Now that Virgin Valley has my .308 Bellm reamers, David White is chambering for it, and I am also making .308 Bellm barrels, the Contender and G2 shooting fraternity need some updated data derived from barrels with conventional rifling, as opposed to the equal land and groove rifling extant at the time I developed the .308 Bellm and you worked up your superlative data for it.

If you were the one updating data for conventional rifling using the same controls you used for the original data posted on my site, it would be most meaningful and helpful to a lot of people interested in this user friendly, highly effective wildcat cartridge.

Every time I test fire a .308 Bellm chamber cut in a barrel with normal rifling, I have to go up about 8% to get the same pressure indications I get from the equal land and groove rifling in factory barrels that displace a lot more bullet metal.

As we have discussed many times, my interest in the shop is to get a full expansion of the case to examine it for any flaws in the inside surface finish of the case and to determine the size relationship between cases fired in the individual chamber compared to the size die or dies that will likely be used with it.

I normally do not apply the high degree of empiracism you employ to determine the actual maximum pressure "redline."

If there is room in your shooting agenda for updating the data you developed previously, I'd sure like to discuss the project and compensation with you.

The max pressure regimen you developed using .444 brass in Contenders has been a real milestone in our understanding and enjoyment of these guns, and with the increasing availability of .308 Bellm custom barrels the world needs data appropriate for them.

The data for the equal land and groove factory barrels is conservative compared to data published for .309 JDJ, and many folks are not aware of the differences in the two platforms the data represents, ie. narrow rifling v. excessively wide rifling. Nor do many shooters seem to be aware that the rather optimistic upper velocity levels published for .309 JDJ are closer to the ragged edge between prudence and damage to their frames than they should be routinely walking.

You have studied Contender pressure issues using .444 Marlin brass more thoroughly than anyone I am aware of, and I have 100% confidence in the results you obtained before.

That said, if you are interested in pursuing updated .308 Bellm data, a new Bellm custom 14" .308 Bellm can be on its way to you shortly.

Since I don't get to Accurate Reloading very often, catch me at (541) 956-6938 or leave a message.

All the best.....

Mike Bellm

www.bellmtcs.com
mike@bellmtcs.com

Mike,
I would find revisiting the .308 Bellm Contender using the same test regimen but with different equipment very interesting and would look forward to development of new Redline data for the new equipment. In fact I would approach such a project with considerable enthusiasm as I would also see it as an opportunity to explore that area of "how much difference should a shooter expect to see".

I do have some time constraints though that will impact any effort to get at it right now. However, following this Fall's hunting season I will have time to do a pretty good chunk of testing.

I will send you an email and apprise you of my specific interest and constraints.

Don Shearer

you fellers can't do this soon enuff i was thinkin that the old data was not that impressive, and there should be more of it.......and please, no offense meant to either of you.
should be much better than what is shown in the old data. oughta be a fine deer thumper in the contender too. i reckon, we'll have to wait a while huh?