cjl2010 Report post Posted March 11, 2018 Quite a few months ago I drank an extra beer and ordered a 9.5 twist .308 carbon barrel blank from hells canyon armory. Barrel should be here in a month or so but Ive wondered if I should sell it and go to a #4 contour, .670, steel barrel and put the extra money towards a trigger. Anybody have a 30 cal magnum on a #4, bartlein #3, contour barrel? Would fluting it be worth the money for weight savings? More than likely it will be a switch barrel with a 6mm creed or 6.5 sst. Thanks for the opinions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle mountain ranch Report post Posted March 11, 2018 I say drink another beer , and run with it . 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
300RUM Report post Posted March 11, 2018 Last time I re-barreled my .300 RUM I went up from a #4 to a #5. I don't flute the barrels on that rifle because they don't last real long and I'm too cheap to spend the money fluting them. If I want something lighter I take a different rifle. Yup, I'm to cheap to flute a barrel but I have the money to build another complete rifle. What is the logic in that? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azelkhunter2 Report post Posted March 11, 2018 Be VERY careful using a light barrel in a big magnum....I have tried it a few times over the yrs and never had good luck with it. They tend to whip and can really hot really fast.....The lightest barrel I will use on any rifle I build now is a # 5 with flutes.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pwrguy Report post Posted March 11, 2018 I have never built a custom with that small of a contour so this is just my 2 cents worth. Many factory rifles shoot great with thinner contours so I can't see why you would have a problem. It kind of depends on your intentions for the rifle. If you are going to take the rifle to range and put 20 rounds plus on a regular basis you will have a lot more luck with the #5 and larger. if you want to build one that you are going to pack up a mountain, shoot one time and then pack it back down why not lighten it up a little? If you are going with a #4 probably not worth the trip for flutes. Go ahead and have another beer and then build the rifle you think you want. If it doesn't work out re-barrel it later. Let us know how it turns out. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trapdoor Report post Posted March 11, 2018 Fluting would only be a couple of ounces but ounces make pounds ultimately. Weight can be reduced elsewhere in the build if the need is felt. Removing weight costs money. I like the #5 contour for 30 caliber. I have not gone to the expense of fluting. I do not feel compromised by weight. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dse Report post Posted March 11, 2018 Personally I would only use that barrel for a custom light weight 300 Wsm. The big magnums are alot more pleasant when they are in excess of 12lbs. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted March 11, 2018 WHAT .308" magnum are you going to build? .300WM/.300WSM/.300SAUM? #4 or #3B would be OK, but a #5 might be a bitt stiffer for that use. .300Norma/.300RUM? Use the Hells Canyon or a #5+ steel barrel. Depending on the contour, flute depth, flute #, and flute length (increased by helical fluting), you can take out 5-8oz off the total weight. But take a $400 barrel an then adding $150-200 for fluting, and you are getting close to the Hells Canyon price. If you build a .300RUM type rifle, I wouldn't think you would be shooting it more than 100-150 rounds a year at MOST. So it could last you 8-12 years easily. Making the Hella Canyon barrel about a $100/year consumable. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjl2010 Report post Posted March 11, 2018 I was thinking 300SS. Ran from 2.970 mags on a switch barrel, bighorn tl3, with a 6 or 6.5 creed barrel for fun. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjl2010 Report post Posted March 11, 2018 208 eldm or 215 Berger at 2850+ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted March 11, 2018 Match barrel contours then. Either splurge for another CF barrel, or....go heavy contour steel for the 6CM barrel for shooting a LOT of rounds during it's lifetime. It will make shooting it a dream to shoot. I would keep the CF for a hunting .300, and do a heavy contour for the pea shooter. Something to be said for stiff barrels. The benefits of the CF is stiff but LIGHT for the contour. Great benefits for a hunting rifle. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
300RUM Report post Posted March 11, 2018 WHAT .308" magnum are you going to build? .300WM/.300WSM/.300SAUM? #4 or #3B would be OK, but a #5 might be a bitt stiffer for that use. .300Norma/.300RUM? Use the Hells Canyon or a #5+ steel barrel. Depending on the contour, flute depth, flute #, and flute length (increased by helical fluting), you can take out 5-8oz off the total weight. But take a $400 barrel an then adding $150-200 for fluting, and you are getting close to the Hells Canyon price. If you build a .300RUM type rifle, I wouldn't think you would be shooting it more than 100-150 rounds a year at MOST. So it could last you 8-12 years easily. Making the Hella Canyon barrel about a $100/year consumable. When I first got back into rifle hunting after years of archery only my first rifle purchased was a .300 RUM. Having one of those as your only hunting rifle leads to very frequent barrel changes. So I'm looking at that 8-12 year barrel life expectancy and wondering how does he do it? Ah, it's the round count per year. Well, I have since added two more bolt guns to my collection and it has reduced my annual round count on my .300 RUM. How many bolt guns does does Lance have to choose from? Just give him a minute, he is taking off his shoes so he can continue counting. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjl2010 Report post Posted March 11, 2018 Thats why I want a switch barrel. Having a rifle chambered in a 30 cal mag wouldnt get much love in my house. I have a Christensen barrel Ruger #1 300 rum I would love to sell because it never gets shot. Plus we draw bull tags every 5-7 years but draw deer tags generally every year. So being able to spin on a 6 or 6.5 barrel for practice and backpack hunts would be ideal. Then if someone draws an elk tag I can spin the 30 barrel on and have at it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lancetkenyon Report post Posted March 11, 2018 I really only have 6 centerfire rifles of my own now, adding #7 this year. But I get to shoot a LOT of rounds a year. .223 (varmints, steel, javelina no clue on round count, well over 4000) 6.5 SLR (steel, deer, varmints, rides in my truck a lot 1800+ rounds) 6.5 SS (antelope, deer, coyotes, could do elk-227 rounds) .280AI (deer, elk-281 rounds) 7RM (deer, elk-427 rounds) .300RUM (long range elk, a few coyotes too-1300+ rounds w. Barrel swap @ 920) Adding a 6mm to the stable for long range varmints, deer, antelope, javelina, and long range steel) planning on shooting it quite a bit. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
300RUM Report post Posted March 12, 2018 Nice selection of rifles. You always seem to be messing around with something different so it really seemed you would have more than 6. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
