Preferred barrel blanks (the company)

[DacianMH]

I just mean at what round count did you see an increase in velocity, some barrels are around 70-80, some around 150, just wondering how many rds to plan on before really starting load developement

Ok I get you now. Well I’d be lying if I told you I knew at this point. This is a new barrel brand and I still have to consider that maybe it will do as you say. My experience with Bartlein though is that you’re pretty much getting the velocity you’re getting even thousands of rounds in for the most part. You might see a very slight increase but it’s very small. I will try to update as the barrel gets more worn in. It is shooting the 85gr RDF’s extremely well for me right now and Midway has them marked down for clearance so I ordered a bunch more. I settled at 25gr of CFE223 but I’ll try to go up since there’s no pressure signs that I can tell of. I have slightly cratered primers but this happens for even the lowest charge weights for me because it’s a factory 223 Reminton 700 that’s been converted and supposedly the Remingtons are known for this regardless of warm loads or light loads.

 

[b6graham]

You’re in the middle of marginally stable, have your shot these at distance? how are they doing? I’ve never had anything that was marginally stable actually shoot well.

the 300NM as a 10 twist (the way they originally came) is marginally stable using 230 hybrid at 3100 at 40 degrees and 0 ASL

my example is like a worst case and it should still shoot. even berger says recommends 7 twist with that data for a 7% BC loss

 

[DacianMH]

the 300NM as a 10 twist (the way they originally came) is marginally stable using 230 hybrid at 3100 at 40 degrees and 0 ASL

my example is like a worst case and it should still shoot. even berger says recommends 7 twist with that data for a 7% BC loss

So you think maybe I have a dud barrel? I haven’t tried the 90gr VLD’s but the 90gr FGMM’s both factory and modified COAL and the 90gr fusions are not shooting for me out of my barrel. I have a 24” 1/7 twist Preferred Barrel Blanks barrel that’s for a Remage setup and I’m using a Manson Go-gage and barrel nut tightened to their specs and I can’t get better than a Bear paw group. I’m at 700 ft ASL. But I’m certain that barrel is spun up correctly because my 85gr RDF load shoots in the .4’s to .7’s on average.

 

[b6graham]

So you think maybe I have a dud barrel? I haven’t tried the 90gr VLD’s but the 90gr FGMM’s both factory and modified COAL and the 90gr fusions are not shooting for me out of my barrel. I have a 24” 1/7 twist Preferred Barrel Blanks barrel that’s for a Remage setup and I’m using a Manson Go-gage and barrel nut tightened to their specs and I can’t get better than a Bear paw group. I’m at 700 ft ASL. But I’m certain that barrel is spun up correctly because my 85gr RDF load shoots in the .4’s to .7’s on average.

more saying maybe its an 8 or 9 twist by accident.

or, it just doesnt like those two bullets. which can happen. hates Brand X but loves Brand Y. same weight class too.

 

[DacianMH]

more saying maybe its an 8 or 9 twist by accident.

or, it just doesnt like those two bullets. which can happen. hates Brand X but loves Brand Y. same weight class too.

Do you know how to check the twist rate to verify it? Anyone? I’m curious I’d like to try this if I can.

 

[MRiles]

Tight bore brush on your cleaning rod, a piece of masking tape wrapped on rod with a small black dot on it.
Measure travel length of 1 rotation, i.e. 8"..10" this will give you twist rate.

 

[Tremor3Guy]

Well my 260 barrel arrived yesterday. I’ll try to put together as much info on it as I can and document my journey. Starting with the install on my origin, headspace and then see how the oal compares to my current 260 barrel. I think I’m gonna throw 60-80 rds of just a mild generic load to see if I get much of a change in velocity before starting my load development. My current barrel is crazy fast pushing 140 gr up to 3050 fps but I don’t plan on that for this one. It will also be interesting to see how the zero shifts both between barrels and between installs as I do plan to have multiple barrels for this rifle in the future.

 

[Tremor3Guy]

So you think maybe I have a dud barrel? I haven’t tried the 90gr VLD’s but the 90gr FGMM’s both factory and modified COAL and the 90gr fusions are not shooting for me out of my barrel. I have a 24” 1/7 twist Preferred Barrel Blanks barrel that’s for a Remage setup and I’m using a Manson Go-gage and barrel nut tightened to their specs and I can’t get better than a Bear paw group. I’m at 700 ft ASL. But I’m certain that barrel is spun up correctly because my 85gr RDF load shoots in the .4’s to .7’s on average.

It seems on the inter webs lots of people have had issues with the 90gr class projectiles for whatever reason. If it shoots 85 that great just roll with that. Some times barrels just do or don’t like projectiles and there aren’t enough pbb out there to have all the details yet. The wrong twist rate is a possibility but unlikely I would imagine. I have zero experience with the Valkyrie, but I’m tempted to get one, so hopefully you get it figured out or decide the 85 are gonna do enough for ya.

 

[6cmShooter]

Finally got the time to rent my 224 valkyrie and to my dismay the tenon threads are no where near correct cant even get it to go two turns in. I'm very disappointed as I was planning on shooting it finally this weekend. My 308 barrel from them is perfect and threads on without any problem. Hoping they will make this right.

 

[Krob95]

Finally got the time to rent my 224 valkyrie and to my dismay the tenon threads are no where near correct cant even get it to go two turns in. I'm very disappointed as I was planning on shooting it finally this weekend. My 308 barrel from them is perfect and threads on without any problem. Hoping they will make this right.

So I had that problem as well when I had received my pre fit barrel for my tikka. Called them and they sent me a paid label and got it back a week later.

 

[Ranger Bob]

Finally got the time to rent my 224 valkyrie and to my dismay the tenon threads are no where near correct cant even get it to go two turns in. I'm very disappointed as I was planning on shooting it finally this weekend. My 308 barrel from them is perfect and threads on without any problem. Hoping they will make this right.

Disappointing but, from what I've seen reported, they will make it right.

Bob

 

[6cmShooter]

I messaged them today and was told I needed to send the barrel and action in cause they've never had an issue with the threads being wrong before. When I measured the tenon threaded though the 308s minor diameter is .003-.004 deeper than the 224, and the 308 barrel has a tight fit when screwing on. So I know it's not my action. Just waiting on there reply now.

 

[Tremor3Guy]

Well I got my 260 barre and it went on with zero issues. I was worried with all the reports of thread tenons not being correct, but for my origin action it was a perfect fit! In fact the threads had less slop than the barrel my smith put on there! Got it installed and the headspace seems spot on! Unfortunately I was not able to shoot it but I measured a few bullets to the lands and they are practically identical to my barrel from my smith. Must have used the same spec “match” reamer. 140s fit nicely in my mdt mag.



If you’re bored I attempted to make a video of the install.

 

[BoltActionBrotherhood]

I have two of their barrels both shout sub half moa

 

[want2learn]

Tremor....great video, thanks

 

[Krob95]

So holy shit this bad chicken can shoot. These are shots 518-538 on the barrel and rounds 40-60 after cleaning the bore. Didn’t get to run them over a chrono today but previous data for this load had them avg 2755fps and an sd of 10.3 across 10rds. Think this is gonna be my go to load until it sells. Running hornady brass, .290 neck bushing (Redding type s dies and comp seater) 20thou off lands and CCI BR lrp.

 

[Islas82]

Got my barrel back again and it threads in nicely to the receiver and everything. Going to try and make it by MHSA to have it headspaced and go to the range to get it on paper on Thursday!

Any updates? I just read that entire thread trying to convince myself to get a barrel for a Howa and RAR in 6.5cm and 6.5grendel.

 

[sleeplz]

X-caliber barrles. 1/2 moa and they have sales once every 3 months that make it worth it. $330 for a savage pre-fit is hard to beat and I've put over 2500 rounds through it with no issues.

 

[Krob95]

Any updates? I just read that entire thread trying to convince myself to get a barrel for a Howa and RAR in 6.5cm and 6.5grendel.

As mentioned in my post above yours, I’m seeing great results of out of my barrel from them.

 

[wade2big]

X-caliber barrles. 1/2 moa and they have sales once every 3 months that make it worth it. $330 for a savage pre-fit is hard to beat and I've put over 2500 rounds through it with no issues.

Do they post sales on their website?

When I called them a while back they would not make me a shouldered prefit for my Tikka or my Curtis Axiom. I don’t care to send my action in the mail. Maybe they will offer them in the future.

 

[sleeplz]

Do they post sales on their website?

When I called them a while back they would not make me a shouldered prefit for my Tikka or my Curtis Axiom. I don’t care to send my action in the mail. Maybe they will offer them in the future.

Yea, it's on the bottom of their page and it's automatically applied. I don't think they do Tikkas or Curtis's, although I asked and they said they would if the demand was high enough. I don't think they take actions and fit them custom but I could be wrong.

 

[wade2big]

Yea, it's on the bottom of their page and it's automatically applied. I don't think they do Tikkas or Curtis's, although I asked and they said they would if the demand was high enough. I don't think they take actions and fit them custom but I could be wrong.

They will fit them if you send in the action. They told me that.

 

[Danny1788]

I’ve chambered two preferred barrel blanks. Both have dialed in well and been 1/2moa shooters with hand loads. The price vs wait time. I’ll use them again but I need to test more before saying they are on par with high end barrel makers

 

[NHA1988]

Ordered my PBB 6.5 Creedmoor on 2.10.2020 and just got the shipping notification today - 3.2.2020 so 3 weeks to the day from order. I am really looking forward to getting this on my Tikka T3x. From other posts I am expecting good things.

 

[Islas82]

Ordered a 22” 6.5 grendel for a ruger american. Will post results when its here and installed.

 

[Chaseerickson12]

I have a 22” 6 Dasher Norma barrel I got in for a Bighorn Origin but I’m still waiting on the action. I also have a 24” 224 Valkyrie 1/7 but sadly it is NOT stabilizing the 90gr FGMM or the 90gr Fusion at all here in Fort Worth TX at 700 ASL. Here’s my 100y group from a bench rest with rear bag. I will need to get in contact with them and see what’s up with this.

did you get a update? I run 88eld only because I heard the 90smk were having problems

 

[NHA1988]

Ordered a 22” 6.5 grendel for a ruger american. Will post results when its here and installed.

? man I want to build a Grendel bolt gun so bad. Been thinking about it for years. Saw THLR do it on a Sako action a few years ago.

 

[Islas82]

Its definitely a fun round to play around with. Can’t wait to see what this barrel can do.

 

[Tremor3Guy]

Well I finally was able to take my 260 out to shoot. I’m excited! I threw together a mediocre load and shot. I had contacted PBB about break in and they told me to just shoot it. Typically that’s what I do but it’s nice to have barrel mfg companies getting along with the times. I put 45 rds through it. 35 of them were 140 eldm and i chronograph ed 25 rds at 2795 es 21 sd 10.1. First 5 rounds through the barrel went into .77” group! Now I’m typically a .5-.75 shooter, seems like
More on the .75 than not. So I think this barrel is shooting as well as I can hold. Second group after adjusting sights were shots 11-15 through the barrel going into a .73” group. Now this group I was doing a terrible job controlling the rear bag and rear of the rifle as you can see from the verticale stringing. I loaded 5 of the 140 HVLD BERGERS at the yellow dot which shot .97” and same speed and sd. I loaded 5 of the 130eldm and they shot at the green dot going 2835 sd 8.4 and a 1.12” group. Next, I shot at a rock 654 yds away and put 4 rds in a row which appears to me to all hit within a 3-5 inch spot. After about 100 rds I will load up a little ladder test and see where I get pressures and what kind of velocities I can get. So far I’m really impressed being its a pre fit for my origin! Gotta love being a gun enthusiast in this day and age!!

 

[DacianMH]

more saying maybe its an 8 or 9 twist by accident.

or, it just doesnt like those two bullets. which can happen. hates Brand X but loves Brand Y. same weight class too.

Well I confirmed it’s a 1/7, I ordered a 1/6.5 and that one does stabilize the 90gr Sierra and the 90gr fusion.

 

[DacianMH]

X-caliber barrles. 1/2 moa and they have sales once every 3 months that make it worth it. $330 for a savage pre-fit is hard to beat and I've put over 2500 rounds through it with no issues.

I’ve had bad luck with X-Calibers bores being odd center. I’ll pass.

 

[DacianMH]

I’ve chambered two preferred barrel blanks. Both have dialed in well and been 1/2moa shooters with hand loads. The price vs wait time. I’ll use them again but I need to test more before saying they are on par with high end barrel makers

I love mine, I have a 6Dasher Norma from them and two Valkyrie barrels. (long story) and when I found a load for them they work phenomenally. My 6Dasher with 105gr RDF’s and 31gr is Varget is a .3 shooter consistently.

 

[DacianMH]

Well I finally was able to take my 260 out to shoot. I’m excited! I threw together a mediocre load and shot. I had contacted PBB about break in and they told me to just shoot it. Typically that’s what I do but it’s nice to have barrel mfg companies getting along with the times. I put 45 rds through it. 35 of them were 140 eldm and i chronograph ed 25 rds at 2795 es 21 sd 10.1. First 5 rounds through the barrel went into .77” group! Now I’m typically a .5-.75 shooter, seems like
More on the .75 than not. So I think this barrel is shooting as well as I can hold. Second group after adjusting sights were shots 11-15 through the barrel going into a .73” group. Now this group I was doing a terrible job controlling the rear bag and rear of the rifle as you can see from the verticale stringing. I loaded 5 of the 140 HVLD BERGERS at the yellow dot which shot .97” and same speed and sd. I loaded 5 of the 130eldm and they shot at the green dot going 2835 sd 8.4 and a 1.12” group. Next, I shot at a rock 654 yds away and put 4 rds in a row which appears to me to all hit within a 3-5 inch spot. After about 100 rds I will load up a little ladder test and see where I get pressures and what kind of velocities I can get. So far I’m really impressed being its a pre fit for my origin! Gotta love being a gun enthusiast in this day and age!!

That’s excellent yeah I’m impressed with their barrels. I’m happy so far as well.

 

[NHA1988]

Got my 22” 6.5 Creedmoor PBB in today. First impressions are great. Beautiful barrel, although not the best picture. I’m excited to get this thing on my Tikka.

 

[Tremor3Guy]

Here’s a video of my first shots threw the PBB 260!
Bighorn Origin Preferred Barrel Blanks Part 2: First Shots

 

[0altern8]

Just ordered a 24" Stainless Steel Preferred Barrel Blank Taperless 810 countour spiral fluted Remage with 5/8" X 24 muzzle threading chambered in 280 Ackley Improved. External fluting and internal rifling are both 1:8 twist. Now we wait...

Thanks to all the posters here you helped me make my decision.

 

[NHA1988]

Finally able to get the tikka barrel Off.
Put the rifle together. Just need to shoot it and see what it can do.

 

[Harman117]

Got my 22” 6.5 Creedmoor PBB in today. First impressions are great. Beautiful barrel, although not the best picture. I’m excited to get this thing on my Tikka.

What contour is that, and is that the bead blasted finish?

 

[NHA1988]

What contour is that, and is that the bead blasted finish?

This is the .900 Varmint contour 22".

Yup, the bead blasted finish is really nice.

 

[Islas82]

What contour is that, and is that the bead blasted finish?

Am pretty sure they only do fluting on their taperless bsrrels.

 

[NHA1988]

Am pretty sure they only do fluting on their taperless bsrrels.

They can only do the super complex fluting on the taperless barrels (the honeycomb type or snakeskin one) the standard fluting can be done on a tapered barrel. The 900 Varmint is a 1.0600" down to .900" taper over whatever length specified.

 

[Tremor3Guy]

I now have 95 rds through this barrel. I saw a speed up. At shots 46-50 I was still at 2795. Shots 70-75 chronod 2845 and I had to take .2 off at 900 to keep hitting. I was hammering the 900 plate but when I shot my Last 5 shot group it opened up quite a bit, from the barrel speeding up I imagine.
One interesting thing I found, which I kinda wondered when I first got the barrel, is the breach end is slightly oversized. Inoticed some slight slop with new brass and my once fired brass showed about .002 bigger right at the web above the case head. After sizing it I could not get a piece of brass to go into my other match .260 chamber, it stopped right where the die stopped sizing. Don’t know if it’s a big deal or not as I don’t plan on swapping brass. Just an observation. I will start actual load developement soon hopefully.

 

[mtnhunter22]

100 rds through one of their barrels right now. Load dev this weekend. First 10 shots out of the gun that I shot on paper were all sub MOA. Also get to see their barrels shoot regularly at comps as I’m local to them. They shoot well.

 

[Islas82]

Just got shipping notification out of nowhere and mine is being delivered today! Nice surprise, will post pics upon arrival. Hopefully this covid-19 doesn’t get in the way and I can have someone install soon.

 

[santee116]

I got my barrel a few weeks back, minimal range time so far, but it definitely looks to be a shooter. It appears to be just as accurate as any other custom barrel I've ever had. I would buy another, no doubts.

 

[Islas82]

Just got my barrel looks really nice cant wait to have this installed!

 

[Islas82]

Did anyone encountered any issues trying to thread you new barrels? I was trying mine out and threads become very tight half way in. Not normal am guessing?

 

[Krob95]

Did anyone encountered any issues trying to thread you new barrels? I was trying mine out and threads become very tight half way in. Not normal am guessing?

Not normal. Give em a call and they’ll have you ship it back and they’ll fix it

 

[Islas82]

Not normal. Give em a call and they’ll have you ship it back and they’ll fix it

Just emailed them, will call monday if no response. Thank you

 

[kampr]

Did anyone encountered any issues trying to thread you new barrels? I was trying mine out and threads become very tight half way in. Not normal am guessing?

The one that was spun up for my Origin was snug, but was able to spin on by hand.
Did you apply a bit of anti-seize?