Barrel choice for 6.5PRC custom

[Thomasj1107]

Thomasj1107, I actually ran a cf wrapped 260 barrel in matches about 5 years ago. Never had any issue with mirage caused by heat coming off the barrel. Now obviously just 10 or 12 rd stages of fire and a scope with max mag of 16, rhat cf barrel was a remington varmint contour. In fact I never really encountered an issue of mirage caused by the heat of the barrel with steel or cf in rem varmint or larger contour under 25x. What I have always encountered with lighter sporter barrels such as a #3 or 3b or even a #4 is the actual barrel getting hot after 4 or 5 rds causing a shift in poi, obviously caliber has a role

You did have an actual shift in POI with a 3B sized barrel? Did you have any shift in POI with the CF?

 

[SDHNTR]

I certainly would never call a Bartlein 3 or 3B a “lighter sporter”. Quite the contrary. Heavy sporter maybe. Hell, even the 2b is more like a magnum sporter and we are talking 2 full stages heavier here.

I have a .308 and a .358 in the APR contour. I’ve shot plenty of multi shot strings, without rushing in between, just normal speed of loading and aiming, and I’ve never ever noticed a shift in poi. You’d almost have to deliberately heat up a 3B to get it to the point of shifting POI. Of course that is assuming good bedding.

OP, unless deliberately trying to heat it up, I can’t imagine a single normal scenario at the range or while hunting where you’d shoot rapid fire enough to cause a shift in poi.

 

[Oregonmuley]

I just did a hunting rifle with the Bart #4 Cf barrel and so far am really happy with it. Only about 40 rounds down the barrel but it shots great and has been great to carry in the field.

 

[Ohearchai]

Thomasj1107, never had an issue with the cf barrel, as I stated 260 Rem varmint with a long shank, 10 to 12 rds in 90 or 2 min stages of fire. Had a benchmark #3, kreiger #3 and a bartlein #2b, all similar contours and obviously lighter than a 3b, chambered in 6.5wsm, 270wsm and 7 rem mag. Great barrels for hunting, but even in load developement, 10 rds would be the max I would send before allowing the barrel to cool and sometimes even half that number. Excellent choices for hunting but for competition, no. Obviously there is a significant weight savings by getting a cf Bartlein #4 or 13 over steel and to be honest on my last build I compromised on the barrel, hoping perhaps I would use it at some of the elr matches next year.

 

[BigDog00]

I just got my #13 Bartlien CF back and it was 2# 15oz finished (w/ muzzle thread protector). Its chambered in .300 wsm and is 24". My total scoped rifle weight was something like 8lb 7oz I think. Bare rifle was ~6lb 10 oz. I went with the #13 vs #4 based on the minimal difference in weight.

Bighorn SR3
Bart #13 CF
Mesa CF stock
Hawkins BDL
Hawkins Rings
Vortex HST 4-16
TT Special

 

[Ohearchai]

Nice build BigDog00

 

[Thomasj1107]

Thomasj1107, never had an issue with the cf barrel, as I stated 260 Rem varmint with a long shank, 10 to 12 rds in 90 or 2 min stages of fire. Had a benchmark #3, kreiger #3 and a bartlein #2b, all similar contours and obviously lighter than a 3b, chambered in 6.5wsm, 270wsm and 7 rem mag. Great barrels for hunting, but even in load developement, 10 rds would be the max I would send before allowing the barrel to cool and sometimes even half that number. Excellent choices for hunting but for competition, no. Obviously there is a significant weight savings by getting a cf Bartlein #4 or 13 over steel and to be honest on my last build I compromised on the barrel, hoping perhaps I would use it at some of the elr matches next year.

So you feel like the CF barrel had more tolerance to shot strings than the lighter contour steel barrels?

 

[nyrifleman1]

Tag

 

[Fowlmaster]

I personally would go with a CF barrel over a Steel 3b for a hunting rig. By the time you flute it you will be right in the same cost of a proof pre-fit. You would also be ~5 oz lower in which you still have a nice big shoulder for either a can or muzzle brake.

 

[300 win mag]

2b in a bartlien with somewhat shallower flutes.there are also other barrel manufactures you could check out.several.your basically trying to get a sporter type hunting rifle ans somewhat of a competition bench gun in one.i dont know the other components your looking to use.

 

[wildcat33]

3b is a hunk of steel. I run a #3 and see zero need to go heavier for a hunting rifle. 2b or 3 fluted are about same weight. Fluting does nothing except lighten you wallet, same could be said for carbon wrapped unless running a can. Looks cool though. A bartlien barrel will have no noticeable poi shift in these steel weights under “hunting rifle conditions” unless it’s a defect.

 

[madcalfe]

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

40 oz stock ooooof talk about a boat paddle