Contour for this inlet

[DangerRanger]

I picked up a used a6 and it’s very nice, but the barrel contour it’s inletted for is ….odd to me this looks like a heavy palma with an extra long shank?

I see some older posts of palma barrels having a 5” shank when now all contour drawings I see say 3”…. Perhaps this is the culprit?

So, for a rebarrel job what would y’all do? Just put a heavy palma in it? Am I crazy that the shank looks longer than normal? Put an m24 in it and take the opportunity to inlet the channel a little more and make it more normal?

This is a tactical rifle I want to use for field matches, so it will ride a bag on a barricade. I’m ok with adding a little more front weight up to the m24 kinda area.

 

[Twdmar]

The palma barrels made by obermeyer, Krueger etc have the long shank before the taper so that is normal for those barrels. I would leave it alone because it's not gonna effect anything unless you get a bunch of grass stuck in there and will allow a little air to cool the barrel. Or you could wrap the barrel with tape or heat shrink or something and put some epoxy in there to fill the gap.
I just cut a straight barrel channel even for light palma contours. No need for cooling slots in the stock that way.

 

[DangerRanger]

I won’t mess with it until rebarrel anyway, just wondering a good contour to fill it out some as it annoys me to look at haha

I’m surprised by your Krieger comment because their drawling lists only a 2.5” shank on their palma barrels. Do they come with extra material not included in that drawing? Bartlein drawing says 3” shank

 

[Edd]

Measure the width of the barrel channel. Start at the front of the receiver and measure the width every half inch to the tip. List those measurements here and I can tell you what barrel contour I would choose for a fit.

Krieger will make the shank longer if you ask for it.

 

[Twdmar]

I won’t mess with it until rebarrel anyway, just wondering a good contour to fill it out some as it annoys me to look at haha

I’m surprised by your Krieger comment because their drawling lists only a 2.5” shank on their palma barrels. Do they come with extra material not included in that drawing? Bartlein drawing says 3” shank

Yeah, I guess I haven't measured my recent palma barrels. I don't think all that many people actually do setbacks and so the reason for the long shank is not really there. I think the neck on the kriegers is still about 5 inch
If you don't like the look, a little epoxy and some paint pens would fix you up. They might make something close in those colors for military models.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

That appears to be for an MTU taper

 

[DangerRanger]

That appears to be for an MTU taper

My eyes see the taper changing a lot right here and that feels like it doesn’t make sense with an mtu

Fwiw this is a bergara 5.5/6 barrel(they are vague) on a true number)

 

[DangerRanger]

Measure the width of the barrel channel. Start at the front of the receiver and measure the width every half inch to the tip. List those measurements here and I can tell you what barrel contour I would choose for a fit.

Krieger will make the shank longer if you ask for it.

Thanks I’ll need to do this next time I pull the barreled action out

Problem with ordering a custom right now is you have to get in line and they are all so far out now. If I can find a contour that matches on the shelf I could shop around for a barrel someone never got cut and wants to sell

 

[joshb]

Personally, I wouldn’t worry about it. I “worry” more about my groups more than what my gun looks like. That open area allows more air to move around your barrel. I think that’s a plus. I built some stocks with a straight 1 1/4” barrel channel and put a medium Palma barrel in it, just for the ventilation.

 

[DangerRanger]

Personally, I wouldn’t worry about it. I “worry” more about my groups more than what my gun looks like. That open area allows more air to move around your barrel. I think that’s a plus. I built some stocks with a straight 1 1/4” barrel channel and put a medium Palma barrel in it, just for the ventilation.

Are you offering that there is an accuracy advantage from the extra space around the barrel?

 

[joshb]

Yes, over the life of the barrel and a lot of people work at cooling their barrels for that reason. Quite a few companies are making money off it.
I like the look of a hunting rifle with a fine stock following closely the contour of the barrel. It doesn’t matter with a gun that won’t be shooting strings of fire.
On my target rifles, I want as much air moving around them as I can get. On my last bench stock, I drilled vent holes under the barrel channel to aid in cooling. Maybe it’s just redneck engineering and it might not help much, but I gave it a try.
I made this stock for a Stiller action with a medium Palma 6br Barrel. Notice the wide channel?

 

[DangerRanger]

Very interesting, than you

 

[Edd]

Thanks I’ll need to do this next time I pull the barreled action out

Problem with ordering a custom right now is you have to get in line and they are all so far out now. If I can find a contour that matches on the shelf I could shop around for a barrel someone never got cut and wants to sell

I think I would measure it and get in line. Then, if you can find one laying somewhere, in a year or more you will have two.

I ordered a barrel from Krieger last month. When I got the order confirmation and saw August as the estimated delivery date I thought things had improved. Then I noticed the year.

 

[DangerRanger]

I think I would measure it and get in line. Then, if you can find one laying somewhere, in a year or more you will have two.

I ordered a barrel from Krieger last month. When I got the order confirmation and saw August as the estimated delivery date I thought things had improved. Then I noticed the year.

Lol wow. Over 12 months?! I”ll just order a heavy palma or m24 off the rack from a supplier and sand it if I need to at that timeline lol