264LBC vs 6.5 Grendel

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • danm
    Warrior
    • Aug 2014
    • 498

    #16
    Originally posted by NugginFutz View Post
    If I had to characterize the principle difference between the SAAMI 6.5 Grendel and the .265 LBC, I would do so with one word... Pickier.

    From what I've seen, the SAAMI chamber typically will shoot a wide variety of bullet weights and profiles with relative ease. This is due primarily to the chamber's compound throat, which tends to align the longer profile bullets to the bore without having to seat them into the lands.

    On the other hand, it is my experience, and that of others who've loaded for the 264 LBC, that they can be picky little things about what they will shoot well.

    I have two BHW 264 LBC's. Their chambers are, for all intents and purposes, identical - each with the .136" bolt depth and each with the same max COAL (2.385" with the 123 A-Max). The 22" Bull Barrel likes the heavier pill: 120 SMK, and 123 A-Max and SST, with the SST being slightly less accurate. It absolutely refuses to turn in a group under 1 MOA with anything lighter than 100 grains, though. Many hours of load development were invested to come to this conclusion.

    The 18" Standard profile barrel has only shot one projectile well, so far - the 85 Sierra HP. It does NOT like the heavier projectiles. When I went heavier, the groups would open. The 95 V-Max is marginal at 1 MOA, and the venerable 120 SMK only delivers 1.5 MOA. 123 A-Max? Worse than the 120 SMK. Again, many hours spent on load development.

    So, while I have an accuracy load for both, they are miles apart, in terms of common preferences. I have invested 1000+ rounds in my search for other loads these barrels may shoot, but I've resigned myself to the reality that it is not to be. I'm not disappointed in the .264 LBC, though. I've been able to develop an accurate load for each weapon, suited to its intended purpose. One is a long range, bipod-riding toy, while the other is my light-weight varmint killer.

    The one thing I note about these barrels is that both would tend to shoot better as the seating approached max COAL. (No surprise there, eh?) This often would require hand fed rounds, or seating a bullet out further than I would feel comfortable with. This is where I believe the SAAMI chamber has a distinct advantage. It allows you to load within Magazine Length and still benefit from the centering aspects of the compound throat. In essence, the compound throat moves the "jump" in closer than a standard chamber can afford.


    YMMV.


    ETA: bwaites is clearly the faster typist.
    Man my mileage REALLY varies... I've shot a .250 3 shot group with my 18" 1:9 BHW with factory SST's... They shoot a little tighter than AMAX out of my rifle actually. I'm about to start on my 12.5" BHW upper for my pistol lower... wonder what ammo it'll love???

    Comment

    • bwaites
      Moderator
      • Mar 2011
      • 4445

      #17
      Originally posted by NugginFutz View Post
      If I had to characterize the principle difference between the SAAMI 6.5 Grendel and the .265 LBC, I would do so with one word... Pickier.

      From what I've seen, the SAAMI chamber typically will shoot a wide variety of bullet weights and profiles with relative ease. This is due primarily to the chamber's compound throat, which tends to align the longer profile bullets to the bore without having to seat them into the lands.

      On the other hand, it is my experience, and that of others who've loaded for the 264 LBC, that they can be picky little things about what they will shoot well.

      I have two BHW 264 LBC's. Their chambers are, for all intents and purposes, identical - each with the .136" bolt depth and each with the same max COAL (2.385" with the 123 A-Max). The 22" Bull Barrel likes the heavier pill: 120 SMK, and 123 A-Max and SST, with the SST being slightly less accurate. It absolutely refuses to turn in a group under 1 MOA with anything lighter than 100 grains, though. Many hours of load development were invested to come to this conclusion.

      The 18" Standard profile barrel has only shot one projectile well, so far - the 85 Sierra HP. It does NOT like the heavier projectiles. When I went heavier, the groups would open. The 95 V-Max is marginal at 1 MOA, and the venerable 120 SMK only delivers 1.5 MOA. 123 A-Max? Worse than the 120 SMK. Again, many hours spent on load development.

      So, while I have an accuracy load for both, they are miles apart, in terms of common preferences. I have invested 1000+ rounds in my search for other loads these barrels may shoot, but I've resigned myself to the reality that it is not to be. I'm not disappointed in the .264 LBC, though. I've been able to develop an accurate load for each weapon, suited to its intended purpose. One is a long range, bipod-riding toy, while the other is my light-weight varmint killer.

      The one thing I note about these barrels is that both would tend to shoot better as the seating approached max COAL. (No surprise there, eh?) This often would require hand fed rounds, or seating a bullet out further than I would feel comfortable with. This is where I believe the SAAMI chamber has a distinct advantage. It allows you to load within Magazine Length and still benefit from the centering aspects of the compound throat. In essence, the compound throat moves the "jump" in closer than a standard chamber can afford.


      YMMV.


      ETA: bwaites is clearly the faster typist.
      This is a GREAT real world experience, from a guy I know to do his homework when reloading. As with EVERY barrel and EVERY rifle, your experience will likely vary!

      Comment

      • NugginFutz
        Chieftain
        • Aug 2013
        • 2622

        #18
        Originally posted by danm View Post
        Man my mileage REALLY varies... I've shot a .250 3 shot group with my 18" 1:9 BHW with factory SST's... They shoot a little tighter than AMAX out of my rifle actually. I'm about to start on my 12.5" BHW upper for my pistol lower... wonder what ammo it'll love???
        Don't get me wrong, danm. The 18" (1:8) tube has turned in the occasional .75" 3 shot group, but never with any consistency. I am describing the average of 5 shot groups. The odd 3 shot group can either be a sign of good fortune or a statistical fluke. For every promising node I found, I follow up with bracket loads to determine if it was fluke or fact. On average, the 18" barrel just won't shoot anything near or over 100 grains.

        I am glad yours is doing well, and look forward to reading about your 12.5" pistol!
        If it's true that we are here to help others, then what exactly are the others here for?

        Comment

        • realtreehunter
          Bloodstained
          • Feb 2016
          • 36

          #19
          Thanks guys, that clears some things up. I'm pretty sure I have made up my mind on which chamber I want.

          "but if you have variety of different uses for your rifle, (varmints, coyotes, deer, elk for instance) you may want to use different bullets for each. Thus having a "do it all" throat may make the most sense for you."



          ^this is me, this is what I am after, and for a while at least with factory ammo.

          "That leaves the issue of brass life. Many of us running SAAMI throat rifles have 20+ loadings on our Lapua brass, without annealing. While the tighter necks do, in theory, create less brass work and movement, it hasn't seemed to be a big issue with the Grendel."

          If and when I start reloading, I could buy 100 Lapua brass and never wear it out with the amount of shooting I do.

          "So, if you want a throat that has been proven to be less finicky with the many different bullet weights available in the Grendel caliber, the SAAMI chamber makes sense."
          "If I had to characterize the principle difference between the SAAMI 6.5 Grendel and the .265 LBC, I would do so with one word... Pickier."

          With the above information and the fact that I will most likely never be able to do my homework to the extent NugginFutz has, I think I'll be going with the Grendel chamber.

          BHW seems to have a great reputation and I will own one some day, I think I will wait till I can start reloading and go with one of the wildcats they build barrels for. Looking at PF's barrel selection, there are some barrel makers there that were considerations for the bolt guns I had built like Kreiger, Bartelein, and Lilja. I may even look into the Criterion that I have read about here several times.

          Comment

          Working...
          X