Barrel recommendation

[Mr. Patis]

I am currently collecting parts for a build...this is my first build and pretty set on 6.5cr. now what is your recommendation on barrel(thinking about the bartlein), length, contour, twist? this is going to be a bench gun.

Part I have so far
Remington 700 short action
KRG Xray
Timney 510
Harris Bipod
SWFA 12x42(got it from a friend for $150)

[NorCalFocus]

What bullet do you plan on running? That will tell you what twist you want.

I wouldn't get to caught up in one brand or another. Any premium barrel blank will work very well. The real magic is in the smith who spins up the barrel.

[Mr. Patis]

What bullet do you plan on running? That will tell you what twist you want.

I wouldn't get to caught up in one brand or another. Any premium barrel blank will work very well. The real magic is in the smith who spins up the barrel.

6.5cr

[windrunner]

You'll need to contact several manufacturers and see how long it will take to make your barrel. Lilja, Pac Nor, Bartlein, Schneider, etc. - they all make impeccable products. The question is, how long do you want to wait? Just call them up, tell them the caliber, grain of bullet and how long you want the barrel (length of rifling). They will tell you the twist rate and make contour recommendations based on what you will be PRIMARILY using the gun for. I emphasize 'primarily' because you can use the gun for a multitude of purposes. They need to know the primary purpose and they will make recommendations accordingly. Trust their recommendations. They know what they are talking about.

Good luck with the rifle.

[CouchOperator]

Not to thread jack, but do you have one of the newer Xray's? Pics?

[Mr. Patis]

I dont think its the xray gen 2...i got used from a friend...not sure what the difference is between the two

[Cowboy T]

What bullet do you plan on running? That will tell you what twist you want.

I wouldn't get to caught up in one brand or another. Any premium barrel blank will work very well. The real magic is in the smith who spins up the barrel.

6.5cr

I think what NorCalFocus meant was, of the available 6.5mm bullets (e. g. Berger Hybrid Target 130gr, Sierra MatchKing 140gr, Hornady A-Max 123gr, etc.) that you want to run. Your optimal twist rate will depend not only on bullet weight, but also bullet shape.

[NorCalFocus]

I think what NorCalFocus meant was, of the available 6.5mm bullets (e. g. Berger Hybrid Target 130gr, Sierra MatchKing 140gr, Hornady A-Max 123gr, etc.) that you want to run. Your optimal twist rate will depend not only on bullet weight, but also bullet shape.

Yup that's what I meant. I know you want to run the 6.5 Creedmoor, but you should pick the bullet you want to use first.

[Cowboy T]

Yup that's what I meant. I know you want to run the 6.5 Creedmoor, but you should pick the bullet you want to use first.

Exactly. So, Mr. Patis, which bullet are you planning to use?

[cannon]

Exactly. So, Mr. Patis, which bullet are you planning to use?

If you have not made that decision yet. Ask the barrel maker for a recommendation.

[BillyGoatMachine]

A 1-8 twist will most likely suit your needs for most factory and custom offerings. The 140's are the most popular, as they shoot great and Hornady offers cheap match ammo that actually is match ammo. Bartlein is my personal preference, followed by Krieger. The Xray will accept any barrel up to 1.15" in diameter, so get something along those lines for bench purposes.

[FourT6and2]

Bugholes.com has plenty of barrels in stock. You don't need to wait for a barrel from the manufacturer.

For twist, go with 1:8 and you'll be fine for most of the typical 6.5 bullets, like the 139, 140, 143, etc. It will even work for the lighter ones like 120s.

For contour... if it's a bench gun, go with something heavier. My rifle is a tactical match rifle but I have an M24/M40 contour, which is heavy. I don't mind mostly. So try that, or an MTU, or heavy Palma, etc.

For rifling, depends on your smith. My smith prefers 4-groove over 5R.

[MongooseV8]

Length I'd say 24" at the SHORTEST. 26"+ is where most of mine are at.

[Kingair001]

Length I'd say 24" at the SHORTEST. 26"+ is where most of mine are at.

I am going for a 26" on my new custom build - Creedmoor 6.5

[ar15barrels]

I am currently collecting parts for a build...this is my first build and pretty set on 6.5cr. now what is your recommendation on barrel(thinking about the bartlein), length, contour, twist? this is going to be a bench gun.

Part I have so far
Remington 700 short action
KRG Xray
Timney 510
Harris Bipod
SWFA 12x42(got it from a friend for $150)

My recommendation is a Bartlein Heavy Palma, 1:8 or 1:8.25" twist.
I have a thread called "building a custom rifle in less thana month" with a list of suppliers that have all the rifle components available for immediate purchase here:

http://www.caprc.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=1114

Once you have all the parts in-hand, schedule a day to come over for the build and you can be shooting it the next day.