New barrel or new gun?

[kjeff91]

I currently have been shooting my Bergara Ridge Wilderness in 308 a bit more and really liking the more precision stuff. It's been my hunting gun for a while and recently dropped it in a HMR stock. Its barrel is only 0.716" thick at the muzzle device so it definitely heats up pretty quick, especially with my suppressor on there.

I'm curious if it's better to get a thicker barrel, maybe some around 0.85"-0.95" or just get a different rifle. I do really prefer to use one gun so I can train like would hunt, which is why I'm looking at a sub 1" thick barrel. Keeps the weight down but offers increased rigidity and heat performance without weighing 20+ pounds.

However I do have my OEM stock still and could just get a barreled action in 308 R700 pattern. I could swap the stock back and move my scope over for hunting season and back to a range rifle the rest of the year while I save for something nice to put on there.

 

[Old Man with Gun]

If your expectations are around barrel heating, I'd just buy a battery powered fan to point at barrel on range days.

If you are trying to shrink groups, what are your groups now, what are you trying to get to and what is your budget? Do you reload?

Unless your budget supports a carbon fiber barrel, swapping to a slightly heavier barrel will only bring minimal change from what you have now. Heavy rifles are easier to shoot precision.

If it were me, I'd be looking for a barreled action built for precision to drop into the HMR. I don't see any benefit in the one rifle mentality. I don't know of anyone who can't transition between a bench and field bolt gun.

 

[diggler1833]

With a much heavier barrel, you're going to add about 2-3lbs to the front of your rifle, which is going to be felt while carrying it around on a hunt as well as move your balance point significantly further forward.

It isn't life threatening or anything else remotely serious...but it will present its own set of unique circumstances and handicaps when you start trying to shoot from different positions in the field.