Weatherby / Howa chambers and COL questions

ginshun · June 2, 2008, 04:13 PM

I don’t own any Weatherby rifle other than a Vanguaard, so I don’t know specifics but I have always heard that the Weatherby rifles have a very long freebore in the chamber in comparison to other rifles.

What I was wondering is if anybody know if this is true of the Vanguard rifles made by Howa and also the Howa 1500 rifles?

The reason I ask is that I a was messing with seating depth recently, which I have never really done before. Up until a couple years ago the only things I ever reloaded for were semi-autos and pistols so I pretty much just went with the published COL and called it good.

Well the other night I was messing with the 22-250 (Howa 1500) and wanted to see what it would take to seat the bullet right into the lands. I just barely seated the bullet in an empty, sized case and ran it into the chamber closing the bolt. Basically what I found out is that in order to seat the bullet into the lands, my COL ends up being ~2.500” long (don’t recall the exact measurment). Now the normal published COL for a 22-250 is 2.350”, so this is quite a bit longer. I’m not even sure about seating 50 grain or lighter bullets out that far, because they are barely even in the case at that point. My current loading, that gives me the best groups so far is seated at 2.427” COL and I don’t think I would want to seat it much further out than that if any. That still leaves me over an 1/16” off the lands. This load has shot groups under an inch at 200yards so I am not all that worried about trying to improve them, I am just wondering if the rifles chamber is normal.

Anybody know if this is normal for a Weatherby, Weatherby Vanguard or Howa 1500 chamber? I haven’t tried it with the Vanguard yet, but was wondering if anybody else has had similar experiences with these guns.

Scorch · June 2, 2008, 05:49 PM

First thing: yes, Howa makes the Weatherby Vanguard, it is pretty much the same as the Howa 1500.

Next, you do not need to seat the bullet into the lands to get optimal accuracy. .020"-.030" off the lands is fine.

By seating a bullet, then forcing it into the lands, then trying to extract it will not tell you what your distance to the lands is. When you closed the bolt on the round, it was forced into the case by contacting the lands, but it also "sticks" in the lands. As you started to extract it, you moved the case, but not necessarily the bullet. As you extract the case, it pulls the bullet out a little bit, too.

If you want to know how far to seat the bullet, you can buy a Stoney Point chamber measuring tool, or seat bullets to different lengths, mark them with a Sharpie, and chamber them, extract them, then inspect them to see if they have marks from the rifling on them.

ginshun · June 2, 2008, 09:00 PM

Cool.

I'll try the sharpy trick and see what happens.

Thanks.

June 2, 2008, 04:13 PM	#1
ginshun Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2008 Posts: 162	Weatherby / Howa chambers and COL questions I don’t own any Weatherby rifle other than a Vanguaard, so I don’t know specifics but I have always heard that the Weatherby rifles have a very long freebore in the chamber in comparison to other rifles. What I was wondering is if anybody know if this is true of the Vanguard rifles made by Howa and also the Howa 1500 rifles? The reason I ask is that I a was messing with seating depth recently, which I have never really done before. Up until a couple years ago the only things I ever reloaded for were semi-autos and pistols so I pretty much just went with the published COL and called it good. Well the other night I was messing with the 22-250 (Howa 1500) and wanted to see what it would take to seat the bullet right into the lands. I just barely seated the bullet in an empty, sized case and ran it into the chamber closing the bolt. Basically what I found out is that in order to seat the bullet into the lands, my COL ends up being ~2.500” long (don’t recall the exact measurment). Now the normal published COL for a 22-250 is 2.350”, so this is quite a bit longer. I’m not even sure about seating 50 grain or lighter bullets out that far, because they are barely even in the case at that point. My current loading, that gives me the best groups so far is seated at 2.427” COL and I don’t think I would want to seat it much further out than that if any. That still leaves me over an 1/16” off the lands. This load has shot groups under an inch at 200yards so I am not all that worried about trying to improve them, I am just wondering if the rifles chamber is normal. Anybody know if this is normal for a Weatherby, Weatherby Vanguard or Howa 1500 chamber? I haven’t tried it with the Vanguard yet, but was wondering if anybody else has had similar experiences with these guns.

June 2, 2008, 05:49 PM	#2
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	First thing: yes, Howa makes the Weatherby Vanguard, it is pretty much the same as the Howa 1500. Next, you do not need to seat the bullet into the lands to get optimal accuracy. .020"-.030" off the lands is fine. By seating a bullet, then forcing it into the lands, then trying to extract it will not tell you what your distance to the lands is. When you closed the bolt on the round, it was forced into the case by contacting the lands, but it also "sticks" in the lands. As you started to extract it, you moved the case, but not necessarily the bullet. As you extract the case, it pulls the bullet out a little bit, too. If you want to know how far to seat the bullet, you can buy a Stoney Point chamber measuring tool, or seat bullets to different lengths, mark them with a Sharpie, and chamber them, extract them, then inspect them to see if they have marks from the rifling on them. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

June 2, 2008, 09:00 PM	#3
ginshun Senior Member Join Date: March 14, 2008 Posts: 162	Cool. I'll try the sharpy trick and see what happens. Thanks.