Categories:
- Accuracy Theory
- Alloy (stainless and chromoly)
- Break in help
- Barrel Length
- Chambering
- Choosing a Caliber
- Cleaning
- Crowning
- Finishing (bluing and bead blasting)
- Fluting & Octagon
- Muzzle Brakes
- Neck Diameters
- Pressure
- Reloading Tips
- Twist Rates
- Turning
| Accuracy Theory |
What makes a rifle accurate? The million dollar question right? Unfortunately, theres no easy solution. Shooters, especially the bench rest variety, have sought to adequately answer it since the advent of the modern high powered rifle. If youve talked to any serious shooters, youll know that everyone has a unique and sometimes extreme, take on the situation. Like the rest of the world, I posses my own theory about accuracy, and like the rest of the world, I like to think that Im right. I dont want you to take what I say as the gospel truth by any means. I am simply going to offer you what knowledge Ive come across through the years.
Accuracy and everything involved in achieving it can be simplified down to one basic principal; Consistency. Simple, right? In a way, yes. Everything you do from the point you begin loading ammo to the moment you pull the trigger will affect the way your gun shoots. The length you trim your brass, the amount of pressure you use when full length sizing or the whether or not you remembered to wipe off the case lube can create inconsistency which, in turn, will open up your group size. There are dozens of variables that come together each time you pull the trigger. Most people assume that case trimming and primer pocket truing is done because a square and concentric case will shoot more accurately than one that has flaws. Not exactly true. We do that because thats the best way to make every case identical. If every case is identical then they will sit in the chamber more consistently from shot to shot. However, if you had 20 cases that were all flawed in an identical way you could theoretically achieve the same result. Does that mean you have to become obsessive compulsive about your loading? Not really. If you are a guy just looking to shoot an Elk at 200 yards, then it really doesnt affect your game plan much. Dont sweat the small stuff if you only need sub MOA to get by. If you want to compete in bench rest, though, you should probably pay attention.
To really see where consistency comes into play you need to imagine what takes place when you fire a round. First, you apply pressure to the trigger. The trigger releases the sear. The hammer/firing pin then begins its forward movement to the primer. The pin strikes the primer igniting a small burst into the powder column of the case. The powder burns from the breech end forward generating pressure in the form of gas. The gas propels the bullet out of the case neck and into the throat of the chamber. The throat provides a guide for the bullet as it accelerates into the rifling and down the bore. The expanding gas, at the same time, generates a backward thrust against the breech face causing the rifle to recoil. As the rifle travels backwards under recoil, the bullet accelerates down the bore and exits at the crown. The gas exits just behind it relieving the pressure. When you look at it broken down into steps like that, its easy to see all the little things that could be minutely different each firing. The number and magnitude of things that vary during that process will ultimately determine how close together each bullet strikes on your target.
Now, we come to the part most people associate with accuracy; the load. Some of you may have noticed that your rifle likes a particular brand of ammo or a particular bullet. Whats going on? If you choose a load out of a manual and are consistent with everything you do, the gun should shoot great right? Sorry to say, thats not always the case.
When you load for a gun, what you are really doing is tuning your barrel. Imagine a tuning fork when you strike it against something hard. It vibrates in waves. When your rifle fires it does the same thing. If you vary your powder charge, seating depth or bullet weight, you are changing the frequency of that vibration. What exactly are we tuning to you might ask? Its all about exit time. Exit time is the point in the wave at which the bullet exits the bore. Waves have peaks and valleys. Optimally, you would want your bullet to exit at one of these points. When you are testing loads and bumping up or down a grain or two, you are searching for that optimal exit time.
Is changing a load the only way to do it? Not at all. You might have seen the Browning Boss system of muzzle brake floating around. If youve ever used one youll know that it gives the option of adjusting the brakes position on the barrel. What you are doing by moving the brake is changing the harmonics of the barrel, thus changing exit time of the bullet. Its pretty handy for people who dont reload. It gives them the option of making small adjustments to harmonics using the same factory ammo. You also may have seen a few odd forend configurations out there that have a pressure screw that contacts the barrel. It allows you to apply varying degrees of pressure to the barrel. Again, varying the pressure applied to the barrel will change the harmonics. I dont recommend that method, however. It seems to yield inconsistent results at best. In fact, the reason people glass bed rifles is to avoid putting any pressure on the barrel at all.
Now you know the basic principals that govern rifle accuracy. You may disagree with some of the things Ive said, but remember, its just my theory. In the interest of keeping this short, I touched on the most important points and only briefly on those. However, if you take whats here and apply it to your shooting practices, I can virtually guarantee great results.
| Alloy (Stainless or Blued) |
Q: Is stainless more accurate than a blued barrel?
A: In my experience, no. You may talk to people who will swear up and down that stainless barrels are more accurate than a chromoly barrel. However, Ive not been able to tell a difference in the barrels we build. Both seem to shoot equally as well as last an equal amount of shots. Ive also never come across a reliable test or article dealing with this issue. Having said that, my recommendation would be to buy what you like or to buy what you need. If rust is an issue, go with stainless.
| Break a barrel in |
Q: How do I break my barrel in?
A: Because we use Shilen barrel blanks to build our product, I recommend their break in procedure. You can find it here. <- link this to the break in procedure page.
Q: If I dont follow the procedure exactly will it ruin my barrel?
A: No. The procedure offered is merely a good guideline. I have customers who dont even bother to break in their barrels and they seem to get quite good results. My advice is to try it and see what you think. If you think you have a better method, dont be afraid to give it a try as well. You wont hurt the barrel by doing so.
| Barrel Length |
Q: How do I choose the optimal barrel length?
A: Optimal is a term that is entirely relative to the shooter. What one man may think is perfect, the next wont. Choose a barrel length based on what you are going to be doing with the rifle. If its a rifle that you plan to carry on long hikes, then weight will be a factor and you should choose accordingly. However, if you are strictly going to shoot it off the bench, the length will be determined by how far you will be shooting and what caliber you choose. For example, if you are shooting a 308 Winchester, there is little sense in having a barrel longer than 26 inches since you will get all the velocity that caliber can provide within 26 inches of rifling. A 300 Ultra Mag, on the other hand, can benefit from a longer barrel. So, take a look at what caliber you want as well as what you will be doing with the gun and that will give you a reasonable barrel length.
Q: How much velocity am I going to lose per inch of barrel?
A: Because every barrel shoots a little differently, its hard to pin a number on that. Ive found a good rule of thumb to go by is approximately 50-75 fps per inch of barrel. Thats obviously going to vary from caliber to caliber, but its close enough to give you an idea.
Q: Are shorter barrels more accurate?
A: Yes. The reason for this is that the bullet is in the bore for a shorter period of time. When you fire the gun and it begins to recoil, the bullet is still traveling down the bore. It stands to reason that if you shorten the amount of bore, and by doing so, shorten the length of time the bullet spends in a moving bore, that you will increase the accuracy of each shot. This is only true up to a point, however. The bullet needs enough bore to stabilize. This is the reason you see most bench rest shooters with 18-22 barrels. You seem to see diminishing returns if you start going shorter than that.
| Chambering |
Q: How is a chamber cut?
A: We use precision ground cutting tools known as Chamber Reamers . They are a hardened, ground reamer that is cut to exactly cartridge size. Imagine a reamer that is the exact shape of a 30-06 case and youll just about have it. We chuck the barrel up in a lathe making certain that its running true (that it doesnt wobble) and we slowly run this reamer into the barrel. We use a precision ground gauge to check for headspace. We also have special reamers to modify the throat and neck of a chamber to what ever a customer specifies. After weve cut the chamber with a reamer we use a series of abrasive papers to polish the chamber smooth. If its done correctly, you now have a chamber that is exactly reamer size and runs perfectly concentric with the outside of the barrel.
Q: Do you use removable pilots or fixed?
A: We use removable pilots for all but a handful of reamers. If you email me and ask about a certain caliber, I can tell you.
Q: What are your headspace tolerances?
A: We chamber to within one thousandth on our gauge. We dont have a +/- tolerance for chambers that we settle for. We believe that headspace should be exact.
Q: If I send you a reamer, will you use it for my barrel?
A: Yes. Bear in mind, however, that we cant guarantee the dimensions of that chamber. Only that it will be exactly reamer size. So, be certain of your reamer specs before you send it in.
Q: Can I have a custom throat length?
A: Yes. We ask that you provide us with a dummy round (a case with a bullet seated where you would like your throat) to help us gauge how to cut the throat. Weve found this to be the most reliable method of getting a custom throat right.
Q: Can you do a tight neck?
A: Yes. We have a series of necking reamers for every bore diameter. If you let us know what diameter you plan to turn your case necks down to, we can provide a chamber with the proper neck diameter.
| Choosing a Caliber |
Q: What chambering should I get?
A: Like barrel length, the question of what cartridge to shoot is answered by what you plan to use the rifle for. If you want to shoot off the bench at targets, then a bench rest cartridge such as a 6mm BR or a 6mm PPC would be your best choice. If you want to hunt mule deer, a nice 7-08 or 270 Winchester would do quite well. There are dozens of chamberings for every shooting application imaginable. Its simply a matter of narrowing down what you want that rifle to do for you and choosing a cartridge that fits the bill. If you are a real beginner, it wouldnt hurt to look through some reloading manuals and ask a few friends for advice. You can even ask us to make a suggestion. Wed be happy to.
Q: What is the best cartridge out there?
A: There is no single best cartridge. There are very good cartridges for different applications. There are also some that qualify as good all purpose rounds. By that, I mean they will perform a wide range of jobs reasonably well. A 25-06 for example can do double duty for both varmint hunting as well as small to medium game hunting. A 7mm Winchester Short Magnum is capable of taking anything in North America. You can see there is no answer to the best caliber question. Its all a matter of personal taste. Shoot what makes you comfortable.
Q: What are the limits to what I can shoot in the Encore rifle?
A: Well do anything up to a 300 Win Mag. Anything above that in pressure
begins to stray into the unknown for us. By that, I mean that we cannot 100%
guarantee safety. We wont do a 300 Ultra Mag, for example, because we
are not perfectly confident of the Encores ability to stand up to the
pressure. We have strong suspicions that it can, but we arent willing
to do it if we cant be absolutely sure of it. Don't ask us to bend this
rule. We won't.
| Cleaning |
Q: What is the best method for cleaning my barrel?
A: Every long time shooter usually has their own cleaning method. If it gets all the copper out with minimal effort then its a good system. I can suggest a few things that I like to do, though. Im not fond of brushing my barrels. I generally use a good solvent first. I saturate the bore and let it sit for approximately 20 mins before running a dry patch through it. I repeat this method until I get clean patches out of the barrel. This method works well for a barrel that is only moderately fouled. However, if your barrel is really bad, you may have to take it a step further. For extra dirty barrels I use a mildly abrasive bore paste. You can buy it at most sporting goods stores or from midways catalog. Generously spread the bore paste out on a patch. I like to mix a small amount of Kroil to soften it up a bit. Then, scrub the barrel from the chamber to the crown. Dont push the patch all the way out of the bore. Push it right up to the crown then pull it back. Do this 15-20 strokes with the same patch. Repeat this process using a new patch as many times as it takes to clean the barrel up. The advantage to this method is that you are basically hand lapping the barrel every time you clean it. The more you use the bore paste, the smoother the barrel becomes. Over time, you will have a very smooth barrel that fouls little.
Q: Will using a copper brush hurt my barrel?
A: For a blued barrel, no. However, its not a good idea to use one on a stainless barrel. Stainless has a lower surface hardness than chromoly (blued steel). Because of that, its much easier to scratch. If you must use a brush on a stainless barrel, make certain its teflon or some other form of plastic.
Q: Can I damage my barrel when cleaning it?
A: If you are not careful, you can damage your crown or throat. Make sure your cleaning rods are made of a soft metal like aluminum or brass and that your jags are of the same steel. Using a rod made of steel can possibly ding your crown or scratch your throat. Just be aware of the possibility when you are cleaning and you should be ok.
| Crowning |
Q: Is the crown really that important?
A: When your bullet exits the bore, the last thing it touches is the crown. If the crown is not perfectly cut all the way around, the bullet can drag on one side longer than the other. That could alter the trajectory of the bullet significantly. Also, if the crown is damaged or has a burr on it, that will affect the bullet as it exits. If your crown is cut perfectly perpendicular to the bore, on the other hand, the bullet will exit the bore with consistency. This eliminates one more variable in chain of events leading to great accuracy.
Q: How do you cut your crowns?
A: We cut each barrel by a method that is known as point cutting . This is done on a lathe using a pointed cutting tool rather than using a piloted crowning tool. Doing it on the lathe allows us to set the barrel up running concentric to the bore. Then, we pull the cutting tool out at an 11 degree angle. This gives us an even, sharp edge at the bore and also leaves a nice finish on the rest of the crown. We cut a little deeper than is necessary to recess the crown. This helps protect it from everyday use. Pulling the gun in and out of a case or walking through the brush when hunting can harm your crown. By recessing it, it is better protected from those kinds of accidents.
Q: How can I tell if my crown is bad?
A: There are a couple of things to look for when examining your crown. If you have a magnifying glass, you can use it to take a close look at the edge of the bore. It should be an even, sharp cut all 360 degrees around. Look for obvious signs of damage such as a burr or a ding. Look for places that are rounded or worn down on the edge. Also, if you shoot the rifle a dozen times, the powder residue left on the crown will leave a pattern. Examine the pattern for symmetry. It should be a nice and even star-like pattern. If it has noticeable flaws, then your crown may have some damage.
| Finishing |
Q: How do you blue a barrel?
A: Bluing is done by submerging the barrel in a tank of heated salts. The exact formula of the salt is still a mystery to me. We buy the salts already mixed, and simply add the heat and water. Bluing is essentially controlled, accelerated rust. Its used in the gun industry because its a finish that does not change surface dimensions. Most of the parts inside a firearm are precisely machined and require a very close fit. Its a must that the finish doesnt alter that fit in any way. Bluing is perfect in that respect. The only down side to a blued finish is durability. Its easy to scratch or rust a blued finish. It also wears off over time. If its properly cared for, a blued barrel can stay looking nice for as long as you own it.
Q: How do you do a matte finish?
A: We get our matte finish by bead blasting the barrel. Bead blasting is different from sand blasting, although a lot of people will interchange the terms without realizing it. Bead blasting is done with tiny round glass beads. It leaves a smoother satin finish than blasting done with actual sand. Sand blasting is done with fine abrasive sand (the same kind youd find at the sand dunes). Its mainly used to prepare a surface for paint or primer because of the rough dull finish it leaves.
Q: How is your coated finish done?
A: We use a product called KG Gun Coat. Its a teflon based coating that sprays on extremely thin. We prep the barrel first by sand blasting it. Next, we pre-heat the barrel to remove all the moisture from the surface. After spraying the coating on, we cook the barrel at 325 degrees for an hour to cure it.
| Fluting & Octagon |
Q: What are the benefits of fluting a barrel?
A: This is a pretty common question in the shooting industry. The greatest benefit of fluting and the main reason I recommend it is the weight reduction that it provides. In a full length Encore barrel it can reduce the weight close to a full pound. Thats a significant amount in a barrel that only weighs 4 pounds to begin with. Of course, the shorter the barrel becomes, the less the weight reduction will be. The next benefit of fluting is cooling. Theoretically, it cools the barrel faster due to the increase in surface area. Picture an air cooled motorcycle engine. The head generally has small fins all over it. They do that to increase the surface area of the motor and also to promote better air flow around it. I use the word theoretically because Ive never read about an actual test being done. Im sure someone, somewhere has tested the validity of the cooling theory, but Ive never seen the results. Another benefit of fluting that is often talked about is the stability of the barrel. Again, theoretically, by increasing the surface area of the barrel you are increasing the strength. In the engineering world surface area = strength. Ive never heard about a test being done on this theory either. Finally, the last and most popular reason for fluting a barrel is looks. A barrel just looks cooler when its fluted.
| Muzzle Brakes |
Q: What is a muzzle brake?
A: A muzzle brake is a series of holes drilled in the end of a barrel that vents the gas to the side of the barrel rather than out the front. The purpose of a muzzle brake is to reduce recoil. By venting the gas to the side of the barrel in a 360 degree pattern rather than blowing it out the front it eliminates the thrust that gas normally produces. Of course, gas is not the only factor involved in recoil, so it cant eliminate all of it. You can count on approximately a 30% reduction in recoil. That will vary from caliber to caliber. To put that into perspective, it will make a 7mm Remington Mag feel like shooting a 30-06. That a pretty big difference.
Q: What is the down side to a muzzle brake?
A: There are a couple of downsides to a muzzle brake. First, they make the gun extremely noisy. Because the gas is coming out the side rather than front, more of the noise comes back with it. You can feel a large difference in both felt concussion and volume of the blast. If you have a muzzle brake on your barrel you simply must wear hearing protection if you value your hearing. It will cause hearing damage if you repeatedly shoot it without. That can be quite a bothersome problem for a rifle that you plan to hunt with frequently.
The second downside to a brake is the dust it can create if you shoot in the prone position or from a bipod. The gas venting down can create quite a dust storm. Ive even heard stories of shooters shattering their windshields by shooting across the hood of their truck with a muzzle brake. If you have a brake, you need to be a bit more careful how you shoot.
Q: Does a muzzle brake affect accuracy?
A: If it is done properly, the brake should not affect accuracy at all. It will, however, affect the harmonics of the barrel and you may need to adjust your load accordingly. On the other hand, a poorly done muzzle brake can cause serious problems. If the brake is not aligned right the bullet can strike one edge as it exits the barrel. That obviously will cause your accuracy to be nonexistent. Ive also seen ¾ brakes (brakes that are drill on ¾ of the barrel instead of going all the way around) affect accuracy to large degree. When the gas pushing behind the bullet exits the barrel and enters the expansion chamber in the brake, it needs to be able to vent evenly or it could alter the trajectory of the bullet.
Q: Will a muzzle brake affect the point of impact?
A: Yes. A thread on muzzle brake will affect the point of impact to a large degree. When you sit down to sight the rifle in, youll generally have the brake on rather than the cap that covers the threads. Then, after you have adjusted the rifle how you want it, youll generally take the brake off and put the thread cap on to go hunting. The problem is that once you remove the brake it changes the weight and harmonics of the barrel. If you sit back down after taking the brake off and shoot another group youll notice that is has shifted. Ive seen it change as much as 6 to 8 inches off target. Thats quite a difference. If you have a thread on brake system, its a good idea to sight it in with the brake off if thats how you plan to shoot it when you are hunting.
Q: Does a closable brake change the point of impact?
A: A small amount if any. A closable brake, is a muzzle brake system we build that allows the shooter to turn the brake on and off as desired. You arent removing anything by turning the brake off, so you arent changing the barrel weight and harmonics. It does change the way the gas vents, though. Because of that, the point of impact can change a small amount. In the tests weve done. Its generally not noticeable. Weve seen it change as much as 1 inch in the worst cases. Thats something that can be tolerable to most hunters.
Q: Which brake would be the best for my rifle?
A: That will depend on what you plan to use it for and whether or not you plan on having hearing protection with you. An integral brake (the brake is drilled right into the end of the barrel and is not removable) is the easiest and cheapest brake to do. Because it is machined into the end of the barrel itself instead of being threaded, its impossible to remove or turn off the brake. When you take this gun hunting, you need to plan for that by bringing hearing protection. If you are not opposed to that and its not a big problem for you, thats the brake Id recommend. If you dont want to be bothered with always having ear plugs with you, then you should consider one of the other two. By far the most convenient brake is the closable. Its also the most expensive. If you can afford it, thats the best choice in most circumstances. The thread on is a little cheaper, but it also has the problem of changing point of impact dramatically.
When deciding which is right for you, consult your wallet and then look at what you will be using the gun for.
| Neck Diameters |
Q: Do I need a tight neck for my chamber?
A: The reason people get a tight neck in their chambers is to allow them to turn the necks on their brass and still have a close fit between brass and chamber. Shooters turn their case necks to make certain they are concentric. If you turn your case necks and you have a standard chamber, you could end up with a large difference in size between the two. This will over work your brass because it has to expand to fit the chamber then its sized back down in the full length die.
Q: If I want a tight neck how do I know what size to get?
A: Most customers leave that decision up to us. Just tell us that youd like a tight neck and well fill in the blanks. If you know exactly what size you want, we have a large selection of neck reamers and can usually get pretty close.
Q: What if I need a neck that is larger than standard?
A: We have a good selection of neck diameters larger than standard, however, its rare that they are ever needed. The only situation that comes to mind is certain Lapua and Lazzeroni chamberings that require a larger neck.
| Pressure |
Q: How can I tell if Im getting too much pressure with my rifle?
A: There are several signs of pressure that you can look for. First, check the primer of a fired case to see how flat it is. If you have a very flat primer its a good sign that you are on the warm side. Also, check the firing pin dent. If you have primer flowing around the pin and leaving a burr, thats another sign. You should be able to feel it by scraping your fingernail over it. Next, pay attention to how your cases extract. If they are sticking in the chamber or difficult to extract thats another sign. In some extreme cases the gun will stick closed and you wont be able to open it at all. Thats pretty rare, but it can happen.
Q: Can the G2 frame stand more pressure than the Contender?
A: Weve often speculated whether or not the G2 can take more pressure. There are several calibers out there that have previously been just out of range of the Contender. It would be very nice to know whether or not the G2 can handle these calibers. From an engineering standpoint, it looks to me like it should be able to handle more. So far, though, the factory hasnt offered anything larger in the G2 than they had in the Contender. Because of that, we are forced to limit what we will chamber in it.
| Reloading Tips |
Q: My gun wont close even though Im full length sizing my brass. Is my chamber too short?
A: Most of the time, thats not the case. We are very diligent in checking the headspace of our barrels several times before they leave our shop. Its very rare that one goes out of here wrong. In my experience, its usually the way people full length size that ends up being the problem. The sizing press is made of cast iron and is generally very strong. However, there is some flex to it. When you adjust your die down to the case holder, its not enough to just drop the handle and move the die down to touch the top of the case holder. Once youve done that you need to raise the handle back up and drop the die down another 1/8 to ¼ turn. Then, when you pull the handle and the case holder touches the bottom of the die, you can press a little harder and it will break over center. That gives you just a little extra force to take up the small amount the press flexes. 9 times out of 10 this will solve the problem.
Q: Can I use previously fired brass for my gun?
A: I usually tell people no to this question. When you fire brass it will expand to fit the chamber it is fired in. Sizing it down is supposed to return it to the original state, but brass has a memory and it doesnt always work as planned. It always retains some of its original shape. If you fire it in a chamber that is too big or too deep, you will never be able to get it sized down to fit a chamber that is the proper dimensions. Having said that, you can try it and see how it goes. Sometimes you get lucky and it works, but thats not the norm. Dont buy hundreds of used brass and expect it to work flawlessly in your Match Grade Machine barrel.
Q: I have a tight neck chamber; do I need a special die?
A: Yes, if you have a tight necked chamber and turn your case necks, you will need to acquire a die that has a tighter neck or a die that has interchangeable bushings. Redding sells dies that use a carbide bushing to size the neck. That way you can get any diameter you need for a particular neck diameter. You need to plan for that if you want to turn your necks. If you size a turned case in a regular die it may have trouble hold the bullet tight enough. Your bullets may fall out or slip and throw off your seating depth.
Q: I have a noticeable ring forming on my cases about ½ up from the bottom. Should I be concerned?
A: Only if you have cases that separate prematurely. A case should get between 4 to 8 firings depending on the cartridge. A high pressure round like a 223 WSSM will not last as long as a 45-70, because its being put through a lot more stress. In almost all cases you will start to see a small expansion ring form about ¼ to 1/2 inch from the bottom of the case. This is normal and not something to be worried about. The web of the case is solid brass and doesnt expand like the rest of the case. Most brass is made a few thousandths under chamber size. So, when the rest of the case expands to fit the chamber, the web stays the same size. That causes the ring you see. Its pretty common and as long as your cases arent separating on the second shot, dont be concerned.
Q: How do I adjust the seating depth to be right for a particular chamber?
A: With the Encore and Contender barrels its very easy to adjust seating depth because we can remove the barrel from the frame and use it as a gauge. First take your forend off the barrel and remove it from the frame. Some people like to take their extractor out, but its not absolutely necessary. Seat your bullet so that you know it will be too long. Then, use a marker (I like the black sharpie markers for this) or some machinist die to color the bullet completely. Put the cartridge in the chamber and push it down until the bullet touches the lans. You can tell if youve touched the lans if you have rifling marks on the bullet where youve colored it. Use a pair of calipers or micrometers to measure how far the case is now sticking out of the chamber. Adjust your seating die accordingly. Then, test it again to make certain you are not touching. I like to give about 10 to 15 thousandths gap between bullet and lans. Some people like to give more. One thing I should caution you about is that the smaller the gap, the higher the chamber pressure will be. If you plan to touch the bullet to the lans to eliminate bullet jump, you will have to reduce your load accordingly.
| Twist Rates |
Q: What does twist rate mean?
A: Twist rate refers to how fast the rifling twists inside the bore. If a barrel is a 1-10 twist, it means the riflings go one full turn in 10 inches of barrel.
Q: Why do you need different twist rates for each barrel?
A: In order to stabilize a bullet, it needs to spin in a certain RPM range. You get the RPM from both the rate of twist and the velocity the bullet is moving. If you have a very fast rifle it needs a slower twist rate because you can achieve the same RPM by pushing the bullet faster. The twist rate will also vary depending on the diameter of the bullet. Large diameters dont need to spin as fast, so they will use a slower twist rate.
Q: How do I know what twist rate is right for my barrel?
A: In order to pick a twist rate for your barrel you need to decide on the weight of bullet you are going to shoot. For example, if you have a 223 Remington, the standard twist rate would be a 1-12. Thats what you would get if you went down to the local sporting goods store and bought a rifle. However, if you are planning to shoot 40 grain bullets, youd be better off with a 1-14 twist barrel. 40 grain bullets will travel much faster than the standard 50-55 grain bullets. So, you need a twist that is a little slower to achieve the same RPM range. If you are not sure of the twist you need, you can let us decide for you or we have a recommended twist chart from Shilen barrels that is an excellent guide.
| Turning |
Q: What is meant by turning a barrel?
A: Turning a barrel is the process that is used to machine it down to the right diameter and contour. The barrel is chucked up between centers on a lathe and spun while a ceramic cutter it used to remove metal until you get the desired diameter and shape. The key to making an accurate barrel is turning the barrel concentric with the bore. That means that the inside of the barrel runs true with the outside of the barrel.
