Another Kimber project rifle

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I need to see if there's any data for us 869 for the 7wsm. Being a ball powder may help get enough powder in the case with the short col I have to use. With no col restrictions the wsm are like a hole different cartridge, they cram a lot more powder in when not limited to a 2.850 col.
 
LoonWulf said:
I've been avoiding it simply because it's so slow, but if it runs in the PRC it should do well in stuff like the 7mag, and maybe the .280ai
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Hodgdon load data doesn't list it as an option for the .280 AI but it shows promise for the 7mm Rem Mag.

troy fairweather said:
I need to see if there's any data for us 869 for the 7wsm. Being a ball powder may help get enough powder in the case with the short col I have to use.
Click to expand...

Hodgdon load data doesn't list it as an option for the 7mm WSM either. Not to say that it wouldn't work though.
 
I was able to buy 8lb of US 869 this afternoon. I was very surprised that the store has 6.5CM, 6CM, .280 AI and 300 PRC ammunition on the shelves. Also a decent selection of bullets from Berger and Hornady, including the 153gr 6.5mm A-TIP. No primers though other than some shotgun primers.

Funnily enough, they have rifles in the store chambered in 6.5 PRC but no ammunition, and don't have any rifles chambered in 300 PRC but do have ammunition.
 
As the saying goes, "in for a penny, in for a pound". I was able to get another 8lb of US 869 this morning so feel good that I have plenty of H1000 and US 869 on hand for 6.5 PRC/.338 LM loads. After getting a base line with Hornady factory 143gr ELD-X and 147gr ELD Match ammunition I feel motivated to start with the US 869 powder for load development.

As for this project, I used Devcon to install/bond the bottom metal to the stock which turned out as good as I could have hoped for. I used some action screws with 1/4-28 nuts to clamp the BM to the underside of the stock to make sure that it's sitting right and plenty of Devcon squeezed out. I freakin' love Devcon.

Oh yeah, I want to replace the front sling swivel stud with a QD cup and removable swivel from GrovTec .... getting close to being ready for the barreled action!

8400wsm_mcmillan_bm_01.jpg

8400wsm_mcmillan_bm_03.jpg
 
troy fairweather said:
I'm really looking forward to your loads using us869, what bullets are you thinking of using. For get you got hornady brass or adg/gun werks brass. I'm still trying to see when the lapua brass will be available.
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Yes, it's fun to try a powder I've never used before. It looks really good on paper so I'm hoping for good things. I have an AMP annealer and A&D FX-120i so should be better able to control some of the variables that I might have struggled with the first time around. I'll probably start with the Hornady 140gr ELD Match since I have a fair amount of those and don't have much interest in loading them in 6.5 CM cases. I also have Hornady 143gr ELD-X and 147gr ELD Match bullets. I also have Berger VLD Target 140gr and Nosler 142gr ABLR. All of my brass is Hornady but Lapua will definitely be in my future if this thing shoots.
 
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MCMXI said:
Yes, it's fun to try a powder I've never used before. It looks really good on paper so I'm hoping for good things. I have an AMP annealer and A&D FX-120i so should be better able to control some of the variables that I might have struggled with the first time around. I'll probably start with the Hornady 140gr ELD Match since I have a fair amount of those and don't have much interest in loading them in 6.5 CM cases. I also have Hornady 143gr ELD-X and 147gr ELD Match bullets. I also have Berger VLD Target 140gr and Nosler 142gr ABLR. All of my brass is Hornady but Lapua will definitely be in my future if this thing shoots.
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The hornady brass is not that bad but my lot is super soft, I get ejector marks( I have two) even with starting loads. Tho even with the 58.5 h-1000 load the marks are more pronounced but at least there's no burr yet, I dropped back to 57.0 on a good node and marks aren't to bad.

I really need a annealer more so if I get good brass, I may get 50 adg case of I can to hold out for lapua. Then again it's a deer rifle so brass life is really all I need to care about. Need that chronograph to lol.
 
troy fairweather said:
The hornady brass is not that bad but my lot is super soft, I get ejector marks( I have two) even with starting loads.
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Yep, one of the "advantages" of CRF actions with ejectors at the rear of the action, or not in the bolt face at least, is no ejector marks from over pressure loads. :confused:
 
MCMXI said:
Yep, one of the "advantages" of CRF actions with ejectors at the rear of the action, or not in the bolt face at least, is no ejector marks from over pressure loads. :confused:
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Reply not loads will flow some on the notch on the bolt face on crf, but you got to be way over the psi you should be. I've seen rim flow into the claw but again really hot loads.
 
A quick update.

The tops of the pillars have been shaped to the receiver O.D., the old bedding compound beneath the barrel chamber has been removed, and I ordered/received another 1lb of DEVCON so that I can bed the action. Also, I heard from Proof that both barrels are chambered, crowned and with a machinist who's adding the extractor cuts. I could have them in hand tomorrow or early next week.
 
Nature Boy said:
Looking forward to seeing it and some down range results
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You and me both. I'm expecting greatness from this project ... talk about setting myself up for a fall. :D I just did a test fit using the barreled action from my Kimber 8400 Mag Montana (.300 WM) and the McMillan stock and the original bedding of the recoil lug appears to be well done and good enough for an initial test fire. My plan is to get the barreled action installed, along with the TriggerTech trigger, Picatinny rail and NF optic, boresight, zero the scope and shoot some groups using factory ammunition. Then bed the action, shoot some more groups (factory) followed by load development using US 869 and 140gr A-MAX/140gr ELD-Match bullets.
 
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LoonWulf said:
If you want some of the 147s ive still got almost 500 of them.
The PRC I had seemed to like those pretty well.
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@LoonWulf, I appreciate the offer and will let you know what I discover with the 147s I have on hand. Here's what I've got at the moment. I'll save the 130s for my 6.5x47 Lapua but everything else is fair game for the 6.5 PRC.

140gr A-MAX (100)
140gr ELD Match (700)
143gr ELD-X (300)
147gr ELD-Match (120)
142gr ABLR (500)
130gr Berger VLD Target (200)
140gr Berger VLD Target (100)
 
Do you have any conventional hunting 6.5 bullets to test, I believe you use monos for hunting. The 140 speer hotcor are shooting stupid accurate in mine, pretty good considering there cheap. Hope Saturday to see how they do on deer, I couldn't chrono them but think there 2900 ish fps.

I'm hopeful of the 142 ablr that maybe the bullet I try next to reach out a little farther.
 
troy fairweather said:
Do you have any conventional hunting 6.5 bullets to test, I believe you use monos for hunting.
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No, just the Nosler ABLR and I'm not really sure why I bought them. I have 150 of the 120gr TTSX that I bought for the 6.5x47 Lapua in case I wanted to use that rifle for hunting, but I'd probably buy the 127gr LRX for the 6.5 PRC and 6.5x47 Lapua if I wanted to use either on something next year. I don't like putting lead into any meat that I plan on eating so that's why I really like those solid copper bullets from Barnes, and Federal Premium Vital-Shok Trophy Copper if I'm shooting a factory load.
 
MCMXI said:
No, just the Nosler ABLR and I'm not really sure why I bought them. I have 150 of the 120gr TTSX that I bought for the 6.5x47 Lapua in case I wanted to use that rifle for hunting, but I'd probably buy the 127gr LRX for the 6.5 PRC and 6.5x47 Lapua if I wanted to use either on something next year. I don't like putting lead into any meat that I plan on eating so that's why I really like those solid copper bullets from Barnes, and Federal Premium Vital-Shok Trophy Copper if I'm shooting a factory load.
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Ok, I'd like to try some monos soon, no telling when ny will force us to. I do like the no lead in the meat part, I just need to kill some things to get confidence in them. That other brand that's the name is escaping my mind at the moment look good, they fragment and the base stays hole.

you think the 127 will be better in the prc over the tsx or ttsx.
 
troy fairweather said:
you think the 127 will be better in the prc over the tsx or ttsx.
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127gr is the heaviest .264 cal bullet that Barnes offers and it has the highest BC for that caliber. Hornady has introduced a 140gr GMX but it has a low BC, probably because in order to keep the length down for bullet stability they had to fatten up the ogive.
 
MCMXI said:
127gr is the heaviest .264 cal bullet that Barnes offers and it has the highest BC for that caliber. Hornady has introduced a 140gr GMX but it has a low BC, probably because in order to keep the length down for bullet stability they had to fatten up the ogive.
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I wonder how the 127 or 140 hdy will be with the mausers twist. Think it's a 1-8.66
 
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