Barrel Contour For XP Build

[David Urasky]

I just got done building a new pistol. Defiance Tenacity action,18" barrel HV Palma, MDT LSS stock, Sightron 6-24, 30 Banish Suppressor in 300WSM. 8.5 pounds and shoot awesome. Been using the 175 VLDs H4350 at 2850 fps. More torque than recoil. I'll be trying the 200 Hybrid and if I can get 2700 out of it with accuracy, that will be my target load. I'll probably use a 168 VLD for my hunting load.

 

[Mike Matteson]

So I have decided on a 30 Nosler for my next XP build. I spoke with Roger and he used a heavy Palma contour on his. Trying to decide on either a Remington varmint taper or a heavy Palma contour. The barrel will be 17 or 18" not counting the brake and the XP will be in center grip configuration. So, let's hear opinions Remington varmint taper, heavy Palma contour or makes no difference in the real world stop obsessing and buy a barrel.

Dave

Why such a short barrel? If you are planning to carry in the field a little lighter barrel would be better. I have a 30" heavy Palma contour, but it's in a 6mm/280AI chamber. It's not intend to carry very far in the field. It for shoot P. dog afar.

 

[Ernie]

I built an xp 284 with 18inch (plus brake) Brux #19 contour, with a Nightforce NX8 2.5-20 and it's a 10lb forward heavy gun. Not something you want to pack around hunting if you have to walk very much.View attachment 419098

They made you an extended forend.
Nice XP!
For myself, in recent builds, I am staying under 16" for better balance

 

[Ernie]

Why such a short barrel? If you are planning to carry in the field a little lighter barrel would be better. I have a 30" heavy Palma contour, but it's in a 6mm/280AI chamber. It's not intend to carry very far in the field. It for shoot P. dog afar.

Do you have a center-grip XP-100?
Nothing wrong with a longer barrel, but with everything there are trade-offs.
You can get a barrel long enough that the XP will fall forward from the barrel weight, simply because of the location of the bi-pod

 

[msauce1]

So what is the limit for length before incurring the rath from ATF??

 

[Ernie]

So what is the limit for length before incurring the rath from ATF??

There is no maximum barrel length limit on handguns...It could be 45" long or 1" long

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Why stop at 1" Ernie? LOL

I like 17" for most rigs. I've done longer up to 18" or 19". Shortest are around 12". I feel like I have to keep them over 16" just to poke at the silhouette guys, doesn't always happen that way but its fun poking that beast

 

[Left Hand Dave]

I figure I will go 17" not counting the brake. Then I think more velocity but in reality I suppose your only looking at 30-40 fps.

 

[Ernie]

Why stop at 1" Ernie? LOL

I like 17" for most rigs. I've done longer up to 18" or 19". Shortest are around 12". I feel like I have to keep them over 16" just to poke at the silhouette guys, doesn't always happen that way but its fun poking that beast

This just made me laugh
Especially poking fun at the IHMSA guys.
Should I have my future barrels be 16.1"?????
There are some really cool folks in that discipline, but I know what you mean.

 

[Ernie]

I figure I will go 17" not counting the brake. Then I think more velocity but in reality I suppose your only looking at 30-40 fps.

With a large case, my guess would be right at 35 fps per inch with moving up from 16-18 inches or down from 18-16 inches.
Main thing is, get what you want!

 

[Buttermilk]

I figure I will go 17" not counting the brake. Then I think more velocity but in reality I suppose your only looking at 30-40 fps.

My 30 Nosler is 18.5" long. Depending on what your velocity goal is, you will be ok with that length. I personally prefer a bit longer for the case capacity of the 30N.

I'm getting 2800-2850 FPS with 210's in mine.

 

[big johnson]

Just for ***** and giggles 20 plus years ago I built a 284 win on xp 100. My hero's were J.D. Jones , Mark Hamton , and a guy called the hit man. I had a Douglas xx barrel cut to 16 "and turned to a #3 contour installed a m16 extractor so I could remove a loaded round without removing the bolt. Installed a brake that had no holes on the bottom so when shooting prone off a bipod dirt didn't blow in my face. HS Percision old style finger stock. Sold it and bought a Savage striker in 300 wsm. trigger was junk ,sold it and kept shooting my 375 JDJ. With 270 gr. bullets. This is a bad *** round. Every 20 rounds or so the grade #8 bolt in the grip would bend and need to be replaced. After my doctor wanted to do a bone graft on my wrist I decided to go back to rifles . So stepping forward to 2022 with all the new technology I wish I had my xp back. I'd love to build a super fast twist 6.5 wsm to shoot the 130 gr. swift black tip bad boys.

 

[Ernie]

big johnson,
My second XP was a 284 Winchester with a H-S Precision stock (First one was a 7mm-08 with the H-S stock), 15.75" barrel with Mag-Na-Port. I could eject a loaded round with mine as well.
A 6.5 Leopard (WSM), 6.5 SAUM, or the 6.5 PRC (in a 7.5 or 8 twist) all work great in the XP-100 platform.
Non-designated action (BAT) rear grip 6.5 Leopard (Bottom picture), and the top pic is a 6.5 WSM Leopard XP-100. Was shooting 130's each time.
Shot an elk little over a year ago with a 6.5 PRC center-grip XP.
BUILD ANOTHER ONE!

 

[big johnson]

Ernie please don't temp me with your last comment. The guy that I sold it to tried to sell it back to me a year ago, maybe it's time to give him a call. Nice bucks you got there. I'll have to dig out some pictures of the antelope buck I shot in 1994 that just missed the B.C.record book.