Received my barrel today, right on time with the quoted lead time. Looks great. We'll see how it shoots.
X-caliber barrels
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Barrel install
Got the Barrel installed in a VLTOR upper and their Freedom rail.
The barrel is an absolute gem...Its the cleanest ive seen.I mean usually there kinda ruff, and this camber is smooth as a baby's butt.
Should cycle real well. Gotta get a proper By-pod still and a Optic that's wothy of some distance...not this 4-14-44 PA one
from my other build.
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I finally picked up an optic worthy of the Grendel at least for now...all things will change sooner or later.
Got an Athlon 4.5 27x50 Midas. Its actually much better than I imagined and im happy with the purchase. Still need a Atlas down the line.
Took the rifle out and went through the dreaded barrel break in procedure...and at the end of the day actually got some rounds off and they seem to group pretty well.
Shot some factory Hornady ELD match 123gr that grouped ok at 100 and some Fedral 130gr Hybrid OTM Bergers. Picture attached..If I was a better shot
and didnt always loose one of the group of 5..lol..I'm using a Larue MBT and its a real nice trigger as far as my tastes go.
Im thinking anyone looking at a barrel wont go wrong with a X-caliber as mine shoot's quarter size groups all day. Well.. when I do my part even better than that.
I just need more practice and less caffeine.
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Down Range
Put a few more rounds down range on Sunday.
Loaded up some Tac and some 8208 and they both did real well with 123 ELDs
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Thanks for the feedback bj139
I have aprox 150 rounds downrange and half of those are steel cased.
I think your right about getting a few more rounds through it before it breaks in. Im sure its going to better than I will ever be in
any case..Old eyes don't help. Im having a blast with the 6.5 and wish I had started with it years ago instead of the 300BLK.
They both have their sweet spot, and you can never have too many rifles or calibers, so its all good.
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I think at 150 rounds, the barrel should be broken in.
Maybe a good cleaning with some JB paste will show more improvement.
6.5mm barrels just seem to shoot better.
I have a 300BLK and it sprays them all over the paper.
I haven't shot it enough to break in the barrel but it's really bad so far.
I'm having so much fun shooting sub MOA with the Grendel it's depressing shooting those other calibers.
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Yea a good cleaning is definitely in order. it needs it for sure.
I will get some more rounds downrange here in a few weeks time and document the changes or improvements,
I have a few more to try out ( H322 ) and some SST's and see how they fly.
Ill load up some more 8208 as well with the 123 ELD's.Last edited by Sandstorm; 11-10-2017, 04:39 PM.
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One of the ways I have gotten tighter groups is by partial resizing with a standard full length resizing die.
One of the other members here documented trying this and got better groups.
Just unscrew your die 1/2 turn and size.
If they don't stick, they will be fine for accuracy testing.
With one BCA 16" barrel I had I got a 0.9 MOA five shot group by partial resizing.
From a lightweight 16" barrel I thought that was pretty good for me.
I also trued the receiver face and loctitied the barrel but that didn't seem to make much difference in group size.
I didn't even play with ladder testing or barrel nodes or overall length.
I may try these things next to get tighter groups.
Many people report best groups with XBR-8208 powder. I have to get some.Last edited by bj139; 11-10-2017, 05:01 PM.
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Partial resizing (for shoulder setback) works well!! Measure your spent case from that chamber, the Hornady Headspace comparator kit (or similar from a diff mfr) is your friend here. I'm using bushing "B" (0.350). From the headspace measurement of the spent casing adjust your resizer die to get a 0.004-0.006 shoulder setback (that's what I do - there are other opinions on their choice of setback difference)... this should chamber great and won't work the brass so hard on re-sizing, thus extending life.
The one caveat is that this may turn those cases into one-rifle/one-chamber cases... may not fit in other rifles. IMO that's a small price to pay for good shootin' from that pipe. So far my AR's use one setback setting and my Howa uses another so I have 2 settings (I use a separate resizing die for each nowadays)"Down the floor, out the door, Go Brandon Go!!!!!"
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Thanks GrayFox good to know. I dont know how crazy im gonna go with this reloading,
but its all good info. Eventually want to stretch the legs and see how it will do with some distance as we have unlimited out here in AZ
But I will try a few more loads and powders first at 100 just to improve groups.
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Got out and put some more rounds through my X-Caliber barrel last week.
120 SMK's and H322 and some with TAC as well. I think she is starting to talk to me now.
Im pretty happy with the consistent grouping these days.
Time for some distance this spring before it get too hot out in the desert.
Yea im really diggin this Grendel round alot, so much that,
I just I finished my 11 inch AA barreld little brother to the 20 inch'er.
I guess I might have to get another stamp one of these days.
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