Barrel Contour and Why

[HuntHarder]

So I have a rifle sitting in my safe that has never been fired. I am planning to do a build on it, and was wanting some opinions and why on barrel contour. I see that most guys that build longer range rifles, use a heavy barrel. My last build I used a sporter barrel and it is very accurate. What are the pro's to using a heavier barrel? I know they do not heat up as fast, but this will be a hunting rifle, and if it heats up, chances are I am hotter than the barrel. I tend to hike away from crowds, and carrying the extra weight needs to be justified. Please tell me your reasoning for shooting a heavy barrel vs. a standard contour.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

Like a lot of the little things to shoot long the heavier barrel gives less change shot to shot. Less whip, more rigid, you can shoot more rounds together rather than a sporter starting to creep off poi after 5 shots.

[AverageJoe]

Heavier barrel will add more weight and keep the rifle a bit more steady as well as the above mentioned advantages.

 

The only disadvantage is packing an extra pound or two. Every other aspect the heavy barrel has the advantage.

 

That being said i am done with heavy barrels and prefer a lightweight rifle for packing and still just as accurate with the first shot or two.

[STOMP442]

I prefer a shilen # 4 or # 5 Contour 26" . They seem to give a great balance of weight and accuracy.

[HuntHarder]

I appreciate the responses. So, would I be correct in saying the accuracy of a barrel will not be different for the first shot or 2 from a bull barrel to a sporter barrel. I understand the length needs to be there, but the diameter is basically an aid for the barrel not to heat up as quickly. I will use this gun for backpack hunts, so weight is an issue, but I do not want to sacrifice accuracy for a pound or 2.

[MULEPACKHUNTER]

You will be fine with accuracy as you are thinking. I carry a savage axis, super light and very good shooter up to 5 or 6 shots. After that groups open up but still good enough to kill

[308Nut]

I prefer the Sendero contour fluted. Great balance of weight, rigidity. One of the main reason is because I go through barrels like socks and they're often readily available. Also I enjoy new stocks in different models and colors. Again, they're often times readily available inleted for Sendero.

[lancetkenyon]

My new build is getting a Remington Varmint/Sendero contour at 27".

 

My .25-06 Ackley has a 28" Shilen #5 contour. It is very accurate, once I got my ladder test done to see what load shot best at the top of the barrel whip, meaning the bullet leaves at the top of the barrel flex. I had 3 loads in a 1 grain range that all grouped with 1/8" elevation-wise at 400 yards. That gives me a bit of play with velocity and pressure to remain in the accuracy node. I had a 12" vertical dispersion between 14 different loads, just due to barrel whip. I had a slower node at the bottom of the whip 12" lower on 3 separate powder loads too. They were all 1/2" vertical dispersion. The loads between all climbed up to the top, but were not consistently in order.

 

I think a heavier barrel limits this flex, and is inherently more forgiving. My .223 didn't have a lot of vertical dispersion with the heavier varmint contour.

 

But once you get a load worked up, I think a hunting rifle does just fine with a medium sporter contour barrel. I think barrel quality makes more of a difference than contour. But I would not want a light contour pencil barrel in a heavier caliber.

 

Heavy barrels also help weight the rifle to reduce felt recoil. My son-in-law has a .308 super lightweight mountain rifle with a 20" pencil barrel, crazy light stock, and minimal weight scope, and it kicks like a freaking mule. I would say it honestly weighs in at under 7# loaded, but it kicks more than my .270 Win did without a muzzle brake. It is far from accurate too. But heck if I will work up a load for it. I like my shoulders to work properly.

[452b264]

My personal minimum preference is a #3 contour for standard rounds and a #4 for smaller magnums such as 7 mm rem. etc. No pencil thin barrels for me.

[kooter]

I have a 6.5-284 with a Schneider #2 contour that shoots 1/2" or better. With the scope it weighs 7.5lbs. I started shooting some heavier rifles and like how solid they are when shooting. The lighter rifles seem to wander a bit.

[pwrguy]

I can't disagree with any of the previous posters. Here's why I shoot a heavy rifle with sendero contour. To shoot a rifle well at extreme ranges I need to practice a lot. In order to be comfortable shooting a lot the rifle needs to be comfortable to shoot. Heavy rifle combined with muzzle break are the 2 best ways to do this. If I were to build a rifle specifically for backpacking I would probably choose something in a non-magnum caliber shooting a smaller projectile such as a 6.5. and try to keep the rifle under 8 pounds.