416 Barrett Model 99

[brett1868]

Men my age generally buy Harleys or pursue younger women as their midlife crisis, I on the other hand am funding a few firearms dealers kids through University. I've done the car, bike, adventure sports and world travel thing in my youth so I'm considering this my midlife crisis. I don't smoke, drink, gamble or eat out and you'd be surprised just how much money that saves over a year. I consider these my impractical rifles, I have them cause they are fun to shoot and look awesome. For hunting I have a more practical collection including a recently acquired Marlin 336XLR in 30-30 Winchester which I'm liking very much.

Next on the agenda I'm thinking will be an Anzio Ironworks 20/50 mag fed...there's at least one of these in Aus at the moment I'm aware of. Was hoping to get hold of the 20mm Vulcan Canon version but that'll require some serious government permits so I've given up on that...for now
http://www.anzioironworks.com/Anzio-20-50.html

Bennybigbores, reloading is relatively cheap with 50BMG as little as $4 a round. I don't go out and shoot hundreds of rounds in a day, last trip I fired 68 rounds over 4 days and about half of those were fired by some friends and relatives. I enjoy seeing the reaction of some of the boys after firing the 50 for the first time or pulling the trigger on the M98B for real and not in a computer game.

MeccaOz, always looking for mates and especially if they have large properties If anyone reading this has a property suitable for the larger calibre's and within a reasonable days drive of Sydney I'd be happy to come down for a weekend, make some noise, bruise some shoulders and generally be social. You supply the bed, steak and cold coke and I'll supply the guns & ammo.

[Combat_Wombat]

What ranges do you usually shoot out to? Would love to put a few pills into a steel plate at 750 with those bad boys

[MeccaOz]

Laffin If I could help I would, but Im in WA for a start, and most people with big properties that I know usually have to do a meet and great before they let people on their land Whats the barrel life on that Anzio Ironworks 20/50 ?

[brett1868]

Laffin If I could help I would, but Im in WA for a start, and most people with big properties that I know usually have to do a meet and great before they let people on their land Whats the barrel life on that Anzio Ironworks 20/50 ?

I lived in Perth for a year back in the late 90's and loved the place, my brother lives in Mandurah and my sister is down Bunbury way. Not sure what the barrel life would be like but I'd probably only ever put 2000 through it over it's life and it should handle that I'd expect.

[MeccaOz]

Laffin If I could help I would, but Im in WA for a start, and most people with big properties that I know usually have to do a meet and great before they let people on their land Whats the barrel life on that Anzio Ironworks 20/50 ?

I lived in Perth for a year back in the late 90's and loved the place, my brother lives in Mandurah and my sister is down Bunbury way. Not sure what the barrel life would be like but I'd probably only ever put 2000 through it over it's life and it should handle that I'd expect.

It would be like shooting a laser I'd say mate. Yeah I lived in Perth for several years myself, but it has gone downhill. Once upon a time Perth was like a big country town, never had any problems, now you have to watch everyone. Like everywhere now I guess, but hey never let fear stop you enjoying life

[brett1868]

What ranges do you usually shoot out to? Would love to put a few pills into a steel plate at 750 with those bad boys

At the moment I'm practising out to 1000m and have marked out a 1500m range on the farm but couldn't use it last trip due to cows. Not sure my cousin would appreciate having his livestock blown to piece though the dopey buggers do wander over to where I've got the bench setup when I'm shooting. I'd have thought they'd head in the opposite direction with all the noise. I've got a DTA HTI G2 due any day in 50BMG & 375 Cheytac and I'm hoping the 375 round is as good as the YouTube videos for accuracy at extended ranges. I'm extremely curious how the 416 round compares to he 50 & 375 for accuracy at 1000m and I should have those answers in the next few months. Work, weather and family all conspire to keep me too busy to get up bush to play at the moment.

[Combat_Wombat]

How much do you need to adjust at 1500 apart from elevation? How do they go with wind and what's the mirage effect like at that range?

[brett1868]

@1500m the projectile drops 722 inches and is fairly consistent. I shoot to the south east and quite often have a gusty cross wind which can change my point of impact by more than a foot though I suspect that's more me then wind sometimes but in calm conditions I can manage fairly consistent 20" groups. Mirage can be an issue, scope tube helps a little and I try to do the long range shoots at the crack of dawn before it gets too hot.

[Ken]

YESSSSSSS!

[brett1868]

Had a nice surprise today from the ginger ninja in our mail room, my dies arrived and no duties or GST was payable. I was sure that I'd be up for at least $200 in GST & taxes as the dies were $1600 USD inc shipping and the price was clearly shown on the shipping label. I'll put that saving towards gas bottles for the annealing machine which has travelled less then 800km in 8 days and currently appears to be on holiday in Miami. I took 6 cases tonight and wacked them through the dies using Imperial sizing die wax which is absolute magic for this task. The dies come as a set of 5 with 4 case forming dies and a file trim die, I also purchased the case neck reaming die to complete the full package of 6 dies.

I was surprised at how little effort was required on the press for each step, less then resizing 50BMG cases which is great. The only real pain was the neck reaming which took maybe 10 mins to do. I'll see if can figure out a better way using my mill or lathe cause it sucks doing it by hand. I'll get busy over the weekend and reform a couple hundred cases so I'm ready once the annealing machine turns up. I'm trying to get rounds loaded by next Thursday and head bush Friday for a couple days to see if the 416 shoots as good as it looks.

L-R Original 50BMG Case, CF1, CF2, CF3, CF4, FT1, Finished and full length resized with RCBS dies.

[beepar]

Cool series of pics brett

What did you chop the neck with on the 6th case there?

[brett1868]

Cool series of pics brett

What did you chop the neck with on the 6th case there?

I just used a small saw then file trimmed the top which is relatively quick and simple. Once the annealing machine turns up I'm thinking to do a video of the process from end to end. I couldn't find anything on Google or you tube that covered the entire process in any great detail so maybe it'll help others. Barrett .416 isn't exactly a common calibre but the process should be the same for a number of other cases that can be reformed into different calibre's.

[agentzero]

It's pretty seeing the brass come together

[beepar]

Cool brett.

Pics with the annealing will be good.

[brett1868]

Cool brett.

Pics with the annealing will be good.

Bloody annealer is still in transit, so far 14 days and it appears to have only left the U.S 4 days ago. It's exact location is a mystery so hopefully it shows up during the week.

[Harper]

We'll all still be here when it arrives

[brett1868]

Finally the annealer made it's long anticipated arrival today and it's one very pretty little box. I have to open up the clamps that hold the torches with the Dremel before I can fire it up, it's designed for .5" and I have .51 and no way I can make them fit without a little work. Came home form work via Magnum Sports to pick up a few things and managed to snag 100 ADI once fired 50BMG cases for a good price. Spent this evening reforming them down to .416 so I can get loading if the projectiles I ordered last Monday ever show up. I'm getting a little frustrated dealing with this supplier in W.A, allegedly the 100 loaded rounds shipped 2 weeks ago and he posted the projectiles express last Tuesday yet nothing has turned up. Money's changed hands, he told me it all shipped yet won't reply to email or voicemail about providing tracking details. I'll give him till mid-week and if no delivery or tracking details I'll engage Fair Trading to sort him. I was planning to purchase 2-3K worth of ammo and projectiles but after this there's no chance of that happening. I've still got 1000 cases coming from Barrett and I'll get busy sourcing other projectiles to import. Depending on how much hassle importing will cause I'll do the math on buying a small CNC lathe and making my own from .5" half hard brass bar stock which is exactly the materiel Barrett uses from what I've read.
I'll post some pictures of the annealer tomorrow night and if time permits I'll make a quick video of it in action.

[brett1868]

Managed to get the torches fitted up today, the nozzles were a fraction too big so I took them off the torch handles. I put them in the cordless drill and took a file to them to till they fitted. I tried a few 50BMG cases using an infrared temp gun to measure the case temp and discovered 2 things, straight propane won't provide enough heat and the infrared temp gun is too slow. Solution is to wait for the Tempilaq paint to arrive and to use the Bernzomatic MAP gas bottles. Unfortunately the paint is still some weeks away and I didn't figure the gas out till after my trip to Bunnings to buy a new cordless drill



Got to work prepping the 100 ADI cases some of which are on the left and have them up to the point to neck reaming. I killed my Ryobi cordless drill reaming the first batch which was a good excuse to go to Bunnings and get a new and more powerful one




I originally slapped a Nightforce NXS 8-32 x 56 scope on it but since this rifle won't see much action I took that off and fitted a NSX 12-42 x 56 I picked up fairly cheap last week. Picture shows how I mount scopes, engineers parallel plates on the rail then a feeler gauge each side to keep it square to the rail. I tighten the screws down and select progressively thinner feelers till I get the full torque of 35" lbs on each screw. I find this works for me and is simple enough when 2 flat surfaces are available.

[Chronos]

those cases look familiar there brett, might have sen them on the counter or a certain sydney gun shop friday afternoon LOL

was nice to meet you, the annealing machine looks the business

Chronos

[brett1868]

There were 2 guys while I was there, 1 with an older rifle he pulled apart and another guy as I was exiting through the back door just before Andrew got back. Not sure which one was you but good to sort of meet you If you see me there again make sure to introduce yourself. Andrew has so many nice toys up there, I'm lusting after the McMillan Tac 50 on the wall but I've got 2 50's already and I ordered Sako 85 Varmint in 204 Ruger as a gift for a relative so it'll have to remain a fantasy for a while longer.

[Chronos]

Haha first world problems eh? Already got 2 .50's , can't justify a third

Yeah I was picking up some metalwork and woodwork from a project gun, a very old and very rough Tikka LSA 55 in 22-250, it's getting a restoration and a new barrel in a wildcat caliber

Chronos

[Hercl]

I'm lusting after the McMillan Tac 50 on the wall but I've got 2 50's already

I don't see what the problem is

[Chronos]

I don't see what the problem is

yeah you're shooting buddys need something to shoot while you form cases for the .416

Chronos

[mahna]

Of the 5 in the lineup there brett what's the favourite?

[brett1868]

Mahna, of the ones in the picture I'd have to go with the DTA SRS cause it's the more accurate no matter if it's running in 338 or 308 trim. Of all the rifles I currently own the favourite is my Sako 85 Varmit laminated S/S in 22-250 cause it's light and covers virtually everything I'm wanting to shoot. The rifles in the picture are all fun to shoot but are really only practical for targets from a bench, though I often use the SRS when shooting on the farm.

[brett1868]

Projectiles showed up today

Some technical difficulties around case dimensions for the reformed brass is preventing me from loading any rounds. Not a big deal as I'm still waiting for the Tempilaq 650F paint to arrive so I can calibrate the annealing machine. I can't get to the farm till maybe late November or early December so I can afford to wait and I still have a pile of brass to neck ream. Spent a couple hours out St Mary's range tonight with my faithful Sako 22-250, I really love this rifle and cartridge and finally think I've nailed it's perfect load after trying dozens of combinations of powder & projectile.

[Khan]

That's a big vote for the Sako given the competition.

[brett1868]

A bit of an update, loaded rounds arrived Friday morning 4 weeks later then promised. Quality of the case forming leaves a little to be desired, mine turned out better. Tempilaq arrived yesterday and I've worked out the timing on the annealer. I mainly concentrated the heat on the neck & shoulder as this is where the bulk of the forming took place.

Before


During


After


I put through 101 cases in next to no time and allowed them to air cool, loaded 40 and vacumm bagged the rest for storage. I've now got 200 loaded rounds which should be enough for a while. Once I fire form these cases I'll get more serious about load development and seating depth though I think I'm close at 4.554". I have to work the next 28 days straight then I'll be heading north to the farm for 4 days of solid shooting. Might go sit up the back paddock and see if I can pick off a pig with this or the 50 just to see what happens.

[Carter]

Those foil take-away trays are good for everything

[Lyam]

Quality of the case forming leaves a little to be desired, mine turned out better.

Just hastily done?