223, 223AI, or 22 ARC? Which one?

SouthPaw

WKR
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Apr 10, 2014
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Northern CA
My thought for changing barrels. I know the barrel is obviously not cheap, but I’d love to shoot the 80 ELD, and my current barrel does not like the 75 or 80 ELD. I understand there is no guarantee a new barrel will either.
What loads did you try with the ELDs? It might be worth trying a few different loads to get them to shoot in your current barrel before investing in a new barrel. I've got two factory 8tw tikkas that shoot the 80eldm well.

Also, for curiousity, did the uni-throater work for you to get more loading length and/or speed? Any negative effects?
 
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Schmo

Schmo

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Apr 29, 2023
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It might be worth trying a few different loads to get them to shoot in your current barrel before investing in a new barrel.
I’ve tried running them 6 ways to Sunday and no juice. 77TMK shoots really well.

I’m actually going to do some more load dev with the 77TMK on that factory barrel, since I may keep it as a backup. It was my first barrel to throat, and I accidentally throated way too long. COAL with the 77 is 2.550”, and the ogive is still .065” off the lands. Fortunately, even throated too long, it still shoots 10 shot groups 1” and under.

As to benefits of throating, I was pushing the 80 ELD to 3,042 fps without being in too much pressure. Still would get at least 3 firings on Starline brass with that loading.
 
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