First M14 in 6.5 Creedmoor ready for the range.

[nf1e]

Back in the day when the M14 ruled highpower, the convention was that 4064 was the slowest powder you should use. Is there anything special you did to the gas system to shoot 4350?

Bula Defense Systems barrels are designed with a smaller gas port. Most of my recent loading has been using Varget. H4350 didn't present any problems that I could see.

[Chris F]

Thanks,
I have friends that have dragged out their M14's for highpower and have been peripherally aware of what they'd done. I'd heard about adjustable gas ports, vented caps, relieved pistons, heavier op rod springs (mostly to shoot heavies like 185 Lapua's. Add to that adjustable triggers for the shooter...but I never dreamed of 4350 slow!

- - - Updated - - -

...btw, I am intrigued by the Bula story and went on their website to learn more. Not much there from a technical standpoint. Are their receivers hammer forged (like LRB), machined from forged barstock (like Smith Ent), or drop forged (USGI M14's)?

[nf1e]

Press forged whatever that means. Not being a metal man, I can only go by what the boss tells me.

[Chris F]

You work for Bula?
I can only guess that press forging is applying pressure to orient grain structure but perhaps without the violence of a drop forge or hammer forge.

[nf1e]

You work for Bula?
I can only guess that press forging is applying pressure to orient grain structure but perhaps without the violence of a drop forge or hammer forge.

May be a safety factor involved too. I understand the grain structure is equivalent to hammer forging. Built on over 2 dozen of them so far and just love them. USGI barrels time perfectly. Sure is nice to have an outfit that cares about the end user.

[Chris F]

I am interested, so I tapped google;

http://www.dropforging.net/drop-forging-vs-press-forging.html

I'm not a metallurgist or materials guy either, but I had a conversation with Boots Obermeyer on his observations of working with a Hammer Forged barrel. Once you get through the outer work hardened layer, you have softer more stress filled steel, that wasn't so stable...hence hammer forgings are contoured during the forging. I couldn't find it on the Bula site; does Bula do a rear or double lugged receiver?

[nf1e]

They have done lugged receivers in the past. I do not use them myself as I install my accuracy rifles in JAE chassis. All the rest are in USGI non bedded stocks and work fine for my applications.