LRI chamber question

[jstamper1979]

I have the opportunity to purchase a brand new LRI 6.5 Creed pre-fit for the RPR at a good price. The catch is, it is throated for VLD’s, and I want to shoot Hornadys.

Has anyone shot Hornady factory ELD loads in an LRI throated for Bergers? Results?

I have reached out to LRI to see what they say.

Thanks!
Jonathan

 

[Skunkworx]

Is VLD chamber Berger specific ? I feel like vld chamber is a generic term for long high B.C. bullets to also include the eldm ?

 

[jstamper1979]

They have two different chambers/throats. I assume that the VLD chamber is shorter freebore, and might produce increased pressures with factory ammo.

I am not interested in squeezing every drop of velocity by seating ELD’s out to the lands of a chamber with increased freebore, so losing a little case capacity isnt a concern. I just want to make sure factory ammo (or handloads built to that COAL) would be safe/perform well in this chamber.

From their website:

“
6.5mm Creedmoor: 140 & 143 GRAIN ELD, ELD-X:

• Chambered/Throated in 6.5mm Creedmoor for factory Hornady 140 Grain A-max ammunition
• 1:8 Rate of twist

6.5mm Creedmoor-140GRAIN BERGER HYBRID:

• Chambered/Throated in 6.5mm Creedmoor for factory Hornady 140 Grain Berger Hybrid projectile
• 1:8 Rate of twist

 

[jstamper1979]

I got a very fast response from Chad at LRI...

“
Its -.03" in freebore. So, you may have a little pressure with Factory 143's due to different ogive geometry.

C.”


So, has anyone actually tried it?

 

[spife7980]

“-.030”

.030 less than the other

 

[jstamper1979]

“-.030”

.030 less than the other

And he said the other (Amax) chamber was basically SAAMI. So, I suppose the Berger chamber is about .170 freebore.

I’m going to give it a whirl. I figure I can have it rethroated if necessary.

 

[jstamper1979]

Well, I picked up the barrel, and the factory ammo jams the lands for sure, with some primer cratering and somewhat erratic velocities.

But, I just seated the bullets a little deeper, and it works great. I stuck a Lee hand press in my range bag, and while I’m traveling (main reason for buying factory ammo) I can bump the bullets back in a box of ammo in just a minute.

Getting sub-0.5MOA with Hornady 140 Match, bumping them 0.035” deeper than from the factory. Haven’t quite found the magic seating depth for the American Gunner, it’s running around 0.75–1 MOA.

On another note, I’m getting 2750 fps from the 140 Match.

 

[Silvan]

LRI makes 6.5 Creedmoor chambers with .2975 neck and .199 free bore as far as I know. Supposed to be enough room for all Hornadies and hybrids. Theoretically.

 

[jstamper1979]

LRI makes 6.5 Creedmoor chambers with .2975 neck and .199 free bore as far as I know. Supposed to be enough room for all Hornadies and hybrids. Theoretically.

Actually they make two chambers, one as you described, and one with 0.03” less freebore. Mine is the latter, and is stamped “6.5 Creedmoor Berger” right on the barrel.

Like I said, Hornady factory ammo definitely jams the lands in the shorter “Berger” chamber. It does provide an interesting opportunity to tailor the seating depth/jump distance with factory ammo, though...

 

[BurnOut]

LRI's chamber reamer specs are online: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...RY_3_20_2018_UPDATE.xlsx?18355213791081843550

 

[XLR308]

From my own research and the teachings of others on here as well as the insite from the people at Kelblys who chambered my barrel the .199" freebore was the way to go.

But my main interest was in the 147eldm and 150smk and have very little interest in factory ammo as I pretty much handload everything.

Bergers have been so hard to find lately, or atleast the 140hybrid that I wouldn't want a chamber based around anything specific to Berger that could handicap the use of the more readily available match ammo but that's just me.

 

[jstamper1979]

I wouldn't want a chamber based around anything specific to Berger that could handicap the use of the more readily available match ammo

Me either, it was just a great deal I couldn’t pass up!

 

[XLR308]

Me either, it was just a great deal I couldn’t pass up!

The good news is it would be very easy for you to have it changed to the .199 freebore if that's what you want.

 

[jstamper1979]

The good news is it would be very easy for you to have it changed to the .199 freebore if that's what you want.

Yeah, I was 50/50 on having my smith rethroat it before I even shot it, but he suggested I try the aforementioned re-seating path first. May still have it done some day, we’ll see.

If I stick with this RPR, I’m also thinking of having this barrel cut back to 20” or 22” for better handling while hunting. I didn’t do that already because I wasn’t (and still am not) completely sold on this package, and figured an unmodified LRI barrel would be easier to sell.

I will handload for it when I get time; I won’t make any decisions until then.

 

[jstamper1979]

 

[Crazy1323]

I dont think I would mess with it! Great group

 

[jstamper1979]

I dont think I would mess with it! Great group

Thanks!

I decided not to mess with the barrel, as I’m going to go to a little shorter/handier rifle for hunting. This rifle is listed in the classifieds now.

 

[hlee]

You should sell that barrel, or send it to someone for disposal. You missed the target 3 times!! ?