Short range barrel contour preference and why

[Shooter13]

I'm curious as you may be able to tell (also a little bored now that most of the season is over). What is your preferred barrel profile, why do you think it works best? I'm mainly speaking of the 6PPC in a 13.5 pound gun, due to weight I'm "thinking" you would need the lightest profile you can get to make weight?
Okay, let's hear it.
Thanks,

 

[Tim Singleton]

The rules drive the contour

The barrel shall not be less than 18” long forward of the bolt face and a diameter of not more than 1.250 inches from the bolt face forward 5 inches. From said 5-inch point, the diameter shall not be greater than would be defined by a straight taper between such point and a muzzle diameter of . 900 at 29 inches

making weight in a13.5 lb rifle usually not a problem with the maximum allowed contour allowed in the rules

 

[Bronsin]

My HV barrel is 23" long. It weighs over 6lbs on it's own. My complete rifle is 13lbs 6ozs. I could remove 5ozs if I went with a lighter scope and then put a tuner on it, which happens to be the future plan for it.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Weight rules are paramount. Then comes gun hadling. After that, I prefer a little lighter contour because they will typically show tune, (or lack of) more clearly on the target than a really stiff contour/length. Then, related to gun balance, a little lighter contour bbl lets me put the remaining weight allowed, where I want it for balance. That's my experience anyway and I've done a bunch of testing to come to that conclusion. All that said, you can shoot good or bad with just about anything. I just prefer a contour that "talks to me." Most every lv rifle in existence uses a LV contour and a few even lighter, say a med palma, which works well, btw and isn't that different. Mostly just straighter than a straight contour bbl. In the case of UBR, that I know you shoot, a little lighter contour gives a lot of those benefits with no significant trade-offs. ABC has my Ezell Tuner Contour profile on file and I don't think he charges any extra for it. I really like that profile a lot but it's very similar to a common LV contour bbl. I might tinker with it just a bit but it's really good where it is, too.

 

[AlNyhus]

Gun balance is a very overlooked part of the equation in my opinion.

On a LV gun, a Hunter taper barrel gives you more than you think....Dan Lilja's work bears this out. You can find this on his web site. On a HV gun, I'll opt a profile and/or barrel length that allows for a well balanced gun over a nose heavy situation.

The Hunter guns have shown for decades that you don't need a huge barrel to shoot well. Shank diameter and the taper per inch (.026 for the Hunter tapers to .750 @ 26") are big considerations.

Good shootin' -Al

 

[jackieschmidt]

I use light Varmint tapers on my 30:BR HV, I leave all of the “straight” on and cut to 22 1/2 inches.

I then make up the weight in the back.

On my LV 6PPC, I have to cut most off of the chamber end. After chambering, I only have about 1 1/2 inch of straight shank left. A 72 ounce barrel is about all I can live with since I use a 4 ounce tuner and the March 48x High Master.

 

[Bronsin]

I have 2 new LV barrel blanks and have been doing some measuring. If I use a 2 1/2" of the straight section and cut it at 24" long, this barrel would still be light enough to add a tuner and still balance well for a HV rifle. I'm building an all new LV rifle for next year, so getting the proper barrel length while still being able to add a tuner and not throw the balance out of whack will be a bit of work.

 

[Bronsin]

Been using this interesting tool this morning looking for some possible solutions and figured out why my HV barrel is so heavy.

Barrel Weight Calculator – Pac-Nor Barreling –

Shooter Shed Utilities

or use this one that accounts for barrel tenon and tuners....

 

[Eric Leonard]

my UL UBR rifle has a 1.250 straight at 25”

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

my UL UBR rifle has a 1.250 straight at 25”

Yeah, I've run a couple similar to that. I had a real good abc 1.250 straight that shot great for longer than most people would even believe. It and the next couple shot/still shoot good but they're both harder to read and recognize tune on the target than my lighter contour barrels have been. Even when they're slightly out of tune, they still shoot good enough to get beat but when they're really tuned, they're hard to beat. Pro's and cons to the heavy stiff barrels but they can shoot great, ime too. I won a lot of wood with that abc barrel. It's one of the best I've had and it lasted forever...almost. It still shoots teens but started aggressively pulling copper finally, so it came off. It hurts me still, to think about. Lol! I've got a new brux ready to chamber up and shoot. Waiting for a new reamer design. And I haven't been shooting well lately, to do any good bbl justice. It's time for me to get back in the groove, I hope. Life has gotten in the way for a few years now. I hope I can finally get back to shooting more and hopefully get back to shooting fair again.

 

[Greg@wfcustom]

I (and a couple of other converts out here on the Left Coast) use a modified Palma contour I have Krieger make for me and Mike’s tuner. I can make it as light or as heavy as I want depending on where I cut it. Weight system for balance and good to go. I also agree with the “tuner guru” that this lighter profile seems to respond to tuner input more predictably than a std LV contour.
Just my experience across multiple barrels and multiple platforms.
YMMV
G

 

[Greg@wfcustom]

I have 2 new LV barrel blanks and have been doing some measuring. If I use a 2 1/2" of the straight section and cut it at 24" long, this barrel would still be light enough to add a tuner and still balance well for a HV rifle. I'm building an all new LV rifle for next year, so getting the proper barrel length while still being able to add a tuner and not throw the balance out of whack will be a bit of work.

Use a “Palma” type profile. Shoots as well as a std LV and easier to make weight and balance.
G

 

[Mark Buettgen]

For my L.V. rifles, I've been using what we call the Bukys taper which Gene Bukys came up with.
It's 1.225" x 3", then straight tapers to .850" at a 26" finish, 27" blank.
It gives a little more shoulder on the action and still plenty of muzzle diameter for a Tuner install.
Mine are 5 pounds, 1 ounce at 21.5" and that gives me an ounce to spare on my rigs.
Later, Mark Buettgen
Bartlein Barrels Inc.

 

[Shooter13]

For my L.V. rifles, I've been using what we call the Bukys taper which Gene Bukys came up with.
It's 1.225" x 3", then straight tapers to .850" at a 26" finish, 27" blank.
It gives a little more shoulder on the action and still plenty of muzzle diameter for a Tuner install.
Mine are 5 pounds, 1 ounce at 21.5" and that gives me an ounce to spare on my rigs.
Later, Mark Buettgen
Bartlein Barrels Inc.

Thank you for your reply, Mike Ezell @gunsandgunsmithing does pretty much the same think (I think), my "dilemma" is a 13.5 pound gun, probably the same but during the 5 years I've been doing this I continue to learn and hopefully will continue to learn but that too is why I ask questions. Again, thank you for the response.

 

[Greg@wfcustom]

Here is a picture of one of my LV barrels to give you an idea of the contour.
This one is 23" and makes weight no problem on a LV with one of Mike's original tuners (@ 7 oz.).
1.200 for 3.50" then "Palma" taper to 1" (5.50" NK), then straight taper to .900 at 25"
G

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Here is a picture of one of my LV barrels to give you an idea of the contour.
This one is 23" and makes weight no problem on a LV with one of Mike's original tuners (@ 7 oz.).
1.200 for 3.50" then "Palma" taper to 1" (5.50" NK), then straight taper to .900 at 25"
G
View attachment 1480612

That's actually a very good contour. I'm surprised more don't use it. I suspect it's like many things and we assume what's most common is best or that, as big as possible is better kinda thing. But I don't know either to be the case. I just think it's at least in part, human nature...or so I've heard.

 

[KYStgtshooter]

Great question to post Frankie!

I have also been looking for feedback from the smiths and barrel chambering folks out there on this exact topic.

Looking to replace some tired 6 PPC barrels for my UBR Custom Class (13.5 # and under) rifles and the many contours available make this a difficult decision.

I had placed an order with Brunos for a replacement Krieger 6mm, 5” Breech, #18 LV contour 13.5 twist and received an email back that the last in stock barrel was no longer available. Amy at Brunos also contacted me by phone to follow up with me that my order could not be filled and gave me information on other in stock barrel options.

Thank you Amy, fantastic customer support service trying to help me with my order!

Unfortunately unfamiliar with all of the other shorter breech and contours I canceled my order to research.

Feedback please.

 

[Eric Leonard]

Great question to post Frankie!

I have also been looking for feedback from the smiths and barrel chambering folks out there on this exact topic.

Looking to replace some tired 6 PPC barrels for my UBR Custom Class (13.5 # and under) rifles and the many contours available make this a difficult decision.

I had placed an order with Brunos for a replacement Krieger 6mm, 5” Breech, #18 LV contour 13.5 twist and received an email back that the last in stock barrel was no longer available. Amy at Brunos also contacted me by phone to follow up with me that my order could not be filled and gave me information on other in stock barrel options.
View attachment 1481235
Thank you Amy, fantastic customer support service trying to help me with my order!

Unfortunately unfamiliar with all of the other shorter breech and contours I canceled my order to research.

Feedback please.

I wouldn’t be afraid to use that 13.0 twist

 

[Tim Singleton]

I’ve chambered a lot of LV, Bruno LV and HV barrels for myself and a lot of other folks.
IME you can’t shoot the difference in contours and the tuners have the same effect on any of the above.
Just use what you need to make weight

I don’t have much experience with straight contours and tuners