Rebarrel with Proof Carbon or just buy new rifle

[Jeffrey Van Zandt]

I have two .243 rifles. One is a Red Hawk Rifle ( slightly tuned Rem 700) with 26" varmint barrel in a B&C stock, the other a Savage 11 trophy hunter XP 100% stock. I also do not really like the twist rate on either of these guns.

The 700 is too heavy to carry or hunt with, but is truly a 1/4" to 3/8" gun with 95 grain Berger classic hunters. The Savage shoots right around 1 MOA +/-. I am not happy with 1 moa. The gist of this is, I would like a gun more accurate than the Savage and lighter than the Remington. I'm willing to make the compromise for a hybrid of the two.

Question is, do I just

1.) Sell these 2 rifles and get a new Proof rifle in 6mm cm
2.) Buy a proof barrel in 243 with the faster twist and put on the Remington and sell the savage
3.) sell the Remington and buy a stock, bottom metal and proof barrel 243 fast twist to upgrade the savage???

I reload for the .243 so I really don't see much reason to go 6mm cm unless I buy a totally new rifle, because it's almost impossible to find a standard production rifle in .243 win that has anything faster than a 9.125" twist.

sell the savage get a proof barrel for the rem 700 in the twist you want for the bullet you will use, and when getting it chambered get the action trued all the way and for lighter look at AG stocks

 

[Another Casual]

Maybe it's just me, but I wouldn't rebarrel the Remington if it shoots as well as you say. Either rebarrel the Savage or sell it and put the proceeds towards a nice lightweight rifle.

 

[OldRed]

If cometition shooting is of any interest I would consider a cartrige with a longer neck that you can get a slightly more uniform grip on the bullet and not have to seat long bullets so deep in the powder charge.

I shoot a Remington 6mm the choice was made because a local store had one that had grown a long beard sitting on the rack over 2 years, all the guns for hunting season were sold and coyote hides were selling for $40 bucks still on the coyote and I was driving 115 miles 3 times week checking cattle paying burning a gallon of propane every 8 miles. Propane had just gone a dime a gallon to $0,65 cents and I bought the Remington 788 for $239.95 and 2 boxes of ammo.

It sure was easier for me to load accurate ammo with the Rem 6mm than it was with a 243. To be fair I only loaded 90gr Serria MatchKings to about 2950 fps. They made a small entry hole and no exit wound just blowing up inside the coyote out to at least 450 yards, the longest shot I made.

I think the longer necks allow me make more consistent ammo. I doubt that wort enough to a hunter to be worth having yet another caliber, but for those shooting completion or trying to shoot one ragged hole at 300 yards there are 6mm rifles that shoot lass than 1.1 MOA groups in front of witnesses.

If you like 1/4 MOA what would you think of a 1/9 MOA?

 

[338 dude]

You don't have to buy a proof to save weight. They weigh as much as steel barrels just balance different.

If your gonna rebarrel and blueprint the 700 might as well go with a custom. Price difference is negligible. Quality isn't. The sale of the r700 as a whole rifle will make up the cost difference of a custom. My $0.02

Goodluck!
Joe S.

If you're talking carbon fiber barrels and both barrels are of the same contour the carbon fiber barrel weighs much less than the stainless or carbon steel barrel of the same contour

 

[SealT5]

I'm not. I own both proof and Stainless barrels. My 22" proof sendero weighs exactly the same as my 22" #5 Brux's. The only difference is how it balances and looks.

If you're talking carbon fiber barrels and both barrels are of the same contour the carbon fiber barrel weighs much less than the stainless or carbon steel barrel of the same contour

 

[BrentM]

I'm not. I own both proof and Stainless barrels. My 22" proof sendero weighs exactly the same as my 22" #5 Brux's. The only difference is how it balances and looks.

How Does two equal length and equal weight barrels have a different balance?

 

[SealT5]

I regularly see people that believe a proof weighs substantially less than a steel and I believe it's because of how they market the barrel. Again I own both. The jury is still out on whether I'll buy another

Joe S.

 

[jrock]

How Does two equal length and equal weight barrels have a different balance?

I don't want to divert this thread but I'll bite. Different contours can be the same weight and length but have different balance points due to the contour shape. When I was looking into my ultralight build, the smallest metal contours were much lighter than carbon contours. For only a few shots at a game animal, I don't see any value in carbon barrels especially for the cost. Maybe my next dedicated LR rig will wear a carbon barrel.

 

[BrentM]

I regularly see people that believe a proof weighs substantially less than a steel and I believe it's because of how they market the barrel. Again I own both. The jury is still out on whether I'll buy another

Joe S.

I own 4. I also have a shelve full of steel barrels. I am well aware of what they weigh

 

[BrentM]

I don't want to divert this thread but I'll bite. Different contours can be the same weight and length but have different balance points due to the contour shape. When I was looking into my ultralight build, the smallest metal contours were much lighter than carbon contours. For only a few shots at a game animal, I don't see any value in carbon barrels especially for the cost. Maybe my next dedicated LR rig will wear a carbon barrel.

That is correct. If you desire a more rigid and arguably easier to tune barrel then the larger diameter carbon for the weight can be more forgiving. My carbons all shoot well, repeatedly well, and easy to tune

 

[SealT5]

The majority of mass in a proof is towards the rear. Google images.

If I blindfolded you and handed you both of my rifles, one with proof & one with a Brux, from the muzzle. You couldn't tell me which one was proof. If I then handed them to you with your hands placed underneath the magwell and held them horizontally, you would know instantly. The proof has a more centered balance point.

If I had to commit to steel vs proof I'd personally pick steel

How Does two equal length and equal weight barrels have a different balance?

 

[SealT5]

Then why did you ask?

I own 4. I also have a shelve full of steel barrels. I am well aware of what they weigh

 

[BrentM]

Then why did you ask?

Because there is no comparison in similar contours what so ever in the heavier barrels. The difference in weight is not remotely close. Now it could be, that in the light weight contours the difference is not that great. I don't have any pencil barrels on my rifles as I run suppressed or side port self time brakes. Have to have a little beef for that.

 

[SealT5]

Ya. I'm not comparing an M24 steel to a sendero proof. Obviously. A #5 has plenty of meat for suppressors and brakes. I run them as well.

I'm just making sure people researching proofs know that a 3lb Barrel is a 3lb Barrel.

Joe S