Barrel Contour For XP Build

[Left Hand Dave]

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

 

[Ernie]

One of the main reason for a lighter barrel is a overall lighter weight for carrying or packing when hunting.
If you want lighter for packing in the hills the 3B contour (In between the Remington Sporter taper and the Remington varmint taper)
If weight is not a issue, then a heavier contour has advantages in terms of soaking up recoil.
The Heavy Varmint would be another contour to consider. It is about as heavy as a contour that you use with a McMillan stock.
Do some comparisons with contours, and go from there:

Contour Dimensions | Bartlein Barrels

www.bartleinbarrels.com

A Heavy Varmint Brux 30 cal (10T) in stock!

Brux 30 cal 10 twist SS Heavy Varmint 31''

www.bugholes.com

They also have heavy varmint, M24, and heavy palma in stock.
They have 9T Brux in stock as well in several heavy contours

ENABLING MODE-ON!

 

[ChrisRhodes]

Palma is heavy. Very heavy.

If you want to field shoot I'd look at the following.

#4 taper

2B

30 nosler is going to move no matter what barrel taper you use. A good brake is your friend.

 

[sierracharlie338]

I'd go heavier than the sporter contours, even the heavy ones, because that 30Nos is going to kick even with a brake.

I vote Palma or even m24 type

 

[Left Hand Dave]

I wonder what the weight difference is between a Remington varmint taper and a heavy Palma is when their both cut to 17". The Palma blank is 2lbs heavier but it's 4" longer. Thinking at 17" the heavy Palma is maybe 1/2lb heavier?
I have used Remington varmint tapers on all my XPs except one. I could be over thinking this.

 

[Ernie]

If I remember right the Heavy Varmint will be heavier than the Heavy Palma.
The 1.250 for 5" gives it a good start
The HV with a 28" barrel is 7.4 Pounds, while the Heavy Palma is 6.3 pounds at 30 inches

 

[Ernie]

Just under 16" HV taper.
22GT

 

[Critter Picker]

Because the barrel is shorter,it will automatically be stiffer. If I was you I would take the stock with action installed,have a light barrel(can be any piece of junk) add weights to end and feel the balance. The purpose of a center grip is balance. It also gets the action above the hand so it flips instead of pounding straight back.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

The sendaro and heavy palma will be pretty close at 17". Lilja has a good excel spreadsheet where you and put in dimensions and look at the weights. I'd do at least a #4 or 5. Sendaro would be just fine IMO. And put a good brake on it. All in with a sendaro you'll be around 8-9#. Maybe a little more depending on optics.

 

[Buttermilk]

My heavy Palma barrel is 0.950", is 18.5" long before the break. Total gun weight including scope is 9.3 pounds.

It's heavy enough I'm building another with a carbon barrel to save some weight.

I'm using a MBM 5-port Beast muzzle brake. Brake works very well. (My 7-08 XP with a pencil thin barrel and lesser brake recoils more). Based on videos I've watched I would say this brake works better than most. My gun doesn't move much.

I used a Bartlein #4 on a 7 RSAUM build. At 17.5" it measures 0.880", and weighs a pound less than my 30 Nosler.

I think the Remington Sendero/Varmint contour would be a good compromise between all choices.

However, I chose to go Bartlein carbon on my latest and went big diameter for stiffness. Should still save a couple of pounds.

 

[rickiesrevenge]

Please let us know what that weighs when you get it done Roger

 

[Left Hand Dave]

I considered the carbon barrels but they are very pricey. I haven't had any issues with the weight of my other XPs with the Sendero/Varmint contour so I have decided on that for my build. I figure no matter what I use for a barrel I'm not going to save anymore than probably two pounds at the most. I can buy Almost two SS barrels for the price of a carbon so I get more toys in the long run. There are good solid ways to carry an SP that make the weight difference between carbon/SS and different contours no big deal. Might take an extra 1/2 minute or minute to get it ready by it's not like I'm going to jump shoot something with an SP anyway.
ChrisRhodes did get me thinking about doing a lighter build in the future in a different cartridge. I do have an MOA I would like to get rebarreled or maybe an XP. Think Chris has been taking enabling training from Ernie
I would like to thank everyone for the input it helped me think it through and if anyyhas additional input that's great. It may help someone else that reads this thread in the future or me on the next build.

 

[Gunnuts]

Thus far, out of all of the XP's I've shot (mostly Ernie's) I've never had one that seemed to light to shoot. Most of the time I allow free recoil and haven't had a problem with accuracy. A good brake is the most important thing. You're not likely to see your impacts anyway with a big 30 cal.

 

[waltejaf1]

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.