clarify for me what taper barrel for what type of shooting.

[chevytruck_83]

Im planning my next build and the one big thing Im unsure about is what taper to go with. I plan on shooting tactical style unknown distance matches that will only see about 80 rounds fired in a day and a lighter gun is definitely beneficial. I do however shoot a couple hundred rounds when I practice in a day. So this is my question. Is there a general rule of thumb that can be used to determine what taper you need? Like how many rounds in a certain time frame or when will a thinner taper start giving you harmonic issues etc.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I would not go heavier than a Remington varmint taper. A medium or light palma would also be a good choice.

 

[Lapua40X]

For Varmint shooting and competition out to about 600 yards I'd probably choose a straight taper, similar to the Bartlein Light or Heavy Varminter. For longer ranges like 1K I'd consider something similar to the M40.

 

[wwbrown]

Since you will probably be doing a lot of moving (running) I might go with short and stout, like a 20-inch Heavy Varmint, longer if you need to shoot beyond 900 yards and you are chambering in a 308.

 

[Raptor]

You will probably get as many different answers as there are contours. I shot tactical matches for a number of years. I started off with a RV contour in a 308 and ended up with a HV in a 6.5x284. Its really a matter of preference. When shooting stationary matches the heavier the better but when you have to move and carry the rifle the lighter the better.

I think the biggest factor is the number of rounds shot in one sitting. If you have to shoot more than 5 or 6 rounds at each station I would lean toward the heavier barrels. If you only shoot 3 to 4 in one spot then pick up and move to the next spot then a lighter RV would be the better choice. I have come to the conclusion that the "Light Varmint" contour is a good all around compromise. It is 1.200 at the shank and around .820 on the end and is a straight taper so it can easily be set back a time or two. But like I stated earlier it will depend on the type of shooting you will do and personal choice...

 

[whiskey08]

i shoot long range tactical matches, have tried RV and med palma. Both are way to heavy for some of the non standard posistion we have to shoot. As far as accuracy, the guys in this group are winning with light palmas.