New build need help with barrel contour decision.

[cm1021]

trying to piece together another build. I build up a 6.5 earlier in the year but she came in way heavier than I thought it would.

The goal of this build is lighter weight without sacrificing accuracy. This will mainly be a hunting gun which will see a little range time. So far for the build im looking at a manners EH1A with mini chassis, Origin SA, TT diamond flat, and probably a leupold v3xi of some sort caluber will be .243 as this will pull double duty as a predator and a deer rifle shooting more than likely sierra TGK 90 or 100 gr.

My toughest choice is now in barrel profile/length/twist. The barrel I figure is where I can save the most weight so im looking at 20-22" and prefer a varmit contour of some sort. I ended up with the m24 on my 6.5 and she's just way too heavy to pull duty as a hunting rig. So what profile would you all suggest I go with? I know I could step up to the proof CF but is that the best spent money for accuracy and weight savings? Plus finding one in stock might be impossible.

 

[cm1021]

This is my version of your gun. Spitting 90gr TGK's at 3050fps. It weighs 9lbs all scoped up and suppressed. 6 Creed. 22" Sendero Lite, Origin, Jewell, HS Precision Sendero take off stock, HS Precision DBM. March 3x24
View attachment 7439331

Carbon Six is a great alternative to Proof. The only barrels they keep in stock are canceled orders but it's worth checking to see if they have something already made. Xcaliber is also making CF barrels now. They're about $550 out the door but I don't know how consistently they shoot.

If you go with a steel barrel, I'd say somewhere between light and medium palma. Depending on your preference. You may not know what you want until you shoot your rifle a couple of times. With a Med Palma you're probably looking at 12 to 13lbs with that setup.

Fair warning, those TGKs are pretty explosive. And they make 100gr's now.

Thats almost exactly what I'm looking at. Thanks for posting that up. Looks good!

 

[Supersubes]

The only thing the light guns give up to the heavy guns is they won’t sit there motionless during recoil. I’m not talking benchrest, but practical shooting, with mixed support (bipods, packs, fence posts, etc). Using best quality barrels, the light contours are still capable of very fine accuracy. If it were me, I’d ditch the adjustable cheek and the mini chassis (save you over a pound), and do a #2 or 3 steel barrel. It’ll be well sub moa shot after shot. You already have one tank of a rifle, building another that’s only slightly less of a tank seems like a waste.

Here are two examples. Top one is a 700 with a 20” Krieger #2.5(smallest they’ll go in stainless) in 6CM, with a gunwerks ClymR stock. Weighs 7lb 1 oz. Bottom is a Lone Peak Razor, 20” Proof Sendero lite in 6.5 CM, with a manners EH4. Weighs 6 lbs 7 oz. These two would be identical in weight if it weren’t for the aluminum bedding block in the Gunwerks stock. The steel barrel gives up nothing to the proof barrel in terms of accuracy. I built these as demos showing two ends of the spectrum, the 6.5 is much more expensive than the 6 due to the components involved.

 

[Ledzep]

First off, figure out what the max range will be, then get on JBM or your other favorite calculator and see what MV you need to get impact velocity and energy you want. Then figure 20-25fps per inch from the 24" 'standard'.

Next, do you want threads? If yes, a Bartlein 3b can have 5/8 threads at 16". A Bartlein #4 can go to about 20". A proof Research carbon barrel will have them at any length and likely be lighter.

If you don't care about muzzle threads, you can go to featherweight contours that can actually end up lighter than CF barrels.

Accuracy is more about quality of the barrel than the contour. Pencil Bartleins still shoot. Maybe not for a 20 shot string, but plenty good for 3-5.

 

[Ledzep]

I'll add, going with the mini-chassis and the adjustable cheek hardware with the EH-1 added 1.5-2lb or more to the system. Things to consider. It all adds up really quick. Even the choice in action will make more of a change than you might suspect. Going from a full round action like the Origin to an open-top Defiance or Mausingfield, for example cuts out several ounces. Full-length rails vs. direct mount talleys, etc...

 

[cm1021]

Max range will be more than likely 500 yards hunting ranges. I'll shoot steel farther than that but this will mainly be a hunting rifle like I said. Maybe I do need to ditch the mini chassis. I'd really like to keep the adjustable cheek piece so I can get a good eye alignment. I guess I could always bed the rifle. Is it a must with manners? I'm not going to be super picky about ounces but I know that ounces add up.

Any other stocks I should be looking at? I like the concept of the chassis and being able to just drop the rifle in and go.

 

[Ledzep]

Most of the weight is from the change to adjustable cheek hardware. If you want to go as light as possible I'd get a plain EH-1 elite shell light fill as light as possible, then glue in a steel piece of tubing (pillar) in the rear action screw. That's what I did. The dense fiber fill in the front action screw area is strong enough to handle normal action screw torque without deforming over time. The light fill in the rear will squish.

I went with a 'wrap-over' Kydex cheek piece for a light(er) weight option for adjustability. It just has two cross-bolts and doesn't require the entire butt to be filled with structural fill.

 

[cm1021]

Most of the weight is from the change to adjustable cheek hardware. If you want to go as light as possible I'd get a plain EH-1 elite shell light fill as light as possible, then glue in a steel piece of tubing (pillar) in the rear action screw. That's what I did. The dense fiber fill in the front action screw area is strong enough to handle normal action screw torque without deforming over time. The light fill in the rear will squish.

I went with a 'wrap-over' Kydex cheek piece for a light(er) weight option for adjustability. It just has two cross-bolts and doesn't require the entire butt to be filled with structural fill.

Yeah I didn't think about just pillar bedding it. That would save weight too.

 

[Supersubes]

For a chassis, you could do the magnesium element by XLR. With all the options it will run you about what a pillar bedded manners with a DBM would cost. If you so choose, opt for the buttstock hinge to make it a folder. Nice and handy.

 

[cm1021]

For a chassis, you could do the magnesium element by XLR. With all the options it will run you about what a pillar bedded manners with a DBM would cost. If you so choose, opt for the buttstock hinge to make it a folder. Nice and handy.

I'm trying to go more traditional stock on this one yet still have the vertical grip. That's why I'm leaning towards the manners. Ive never owned one but it seems to be one of the lightest options while still allowing the vertical tactixal grip. I will run an arca rail on this to mount the gun on my tripod so that adds a little weight as well.

 

[Supersubes]

I'm trying to go more traditional stock on this one yet still have the vertical grip. That's why I'm leaning towards the manners. Ive never owned one but it seems to be one of the lightest options while still allowing the vertical tactixal grip. I will run an arca rail on this to mount the gun on my tripod so that adds a little weight as well.

Gotcha. You had said you liked the concept of a chassis above. Manners are very nice, you won’t be disappointed.

 

[cm1021]

I had a 5-6 lb, 6.5 SAUM built with a Manners SL, Pierce Titanium, Bartlein 2B. All the best stuff. It was harder to shoot and at the time I expected a lot outof it. I went to great lengths to learn how to shoot it to get the best accuracy and even then it just didn't shoot what I wanted it to. It was to the point that the way I had to shoot it didn't resemble anything I would be doing in a hunting situation. From that experience I learned that I don't actually like really light bolt gu s for anything more than 200yd and in point n' shoot. I'm far happier with a 9 or 10lb rifle that balances well. Not that I inferred that you were going for an ultralight. Just more to confirm your heavier hunter idea.

I think that 9-10lb is the sweet spot. It's just getting there that sometimes can get complicated. We always want the best glass, most adjustable stock, a barrel we can send 20 rounds through and be cool to touch, etc but all that comes at a cost and thats weight. It's just seeing what I'm okay with not having i guess.

 

[JakeM]

light palma, gain twist.

 

[CBDR]

I had a 5-6 lb, 6.5 SAUM built with a Manners SL, Pierce Titanium, Bartlein 2B. All the best stuff. It was harder to shoot and at the time I expected a lot outof it. I went to great lengths to learn how to shoot it to get the best accuracy and even then it just didn't shoot what I wanted it to. It was to the point that the way I had to shoot it didn't resemble anything I would be doing in a hunting situation. From that experience I learned that I don't actually like really light bolt gu s for anything more than 200yd and in point n' shoot. I'm far happier with a 9 or 10lb rifle that balances well. Not that I inferred that you were going for an ultralight. Just more to confirm your heavier hunter idea.

Yep. I learned that lesson the same way. Wanting a light weight precision Bolt Action custom Rifle for hunting is one thing. How that transfers over to your heavy gun practical experience are two completely different skill sets. Combine that with all the awkwardness of keeping a light weight set up motionless during the critical time window = rushed shot= poor shot placement. Light is nice. Heavy is solid.

 

[Ledzep]

Someone should make a basket you attach to the rifle. Fill it up with rocks for the shot, drop them for the pack out

 

[spife7980]

Someone should make a basket you attach to the rifle. Fill it up with rocks for the shot, drop them for the pack out

 

[XTREM HTR16]

Bartlein #3 20” will get you 5/8x24
so a #4 should be good at 18”

manners eh-2 might be what you’re looking for?

6.5 creed with eh-2, 20” Bart #3, Gap Templar V1 sheep hunter, rail, APA RTG, TBAC CB and Ultra 7

 

[Tohopko]

How light do you want to go? This beast is 10.2 without the can, but that is a 26" PBB .800 Varmint. Easily could have taken off 1.5 to 2 lbs with a shouldered PBB #4 at 22". Tikka action with Iota Eko stock.

 

[cm1021]

How light do you want to go? This beast is 10.2 without the can, but that is a 26" PBB .800 Varmint. Easily could have taken off 1.5 to 2 lbs with a shouldered PBB #4 at 22". Tikka action with Iota Eko stock.View attachment 7442783

I've decided on a kreiger rem varmit contour. Should hit under 4lbs im hoping with the length im having it cut to and after chambering. Ive been looking at a few different stock options. Probably going to go with the stocky's vg2. Seems to be the lightest for the money.