Whose barrel for light contour?

[Markg308]

I known it’s pretty well established that all of the top barrel makers are capable of making great barrels in the heavier contours but I’d like to hear feedback on the accuracy of different barrel makers light contour barrels (#3 and under) in stainless. It’s hard to find much searching the forums on this.

 

[243Lapua]

PacNor. I've bought a multitude of there barrels in the thinnest contur. I've been buying from them even before the fire incident which burned down the business. On there accuracy has been outstanding. A couple of the 300 WM builds have proven to be very accurate.

 

[K22]

I have 20" long, Douglas aftermarket barrels, one contour heavier than the "pencil" thin original factory barrels on my two Rem Model 7, 223 Rem varmint stalking rifles. The accuracy is excellent, about 1/2 moa with tuned reloads.

However, both rifles have B&C stocks with aluminum bedding blocks which replaced the vastly inferior factory stocks. Without these stock upgrades, I doubt these rifles would be shooting so well no matter which barrel I had. So, to get the most of a high-quality aftermarket barrel, make sure you address the bedding in the stock.

 

[Markg308]

PacNor. I've bought a multitude of there barrels in the thinnest contur. I've been buying from them even before the fire incident which burned down the business. On there accuracy has been outstanding. A couple of the 300 WM builds have proven to be very accurate.

What size groups are you seeing?

 

[243Lapua]

What size groups are you seeing?

With a fine tuned load for hunting purposes only, meaning 3-4 bullet groups you can easily stack them, making a nice clover, taking your time. I usually wait about 5 minutes per round. And I do this because the barrels are pencil thin, so it gets hot very fast. remember it's for hunting purposes only. PacNor sells a selected Stainless steel Super match. That's what I buy.

 

[Tesoro]

I have a 21.5in Shilen 6br that is .6 at muzzle. I have shot .5 moa with it at 600 and 1000. ( not often but the barrel will do it when I can). I have had quite a few PacNor's in .224 that were lightweight and one holers.
Personally I dont think the contour should have anything to do with the quality of the barrel

 

[ebb]

I think maybe the better question might be. "who stress relieves there barrels best?" Thinner barrels obviously get hotter faster due to less metal to heat up, and would tend to walk much sooner than the heavy barrels. Accuracy on all barrels is due to the how uniform the internal dimensions and twist rates are, and having all those qualities on a skinny barrel should be doable just as it is on a heavy barrel. But heat is not the same .

 

[Tesoro]

I think maybe the better question might be. "who stress relieves there barrels best?"

The Germans? The JP Sauer 200/400 Line of hunting rifles with hammer forged switch barrels will shoot max 1 moa stone cold or blistering hot AND maintain POA! Mine did .2 5x in 30cal.
I dont know much, other than owned one and semi torture tested it on a barrel I wasnt going to use for anything. But I think the kicker might be that the bolt/lugs/chamber are integral with the barrel. The receiver just holds the barrel assembly and the trigger. I would assume that a typical threaded barrel to receiver could see some movement under diff temps without match grade threading? Sauer makes a less $ fixed barrel Mod 101 rifle for euro market that has same POA cold/hot requirements but it is swaged into the receiver and not threaded. Food for thought.

 

[mauser284]

I would recommend a cut rifled barrel for the lightest contours.


Now having said that all of my #1 barrels are button rifled. That said I would never attempt to have the barrel threaded for a muzzle brake on any of them!

Depending on the profile some companies like Douglass will not make you a number #1 barrel for a 300WM.

If I was building a super light weight rifle and I intended to purchase with no regard to price I would go Brux for a #1 or #2 barrel as my first choice.