Shout out to Tikka on Barrel Longevity ...

[rustyinbend]

So knowing the lead times on custom barrels, and having over 3,000 rounds down-range through my original Tikka T3x TAC A1 in 6.5-CM ... I ordered a new barrel. It showed up about the same time as some new Peterson's cases. So I decided to use the old barrel to fireform the new cases before swapping it out. I built 200 cartridges with my usual recipe ... 43.0gn of StaBall 6.5, Berger 140 LRHT's, CCI LRP's, etc. ... that's given me great performance for literally "years". Went out to the range expecting mediocre results on an old barrel in the process of decommissioning, and brand new out-of-the-bag un-sized cases.

First shot - center bullseye at 100 yards with a cold barrel. Next nine shots, almost through the same hole. Took it out to 500 yards for the next 10 shots and hit a 12-inch gong center mass 10 out of 10. I went home with the other 180 cartridges and decided (a) I was giving up on my barrel too soon, and (b) it's great to have 180 finished cartridges to use for the first few spring competitions.

I am genuinely surprised at how well this original Tikka barrel shoots after over 3,000 rounds. I'm gonna leave the spare barrel in the closet, for as long as this thing is shooting lights out. Someday, I suppose it will get tired, and let me know it's time for a decent funeral ... but that day is not today.

 

[aprocast]

You might be waiting for a long time

 

[Kyley808]

So knowing the lead times on custom barrels, and having over 3,000 rounds down-range through my original Tikka T3x TAC A1 in 6.5-CM ... I ordered a new barrel. It showed up about the same time as some new Peterson's cases. So I decided to use the old barrel to fireform the new cases before swapping it out. I built 200 cartridges with my usual recipe ... 43.0gn of StaBall 6.5, Berger 140 LRHT's, CCI LRP's, etc. ... that's given me great performance for literally "years". Went out to the range expecting mediocre results on an old barrel in the process of decommissioning, and brand new out-of-the-bag un-sized cases.

First shot - center bullseye at 100 yards with a cold barrel. Next nine shots, almost through the same hole. Took it out to 500 yards for the next 10 shots and hit a 12-inch gong center mass 10 out of 10. I went home with the other 180 cartridges and decided (a) I was giving up on my barrel too soon, and (b) it's great to have 180 finished cartridges to use for the first few spring competitions.

I am genuinely surprised at how well this original Tikka barrel shoots after over 3,000 rounds. I'm gonna leave the spare barrel in the closet, for as long as this thing is shooting lights out. Someday, I suppose it will get tired, and let me know it's time for a decent funeral ... but that day is not today.

So knowing the lead times on custom barrels, and having over 3,000 rounds down-range through my original Tikka T3x TAC A1 in 6.5-CM ... I ordered a new barrel. It showed up about the same time as some new Peterson's cases. So I decided to use the old barrel to fireform the new cases before swapping it out. I built 200 cartridges with my usual recipe ... 43.0gn of StaBall 6.5, Berger 140 LRHT's, CCI LRP's, etc. ... that's given me great performance for literally "years". Went out to the range expecting mediocre results on an old barrel in the process of decommissioning, and brand new out-of-the-bag un-sized cases.

First shot - center bullseye at 100 yards with a cold barrel. Next nine shots, almost through the same hole. Took it out to 500 yards for the next 10 shots and hit a 12-inch gong center mass 10 out of 10. I went home with the other 180 cartridges and decided (a) I was giving up on my barrel too soon, and (b) it's great to have 180 finished cartridges to use for the first few spring competitions.

I am genuinely surprised at how well this original Tikka barrel shoots after over 3,000 rounds. I'm gonna leave the spare barrel in the closet, for as long as this thing is shooting lights out. Someday, I suppose it will get tired, and let me know it's time for a decent funeral ... but that day is not

 

[Lawnboi]

Don’t go to crazy fire forming cases on an old factory barrel. Recipe for not getting them to fit in the new one.

 

[rustyinbend]

Don’t go to crazy fire forming cases on an old factory barrel. Recipe for not getting them to fit in the new one.

That's actually a good point. But ... here's the quandary. If you have an old barrel that appears to be shooting well, but that you know is nearing end-of-life ... is it better to give new brass its first firing using that old barrel ... or give it that first firing and burn precious cycles on the new barrel. I need to ponder that a bit. One test I might think about is to mount the new barrel, fire a few rounds, and then measure the first-fired cases from both. If they're very close to the same dimensions without a meaningful difference ... then it probably makes sense to use the old barrel. If post-firing size differs measurably, then your point wins me over. Just thinking out loud ...

 

[BruceLeroy]

Fire forming brass in a factory barrel does not mean it will do anything beneficial in the newer custom barrel....generally speaking, of course. Two different animals.

 

[Lawnboi]

Fire forming brass in a factory barrel does not mean it will do anything beneficial in the newer custom barrel....generally speaking, of course. Two different animals.

Agree with above, and also leaves you the risk of having brass that won’t fit in the new barrel.

 

[rustyinbend]

Agree with above, and also leaves you the risk of having brass that won’t fit in the new barrel.

Interesting ... probably doesn’t matter since I full length size everything anyway. It just puts one firing on the case. Maybe it’s just not necessary. Although I’ve noticed that new brass doesn’t shoot as well as fired brass, but maybe that’s just me.

 

[7mmShooter]

As others mentioned it’s kind of an exercise in futility with a factory barrel vs a custom. It would be a different story if you had two barrels reamed exactly the same, then it would work but that’s likely not the case here…

 

[6brshooter]

That's actually a good point. But ... here's the quandary. If you have an old barrel that appears to be shooting well, but that you know is nearing end-of-life ... is it better to give new brass its first firing using that old barrel ... or give it that first firing and burn precious cycles on the new barrel. I need to ponder that a bit. One test I might think about is to mount the new barrel, fire a few rounds, and then measure the first-fired cases from both. If they're very close to the same dimensions without a meaningful difference ... then it probably makes sense to use the old barrel. If post-firing size differs measurably, then your point wins me over. Just thinking out loud ...

If the new barrel speeds up during first 100-200rds, what the point of doing load work early?

 

[6brshooter]

As others mentioned it’s kind of an exercise in futility with a factory barrel vs a custom. It would be a different story if you had two barrels reamed exactly the same, then it would work but that’s likely not the case here…

And identical headspace. Now, how much does op bump shoulders back? Can't really measure anything buy fired brass from the new chamber to know how much bump he needs to shoulders. Guess you'll need to knock shoulders back until the bolt closes nice on them and start again.

 

[6brshooter]

Tikka barrels in 6.5creed tend to last awhile, as they're slow in my experience.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

Barrels last a really long time when your standards are low.

 

[Lawnboi]

Interesting ... probably doesn’t matter since I full length size everything anyway. It just puts one firing on the case. Maybe it’s just not necessary. Although I’ve noticed that new brass doesn’t shoot as well as fired brass, but maybe that’s just me.

Not trying to be argumentative, but example.

223 tikka rebarreled, planned to used fired brass for the new barrel. Couldn’t size the rear of the brass enough to get the case to fit. PVA apparently made a die at one point to combat this, basically the area above the case head just dosnt size enough to get it to fit.

Had the same thing happen to a guy I load for, both 6.5 creedmoor. Couldn’t even chamber a once fired piece of lapua.

Sometimes it works the other way though.

Luckily Peterson is plenty thick and hopefully that base didn’t grow enough to cause issues.

Personally once fired, that brass is married to the barrel it’s in, unless I’m buying multiples off the same reamer at the same time.

 

[DubfromGA]

Barrels last a really long time when your standards are low.

You can be relied on the be there to throw a turd in the punch bowl.

Do you get off by acting like a shitbag.....or is it so natural to you that you can't help yourself ?


Rude ass motherfukker if ever I've seen one.