Fast barrel/Slow barrel

[William T. Watts]

Slamfire your comment is dead on, if this barrel is going to limit me to minimum charges then so be it. Often after firing several hundred rounds the irregularities in a barrel smooths and accuracy improves, I'm considering keeping a log of the number of rounds I fire thru this barrel and see if the problem goes away!! William

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[MEHavey]

The confusing thing is that commercial (which is usually as hot as the manufacturer can brag about) shoots w/o any pressure problems, while starting handloads (usually ~10,000psi off max) are flattening primers. That just doesn't logically follow since the commercial should have a REAL problem w/ a tight bore. (I also assume Ruger proof-fired it at the factory w/ commercial as a minimum w/o noticeable problems.)

That's why I suggested interchanging commercial cartridge parts (bullet, then powder, then primer, etc) to see what pops out as the anomoly -- particularly as you're using R-P cases in both instances. It shouldn't take more than 2-3 rounds each to isolate the problem.

Does a different (equal wt/design) bullet, but using the same commercial case/primer powder show a dramatic difference? Then it's the bullet.

Does a starting-mid pressure handload powder (but using the same commercial bullet/case/primer) show a pressure problem? Then it's the powder.

Does a commercial case/bullet/powder, but with your own primer, show a problem? Then it's the primer.

Does a handload using a new R-P case, but the same commercial powder, bullet and primer cause a problem? Then it's the new R-P case.

And finally, what does the chronograph say on the primer-flattening loads vs the commercial loads?

By the way...

1. Have you compared water volume (weight) between the commercial vs new R-P case?

2. Have you weighed the bullets to see if they are mislabeled?

3. Have you measured the new bullet diameters to see if they slipped some 8mm in on you?

4. Have you tried magnum/different primers to cross check primer cup hardness?

I realize that Questions 1-4 above deserve a "...of course I did you dummy..." answer, but I'm just covering the bases and walking down a checklist.

FINALLY, ...have you considered running a Dave Tubbs Final Finish series down the barrel to smooth it out as best it can be? (I had to do this w/ a Colt HBAR barrel two years ago that I couldn't even get a patch down.. It's made a Considerable difference -- even with having had the barrel cut with a broken rifling cutter on one flute.)

http://www.davidtubb.com/finalfinish.html