Select match barrels come pre lapped. Depends on the manufacturer. Some lap after reaming, then rifles, then lap again. Some only lap one time. NO BARREL MAKER OF REPUTE askes you to lap the barrel after you receive it. Lapping is an art. Developed only after years of work in the barrel making business. As to these advertisments about bullets coated with lapping compound....yuk......just another way of wearing out your barrel early. It is either a select match grade barrel or it is something else. You don't want the something else.
Donald
Just to through this out there I've been having great luck with McGowen barrels, granted they are button rifled they are hand lapped and the few I have shoot very good and clean easy also, they will take a few rounds down the barrel before they calm down but hey they are not Krieger cut rifled barrels hand lapped like on my 243 but then again the difference in price I would guess to be around .200 @ 100
I believe the bigest factor in an accurate rifle is the person who chambers and installs the barrel! I've seen some real nice barrels that would not shoot to be taken off and sold and nother person cut them back and rechamber and they shoot fine. That expensive Krieger barrel I have started out life as a 6mm Akley, the guy said it would not shoot! I gave him $50 for the barrel took it to my guy who cut it back rechambered and rethreaded and the barrel shoots lights out now! I've seen cheap ER Shaw barrels put on by this guy and they will scare you how accurate they are. Either way you go be sure of the persons skill that is intalling the barrel. Later,
Kirk
I believe the bigest factor in an accurate rifle is the person who chambers and installs the barrel! I've seen some real nice barrels that would not shoot to be taken off and sold and nother person cut them back and rechamber and they shoot fine. That expensive Krieger barrel I have started out life as a 6mm Akley, the guy said it would not shoot! I gave him $50 for the barrel took it to my guy who cut it back rechambered and rethreaded and the barrel shoots lights out now! I've seen cheap ER Shaw barrels put on by this guy and they will scare you how accurate they are. Either way you go be sure of the persons skill that is intalling the barrel. Later,
Kirk
Shawn,
My Savage really likes the 155gr Lapua scenars. Put one of those over like 46grs of Varget and see if that gets you what you're looking for.
I put 10 of those into a group measuring less than .5in tall and .75in wide in a very gusty day.
Mine won't shoot SMK's very well, but it does like the 178gr A-Max's over 44gr of Varget.
I say shoot the wee out of it before you give up.
My Savage really likes the 155gr Lapua scenars. Put one of those over like 46grs of Varget and see if that gets you what you're looking for.
I put 10 of those into a group measuring less than .5in tall and .75in wide in a very gusty day.
Mine won't shoot SMK's very well, but it does like the 178gr A-Max's over 44gr of Varget.
I say shoot the wee out of it before you give up.
I'm going to have to try your recipe in my Savage when I get my .308 dies.
Hmmm, well I think I found the load finally. Nosler 168gr Match pushed by 43grs of Varget out of NATO GGG '04 cases so I'm close to a compressed load. At 44grs the the bullet is crunching the powder. I shot some of them this way but they weren't quite as accurate as the 43's. I was putting the 5 shot groups in less than one inch hole so I'm extrememly happy with that. I know with a better shooter it could get tighter but for me I'm happy with them.
I think I might try the lighter Lapua's just for grins. Been reading good things about them. Thanks for the heads up GT!
