6 Dasher Barrel Life - for hunting

[KyleR1985]

I can find all sorts of information on 6 dasher barrel life - but it’s all in the context of match shooting. It pretty much seems every barrel is being pulled before the gun reaches 1moa group size in these accounts. And it’s usually seeing 1500-2000 rounds before being pulled or rechambered.

I am finishing up a Howa Mini 6Dasher 16” barrel suppressed for hunting.

I’d sure like to know how long those dasher barrels would last before opening up to 2moa.

Anyone have any experience shooting a Dasher barrel past 2000 rounds?

I guess most people shoot them for competition and anything past that is wasting time and money in this context. But it’s Rokslide - that’s SOP here!

 

[WesternSlope]

Awesome question. Hope you get a solid answer. I’ve pondered the same thing for all of the small sizes. Most of the data on them is in the quarter moa context.

 

[Formidilosus]

I’d sure like to know how long those dasher barrels would last before opening up to 2moa.

Functionally never. If you aren’t shooting it 90% of the rounds at 20+ rounds in a couple of minutes- it’s going to be thousands and thousands of rounds before opening to even 1.5 MOA. I’ve seen a couple at 4,000-6,000 rounds that were still under 1.2 moa.

 

[KyleR1985]

Functionally never. If you aren’t shooting it 90% of the rounds at 20+ rounds in a couple of minutes- it’s going to be thousands and thousands of rounds before opening to even 1.5 MOA. I’ve seen a couple at 4,000-6,000 rounds that were still under 1.2 moa.

Exactly what I’m looking for. And what I expected.

 

[Dmoua]

I have a practice barrel with 3000 rounds on it. Shoots right around Moa at 100 yards with 105 hybrids.

 

[KyleR1985]

I have a practice barrel with 3000 rounds on it. Shoots right around Moa at 100 yards with 105 hybrids.

What powder/charge have you run for most of those rounds?

 

[zdc1775]

The furthest I've pushed a 6 Dasher was right around 2500 rounds and it was still shooting MOA when I pulled it. Only swapped it because I was getting the rifle ready for another season of PRS and didn't want to have to change mid season.

For reloading data, I was running Varget, and all of the barrels I have used had a good accuracy node between 32 and 32.6 grains.

I have shot mostly 105 Berger Hybrids with some 107 SMK's, 105 AMAX's, Hornady 105 BTHP, and more recently 108 ELDM's.

 

[KyleR1985]

The furthest I've pushed a 6 Dasher was right around 2500 rounds and it was still shooting MOA when I pulled it. Only swapped it because I was getting the rifle ready for another season of PRS and didn't want to have to change mid season.

For reloading data, I was running Varget, and all of the barrels I have used had a good accuracy node between 32 and 32.6 grains.

I have shot mostly 105 Berger Hybrids with some 107 SMK's, 105 AMAX's, Hornady 105 BTHP, and more recently 108 ELDM's.

I'm ignorant when it comes to "nodes".

If I'm changing bullet weight from that 100-109 class, to 85-95gr, would you still use 32gr of varget, or would I expect better accuracy at a higher charge weight?

For what it's worth, the gun shot 2700fps 105 BTHP over 32.5gr varget, 2815fps 95 TMK over 34gr varget, 2965fps 87 Vmax over 35gr varget. Less than 20 rounds down the tube.

Before cutting to 16" from 22", all shot under 1.5" for 3 at 100 with no work done to stock/action as far as bedding, properly torquing, still using factory bottom plastic - at those charges. Speeds were obviously around 200fps faster.

 

[zdc1775]

I'm ignorant when it comes to "nodes".

If I'm changing bullet weight from that 100-109 class, to 85-95gr, would you still use 32gr of varget, or would I expect better accuracy at a higher charge weight?

For what it's worth, the gun shot 2700fps 105 BTHP over 32.5gr varget, 2815fps 95 TMK over 34gr varget, 2965fps 87 Vmax over 35gr varget. Less than 20 rounds down the tube.

Before cutting to 16" from 22", all shot under 1.5" for 3 at 100 with no work done to stock/action as far as bedding, properly torquing, still using factory bottom plastic - at those charges. Speeds were obviously around 200fps faster.

The nodes are basically velocities that produce the best accuracy for 5 shot groups and lowest ES/SD a given barrel.

For all of mine 6 dasher's it been something along the lines of 32.5 grs ~2800 fps .5 moa 15/7, 33.0 grs ~2860 1.25 moa 30/15, 33.5 grs ~2900 fps .5 moa 12/5, with smaller differences in between each powder charge. And all those numbers are just for example not from my load notes as I don't have them in front of me.

As far as swapping bullets, I honestly don't know. I've personally never shot anything but match bullets in the 105-115 grain range, with the overwhelming majority being in the 105-108 range; and by that I mean something like 50 each of the 112 Barnes, 115 DTAC's and one or two other 110-115 grain bullets that I picked up from another shooter at a match but can't quite remember what exactly they were a the moment.

 

[Dmoua]

What powder/charge have you run for most of those rounds?

I run my Dashers at 2820-2850 FPS. 30.5gr-31gr of Varget with a 26” barrel.