Bartlein Rem Varmint or 3B contour?

[waspocrew]

I'm a little torn between the two contours above.... I'm piecing together a 6.5 Sherman for deer hunting and I'm not sure which one would be the way to go. Honestly, a .5 lb difference probably isn't anything to worry about, but just curious what you'd go with.

I'm running a Rem 700 LA, Greybull precision stock, BDL bottom metal and a Timney trigger. Doesn't seem like it'll be all too heavy.

Thoughts?

 

[Edd]

The big difference in those two barrels is going to be how the gun balances. I would suggest you make the decision based on how you carry the gun and how a heavy muzzle will affect you instead of focusing on the overall weight.

 

[BucksAndBulls]

I agree with Edd... I would think that the 3b will have better balance, that's what I would go with...
Mike

 

[waspocrew]

Thanks guys, the balance is really what I'm thinking about. I have to look into the profile differences a little more but I think the 3b should fill the barrel channel of the greybull stock just fine.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I would do a light palma. It's less taper than the 3b and a 1.25" shank like a Sendero. Basically it's a Sendero with .050" less thickness when it steps down.

 

[elkaholic]

I would do a light palma. It's less taper than the 3b and a 1.25" shank like a Sendero. Basically it's a Sendero with .050" less thickness when it steps down.

I like that option too...........Rich

 

[waspocrew]

I would do a light palma. It's less taper than the 3b and a 1.25" shank like a Sendero. Basically it's a Sendero with .050" less thickness when it steps down.

That sounds like a pretty good option as well... thanks for the suggestion!

Rich - what contours have you been using on your 6.5 Shermans?

 

[IdahoCTD]

I like that option too...........Rich

It's what my next 6.5 will be . It should weigh just over 4lbs at 26" which is slightly heavier than a 3B.

 

[elkaholic]

That sounds like a pretty good option as well... thanks for the suggestion!

Rich - what contours have you been using on your 6.5 Shermans?

I have a fluted #4 on my Sherman, and a fluted #5 on my SS............Rich

 

[Shoalwater]

I'm going to run a fluted 3b on my 280AI build. I too was looking at all these different contours trying to balance out build weight vs balance and feel that will give me the best of both worlds. Im going with a 25" plus brake in a Manners Elite Hunter 1 stock. I'm afraid any more barrel and the balance won't be very good with such a light stock.

 

[waspocrew]

Thanks for the input everyone- after looking at the contours a little more, I ended up going with a Bartlein light Palma. It weighs 4.5 lbs @ 31 inches, so it should be nice finished at 26. I think it'll fit the bill nicely and could go lighter with flutes if necessary.

Looking forward to getting th build underway in a few weeks!

 

[Edd]

A light Palma will quite a bit heavier on the muzzle than a 3B.

 

[Garycrow]

I'd rethink that choice. The #1 mistake guys make with custom rifles is building them too heavy and too long. Gunsmiths love to build heavy barreled rifles, they shoot better with minimal work. For the same reason barrel makers try to talk customers into building with heavy barrels, it's easier to make them shoot and their reputation is enhanced when someone gets on an internet forum and proclaims XXX barrel is the best thing ever. However, gunsmiths and barrel makers don't have to carry these monsters and they get real old real quick when you're hunting with them. I'm not a fan of super lightweights, but there's no way I'd run anything heavier than a Bartlein 2B on any 7mm hunting rifle unless it was a dedicated long range rig that only went from the pickup to the shooting bench. Same thing with the length, unless it's a 7mm STW or bigger case then 24" is as long as I'm going. The tiny velocity gains don't outweigh the extra barrel length. Flutes are gimmicks, they don't save much weight at all.

Anything with a light palma contour barrel on it is going to turn into a safe queen real quick.

 

[ohiohunter]

I'd rethink that choice. The #1 mistake guys make with custom rifles is building them too heavy and too long. Gunsmiths love to build heavy barreled rifles, they shoot better with minimal work. For the same reason barrel makers try to talk customers into building with heavy barrels, it's easier to make them shoot and their reputation is enhanced when someone gets on an internet forum and proclaims XXX barrel is the best thing ever. However, gunsmiths and barrel makers don't have to carry these monsters and they get real old real quick when you're hunting with them. I'm not a fan of super lightweights, but there's no way I'd run anything heavier than a Bartlein 2B on any 7mm hunting rifle unless it was a dedicated long range rig that only went from the pickup to the shooting bench. Same thing with the length, unless it's a 7mm STW or bigger case then 24" is as long as I'm going. The tiny velocity gains don't outweigh the extra barrel length. Flutes are gimmicks, they don't save much weight at all.

Anything with a light palma contour barrel on it is going to turn into a safe queen real quick.

I'm stuck in a very similar dilemma. I'm building a 300wm that I wanted to keep at 10lbs. I originally wanted a medium palma but by my calc puts me over 11lbs. I need to come up w/ a barrel contour stat b/c my stock is ready to be inletted and my barrel will be cut in january.

Here is what I have: Stiller predator LA 2.8lb, Mcm Game scout 2.2lb, 1.8lb optics and hardware, 0.3lb for bottom metal. Which puts me a hair over 7lbs, so my barrel needs to come in at about 3lbs.