Q: Heavier Profile & Flute, or go Lighter profile for same weight...???

dogz said:
Wood stock will be heavy.......probably 38 or more ounces...

For a barrel I'd go with one that was unfluted, would mic at no more than .65" at the muzzle and I'd go with 21-23" on the barrel length.

How much does the young man get to shoot in any given year?
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An old gunsmith told me this one day in reference to a 24" unfluted barrel :
"If you're going to be carrying it, don't go over .650 at the muzzle."

Looking at the Shilen contour chart, I'd go #3 or #2 contour.
Think about what the muzzle dimension will be when it's cut back.
I would sheet-can the heavy barrel fluted idea.
 
I would go with #3 no can no fluting, 22-24, recoil shouldn't be enough to be a problem near perfect first rifle that could last a lifetime 7-08 is a fine cartridge. If the rifle ends up just a little heavy he will grow into it.

Spend money on good hearing protection. some of this is expensive but you get what you pay for. I can not use it because I cant get used to something in my ears because I grew up without it. let him grow up with it. I use hearing protection but I cant leave it in all the time. He may be used to earbuds and stuff like that as many people are today but I think the best thing is good hearing protection.
 
JustAnOldCooter said:
Yep, we're not concerned with looks...only the potential benefit of the stiffness at reduced weight. Correct - fluting can only detract from accuracy due to stress added to the steel unless it gets relieved...and that's questionable. So it's a gamble - some fluting works out without any impact to accuracy...and other times it all goes to hades...
Click to expand...
If your after stiffness then stick to straight flutes. All fluting reduces stiffness, but the spiral and cross spiral patterns reduce stiffness much more. I did a test with different blanks including carbons where I chucked them in my lathe at the same spot on the shank and hung a weight at 24". I measured the deflection. On the smaller contours the flutes are so shallow they dont have much effect on the stiffness of the barrel. So if you flute a #3 with straight flutes, you have not hurt it much for stiffness but you also have only taken 3-4 oz off. When Broughton was still in business the flutes where cut, the barrel was stress relived, then it was final lapped. I liked that process.
 
Carbon 6 uses McGowen blanks.

I did a 20" 308 Win. With and without the can. The adjustable cheek piece adds a bit. Not super light, but not terrible. Very shootable.

IMG_4501.jpeg
IMG_4500.jpeg
 
For those that thread barrels for a living. What is the minimum diameter at the muzzle you like to see assuming that one would place a suppressor on it in the future? Is there a minimum shoulder dimension you like to see to ensure there is enough meat at the end of the barrel to support either the suppressor or potentially a break.

Based on a few individuals I spoke with regarding a recent barrel, the smiths preferred a minimum of a #4 assuming that the threads would be 5/8" on a 7mm barrel.

I don't know if that will help guide you decision on barrel contour, and thus potential barrel fluting.
 
Alex Wheeler said:
If your after stiffness then stick to straight flutes. All fluting reduces stiffness, but the spiral and cross spiral patterns reduce stiffness much more. I did a test with different blanks including carbons where I chucked them in my lathe at the same spot on the shank and hung a weight at 24". I measured the deflection. On the smaller contours the flutes are so shallow they dont have much effect on the stiffness of the barrel. So if you flute a #3 with straight flutes, you have not hurt it much for stiffness but you also have only taken 3-4 oz off. When Broughton was still in business the flutes where cut, the barrel was stress relived, then it was final lapped. I liked that process.
Click to expand...
With less fluting it seems to be wider and deeper. More flutes regardless of pattern will be less in both. Is it possible to get (let's say) 5 or 6 flutes that aren't as wide or deep?
 
I packed a heavy as hell savage varmint model across a lot of mountain from 14-18yrs old, don't underestimate a young man's resilience. I've also used sub 7# guns. Light guns are easy to carry but suck to shoot well and it's easy to kill a persons confidence if they can't hit consistently. Heavy guns suck to carry but easy to shoot so I'm with Shane, something in 8.5-low 9# range scooped is the perfect blend
 

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