Slugging a barrel
- Thread starter xyz_pilot
- Start date
Never slugged a rifle barrel but done many revolvers and I just squib loaded them and taped them out.
It is unreal how different barrels can be.
I am not sure if you can do this with a rifle but if you had some cast . 311s or 312s you could try it.
The post above makes alot of sence to me
It is unreal how different barrels can be.
I am not sure if you can do this with a rifle but if you had some cast . 311s or 312s you could try it.
The post above makes alot of sence to me
Use a pure, soft lead "plug" I use a 00 Buck, as mentioned above. Lube the bore lightly, and start the pellet in the bore with a wooden dowel. Once completely in the bore, you should be able to push it right through, or just push it back out of you are only interested in the muzzle or throat measurements. If you push it right through, you can pay attention to how that feels going through the bore. If it pushes easier in some places, the bore is slighly larger there, if it tightens up a bit somewhere, that is a smaller area. Now to measure a 5 land/groove 303 barrel slug, you need a special jig and calculate the bore measurement based on the triangulation, since conventional calipers or micrometers will only measure straight across the slug, leaving one side on a land, the other in a groove. Regards, Eagleye
Use a cast .30 calibre bullet or a soft lead fishing sinker of a suitable size(.308" will do. The lead will fill the barrel when you smack it.), a brass rod and a plastic mallet. Hammer the bullet/sinker through the barrel, from either end, and measure the bullet/sinker with a micrometer. Vernier's will do.
Lee-Enfield barrels can measure from .311" to .315" and still be considered ok. Larger than .315", the barrel is shot out.
Most bullet manufacturers make a .310" and .312" bullet. Sierra makes a 174 grain .311" Matchking, but don't bother with 'em if your barrel is bigger than that. Hornady makes a .3105" 174 grain FMJBT, a .312" 150 grain SP and a .312" 174 grain RN. Speer makes a .311" 150 (spitzer) and 180 (RN) grain Hot-Cor SP.
Steve at .303british.com is making (or did make) 200 grain .313" or .314" jacketed bullets for use in larger diameter barrels. Don't know about availability though.
Lee-Enfield barrels can measure from .311" to .315" and still be considered ok. Larger than .315", the barrel is shot out.
Most bullet manufacturers make a .310" and .312" bullet. Sierra makes a 174 grain .311" Matchking, but don't bother with 'em if your barrel is bigger than that. Hornady makes a .3105" 174 grain FMJBT, a .312" 150 grain SP and a .312" 174 grain RN. Speer makes a .311" 150 (spitzer) and 180 (RN) grain Hot-Cor SP.
Steve at .303british.com is making (or did make) 200 grain .313" or .314" jacketed bullets for use in larger diameter barrels. Don't know about availability though.
Tend to agree with most of what Sunray posted, but that .311 Sierra Matchking is a finiky bullet. It usually shoots the best in .3105-.3110" goove diameters, but occasionally it surprises you. I have a Winchester-built P14 303 that has a groove diameter of .3128" and it loves both the MK and the 180 Sierra Spitzer SPFB Pro-Hunter bullets, shooting even the hunting bullet into less than 1 moa [Not bad for a military rifle built in 1916!!] I also shoot Steve Redgwell's 200 grain Semi-spitzer Mark 9 bullet, sized at .313", and it does shoot very well, indeed. I actually have 2-P14's, but one has been rechambered to 303 Epps. This is worth about 100 fps over the stock chambering, and is a bit easier on brass, IMHO. The groove diameter on the Epps is also very close to .313" Regards, Eagleye.
