Bartlien barrel contour for hunting rifle

[deadwolf]

Personally not a fan of super thin whippy barrels, even on hunting rifles, and can't decide between a Bartlien #3, 3b, or 4 for a new build. #3 is so close to my factory Remington, and that just seems a little light. I'm leaning towards a 3b only because a #4 is so close to a sendero and I don't really want to pack that around : )

Also would consider a light Palma but don't know a whole hell of a lot about em other than the little bit I've read.

Any of you out there that have been down this road please chime in.
Thanks!


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[Jeff Martin]

Why not flute a #4?

 

[Idaho CTD]

I do a lot of builds with 3b Bartleins or #5 Brux or Kriegers. They seem to be the best compromise of weight and accuracy IMO. A 26" barrel, long action, BDL style floor plate, brake, and Manners EH or McMillan Game Scout ends up 8 3/4 to 9lbs. A short action is about 1/2 lb lighter. A light Palma is so close to a Sendero contour it's ridiculous. a LP weighs about 2oz less at equal lengths.

 

[deadwolf]

Jeff, right in line with my thinking.

Idaho, manners EH2, BDL floorplate, long action....check check check. Gonna be finished at 24" with no brake. Thinking of fluting as well but admittedly its mostly for the cool factor : )

Hoping to be right around 8lbs before scope.

Thanks for the replies guys



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[teamvit]

I did a #3 for my 260 and wouldn't hesitate to use a #3 again for a hunting rifle

 

[JigStick]

#3. Why carry around extra weight if you don't have to. Its not going to make a bit of difference in the accuracy department, especially on a hunting rifle. Now if you were using your PRS rifle to hunt with, obviously you would be looking for a munch heavier contour.

I used to hunt with my 300winmag which sits in a McMillan A3-5 stock with a Remington varmint barrel. Gun weighs dam near 17lbs with optics. Learned real quick it was less than ideal, and built myself a single shot lite hunting rifle, which Ive taken game with out to 870yds without issue.

Lite and fast is the ticket.

 

[GKPrice]

A) a rifle you leave "camp" with knowing you will be shooting long range at game OR B) a rifle you leave camp with intent on hunting where ever your motivation takes you knowing that you can make a long range shot if the need arises I'll be hunting with "B" but that's a very personal decision (Tikka T3X SL will likely do) IMO, like packs "the lighter the better"

 

[Idaho CTD]

I've built a lot of rifles using 3's too but the 3B's have a little more heft and seem to behave a little better with magnum calibers, especially .30's and up. I'm building a 6.5 Creedmoor with a #3 and any of the smaller calibers are fine with a #3 IMO, even some of the smaller magnums like a 6.5saum, 264wm, etc.

I just weighed my components (Rem 700 SA with BDL bottom metal, Bartlien #3 27" blank, McMillan Game Scout and it came in just under 8 1/4lbs. Bedding will add a little bit as will a brake but you'll lose some cutting off the barrel and machining it too. BTW the rated weights listed for barrel blanks are usually in .30 caliber so the smaller the caliber the more the blank will weigh. My blank weighs 3lbs 15oz and they say it will weigh 3lbs 8oz at a 26" finish length on their site. 1" of barrel at .670" only weighs a couple ounces. So cutting it to 26" it will still be 3lbs 12-13oz or a 1/4lb heavier then they say.

 

[jm1607]

I'm going with a 3B but I'm having it lightly fluted. If I wasn't I'd go with a 2B, but I'm going for a lighter weight "scout" rifle style build

 

[deadwolf]

I settled on a fluted 3b, will be finished at 24". I think that's gonna work out just fine


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[Cahunter805]

Deadwolf

Good choice! Keep the shank length short and you will make your target weight!

 

[wind gypsy]

I've built a lot of rifles using 3's too but the 3B's have a little more heft and seem to behave a little better with magnum calibers, especially .30's and up. I'm building a 6.5 Creedmoor with a #3 and any of the smaller calibers are fine with a #3 IMO, even some of the smaller magnums like a 6.5saum, 264wm, etc.

I just weighed my components (Rem 700 SA with BDL bottom metal, Bartlien #3 27" blank, McMillan Game Scout and it came in just under 8 1/4lbs. Bedding will add a little bit as will a brake but you'll lose some cutting off the barrel and machining it too. BTW the rated weights listed for barrel blanks are usually in .30 caliber so the smaller the caliber the more the blank will weigh. My blank weighs 3lbs 15oz and they say it will weigh 3lbs 8oz at a 26" finish length on their site. 1" of barrel at .670" only weighs a couple ounces. So cutting it to 26" it will still be 3lbs 12-13oz or a 1/4lb heavier then they say.

This is where my head goes too, #3 with 6.5s and 3b on bigger as a starting point. I had a #3 with pretty deep spiral flutes on my 6.5 saum and it wasn't consistently accurate. New standard #3 tube seems much better. I'm hesitant on fluting the lighter contours now.