Custom rifle or Ridgeline with stock upgrade

[762 ULTRAMAGA]

As far as caron barrel goes, I could care less on looks. Carbon looks cool, fluted steel looks cool. It's a wash in my mind. Why I picked it is just because it seems you'd be getting a stiffer (less whip) barrel over a smaller dia steel. Probably negligible and the care taken when manufacturing and rifling the barrel is way more important but it makes sense to me that a larger diameter barrel would be an advantage. Plus the cooling advantage. In all honesty though I bet I could get a fluted #3 and be completely happy.

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The stiffness and cooling advantages with CF are a myth.
Tests have shown that a #3 ss barrel is stiffer than a Sendero contour CF, and CF acts as an insulator to the super thin steel core which leads to other problems.

I’m leery of aggressive fluting. Had a 6.5 saum bartlein that kampfeld spiral fluted and beanland chambered that I wasn’t happy with and 2x seekins havaks that didn’t shoot well either. Beanland and Travis @ TS have both told me they aren’t a fan of aggressive fluting (especially on sporter contours).

I've had 4 deep fluted barrels now, two Spiral fluted by Kampfeld. They've all shot .3 or better, whatever your issue was it likely had nothing to do with the fluting.

A few years ago I decided to give preferred barrels a try and had terrible luck with two that were fluted.
They both copper fouled real bad and I'm sure the accuracy issues were a matter of them being cheap

 

[JeffRaines]

So I bought into the CA thing last year with a ridgeline. While the rifle shot well, the machining and QC left a LOT to be desired.

I ended up sending it up the road and bought a Tikka in 300wsm. Got the barrel threaded, put a APA brake on it, HC magazine, MT trigger spring, shaved the bolt stop down, dropped it in a AG Alpine Hunter and got an OMR bottom metal.

One of the reasons I sorta steered away from Tikka at the beginning was because of the twist rates... they’re definitely not ideal for heavier bullets. I can’t run 215s and up, but I’ve had luck with 200-205s and below. Not that it matters as everything is unobtanium at the moment - especially those 215s.

I figured at the cost of a CA Ridgeline and a new stock, I could buy a Tikka and customize it to my liking. If I ever feel like the twist rate is holding me back(and the animals on the ground definitely indicate it’s not) I could buy a prefit of my choice and twist it how I want. In fact, that’s the plan once I shoot this barrel out.

I’ve rung steel out to 800 with no issues. I don’t see a reason why I couldn’t push it to 1000+ but at the moment I’m trying to conserve components. A buddy of mine just replaced the barrel on his with a proof prefit and he had zero issues out to 1300 with the factory tube.

Just something to consider, I get everyone and their brother mentions Tikka but they’re a decent deal if you’re looking to customize.

 

[Kimber7man]

I agree with just about everything I see printed here. Especially the XM defiance anti part. Build that on a 22” or 24” (I like 22”)#4 contour steel barrel that’s fluted, or a #3 Bartlein. I see this carbon fiber barrel fad going the way of the buggy whip within five years. Potentially the same with titanium actions. Give me a tried and true, centuries proven steel all day long.

7 SAUM
Defiance anTi XM action with alloy rail
Bartlein #4 CFW 22” barrel
Defiance alloy BDL
Manners EH-SL stock

 

[ShortMountain91]

So I bought into the CA thing last year with a ridgeline. While the rifle shot well, the machining and QC left a LOT to be desired.

I ended up sending it up the road and bought a Tikka in 300wsm. Got the barrel threaded, put a APA brake on it, HC magazine, MT trigger spring, shaved the bolt stop down, dropped it in a AG Alpine Hunter and got an OMR bottom metal.

One of the reasons I sorta steered away from Tikka at the beginning was because of the twist rates... they’re definitely not ideal for heavier bullets. I can’t run 215s and up, but I’ve had luck with 200-205s and below. Not that it matters as everything is unobtanium at the moment - especially those 215s.

I figured at the cost of a CA Ridgeline and a new stock, I could buy a Tikka and customize it to my liking. If I ever feel like the twist rate is holding me back(and the animals on the ground definitely indicate it’s not) I could buy a prefit of my choice and twist it how I want. In fact, that’s the plan once I shoot this barrel out.

I’ve rung steel out to 800 with no issues. I don’t see a reason why I couldn’t push it to 1000+ but at the moment I’m trying to conserve components. A buddy of mine just replaced the barrel on his with a proof prefit and he had zero issues out to 1300 with the factory tube.

Just something to consider, I get everyone and their brother mentions Tikka but they’re a decent deal if you’re looking to customize.

What did your final weight end up being after the modifications? Got any pictures of your setup?

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[prm]

You could just go buy a T3X Superlite and spend more on glass and ammo to shoot. Add a carbon barrel and have a reputable gunsmith give it a good look over?

Edit: I missed that this idea was already suggested.

Though I fully support getting a custom made!

 

[JeffRaines]

What did your final weight end up being after the modifications? Got any pictures of your setup?

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I’ll get some pictures soon. I’m getting ready for a spring bear hunt in Montana next week.

As far as weight I’m around 9lb, but I’m running a Bushnell LRTS and some heavy ass scope rings I need to replace. I could probably cut some weight there, but honestly that 8.5-9lb mark is where I shoot the best.

I could’ve probably went with a Mesa altitude stock for a couple more ounces saved as well. I’m pretty sure this stock is 32oz or so.

 

[Mojave]

Just piece meal it together.

Buy an action, take a few months to get that. Then start piece mealing the rest together.

Look on ebay for a 2nd hand Hs Precision or Bell and carlson stock to get you started.

The action is the soul, so do that first and build from then on out. As you get more money replace the parts with what you can afford.

A $50- Remington factory take off trigger will get you shooting, so will a $150 Boyd's stock. Replace the bits as time goes on.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I just went through this and I ended up selling the rifles I settled on and put the money toward customs. Sounds like you're in the same boat, if you're anything like me you need to spend the extra money and get what you want or you'll never be happy lol.

 

[wind gypsy]

The stiffness and cooling advantages with CF are a myth.
Tests have shown that a #3 ss barrel is stiffer than a Sendero contour CF, and CF acts as an insulator to the super thin steel core which leads to other problems.

From what I've read there is carbon fiber that acts as an insulator and some that help cooling. I've seen tests show that the bore of CF barrels heat up faster than a steel barrel but they also cool faster. Similar to how a sporter barrel heats up faster but also cools faster than a heavier contour. That extra mirage with CF is a biproduct of that heat transferring to air from what I understand.

From Frank at Bartlein:

There are two basic types of CF. One that insulates the heat and one that helps wick the heat away.

That being said what you do to the outside of the barrel in my opinion doesn't do anything to help the barrel life per say. Every time you light that round off the flame temp. in the throat area of the chamber is around 2200 to 4000F depending on caliber and type of powder being used etc...

So rate of fire (how hot you get it), type of load and how often you clean it etc.. are going to be bigger factors in barrel life then it being cf wrapped.

Also I'll say the all steel barrels take longer to heat up where as the cf wrap because of less steel in the blank is going to heat up faster. The proper cf barrels do cool a little faster/quicker but I don't think it's enough to offset anything at all. Again I don't see any gain by it.

I've had 4 deep fluted barrels now, two Spiral fluted by Kampfeld. They've all shot .3 or better, whatever your issue was it likely had nothing to do with the fluting.

A few years ago I decided to give preferred barrels a try and had terrible luck with two that were fluted.
They both copper fouled real bad and I'm sure the accuracy issues were a matter of them being cheap

Perhaps you're right. The couple smiths i mentioned don't have the warm and fuzzies for them which is enough for me.

 

[KChunter71]

I just went through this and I ended up selling the rifles I settled on and put the money toward customs. Sounds like you're in the same boat, if you're anything like me you need to spend the extra money and get what you want or you'll never be happy lol.

That’s what I did. Sold 4 on gunbroker and put the money towards my 300prc. The wait hurts but worth it when it shows up

 

[Mojave]

I have flopped back and forth between custom rifles and Blaser rifles, and I currently have 2 Blaser R8's and a Custom rifle based on a American Rifle Co Nucleus action.

The key is not to buy something that results in a dead-end.

700 based actions are the best, and hopefully with a Savage barrel tennon. Then you can use all the cheap aftermarket 700 parts (stocks, triggers and bottom metal) and use Savage small thread pre-fit barrels.

Buy an action that has those features and order a prefit barrel and put it on yourself. There are several outfits making prefits for Savage 110 rifles.

2 years ago American Rifle Co had Nucleus actions for $700, I bought 5 of them. I am down to my last one and it is a keeper. But they were all good.

A guy is better owning 1 -2 custom rifles than a safe full of stuff he never shoots.

 

[DuckDogDr]

I was in the same conundrum recently.
I wound up purchasing a christensen titanium for less than I can purchase individual parts and then pay a smith..Not in a big hurry..but my concern was as this pandemic and continued shortages progress...worried I could even get the parts in the future.
The Christensen checked off 95% of the boxes for my custom build ..and ...its ready to go bang....

I'm supposed to pick it up tomorrow from my FFL , but unfortunately will be October before I can tinker with it...I'm chomping at the bit lol