Barrel weight savings

[A A Ron]

Just in case anyone is curious about cutting a barrel down for weight savings I thought I would share my results.

I cut 4 inches off my barrel and had it straight fluted. It reduced the weight by 6.7 oz. The barrel is a Bartlein #3 contour in 30-06 AI. That weight savings was a little disappointing, but it does balance, handle, and swing better.

To further diet the rifle I removed the steel Ruger Rings and replaced them with a 20 moa EGW aluminum base and Farrell low aluminum rings. That saved another 5 oz. Net weight loss is 12 oz.

The whole rifle is still heavy imo at 10 lbs 4 oz.

Also, an interesting note I did not have near the velocity loss I thought I would by lopping off 4 inches. My load chronographed at an average of 2788 fps with a 200 Berger HBT and Staball 6.5 with a 26" barrel. (That load trued at 2830 fps at distance.) With the 22 " barrel it chronographed at an average of 2746. It trued at 2801 fps at distance. Obviously the chronograph and truing velocity are different.

I'm definitely out of the node I had before. It went from close to .5 moa to just over 1 moa today. It was 92 degrees today versus 49 degrees on the 26" barrel test day. Staball 6.5 is supposed to be temp stable but I would expect some velocity increase from the heat.

 

[std7mag]

Interesting!!!

I would expect a POI change as taking 4" off the barrel will change it's harmonics.

Back to load development!
On the plus side, you should probably only have to find the powder charge the barrel likes.
Seating depth should stay the same.

Keep us posted!!

 

[A A Ron]

In previous test the Berger was pretty flexible on seating depth.

 

[jdub76]

How big is the bartlein 3 contour ? Compared to a sendero or varmint profile.

 

[A A Ron]

The #3 is about a pound lighter. It is considered a heavy shorter vs Varmint or target.

 

[choprzrul]

I had 4" taken off a LR Browning XBolt with a medium sporter barrel. My postal scale showed that 4" piece weighing 4oz

.

 

[jdub76]

The #3 is about a pound lighter. It is considered a heavy shorter vs Varmint or target.

I have been looking at a 20" 3b bartlein in 300wsm or go carbon varmint profile I didn't know how much a steel 3b would be over the carbon

 

[The Oregonian]

A gunsmith this summer weighed a carbon 24" and a Benchmark #5 24" heavy fluted and the carbon was 4 oz lighter. I went with the SS

 

[Rich Coyle]

I am amazed. I sent a barrel to Twisted Barrel who fluted a 24" barrel and reduced its weight by 7 ounces.

 

[A A Ron]

How did it shoot after that?

 

[comfisherman]

I am amazed. I sent a barrel to Twisted Barrel who fluted a 24" barrel and reduced its weight by 7 ounces.

What contour? I've seen some impressive loss like that but on my heavy contour barrels. On something like a #3 there is a lot less to give.


To the op. Rugers are hard to make light weight. Just a fact of that big old chunky action. Common affliction with 77 series rifles, have tried to ameliorate it myself but it's backed in to that big chunky crf action.

 

[A A Ron]

Agreed.

If I had it to do over I would have done a few things different on this rifle for weight. A lighter contoured barrel and a standard fill weight in the Mcmillian stock vs magnum fill would have helped. A complete rifle under 9 lbs would be nice. Any lighter and rifles are hard to shoot really well for me. Overall I think it turned out great. A Bartlein barrel, Mcmillian stock, and Timney trigger. The action is way over built, but it will last forever. The gunsmith commented how difficult it was to tap the receiver because of the hardness and toughness of the material. The casting process is pretty incredible.

 

[RichCoyle]

How did it shoot after that?

It was a new barrel. The groups ran between 5/8" and 1 1/2" for five shots. It was a 6.5mm diameter. I had it bored to 8mm and switch from Barnes 127 grainers to Hammer Hunter 198 grainers. The run 5/8" to 15/16" for five shots.

What contour? I've seen some impressive loss like that but on my heavy contour barrels. On something like a #3 there is a lot less to give.

The barrel is 24" long that matches the smallest contour for the Weatherby Ultralight six lug action; except I had them add .050" to the muzzle which brought it up to .618". The rifle weighs 7lb 4oz with a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 in Talley light weight rings. The stock is a Proof Research before they started charging too much for me.

 

[Earnhardt]

I am amazed. I sent a barrel to Twisted Barrel who fluted a 24" barrel and reduced its weight by 7 ounces.

Did your accuracy or "preferred load" need to be changed after the fluting/weight loss?
Did the node change?
Thanks