TC,

Mine are not as good as 3fps differences, but out of my 10 shot string 6 of them were within 5fps of each other. My guess is with handgun length barrels it won't quite be as good as a longer length rifle barrel (assuming unburned powder).

XP,

My Lija barrel blank came in last week so now I am only waiting for the reamer to get built and here, will be cutting things close as far as getting things ready for hunting season this fall but still hope to be able to do it.

I had my barrel cut with the 1-8 twist for the VLD bullets as well. Will be interesting to see how much the WSM will add to the performance of the 284 based 6.5. My goals were to get into the 2900-3000 fps range with a coated 140 gr A-Max so we will have to see.

3000 fps may be a bit optimistic but I feel beating 2900 fps will be relatively simple but as you said, we will have to see where the velocity is the best at.

I finished my V-Block bedding system and am pretty happy with the first one and its results. Took my 338 WSM back to shooting 3/8 to 1/2 moa regularly.

Still to be honest, while the H-S stock does flex a bit more then my design, it would be hard to see the benefits compared to the extra cost of labor to build the block.

Anyway, have a good one,

Kirby

Some days it just all falls into place and thismorning was one of those days. a 4-shot group @ 300 yards yielded a .711 group and a 4-shot group at 600 yards was 1.576.
I was using my Siebert Leupold 20x LER scope for these two groups and the groups I shot last Friday @ 100 yards.
I will use my 3-12 Burris LER w/BP & Target Knobs for ITRC.
From now on till ITRC all shooting will be done from the prone position.

Mike,
I'm going to let 50 answer this as he knows more in this area, and by being a smith will likely explain it better.

Nesika makes a high quality copy of the XP-100 action. It is called the NXP. Has the recoil lug for the center grip option, or you can use a Jewell trigger in a rear grip. They will fit stocks like H-S Precision, that are made for the XP-100. Several of my IHMSA shooting friends have guns built on this action, and they are VERY accurate. I think the actions retail around $1000.
Melvin Calliham

I have a .288 neck, so I am required to turn necks. I am using Lapua brass and Fed Match Primers. My other two XP's (284 Win & 7.82 Patriot) are both tight necks also.

50,
The 388 Lapua Improved was one of my thoughts, but if I can keep my Impact velocity high enough I would go with a shortened case.
I didn't think you could legally use a 40X and convert it into a handgun. Would I have to buy an action for a manufacturer as a handgun action or do you think the XP action will suffice? I agree that rear grip would have it's advantages. 20x LER scope is the higest magnification there is available and it will work good with a rear grip (Plus you get better trigger and faster lock-time, besides the other advatage you mentioned). On the other hand, a center grip rig would be more suitable for using a riflescope. A modified picatinny mount that is elevated enough to not get in the way of bolt movement could actually go a couple of inches behind the action to handle a riflescope and thereby resolve the magnification issue without having to change your bench stance to such a larger degree. While at the same time (since you are going to the exteme in this) you would have the mount go forward in front of the action approximately 2 inches so as to use LER scopes like the 20x LER so as to even shoot prone with it. Sounds like fun to me!

McClura,

A few things to check.

Do your cases come out with their mouths scuffed up any. If so your cases may be long and engaging the leade area of the chamber.

You may also just have a tight chamber and your load may be to hot. What velocities are you getting. The 7mm BR should get around 2400-2450 fps with the 120 gr bullets and H335. If your much over that at all, go down in powder.

Try that anyway. Load some at 30.0 gr, 30.5 gr, 31.0 gr and see if it does this still.

If it does it at all pressure levels I would then look at the chamber finish and the bolt locking lug baring surfaces to see if they are gauled up at all. If they are they need to be recut and lapped in again. Youshould also be using a high grade moly grease on your bolt locking lugs.

The little 7mm BR case will not show pressure signs as clearly as bigger cases, especially with the small rifle primer. Drop your load back and shoot over a chrony for speed to see what you get. Then repost back your finding and we will go from there.

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby Allen(50)

Ernie... With a bbl length of greater than 16 inches I believe the pistol becomes a rifle no matter the stock configuration. Check to be sure but I feel this is the case. Regards...g

Hammer47,
That is a good question. On handguns (to my understanding) barrels can be as long as you want and still be called a handgun by the BATF. That is why the Super 16 (16 1/4 or is it 16 3/8) barrels by TC can be used in a handgun action (an action sold that way from the factory) and are still considered a handgun. Whereas a rifle action (rifle) the barrel has to be so long or it is illegal. Mark Hollen (Gonhuntin) has done a lot of checking in this area and I believe this is correct.

Some states restrict the length of pistol barrels, but the feds don't care if your barrel is 16" or 24".........

XP,

well thats a very tricky question.

If I were to build an XP for strictly 1760 yard BR shooting I would probably have to say that the rear grip XP would be the most stable simply because of its longer "wheelbase" if you will.

In my heart of hearts I would use a center grip but still in the back of my mind I would have to say a rear grip would be a bit more inherantly accurate.

Actions would certainly be a bolt action with the XP being perhaps the best around for a center grip or perhaps an H-S 2000 handgun action that I would certainly reblue-print.

For a rear grip, getting ahold of a 40X action would be a great place to start the project.

Stock wise I would use a McMillan fitted with one of my bedding blocks first and the H-S a distant second.

Barrel would be 17" with at least a 1" diameter at the muzzle adn fitted with a Holland QD Muzzle brake.

Caliber would be a bit harder to pin down without some research. But off the top of my head. I would go with a match quality tight necked, tight throated 300 wildcat based on either the Big Wby case or the Lapua(Blown out of course) but shortened to 2 1/4 or 2 1/2" case length using a 1-9" twist for using the 240 gr Mk's if you could find them or the 230 gr Graves ULD.

Even better would be a 338 version using a 1-10" twist shooting either the 300 gr Mk or the 350 gr Graves ULD if the 1-10 would stabilize this bullet.

Problem with 1 mile shooting is keeping the bullet supersonic out of the handgun barrel. I feel these two rounds would combine the needed velocity with the high B.C. needed for such shooting.

Anything smaller in bore really does not have the velocity potential combined with the high B.C. bullets to be a dedicated mile handgun.

Optics is another problem all together. I have shot alot at the mile mark and even out to 2000 yards and with a 24x piece of glass youare no to over powered in scope. The only problem that if you go much higher, the mirage really gets bad at most temp and in most regions that one has to turn the power down anyway. On a handgun this would be the most limiting element in the package.

Good Shooting!!!

Kirby(50)

XP,

You are correct that an action originally built on a rifle can not be used to convert into a handgun. So the 40X would be out. One could though convert a Rem M700 with a solid bottom to be used if you order the action from Brownells were it has never been a rifle before. I believe anyway.

As far as barrel length. Here in Montana, the limit the length of a barrel and the design of the round to a traditional straight walled case and I believe a 10" barrel. Anything out side of those areas must be used in the general rifle season.

Funny thing, I am not aware of any strictly handgun season or areas in Montana so this is really a moot point.

Basically any center fire firearm is concidered usable for the general big game season as long as it meets the fed. requirements. Thats Montana though, every state seems to want to make things a little different just to raise hell with us.

Good Shooting!!!

50

LD,
I am familiar with the Hogdon data. It was done with bullets seated very deep into the case. After speaking with some tech people for Sierra and a number of other shooters who both shoot and compete, I kept getting the same basic response, "Use it as a starting load." I am also using Lapua Brass which is not the hardest/strongest but next to it (Winchester being the King of Strong with the 6.5-284).
My barrel is 17 inches long and that does help. My load for use is 50.5, but I did test to 52.0 grains. Checking primer pocket tightness/looseness to determine pressure also. With a 140 A-Max the base of the bullet is very close to the neck shoulder juncture.

50,
How are the changes in your reamer different than the 6.5-WSM?

The cool thing is that we have the same neck .288 and they were both chambered by the same smith--Greg Tannel. What is your OAL? Are talking almost interchangeable ammo in two different specialty handguns? If that was possible, you sure don't get that every day