Barrel weight

[nhenry]

Hello all,

I’ve gone back and forth with barrel profile. Currently my order is a 24” #2 sporter from Preferred Barrel Blanks with spiral fluting. The estimated weight from them is 3.19 lbs. I could, however, switch it to a #1 and make it around a 2.8-3 lb barrel, which would be lighter on the rifle obviously. I hunt, but also love to go to the range. Opinions on what I should do?

 

[Don Fischer]

Something that occurred to me over the years is that going light isn't all it's cracked up to be for me. Best hunting rifle I ever had was a Rem 660. Ever took a good look at the barrel on them? Short and stiff! As I recall mine had a 20" barrel and it was pretty fat, at least seemed that way to me, but not a bull barrel. Had than barrel been 24" I wouldn't have wanted to carry it to the truck! But short like that it really balanced well and shot great. Think it was something to do like the target rifle's went to heavy weight shorter barrels. The weight was there, don't recall it , but the rifle balanced really well and I didn't notice it.

I like short action cartridge's, mine are on the 308 case. On those short actions I like max 22" barrel's but do wonder sometime's if 20" and heavier wouldn't be better. On long action's I like 24" barrels. No particular reason just works for me. My Mod 70 Featherweight is a 6.5x55 and long action but has a 22" barrel and bit light contour. Had a 700 re-barreled to 6.5x06 and had a 25" barrel put on it with a magnum taper. Pretty heavy at shade over 8# but really shoot's great. 25"? No clue why I did that, probably just to be different. I do notice my 24" barrel rifles all seem to feel a bit front heavy. Settle's then on a sand bag pretty good but carry them around for a day and they do get heavy.

 

[ImBillT]

I rarely agree with Don, but I do on this. Going light is USUALLY overrated.

I went into some rugged terrain last year on my elk hunt about 20lbs to heavy. I could have dropped 5lbs by taking a different rifle, 8lbs by taking less water, 3lbs by taking less food, 1lb with a lighter sleeping bag and a couples pounds by going stove-less. It would have made for a better hunt.

Still, a 3.5-4.5lbs barrel on an otherwise light gun is rarely a bad thing.

 

[fishing4sanity]

How much do you like shooting at the range? I really enjoy ringing some steel and find it very therapeutic, I now have a couple of 'range' guns and my hunting rifles. There's some cross over of the two types, but usually they stick to their intended purposes.

 

[nhenry]

How much do you like shooting at the range? I really enjoy ringing some steel and find it very therapeutic, I now have a couple of 'range' guns and my hunting rifles. There's some cross over of the two types, but usually they stick to their intended purposes.

Whenever I find the time I like to go test handloads or shoot a box I picked up. Maybe once to twice a month

 

[Deleted member 16014]

What's your stock weight and design? And optic? I wouldn't want a pencil barrel on a beefy stock, or vice versa.

 

[nhenry]

What's your stock weight and design? And optic? I wouldn't want a pencil barrel on a beefy stock, or vice versa.

The stock’s carbon fiber weighing in at 29 oz and the optic is a Leupold at 14 oz

 

[nhenry]

What's your stock weight and design? And optic? I wouldn't want a pencil barrel on a beefy stock, or vice versa.

The whole gun would weigh around 8 lbs put together

 

[Deleted member 16014]

It's not gonna make that much difference either way, but I'd maybe lean #1 in your shoes. Or #2 and 21-22".

 

[nhenry]

It's not gonna make that much difference either way, but I'd maybe lean #1 in your shoes. Or #2 and 21-22".

It’s a 24” because it’s a 25-06

 

[.270]

I just put a preferred #2 on a savage and I would stick with a #2. It's definitely a sporter barrel contour. I do like a little more weight on my barrels though, pencil thin barrels can be difficult to shoot.

 

[nhenry]

I just put a preferred #2 on a savage and I would stick with a #2. It's definitely a sporter barrel contour. I do like a little more weight on my barrels though, pencil thin barrels can be difficult to shoot.

Would you mind posting pics? Also how does she shoot? Thanks for the input

 

[1_pointer]

What's your stock weight and design? And optic? I wouldn't want a pencil barrel on a beefy stock, or vice vers

He's leading you to building for balance and not weight if I'm not mistaken.

 

[Four22]

I’d go heavier personally. My go to rig comes in at 10 pounds but shoots like a dream.

Try to shed the 1-2 pound off your body and call it good. That’s they way I try to do it.

 

[.270]

Would you mind posting pics? Also how does she shoot? Thanks for the input

Here is the #2 at 26" fluted and Preferred's muzzle brake. I haven't messed with the rifle too much yet. Just loaded up 20 or so rounds to fireform. Doe season ends Sunday, after that I will play with it some more.

 

[nhenry]

Here is the #2 at 26" fluted and Preferred's muzzle brake. I haven't messed with the rifle too much yet. Just loaded up 20 or so rounds to fireform. Doe season ends Sunday, after that I will play with it some more.

View attachment 171932View attachment 171930

Looks like a nice rig!