jh308
11-17-2008, 19:41
I just thought I would post here on my first outing w/my Cardinal 12" because of the Chrome issues. I ordered this from them in mid-October (long after the chrome issues came to light), but haven't gotten a chance to get it out to the range. I was shooting prone w/bipod, just trying to get my Eotech sighted in and make sure that the barrel would handle the hotter loads. I was getting 5 shot groups touching at 100 yrds and that's pretty damn good for me shooting prone w/a bipod. I'm not a great marksman by any means, so I was very happy w/that. I was having short stroking issues at first, but then realized I had my gas block set on surpressed. After switching it full, I had no FTF or FTE's. Below are 10 rounds fired of the SSA 115 OTM combat loads. A couple look like they barely have a little ejector swipe on the rim, but nothing stands out and I have no flattened or punctured primers.
The 115 OTM Combat loads:
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s312/jlhetrick/DSC00857.jpg
So it looks like I have no issues w/the chroming causing high pressure from the lack of damage to the cases and primers.
The SBR:
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s312/jlhetrick/DSC00889-1.jpg
I must say that after the 200 rounds I put thru it today that I am very happy w/my build. Chalk up one more Cardinal barrel w/no issues. I'm hoping to get to a actual range and bench it to check for accuracy and make sure everything is sighted in correctly.
Thanks to Cold, Hi-Tech Rancher, Paul Santos, Tim W, and everyone else who's informative posts and answers to mine and others questions, on ARFCOM and on 68forums, that helped me get this build completed correctly.
For any of you guys who are wanting a little more knock down power out of the AR platform, I would highly recomend looking into the 6.8spc. Silver State Armory is developing some awesome loads for this caliber. Their 85gr Barnes Tripple X is putting out 3000 fps in a 16" bbl and 2800 fps in a 10". Most of their other loads aren't far behind those numbers either. Constructer of arperformance and John Noveske of Noveske Rifleworks have both take deer at 300+ yards using barrels between 10" & 12". If you are interested in a 6.8, you just need to make sure that you choose one w/a SAAMI-II or DMR chamber, 1-11 or slower twist, and 4 or 3 groove rifling. Most of the earlier chamberings(spec I) and twists(1-10/1-9.5 etc. w/6 groove rifling) will not shoot the hotter loads w/out signs of over pressure or severe damage to the cases.
The 115 OTM Combat loads:
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s312/jlhetrick/DSC00857.jpg
So it looks like I have no issues w/the chroming causing high pressure from the lack of damage to the cases and primers.
The SBR:
http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s312/jlhetrick/DSC00889-1.jpg
I must say that after the 200 rounds I put thru it today that I am very happy w/my build. Chalk up one more Cardinal barrel w/no issues. I'm hoping to get to a actual range and bench it to check for accuracy and make sure everything is sighted in correctly.
Thanks to Cold, Hi-Tech Rancher, Paul Santos, Tim W, and everyone else who's informative posts and answers to mine and others questions, on ARFCOM and on 68forums, that helped me get this build completed correctly.
For any of you guys who are wanting a little more knock down power out of the AR platform, I would highly recomend looking into the 6.8spc. Silver State Armory is developing some awesome loads for this caliber. Their 85gr Barnes Tripple X is putting out 3000 fps in a 16" bbl and 2800 fps in a 10". Most of their other loads aren't far behind those numbers either. Constructer of arperformance and John Noveske of Noveske Rifleworks have both take deer at 300+ yards using barrels between 10" & 12". If you are interested in a 6.8, you just need to make sure that you choose one w/a SAAMI-II or DMR chamber, 1-11 or slower twist, and 4 or 3 groove rifling. Most of the earlier chamberings(spec I) and twists(1-10/1-9.5 etc. w/6 groove rifling) will not shoot the hotter loads w/out signs of over pressure or severe damage to the cases.