Barrel choice for 6.5PRC custom

[Thomasj1107]

As I’ve done more and more research and looking at other customs I’m still kind of torn about what barrel to go with. Since my goal is to stay right at or around 10lbs (or less), I have ~3.5 lbs to spare for the barrel.

My thoughts were to go with a 24” fluted bartlein 3B... in photos I’ve seen it doesn’t seem like it gives the same “sendero” contour look. Do you have any suggestions besides that?

I know proof barrels would satisfy that but I don’t think I want carbon fiber.

Since this is a hunting rifle I obviously want to be able to keep the weight down, but I want a barrel that I can shoot plenty of practice range shots with and maybe play around in the local range events in a more amateur division. Is there a way to achieve that with one barrel that isn’t heavier?

 

[IrkedCitizen]

If you are already looking at Bartlein, why not a Bartlein carbon barrel? They come in 3 different contours: #4 bull sporter, #13 Remington Varmit/sendero, #14 M24/M40. The #4 is the lightest.

In this review their finished 24" #13 contour 7mm barrel weighed 3.0lbs. So a 6.5 would weigh slightly more due to smaller bore.

Bartlein CFW Barrel Test – West Texas Ordnance, Inc. | Custom Rifles & Accessories

This thread talks about them as well. In the video around the 11:30 mark he talks about a 6.5prc he built.

Bartlein Carbon Fiber wrapped barrels

Anyone see the news that Bartlein will now be making CF wrapped barrels? Below is a link to a short video from George @ GAP, he seems to feel they are good to go - and with them having the Bartlein name on them I'm guessing they should be a good CF option.

www.rokslide.com

 

[wind gypsy]

How fat a barrel is shouldn't dictate how many rounds you can shoot in practice.

Put another way - If you plan on shooting strings that will heat up a 3b contour too much, you are going to heat up a sendero contour too much just the same. I'd guess that a 3b would be more likely to stand up to long strings better than a proof carbon.

If you want to shoot long strings of fire without replacing your barrel at 1000 rounds, choose a milder chambering.

Edit: the primary benefits of heavier contours for competition style shooting is weight.

 

[SDHNTR]

A 3B is closer to a Sendero light, or light bull barrel contour. There is significantly more meat to it than your typical sporter, or even magnum sporter, barrel. Sounds like a perfect contour for what you are after functionally, but I guess I don’t understand your desired aesthetics. Anything bigger or fatter in steel, would make for a gun that is too heavy to be carrying around much, in my opinion. If you have to have the fat look, you are going to want to go carbon for a hunting rifle. I have two customs built on the 3b contour, And compared to your typical factory sporter barrel, they do not heat up as much. Not even close. But like anything else, I certainly wouldn’t try to heat it up on purpose.

 

[BBob]

A 3b doesn't look like a Sendero because it's not anything close to a Sendero profile. I have 3b and Shilen 5's (Bart 3b and Shilen 5 are very close to the same thing) and for a hunting rifle none have been a problem on the range as far as practice goes. In practice I don't shoot more than 5 at a time. There isn't any free lunch here and if you don't want carbon then pick your weight and go with it regardless of looks.

 

[Thomasj1107]

A 3B is closer to a Sendero light, or light bull barrel contour. There is significantly more meat to it than your typical sporter, or even magnum sporter, barrel. Sounds like a perfect contour for what you are after functionally, but I guess I don’t understand your desired aesthetics. Anything bigger or fatter in steel, would make for a gun that is too heavy to be carrying around much, in my opinion. If you have to have the fat look, you are going to want to go carbon for a hunting rifle. I have two customs built on the 3b contour, And compared to your typical factory sporter barrel, they do not heat up as much. Not even close. But like anything else, I certainly wouldn’t try to heat it up on purpose.

My desired aesthetic is really just to have the barrel as thick as possible but at the 3.5lb range (spiral fluted 24” if I go non carbon). And really I just want to be able to have the potential to hunt, do good range training days, and maybe shoot in a very beginner version of the mid-long range comps they do locally for fun. I understand to be truly competitive I’d need a heavier barrel but this would be rare/if ever

 

[SDHNTR]

Imo, you just described a nearly perfect functional placement for a 3B contour.

And let me get this straight. You want 10lbs BEFORE scope? So you want a 12lb overall set up? I could get on board with that for an exclusive range rat rifle, but that’s sure as heck not something I want to tote around the mountains!

 

[Thomasj1107]

No, it will finish right at 10lbs scoped

 

[SDHNTR]

No, it will finish right at 10lbs scoped

That makes a lot more sense.

 

[Thomasj1107]

Another forum suggested the bartlein carbon wrapped barrels, anyone have experience with these?

 

[HuntnPack]

Go with the 3b contour fluted or non, or a #4
Carbon. Adjust the barrel length where you need it for weight & balance. Consider shorter
20”-22”. Also consider shortening the shank.

 

[Dhbwa]

Go with the 3b contour fluted or non, or a #4
Carbon. Adjust the barrel length where you need it for weight & balance. Consider shorter
20”-22”. Also consider shortening the shank.

THIS....^^

 

[BBob]

No, it will finish right at 10lbs scoped

A rifle with a 3b and a stock like a std McMillan, not anything ultra light and a moderate weight scope will finish under 10lbs and probably closer to 8.5 to 9.

 

[SDHNTR]

A rifle with a 3b and a stock like a std McMillan, not anything ultra light and a moderate weight scope will finish under 10lbs and probably closer to 8.5 to 9.

I beg to differ. You’re .5-1 pound or so off. With most LR capable scopes weighing 24-30+ ounces these days, you are talking about a 7 lb bare rifle, or less, to reach your mentioned weights. That’s going to be pretty hard to do with a 3B at 24”, especially without going Ti on the action. The OP is right. I see a roughly 7 3/4-8lb rifle, with a carbon fiber lightweight stock of some sort and a steel action. Approx 10# all up with a good scope.

Unfortunately, no one has figured out how to make a reliable, lightweight LR capable scope yet. Sure wish they would!

 

[BBob]

Yes, memory was a bit off, you are correct. My two are a little under 9.5. A March 2.5-25 compact is 22oz. Pretty capable at a pretty light weight. The Swaro Z5’s aren’t bad for a lightweight choice ~16oz for a 500yd sheep rifle or are they???

 

[Thomasj1107]

A rifle with a 3b and a stock like a std McMillan, not anything ultra light and a moderate weight scope will finish under 10lbs and probably closer to 8.5 to 9.

So I’ve got:

22 ounces for a defiant anti
40 oz AG adjustable chalk branch
28 oz nightforce nx8
~16 oz for the muzzle break, trigger, and 20MOA rail

106 oz.... so about 54 to spare for the barrel

 

[BBob]

An unfinished 27” blank in 3b in 6.5 by my measurement is 4.2 lbs

A fluted 3 in 6.5 27” blank is 3.66 lb

 

[Thomasj1107]

Going to go 24 fluted, that’s why if the 3B was just over 3.5 fluted I was thinking that. But not I’m not sure I’m trying to decide between that and a Bartlein carbon fiber in a #4 or #13

 

[SDHNTR]

Yes, memory was a bit off, you are correct. My two are a little under 9.5. A March 2.5-25 compact is 22oz. Pretty capable at a pretty light weight. The Swaro Z5’s aren’t bad for a lightweight choice ~16oz for a 500yd sheep rifle or are they???

The Z5 gets a bad rap because it’s no Nightforce, but at 16 oz, I think it’s a damn fine choice. Mine has never given me any grief, but it’s definitely not a hardcore LR dialer.

 

[Kenn]

I rebarrelled a Tikka 300 WM into a 6.5 PRC. I used a fluted stainless 24" Benchmark and I have never had a rifle that shoots like this. I can shoot 3" groups at 500 yards. I didn't think that was possible at my minimal skill level. I know the carbon barrel would have been a little lighter but not much. Can't tell you what my barrel weighed in at.