TC custom barrels
- Thread starter Dima
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YoteSmoker
Handloader
- Oct 3, 2006
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There are a couple other custom barrel makers that I know of: On Target Technologies which uses EDM machining, Match Grade Machine, and E. Arthur Brown Co.
YoteSmoker":22sbrx06 said:
Unfortunately, OTT isn't taking new orders, at least not the last time I talked with Mike a few weeks ago. MGM would be a good choice, but see they don't list it either. They might bring the reamers in for an extra charge however. Not sure about Eben at EABCO.
If anybody has the reamers on hand, I'm thinking it would be JD Jones of SSK Industries.
And JD along with his crew do pretty darn good work. If I'm not mistaken, JD was likely the first to start customizing the TC's
There are a couple others out there, but can't think of the name's
Now I'm going to throw in my person opinion on the round. It deserves more popularity than it has gotten in this country. All load manuals I have, don't even have data for it. It's brass cost is high, ,,,higher than it's other 9.3 brotheren. That I can't quite understnd, but it is what it is.
Now, in the Encore, the 9.3x74R will come close in performance. Brass still ain't cheep, but less costly than the 64. It is more common reamer wise, among the custom barrel makers here also. Brass can be had from both Norma and Hornady, with Hornady being a bit stronger, and less costly. You might question that performance part, but have first hand experience in load developement with it in the Encore. Thing is, the 74R is an old Drilling round, which keeps the manual data pressures down. The Encore will handle higher pressure's, so if you load the 74R up somewhat, you end up with similar results, as the case capacities of the 74R and 64 aren't all that much different. On another personal preference, I like the rim on the 74R, it just makes extraction easier, than the 64 or other rebated rounds. Neither round is a long range round, but with similar trajectories of the .308 Win, when load with similar SD bullets, and they will hold their own against the 375 H&H relatively speaking.
And should you go with the 74R, go right to the slowest powders listed, if not one slower off the chart. Accuracy in mine is sub moa also in a Douglas blank, although I would venture any premium blank would do as well. Providing the chamber is cut right. One other note on that,,,my chamber is throated longer than spec, due to mag./oal restriction. This also allows for some gain in velocity also. Just my 2 cents, but it's your $.
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Dima":ltjk97ze said:
If you do consider the 9.3x74R, right now, I would likely go to MGM for the barrel. And also what I did, however with OTT, was I sent a few dummy rounds, for throating. Which at the time I seated the then 250 gr. NBT, one caliber into the neck. This gave me more oal than factory spec, and even the 286 gr. NPT seated seated out roughly .020" farther gave about the same oal. As mentioned, this gave me more case capcity than spec. Hence, along with an increase in pressure in a 26" barrel, (safe in my barrel), gave me right at 2600 fps with the 250 gr. and 2500 fps with the 286 gr.. I haven't played much with 250. AB's as of yet, but as it were with the BT's it will PBR nicely at 260yds. on a 6" target, and still on the hair at 350. And 2200 ft/lbs remaining @ 350. That's far enough for my hunting style. And then starting out at 2550, wouldn't be losing much. The 286 gr., I figured for brown bear and moose hopefully some time, and it wouldn't be used over 200 in any scenario. Likely shorter if I had my wishes. Even so, it has roughly a 215 yd. PBR on a 4" target, with just a tad under 4000 ft/lbs at the muzzle, with my load. And 2800 ft/lbs @ 200 yds. Actually 2450 fps would be more than sufficient I believe, and give slightly better brass life.
I went with a full bull, as I had not given thought to long stalks with it, and wanted the extra weight to help dampen some of recoil. And at that, tips the scale right about 10lbs with the scope. How you go about it is your ckoice however. One could go with factory taper and lighten it up some if you wish. And then too, 9.3x62 throated long would be close as well.
I haven't heard much on the 370 Sako, but did do some research. Sounds like a good round, but be expensive aquiring brass I think. It really don't it have anything over my 9.3x74R, setup the way I do. If I was looking for a rimless round, that be close or more than the .370, I would likely wildcat the .376 Steyr case, necked down to 9.3, blow out the taper .020" and go to atleast a 30 degree shoulder. Wouldn't be a cheap project, but make a great 9.3 round and worth it if you wanted something a bit different, and money wasn't really an issue. I don't know what reamer charges are these days, and then too custom dies. I would guess double the cost over a 74R. Last time I went that route, reamer charge, was $150 and they kept the reamers, and I would expect dies to be in the $300 range, if not more. But than again, the 9.3x62 only really gives up 100 fps or so, to the 370. That really only equates to 25 yds if looking at a PBR sighting, and I don't think the critter on the receiving end is going to know the difference in energy.
It boils down to what trips your trigger I believe.
Here's mine
