I have shot the 180VLD's for a few years now. I went with this bullet for 2 reasons. First being high B.C. And second was the heavy bullet bucking the wind better at extended ranges. Looks like I'm going to have a research project for winter. If I was getting a custom barrel what would you recommend? And what twist rate would be optimal for my setup? Or would I be better to shoot a smaller bullet? Thanks for all the help.
Well, if Berger advises a 9-twist for the 180s and that's what you'll be shooting, that's what I'd go with, it'll handle the lighter bullets too. As far as custom barrels I'm certainly no expert and there are a lot of good ones out there. I think it depends on whether you want a cut-rifled or button-rifled barrel (or whether that matters to you) and whether you want the barrel maker to do a turnkey job and chamber/install the barrel in your action or whether you want your own gunsmith to do that. Also, whether you want stainless steel in a lighter contour. Some barrel makers won't make stainless barrels in lighter contours, so you'll need to check that out.
Having said all that, I've had good luck with Pacnor, Bartlein, and Brux barrels. Pacnor makes button-rifled barrels and the other two are cut-rifled. You hear a lot of different opinions about cut-rifled barrels being more accurate, and it seems that benchrest shooters tend towards them, but I've had four or five from Pacnor now and they've all been accurate, including my most accurate rifle, a 6.5-06 Ackley. Their service is great, and they will do turnkey work (as will Bartlein) which means it's less hassle for you and your project will take less time than waiting for the barrel then waiting for your gunsmith to chamber/fit the barrel. Pacnor will also do custom contours, including lightweights like the Kimber Montana contour in stainless. I've heard good things about Rock Creek barrels too but haven't had one myself.
If you're going to have a gunsmith do the bedding on your stock, it's going to sit at the gunsmiths for a while anyway so the turn-key option is not so important.
So if it were me, I'd go with one of those, depending on whether cut-rifled/button-rifled is important, the contour I wanted, whether I wanted turn-key service, and their turnaround time. Check that before you commit, it varies a lot. In my experience Pacnor is quickest, but they're still about 14 weeks right now, I have one with them and one with Bartlein and bartlein was more like 20 weeks IIRC.
PS, on your comment about heavier bullets bucking wind better, that's true in general but only because heavier bullets tend to have higher BCs--a lighter bullet with a higher BC will actually buck the wind better, it's BC that matters.
