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!

 

[Gribley]

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.

 

[rollinrifleworksllc]

Currently at 4000 round on my barrel still shooting sub .25 moa at 100yrds. I do run the slow/ low node 2750 with 112 burners. Most guys run 2830-2860 node are pulling about 3000k rounds before taking them off. For banging steel I liked the lower slow node better. Have had dashers from 22”-30”

 

[KyleR1985]

Currently at 4000 round on my barrel still shooting sub .25 moa at 100yrds. I do run the slow/ low node 2750 with 112 burners. Most guys run 2830-2860 node are pulling about 3000k rounds before taking them off. For banging steel I liked the lower slow node better. Have had dashers from 22”-30”

How would your load translate to a 16” barrel?

Or that 2850?

I’m 2650-2700 with 108eldm, 2775-2800 with 95tmk

 

[HandgunHTR]

How would your load translate to a 16” barrel?

Or that 2850?

I’m 2650-2700 with 108eldm, 2775-2800 with 95tmk

A good rule of thumb is about 25 fps per inch lost. That number is pretty common across all centerfire cartridges.

 

[KyleR1985]

A good rule of thumb is about 25 fps per inch lost. That number is pretty common across all centerfire cartridges.

But I don’t know what that 2850 load barrel length is. I don’t know the common knowledge stuff here.

The 16” likes 2650-2750 with the eldms. Probably settle at 2700.

 

[Dmoua]

But I don’t know what that 2850 load barrel length is. I don’t know the common knowledge stuff here.

The 16” likes 2650-2750 with the eldms. Probably settle at 2700.

If it’s shooting good then leave it be. With a 16” barrel you will most likely hit pressure before getting 2850 with a 108.

 

[HandgunHTR]

But I don’t know what that 2850 load barrel length is. I don’t know the common knowledge stuff here.

The 16” likes 2650-2750 with the eldms. Probably settle at 2700.

Most likely 24 or 26 inches as the folks in question are probably shooting PRS with theirs, so short barrels are not used.

 

[Hydra6]

I have run 6 Dashers run in PRS with 105 Hybrids at 2850 to 2950 feet per second in 26 inch barrels. I tend to pull mine at 2400 rounds (still shooting 1/2 inch 5 shot groups) and plan to use them
off season" for practice. As other pointed out, rule of thumb is subtract 25 fps per inch of barrel cut. The issue I have seen when target barrels go bad is that you see velocity drop off then flyers. Flyers like 2 feet from the target. Common perception is that fire cracking damages jacket and projectile does funny things. We run 10 round strings also that accelerates barrel wear.

 

[rollinrifleworksllc]

How would your load translate to a 16”

How would your load translate to a 16” barrel?

Or that 2850?

I’m 2650-2700 with 108eldm, 2775-2800 with 95tmk

I think you still will run into the 2850 node. Typically 25 fps per 1 “

For reference I had a 12.5” 6 arc ar and still ran 95g vld Berger at 2800 accurately.

 

[HandgunHTR]

OP, Piet from Impact Shooting just put out a new video where he chops his 6 Dasher from 26" to 18". In it he stated that he had around 3000 shots on that barrel and it was still printing 1/2MOA 5-shot groups with two different loads.
Makes me almost want to build a 6 Dasher.

 

[KyleR1985]

All of this confirms what I assumed, and had pushed me forward on what I was doing.

I’m 150-200 rounds into my 16” dasher Howa mini.

Ive been predominately a bow hunter, primitive gun second, and center fire rifle a distant third for amount of time with a weapon in the field. Honestly, building and shooting this gun the last couple months after years with big guns has been awesome. It flipped the switch to make me want to shoot a lot more.

Toted the rifle along for a trip to a family members property this week, should be able to shoot to3-400 yards and see what it’ll do.

Really what I can do.


Looking forward to getting to the long distance range soon.