HotRod308

Mrmackc, I had the gas rings removed and the slot welded up and then machined to a slip fit back into the carrier.

It was interesting to watch the video on doping the wind. What I do for example at 600 yds is taking a known condition of wind speed. A 20 mph wind for a 308, 168 at full value requires about 5 min of wind ( trees moving back and forth) to be in the 10 ring. I use my spotting scope and turn it down wind until I see a boil in the mirage. Thats the angle of the wind to the target. Then I just do basic math, 45 degrees is now 2 1/2 mins of wind, 22 degree divide again 1 1/4 mins of wind, and so forth. If the wind is 10 mph full value the windage would be 2 1/2 min and then find the angle and do the math. If the wind is 15 mph, same thing just do the math. The biggest thing to know is hard hard the wind is blowing and windage needed. Shooting long range only on a calm day does not prepare you shooting when its windy and you have to shoot. You have practice when the wind is blowing as well.

DPMS LR in 6.5 Creedmoor, factory 24inch barrel. The first match of the day was any rifle and any sight, winner of this match was shooting a 6.5X284 with a scope. I used my AR with iron sights, he had a 198 and I fired a 195. But the in the last match everyone had to use Iron sights, I won with a 188 while the same person had a 187 while still shooting the 6.5X284. Sometimes more horse power wins and sometimes it don't help. Wind changes were hard to catch, went from 1 min right up to 7 mins right in two shots then back down to 3 mins right. It was fun, but not the for the wind.

I just shot in a NRA 1,000 yd match using 6.5 creedmoor and have been shooting NRA matches XC and Long Range for a long time. My high score was a 195-5X using iron sights. A 24 inch barrel is the shortest I would go, a 20 inch barrel would still work but but the longer barrel is better. Other cartridges to consider are 308, 260, 6X and 6 XC, 7-08. With today's choices in bullets in VLD are very high BC and each one will get there just fine. My long range load for the 6.5 Creedmoor is 40.5g of H4350, WW mag primmer, Hornady case, 142g MK seated .015 off the lands. Chambers and bullet jump: If you want all your ammo to fit the mag, be sure to find a gunsmith that will cut the chamber so mag length ammo/bullet will have the shortest bullet jump to the rifling as possible. Example the new sierra bullet 175TMK don't shoot well with a long bullet jump and need to be close to the rifling as possible. Otherwise if you don't mind single loading, then seating bullets out much longer isn't an issue for VLD's and the TMK bullets. BCG, must be very clean and well lubricated. More you shoot the carbon builds up on the gas rings and becomes more sticker/binding to unlock causing higher vertical displacement. So using CLP or bore solvent and reclean the gas rings or put some in the vent holes of the carrier to keep the carbon build up from affecting accuracy. Although I have posted this before, but I found that getting rid of the gas rings completely made for a super smooth action that un-locks more consistently the same each time resulting reduced vertical displacement over another rifle with gas rings. I just had this bolt done for a friends AR in 260 cal done. The gunsmith sent a photo of the finished bolt after the welding and machine work was done. .

Here goes 2 cents of a opinion. I would have to say you have a probllem with not enough gas to ensure the BCG cycles to the rear to either lock or feed the next round in. That being said, the gas starts at the gas port in the barrel. It could of been drilled wrong or the wrong size. Or there is a big gas leak some where. Both the 150 and 168 both run 50,000 cups of pressure, plenty enough to cycle the BCG. Send the rifle back is my vote. it doesn't make sense that 18 grain difference in weight between the two bullets is the problem.

MY 308 I suppose has 2200 to 3000 rounds and my 6.5 Creedmoor has a good 1800 rounds, 260 rem about 1500 or so. I sent one of my BCG to a friend in Ohio to use in his new 308 match rifle. He fired some 500 rounds through so far without any malfunctions so far. He's going to send his bolt to get done and send mine back. I have an Ar 15 done as well, cycles just fine.

Yep again, you have a good memory. I did post it a long time ago. The bolt only wears on the same places as with bolts with gas rings. The rear end where the firing pin enters the bolt is the rear bearing so the part I had welded and machined never contacts the inner bore of the carrier. With adj gas block and slowing down the banging back and forth, the carrier lasts much longer, cam pins don't cost much. I can put my bolt into 3 different carriers and it still functions.

I suppose your right, the piston isnt attached to the bolt as it sits on the barrel. I guess I was thinking that piston doesn't have gas rings and I got rid of mine. But, one could add gas rings to the piston on top of the barrel I suppose. Forgive my faulty thinking.

I did the same thing except with the direct impingement, i made the original bolt work without gas rings.The action operates the same as with gas rings but much smoother, absolutely no drag unlocking or locking up.

I just finished shooting the NRA High Power phase of the national matches. I used Sierra new 175 TMK at 600 yds for the 3 matches at 600yds and during the team match as well. Out of the 80 shots fired I only had one bullet go low into the nine ring, which could of easily been my poor aim. With the new higher BC equal to a 190 MK, I was able to get more velocity than a 190 as well. Loaded them .005 off the lands so single firing is the only option. Used 4064, 42.4g and Rem 9 1/2 primer and WW cases. My high score was a 198 out of 200, missed a wind change and shot an 8 out to the left.

Anyone tried to shoot the Berger 190 VLD. I load some with IMR 4064 41.0g and about .010 off the lands. They did pretty good at 600yds, just curious if anyone tried them and what was your seating at and powder charge etc.

I wouldn't even worry about crimping, just re size the brass and load it and then go shoot it.