I picked up a Hornady OAL gauge and the appropriate dummy case for my .300WM Savage BA. I finally got my shipment of 168gr MatchKings (will switch to 190gr when I get more confident in my abilities and increase range) so I dropped one in and checked my OAL. SAAMI spec states 3.340" so I was expecting something near there. Instead I felt resistance and measured OAL at just over 3.9"! I know that can't be right since the pill is just about falling out of the neck. Is there really over a half inch of freebore on those barrels or might I be doing something wrong? Should I just reload to SAAMI spec or bring it to a smith to check the breech/barrel and get a second opinion?
Massive freebore on Savage 110 BA?
- Thread starter methos12
- Start date
Re: Massive freebore on Savage 110 BA?
I'd double check it. In mine everything except a Berger 300 hybrid (gen 1) seated to the lands at less than magazine length (~3.770").
If you can confirm it, call Savage customer support and see about sending it in.
Whoops. I was thinking .338LM, not .300WM. Still, double check it and call if it seems excessive.
I'd double check it. In mine everything except a Berger 300 hybrid (gen 1) seated to the lands at less than magazine length (~3.770").
If you can confirm it, call Savage customer support and see about sending it in.
Whoops. I was thinking .338LM, not .300WM. Still, double check it and call if it seems excessive.
Re: Massive freebore on Savage 110 BA?
Took it to the smith today to get a second opinion and he said that amount of freebore is probably there from the factory. Half inch still seems a little much but he said to load to spec and work my way out to magazine length if I don't see the accuracy I want.
Each time I extend OAL should I do another entire load development or just do a mini-development stepping back powder by 1/10 grain?
Took it to the smith today to get a second opinion and he said that amount of freebore is probably there from the factory. Half inch still seems a little much but he said to load to spec and work my way out to magazine length if I don't see the accuracy I want.
Each time I extend OAL should I do another entire load development or just do a mini-development stepping back powder by 1/10 grain?
Re: Massive freebore on Savage 110 BA?
FWIW... not all factory chambers are excessively long in the throat. Remington .308 Win chambers are kind of notorious for this, which may be what your gunsmith is referring to. Savage 6.5-284 and 6BR/8"tw throats are also indecently long - but their .308 Win and .223 Rem throats are not too long at all in my experience. No idea on their .300WM chambers; as I mentioned the throat on my .338LM is perhaps longer than 'book' OAL, but most bullets still fit in the magazine when seated to the lands. Just pointing out its not a hard and fast rule that factory throats are always excessively long, and it may be worth calling the factory anyways.
If you have a solid measurement for where the lands are, I don't think you need to do a full re-workup every time you move out a little, as long as you know you are still a ways away from the lands. To some degree, as the bullet moves out, the initial expansion volume goes up, and the pressure should go down a tad. As you approach the lands (within 0.030") you may want to be slightly more cautious, but if it were me... if I had a load that looked safe @ 50 thou off the lands, I wouldn't really expect it to suddenly start showing pressure signs until I was at or into the lands. The main reason I give as much as 0.030" as a buffer region to start being cautious is that different people's methods for measuring 'at the lands' can vary considerably - as much as 0.020".
FWIW... not all factory chambers are excessively long in the throat. Remington .308 Win chambers are kind of notorious for this, which may be what your gunsmith is referring to. Savage 6.5-284 and 6BR/8"tw throats are also indecently long - but their .308 Win and .223 Rem throats are not too long at all in my experience. No idea on their .300WM chambers; as I mentioned the throat on my .338LM is perhaps longer than 'book' OAL, but most bullets still fit in the magazine when seated to the lands. Just pointing out its not a hard and fast rule that factory throats are always excessively long, and it may be worth calling the factory anyways.
If you have a solid measurement for where the lands are, I don't think you need to do a full re-workup every time you move out a little, as long as you know you are still a ways away from the lands. To some degree, as the bullet moves out, the initial expansion volume goes up, and the pressure should go down a tad. As you approach the lands (within 0.030") you may want to be slightly more cautious, but if it were me... if I had a load that looked safe @ 50 thou off the lands, I wouldn't really expect it to suddenly start showing pressure signs until I was at or into the lands. The main reason I give as much as 0.030" as a buffer region to start being cautious is that different people's methods for measuring 'at the lands' can vary considerably - as much as 0.020".
Re: Massive freebore on Savage 110 BA?
Ya that is definitely a little long. I have the same rifle and i just measured one of the rounds that I loaded up this morning.
208 Amax .030 off lands
Winchester brass
3.590 COAL
2.860 Ogive
Have you fired any rounds through it yet?
Ya that is definitely a little long. I have the same rifle and i just measured one of the rounds that I loaded up this morning.
208 Amax .030 off lands
Winchester brass
3.590 COAL
2.860 Ogive
Have you fired any rounds through it yet?
Re: Massive freebore on Savage 110 BA?
It has 240 rounds down it already to break it in and get a small stockpile of brass built up. Those were all cheap factory ammo (Federal and Remington). I made a dummy round at SAAMI spec and it chambers OK.
I'll probably call Savage when they open on Monday and talk to someone there. If they think it's long would they just send a new barrel or would I be looking to send the entire rifle back?
It has 240 rounds down it already to break it in and get a small stockpile of brass built up. Those were all cheap factory ammo (Federal and Remington). I made a dummy round at SAAMI spec and it chambers OK.
I'll probably call Savage when they open on Monday and talk to someone there. If they think it's long would they just send a new barrel or would I be looking to send the entire rifle back?
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