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Stocks with barrel blocks

  • Thread starter Thread starter Depart123
  • Start date Start date

Depart123

Thinking of building a 375 Cheytac on a Stiller 408 single shot action and a 29-32" barrel. I was thinking of using a barrel block instead of standard bedding. I need recommendations on the type of stock ( Tooley type stock maybe?) and a builder who can inlet it for the barrel block.
 
On clear of what your wanting?
If not supporting a longer and/or heavier barrel (+1.350"-dia), not much point in doing one.
Donovan
 
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Who puts the barrel blocks in the benchrest rifles I've seen? Are they all done by the owners, or is someone known for that type of work?
 
You could get a skinny barrel block in an MBR but it would be a series of compromises. I built the first BAT L in a 50 HBR stock and people thought I was crazy because there was no barrel block. I hung 1.750" barrels off that configuration. I'd just bed the single shot action in a leaded up, heavy fill MBR and shoot it. Make a 25+ lb gun. That's the way my test rifle is built.
 
DaveTooley said:
You could get a skinny barrel block in an MBR but it would be a series of compromises. I built the first BAT L in a 50 HBR stock and people thought I was crazy because there was no barrel block. I hung 1.750" barrels off that configuration. I'd just bed the single shot action in a leaded up, heavy fill MBR and shoot it. Make a 25+ lb gun. That's the way my test rifle is built.
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I'm glad you replied Dave, I was thinking of PM'ing you. What I had in mind is a purpose built rifle for 2000 yds. I don't want or need a repeater, and I don't care what it looks like. Weight is a consideration though. I would like to keep it as close to 20 lbs as possible.

This will be shot from the prone position off a bipod. I was at first thinking of an F class type rifle, just single shot. But looking at your signature stock, I wonder if it could be pressed into service. It might give more room for the barrel block. I was thinking the barrel block for a couple of reasons. The barrel life is going to be 1000 rounds or less, so it would make barrel swaps more consistent, and I believe there would be a slight accuracy advantage to the block by supporting more of the barrel and essentially taking all the stress off the tenon.

But if you think I can hang a 32" straight tube off of a bedded action, then that would certainly simplify matters.
 
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DaveTooley said:
You could get a skinny barrel block in an MBR but it would be a series of compromises. I built the first BAT L in a 50 HBR stock and people thought I was crazy because there was no barrel block. I hung 1.750" barrels off that configuration. I'd just bed the single shot action in a leaded up, heavy fill MBR and shoot it. Make a 25+ lb gun. That's the way my test rifle is built.
Click to expand...
One question about your set up...when you bed it, did you bed forward of the recoil lug? If so, how far?
 
There will be some who disagree with me and I understand, but barrel blocks are a wild card. Not every barrel will fit the block the same and for lack of a better way to describe it, harmonics will be different. There's just no getting around that. I messed with them a lot when I was building 1K rifles early on. Tried every way possible and never developed any confidence in them. We progressed to conventionally bedded rifles. My heavy gun BAT L has had over 10 barrels. My light gun BAT M has about twice that many. No surprises other than I had a couple of barrels where I was testing an idea that exceeded the norm and they didn't perform well.
Another consideration when choosing a stock is torque management. A 375 will have a bunch of it. If you go MBR style consider the 4" McMillan. I have 4" Edgewood bags.
 
I didn't bed in front of the action. That's good for the first barrel. After that you to rebed or grind the bedding out. The first MBR I built had a Stolle F class action and a straight 1.350" fluted barrel. A bit muzzle heavy but shot well. It was a grip it and rip gun.
I'd recommend a 1.350"X6" then taper to 1.125" @32"
At 20 lbs it would be easy to get muzzle heavy and that never is a good thing.
 
DaveTooley said:
There will be some who disagree with me and I understand, but barrel blocks are a wild card. Not every barrel will fit the block the same and for lack of a better way to describe it, harmonics will be different. There's just no getting around that. I messed with them a lot when I was building 1K rifles early on. Tried every way possible and never developed any confidence in them. We progressed to conventionally bedded rifles. My heavy gun BAT L has had over 10 barrels. My light gun BAT M has about twice that many. No surprises other than I had a couple of barrels where I was testing an idea that exceeded the norm and they didn't perform well.
Another consideration when choosing a stock is torque management. A 375 will have a bunch of it. If you go MBR style consider the 4" McMillan. I have 4" Edgewood bags.
Click to expand...
So, if you were tackeling this problem from scratch...essentially a single shot F class type application in 375 Cheytac, how you would you do it if it were you?

Keep in mind that weight isn't critical, but it will be humped up to the firing point and shot from an F class type bipod. I don't have any paticular set of rules I am abiding by, just challenging myself at 2K yds.

Edit: you answered my question while I was writing it, but if you have any other input you haven't mentioned, I would certainly appreciate it.
 
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This is going to sound crazy but if you forced me to shoot off a Bi-pod with a large caliber and McMillan would inlet for the action I'd look at the Tac-50 A1 and if I was going to use that stock I'd look at a larger diameter action. Like a BAT L 1.750 octagon. All of that is on the plus size and no need for a barrel block.
 
My experience with conventional "clamp" type barrel blocks is the same as Daves, the bonded barrel block system I developed on the other hand has been very much the opposite, the long range rifles (and rimfires) we've built with that system have performed very well.
 
DaveTooley said:
This is going to sound crazy but if you forced me to shoot off a Bi-pod with a large caliber and McMillan would inlet for the action I'd look at the Tac-50 A1 and if I was going to use that stock I'd look at a larger diameter action. Like a BAT L 1.750 octagon. All of that is on the plus size and no need for a barrel block.
Click to expand...
That is definitely thinking outside of the box. I would not have thought of that. I love the integral recoil lug on the BAT. I've never owned one or taken a close look at them before.
The BAT L requires a 1.45" barrel, while the CT requires a 1.35". You would still do the L and go with 1.45" barrel and taper to the muzzle dimension in your previous post? The TA-50 stock might be just the ticket.
 
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gme said:
My experience with conventional "clamp" type barrel blocks is the same as Daves, the bonded barrel block system I developed on the other hand has been very much the opposite, the long range rifles (and rimfires) we've built with that system have performed very well.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your input, this is why I come to you guys. Seems my previous assumptions were wrong about both the accuracy and repeatability of the clamp style. Enough of you guys concur on the the issue, so I'll abandon that approach.
 
Meangreen said:
That is definitely thinking outside of the box. I would not have thought of that. I love the integral recoil lug on the BAT. I've never owned one or taken a close look at them before.
The BAT L requires a 1.45" barrel, while the CT requires a 1.35". You would still do the L and go with 1.45" barrel and taper to the muzzle dimension in your previous post? The TA-50 stock might be just the ticket.
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The CT will work fine.
You have room in the stock for a larger diameter action so why not the L and get a 1.400" barrel. No need for 1.450".
 
You're right, there isn't any reason not to get the big action.

The next question is, who are the vendors that make such barrels? The only company I've found that actually lists a 1.4" 10 twist 375 barrel is Lilja. Neither Hart, Bartlein, Benchmark nor Krieger list a barrel that meets these specs.

Are these barrels custom order from these companies or are there a handful of names other than these, that everyone in this game uses?
 
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