Ideal 6.5 CM 24" hunting rifle barrel?

[Litehiker]

Currently I have a new 6.5 CM Browning X-Bolt Pro, Browning's top X-Bolt. Mine is the 22" barrel, not the 26" Long Range Pro barrel. I got mine as a "mountain rifle" at 6 lbs. 1 oz. It actually gets 1/2 MOA when I zeroed it with 140 gr. Hornady ELD-M ammo.

A few years from now I'll need a new barrel B/C I'll be shooting this rifle in local varmint competition.

To get a bit more velocity I'll add 2" to the barrel for a 24" total (W/O a brake)

My plan is a Bartlein factory lapped stainless barrel with 5R rifling at a 1:7.5 in. twist to work with bullets 130 grains to 155 grains. (The X-Bolt Pro rifles all have stainless barreled actions.) No CF wrapped barrels will be considered but the barrel will be thin and fluted.

Any other suggestions?

Eric B.

 

[Barrelnut]

Those Browning carbon fiber stocks are light. Might have to select a barrel based on how much the barrel channel could be opened up.

 

[turkn8r1]

Those Browning carbon fiber stocks are light. Might have to select a barrel based on how much the barrel channel could be opened up.

 

[turkn8r1]

Look at X-Caliber. I have a Batlien, a McGowen and a Pac-Nor They are all quality barrels and if I do my part they all do theirs. My first experience with X-Caliber was a 6.5 CM 26" with a brake . It is a tack driver.

 

[Litehiker]

Barrelnut,
I hear you about the X-Bolt Pro carbon fiber stock and I plan never to go through the epoxy finish layer or CF layer and compromise its strength. I need a skinny barrel to fit the stock but I'll have it barely fit the forearm with less of a final taper than the current 22" barrel. It will be necessary to have enough meat at the muzzle. Obviously the Pro CF stock can never fit a Proof Research CF wrapped barrel, even the thinnest one. Because of that I likely will ask for the deepest fluting available for weight reasons. Hopefully adding 2 more inches to barrel length will only add maybe 4 ounces.

turk,
Haven't heard of X-Caliber so I need to investigate it. There are things available with some barrel makers and not with others like cryogenic treatment for example. Thanks for threads up on this brand.

Eric B.