.416 Barrett: 400 grains at 3250 fps from a 32" barreled M99?

RIP .408CT.

Last 3 on right:
.408 Chey-tac
.416 Barrett
.577 T-rex
first five on left: .375 Ruger and kittens

damn rip...now i want a 577 trex

Time for a little Shoot'n contest...

JW

boom stick,
I don't want a .577 T-rex!!!
That dummy is my diploma from the "Mitch Carter School of the Big Bore."

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
Time for a little Shoot'n contest...

JW

And the horse race includes:

.338 Lapua Magnum
.395 Tatanka
.408 Chey-Tac
.416 Barrett
50 BMG

Which one wins the 1000 yard match?
Which one wins the 2000 yard match?
Which would be best for a PG and DG safari?

The 408 Chevy Tac is a great example of ego controlling a project. It steamed ahead despite issues that should have sent Doc back to the drawing board. When Dean Michaelis disvovered he could not support the claims they were making, he was roundly discredited.

Problem was the boys were so far into the deal that they kept plowing ahead.

Shortly after the Checy Tac hit the scene with the marketing army (the "solution" to a missing link between the 300 and 50 BMG), the folks who questioned not only the need but the performance were tarred and feathered. They just ignored the 338 Lapua's credentials and waved off a better wildcat designed by Bill Shehane (the 400 BAS).

The Lapua has proven itself time and time again, and in a lighter platform. The BAS is growing on the 1000 yard benchrest scene and is a darling of 1 mile shoots.

Sounds like Ronnie is about to bury the Chevy Tac once and for all. Or, should we say, Chevy Taps?

RIP,
What about the rigby shooting those high BC barrett boolets? I think it would be another contender for DG to PD to 1000yrd bench rest. I guess twist might be a problem for many factory rifles though. (there was no way around mentioning the "t" word). I wonder if they will every be publicly available?

ptaylor,
That is a good suggestion.

The .416 Barrett uses a 1:12" twist for long 400 grain bullet at 3250 fps from a 32" barrel.

I think we might need a specially throated .416 Rigby with 1:10" twist and expect the 400 grainers at 2700 fps to be max from a sporting barrel of 26" length.

As you know, one is lucky to find a 14" twist in factory rifles chambered for .416 RM and Rigby, and the CZ is a 16.5" twist in .416 Rigby.

The .408 Chey-Tac specified a 1:13" twist for its .408/400-grainers (or thereabout bullet weight) at velocity of what? 2900 to 3000 fps?

It is hard to find any good load data on the .408 Chey-Tac. Seems to be top secret, or they are ashamed of it.

Another reason to go with the .416 Barrett besides higher velocity, and wider array of bullets to play with:

Even the .408 Chey-Tac deserves a rifle the size of the 50 BMG rifles due to bolt-thrust issues with the .505 Gibbs case head and high pressure. Unless you just want a low velocity/pressure plinker built on a CZ or such. "Danger! Danger! Will Robinson turn back!"

Might as well go with a shortened 50 BMG for some really strong brass that fits a strong 50 BMG action well. The Bench Resters can make switch-barrels of their 50 BMG's and give their 50's a rest.

The .395 Tatanka has a 1:12" twist for .395/340-grain GSC Trio that is not so mythical anymore.

If I were to use the .416 Barrett-type bullet in the .416 Rigby, I would want a 10" twist.

Here is the GSC .416/420-grain SP:

and a partial lineup of other SP's:

I guess (from what is listed elsewhere) these may be from left to right:
.510/720-grain for 50 BMG
.416/420-grain for .416 Barrett
.408/385-grain for .408 Cheyenne Tactical
.395/340-grain for .395 GSC and .395 Tatanka
.375/291-grain ???

Looks like no special throat would be needed for the .416 Rigby, just a fast twist. With a zero-freebore .416 Rigby (leade-only standard throat) and the long neck of the .416 Rigby, the SP would be a good fit.

A .416 Rigby with 10" Twist and standard throat would be interesting with the 420 grain bullet, but 2700 fps with a 420-grainer might be too much to expect, unless those driving bands allow higher than expected velocities than smooth-shanked bullets, with pressures in the .416 Weatherby range.

.416 Barrett wins again.

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:

quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Wemmer:
Time for a little Shoot'n contest...

JW

And the horse race includes:

.338 Lapua Magnum
.395 Tatanka
.408 Chey-Tac
.416 Barrett
50 BMG

Which one wins the 1000 yard match?
Which one wins the 2000 yard match?
Which would be best for a PG and DG safari?

Do not forget to add, Barrel Life" into your list.

Keith

Jeebus! The 416 Barrett is huge! I've never seen a picture of the T-Rex, either. Those are some intimidating rounds!

Hog Killer that is a good point about barrel life with the .416 Barrett. What? ... 500 rounds before it heads south?

That M99 heavy barrel is swaged into the aluminum receiver and cannot be simply screwed out and swapped for a new one.

I guess that makes the .395 Tatanka the winner for barrel life, portability (weight), and just plain cool factor.

quote:

Originally posted by Clayman:
Jeebus! The 416 Barrett is huge! I've never seen a picture of the T-Rex, either. Those are some intimidating rounds!

They necked down and shortened the 50 BMG case to about 3.265" to make the .416 Barrett with COL of 4.559" for this dummy using the same bullet as the factory loaded round by Barrett. Looks like a Barnes bullet, but not a bore-rider, solid smooth bronze/brass.

Barrett needs to get with the program and load some GSC SP's for serious 1000-yard target work: look out 50 BMG.

.577 T-rex: