NRL build - barrel and scope questions

PKR

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I’m working on putting together a rifle for NRL hunter heavy on a ACC premier gen 2 chassis with a CDG action. It will be suppressed with a 24” 6.5 cm barrel. Secondary use would be to add some weights and shoot local one day PRS stuff.

I’ve come up with wanting the barrel to be around 3.5 lbs of if I go with a 38oz scope (Zeiss, Khales, ZCO) or around 3lb if I were to go with a G3 razor 6-36. This gives me about a 1/2 lb buffer to play with in both scenarios.

Should I go with a stainless barrel in the 3.5 range? I’d like to go with the heaviest profile and look at fluting to get it down to weight but not sure what profile that would be.

Or just go CF sendero and be right at 3 lbs, easy choice IMO.

Last I’m thinking a 6-36 might be a bit much in regards to a scope for NRL but wanted to hear your thoughts. I’m presently using a 6-24 and keep it mostly around 14 but I’ve never been behind a 6-36.

Thanks!
 
I dont see any benefit to a 6-36 but also not a hindrance - should work fine at typical mag powers used in a match. I just wouldn't burn weight for the extra magnification.

Are you using a triple pull? 'spose that will help to balance with such a light barrel, otherwise it would be pretty easy to end up ass heavy IMO.
 
My NRL rifle as a Nightforce 7-35 on it which weighs 39oz. It's a fantastic scope, but honestly I have noticed I haven't adjust my mag range the entire season from about 12-13 power.

For reference I went with a carbon fiber barrel, suppressor, etc too and all up I'm around 15.7lbs.
 
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Speaking to magnification, I shot 99% of stages on 8x and never touched it. The only time I touched my mag dial is if I had to shoot before finding all the targets then had extra time after shooting to try and find another one. I’m not a top shooter but saw a lot of guys burn time messing with the mag dial cause they crank it down to super high magnification when they shoot then have trouble finding the next target.
 
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How much weight are you allocating for Bipod?

Quick Sum up of #'s below w/ 3.5# barrel leaves you about 1.5 # for a bipod.

View attachment 923563
20 oz for the bipod
Attached is a break down of some build outs
Some weights are a touch high to add for wiggly room.
Had an LRH to start with put the LOP wasn’t jiving as I’m pretty tall with long arms so all that can be tossed aside.
 

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I would go stainless barrel. You are going to go through barrels pretty quick on a competition gun. No use to spend the extra money on a carbon.
 
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Speaking to magnification, I shot 99% of stages on 8x and never touched it. The only time I touched my mag dial is if I had to shoot before finding all the targets then had extra time after shooting to try and find another one. I’m not a top shooter but saw a lot of guys burn time messing with the mag dial cause they crank it down to super high magnification when they shoot then have trouble finding the
Man, 8x my eyes aren’t that good. I’ve got to go a bit higher to see my misses and read the reticle. But man I bet that helps to find targets fast!
I'd definitely want that weight in the barrel and not the scope with that setup. NX8, mk4/mk5, used kahles 624 etc. Definitely not g3 razor. Maybe go 419 hunt vs match rings as well.
10-4, great feedback
Appreciate it
 
I agree with the others. Balance matters. That huge scope will add unnecessary weight and shift the balance point too far to the rear, IMO.

My NRL-Hunter build this year was similar to what you are planning, with an ACC Gen 1 (2 internal weights), Tenacity, 22" IBI CF Hunter (no suppressors allowed in Canada), Insight Heathen 4-port G2, Ckye-pod single, TT Special, Burris XTR Sig 30mm Med, Maven RS1.2, Burris scope level. Total weight was 15 lbs 4 oz and balance was nearly perfect. A tiny bit more weight out front wouldn't have hurt my feelings. The scope stayed on 15x and was about ideal.
 
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I would go stainless barrel. You are going to go through barrels pretty quick on a competition gun. No use to spend the extra money on a carbon.
That's not going to be feasible with an ACC, unless he uses a pencil barrel which would really hurt rifle balance. If he went with a HNT26 and a lighter scope, then he could get away with an M24 contour steel barrel.

The other thing is that NRL-Hunter doesn't burn through barrels nearly as quickly as does PRS.
 
That's not going to be feasible with an ACC, unless he uses a pencil barrel which would really hurt rifle balance. If he went with a HNT26 and a lighter scope, then he could get away with an M24 contour steel barrel.

What's not feasible? If a carbon barrel and a steel barrel weigh the same, why is the balance any different other than the obvious possible differences on how that weight is carried across the length of the barrel?
 
I would recommend as other said going with the lighter scope like the NX8 or mark4/5. I would also err on the lighter side for the barrel. I would rather be able to add weights to fine tune the balance/weight than have to plan everything perfectly with barrel and scope weights. A lighter scope and barrel would give you the option to update the bipod in the future as well - which if you shoot a handful of these comps you may be tempted to do eventually - double or triple pull.
 
I have found the Leopold MK 5 to be the scope of choice. Its 30 oz in 5-25. I shoot every stage at 18x. also the pr2 reticle is a little easier to use as i feel .25 incraments are a little faster on the fly.
This scope does not pass drop testing. You should have no issues shooting your stages though.

Carbon fiber is not the move for barrel. the steel allows for a much easier to balance rifle
 
My setup for light open is a rem varm with a 22’ heavy fluted and I run a tbac dominus. I use area 419 hunt rings. My scope of choice is for NRL hunter is the zco 420. The clarity is amazing and the fov is good and it’s been bulletproof for me. I shot the finally and never went over 15x and never touched the focus. The extra power definitely isn’t necessary for me and I have several 5-27x zco’s on my PRS rifles.IMG_1307.jpeg

I shoot in the southwest and barrels can get hot fast so I prefer steel over carbon. I do have a benchmark carbon barrel that is a shooter but I do worry about stringing if it gets hot. I have had proofs that will string after longer strings of fire and some that don’t.
 
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Right on, I’ve been too wrapped up on looking at some higher tier optics. Which come with the price of weight.
I have a MK 4 right now on my seekins and have thought to try out the 5 on this build. The lighter weight is attractive vs the 38oz and up scopes.

Presently I’m using a Gun Werks 2.0 and was having to run an arca pic adapter on my rail which pushed it up to 20 oz
Have thought about going with a light weight double pull but not sure if I’m ready to try messing with a triple. Focused more on shooting off the tripod which I’ve done well at for the most part.
 
I'm not winning any matches, and I shoot matches with a .30-06, granted, but I've never gone above 10x in an NRL match. I cannot imagine any scenario where I would even think about going to 30x+.

Even if I were shooting a lady gun in 6.5 I'd never want to go past 15x
 
My setup for light open is a rem varm with a 22’ heavy fluted and I run a tbac dominus. I use area 419 hunt rings. My scope of choice is for NRL hunter is the zco 420. The clarity is amazing and the fov is good and it’s been bulletproof for me. I shot the finally and never went over 15x and never touched the focus. The extra power definitely isn’t necessary for me and I have several 5-27x zco’s on my PRS rifles.View attachment 923628

I shoot in the southwest and barrels can get hot fast so I prefer steel over carbon. I do have a benchmark carbon barrel that is a shooter but I do worry about stringing if it gets hot. I have had proofs that will string after longer strings of fire and some that don’t.
Any idea what the barrel weight came out to?
 
I'm not winning any matches, and I shoot matches with a .30-06, granted, but I've never gone above 10x in an NRL match. I cannot imagine any scenario where I would even think about going to 30x+.

Even if I were shooting a lady gun in 6.5 I'd never want to go past 15x
Cool
 
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