BARREL CONTOUR?

[harps]

Ok , building 4 light weight hunters . What contour #3 , #2B ? Building 2 , 6.5 somethings (Sherman Short , PRC , WBY RPM , 264WinMag) and 2 , 7mm somethings (Sherman Max , 280AI , LRM , 7 Mag) Looking for insight for BARREL CONTOUR . Barrel length depending on cal , 22" to 26" max . So what are the suggestions/ recommendations .
Thank you very much!

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

I'm using a #3 douglas contour .634 at muzzle, on a light 7mm in 20", I like it and a short, handy, stubby easy to climb into stands and hunt thick stuff rifle. Don't heat up too bad doing load or target work either. I also have a light sporter contour on a 260 at 20" (its L/W's lightest non custom contour .553 at muzzle, I just had them shrink profile down to the shorter overall length), its also easy to lug thru the thick stuff and climb with. Its much quicker to heat up and 3 shot strings with a cool down is mandatory. Slower doing any extended shooting for sure, but its noticeably lighter to carry all day. Depends on what is the most important to you, weight or handling.

Notice the lighter the contour the more touchy and narrow the nodes become when finding that sweet spot. Hope this helps with your question ....Good Shooting

 

[lancetkenyon]

What is "lightweight" to you? 6# scoped? 7#? 8#? 9#?

What are the intended uses? Sheep? High county elk/deer? Treestand? Thick timber still hunting? Glass and ambush?

Look at your required weight, then add up all other components, and see what you need.
I would say 2b would be as light as I would go with any of the cartridge choices you listed. #3 or #3b fluted even.

TI actions will help keep weight down.
So will CF stocks.
But both of these add a lot of cost.
Optics choice can vary by 2+ lbs. But needs and wants dictate what you will need too.

 

[J E Custom]

I wouldn't go any smaller than a #3 or #4 contour on the cartridges you mentioned, And 22 to 24'' inch barrels, you don't save that much weight by cutting the barrel 18 to 20'' but you will lower the velocity greatly if you are 20'' or less with most of the cartridges you mentioned.

Also with some of the cartridges mentioned you will probably wan't/need a muzzle brake for a short light weight rifle and threading the barrel on the light contours can be risky based on barrel wall thickness.

I prefer to use a # 4 or #5 for my light weight rifles and it is easy to keep the weight under 6.5 to 7 pounds if you watch the weight of the receiver, scope bases and rings and the scope it's self. my 338 RCM is under 7 pounds fully dressed, but the muzzle brake was necessary to control muzzle rise and recoil.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[harps]

I wouldn't go any smaller than a #3 or #4 contour on the cartridges you mentioned, And 22 to 24'' inch barrels, you don't save that much weight by cutting the barrel 18 to 20'' but you will lower the velocity greatly if you are 20'' or less with most of the cartridges you mentioned.

Also with some of the cartridges mentioned you will probably wan't/need a muzzle brake for a short light weight rifle and threading the barrel on the light contours can be risky based on barrel wall thickness.

I prefer to use a # 4 or #5 for my light weight rifles and it is easy to keep the weight under 6.5 to 7 pounds if you watch the weight of the receiver, scope bases and rings and the scope it's self. my 338 RCM is under 7 pounds fully dressed, but the muzzle brake was necessary to control muzzle rise and recoil.

Just my opinion

J E CUSTOM

What receiver did you use?

 

[harps]

What is "lightweight" to you? 6# scoped? 7#? 8#? 9#?

What are the intended uses? Sheep? High county elk/deer? Treestand? Thick timber still hunting? Glass and ambush?

Look at your required weight, then add up all other components, and see what you need.
I would say 2b would be as light as I would go with any of the cartridge choices you listed. #3 or #3b fluted even.

TI actions will help keep weight down.
So will CF stocks.
But both of these add a lot of cost.
Optics choice can vary by 2+ lbs. But needs and wants dictate what you will need too.

Trying to stay around 7# or so with scope

 

[J E Custom]

What receiver did you use?

A model 673 Remington. It is 1/2 '' shorter overall than a 700 short action, but has the same mag length and ejection port. it is almost the exact same thing as the model 7. Most come with a great laminated stock and also came in the 300 SAUM, (The one I used as a donor for the 338 RCM)

J E CUSTOM

 

[harps]

A model 673 Remington. It is 1/2 '' shorter overall than a 700 short action, but has the same mag length and ejection port. it is almost the exact same thing as the model 7. Most come with a great laminated stock and also came in the 300 SAUM, (The one I used as a donor for the 338 RCM)

J E CUSTOM
Interesting, so are you a smith?

 

[J E Custom]

Retired.

 

[harps]

Retired.

Nice!

 

[Shooter71]

2b, 3, 4 aren't very light, and each company's contour is different. A Hawk hill 3 isn't the same as a Rock 3. A few example weights-
700 7-08, 22" 2b, McMillan edge 6lb 14oz

Defiance deviant 6creed, McMillan edge, 22" Brux #3, seekins dbm 8lbs 2.5oz

700 6.5x47 McMillan edge Classic, 22" Brux #2, 7lbs 7oz

Lone Peak Fusion Titanium 7-08, McMillan edge Mountaineer, 22" Bart 2b, 6lbs 1.5oz.

Those are actual weights without scope, rings, etc.

 

[harps]

2b, 3, 4 aren't very light, and each company's contour is different. A Hawk hill 3 isn't the same as a Rock 3. A few example weights-
700 7-08, 22" 2b, McMillan edge 6lb 14oz

Defiance deviant 6creed, McMillan edge, 22" Brux #3, seekins dbm 8lbs 2.5oz

700 6.5x47 McMillan edge Classic, 22" Brux #2, 7lbs 7oz

Lone Peak Fusion Titanium 7-08, McMillan edge Mountaineer, 22" Bart 2b, 6lbs 1.5oz.

Those are actual weights without scope, rings, etc.

Good info

 

[CTK]

I have always agonized over barrel contours for builds. My 6.5x47 with a 23" Bartlein 2b, Big Horn SR2 action, McM Hunter stock with edge fill came in a tic over 7 lbs, if I remember correctly. Have an almost identical spec 280ai being built right now. without a doubt a Bartlein #3 or 3b would be much easier to dial in. I had a Borden 280ai with a #3 24" Hart barrel and Remington Classic edge fill stock think it weighed 7lbs 4ish oz. bare. I like the 2b Bartlein contour on sporter rifles. A #3 Bartlein in a light stock is nose heavy. My 6.5x47 is very accurate despite the 2b barrel.

 

[jebel]

700 7-08, 22" 2b, McMillan edge 6lb 14oz

Defiance deviant 6creed, McMillan edge, 22" Brux #3, seekins dbm 8lbs 2.5oz

Why is your 6CM 20.5 ounces heavier than your 7-08? Isn't the Brux #3 a bit lighter than the Bartlein 2B? Good info, I'm just trying to understand it.