catch, just typing too fast. My error has been corrected, thanks.

I'm not speaking for Rick, however if your smith creates a non-SAMMI chambering they will usually stamp the side of the barrel. My custom 204 Ruger has "204 Ruger .228 NK" engraved on the side of the barrel as a warning/reminder that factory ammo will not fit.

Again, correct as Skipper noted. I have not shot a factory round in any of my rifles, big game or varmint in decades. So when going the custom reamer route for the best accuracy possible, most times you give up the ability to shoot factory ammo. Not an issue for those who understand all that's involved, but important to point out for newbies looking for that accuracy unicorn.

[skipper]

Good point Skipper. I know two of my barrels were marked as such by the gunsmiths. One by the old Xcaliber marker/owners and one by Bob Green.
Nice touch they do or did and that way you know what it is.

I think they do that for liability concerns. An unmarked barrel could lead to a disaster. Speaking of which, if you do go the custom reamer route you have to be aware that if you load into the lands the pressures go up accordingly. That's why I chose to forego having an ejector on my custom rifle. I don't own equipment that will determine pressures but I assume they are pretty high. Having an ejector groove on my bolt face didn't seem wise, beside the fact that I didn't want my fully prepped cases flung all over the place. The firing pin hole has a bushing as well.

[jsh]

Preferred barrels etches the caliber and twist. I have been happy with the two I have. But, the etching is anything but subtle, big and loud enough Ray Charles could see it. Wraps all the way around, so no matter where it is indexed it can be seen.

I have to do enough work on the 6,22 and 20 BR cases. As much as I have started using a 204, I don’t want to turn 1K of brass.

When I got PO’d about availability of 221 brass and made my own for the 20VT I turned enough to last me a long while.

A good barrel, a good chamber and close attention to building ammo goes a long way over the top of factory barrels, chamberings and throats.

[Bill K]

Preferred barrels etches the caliber and twist. I have been happy with the two I have. But, the etching is anything but subtle, big and loud enough Ray Charles could see it. Wraps all the way around, so no matter where it is indexed it can be seen.

I have a few Preferred barrels and they have been great. But you are correct on how they etche the caliber, etc on. The center section and wrap around style is one I had never seen before, but I don't mind it. I have had really good conversations with Bryce also.

[skipper]

jsh, are you talking about neck turned cases? I just keep about 25 - 30 fully prepped cases on hand. I take care of them and only replace whenever in need. Once fired they are fire formed to my chamber and only get neck sized until the need to bump the shoulders back. I have no need for a thousand cases sitting around. I'm wondering why anyone would need that many turned cases?

[Bill K]

I don't neck turn unless I really have to.
As for more than 25 or so rounds on hand, When I am out in a pivot shooting those pesky GS I will fire over 50 round with no problem and often more at one field.

[jsh]

Skipper, on the BR’s, 6,22 and 20 I have 200 for each.
My use for a 204 is not a major paper puncher, I am satisfied with sub MOA groups. It has replaced a fair bit of my 223 shooting. Colony varmint shooting, I hate crawling around looking for a piece of dropped brass.
The 204, I will just say I have a pile of factory ammo, and “enough” brass.
I am not a hoarder, I buy in bulk when there is savings to be had. I have ate my share of hotdogs, Mac&Cheese and ramen noodles. The brass I bought from a fellow that was going to make his fortune loading and selling ammo. The ammo, I bought was factory loads, cost was cheaper than the brass. Had a couple of buddies that shoot 204, just knew they would jump on such a great deal. Didn’t happen as they both pleaded poverty. So I kept the bulk of it. 15 years later they want it, I am not a bank. I doubled the cost I had in it and it’s still a bargain by today’s standards, not as good of friends as I thought.