Rifle build

[longrange1]

[NorCalFocus]

[mtenenhaus]

interesting thread....learning a lot. hate to thread shift but could someone explain to me what a shouldered barrel is? thanks
and good luck with the build, looks great

[kriller134]

Thanks guys. I have some pondering to do. Talked to the guys at bighorn and should be getting my action in mid August. Really looking forward to getting this built out.

[ar15barrels]

I just put a Heavy Palma Hawk Hill blank on a Bighorn TL3 last week.
Definetly a chunky contour.
I'm partial to rem varmint or medium palma myself.

[ar15barrels]

interesting thread....learning a lot. hate to thread shift but could someone explain to me what a shouldered barrel is?

A shouldered barrel is how most thread-in barrels are done.
Threads are cut on the breech end of the barrel, but the breech end is notably larger in diameter than the threads.
There ends up being a shoulder behind the threads.
This shoulder is tightened against the front of the receiver.

Here is a drawing with dimensions:
The barrel shank diameter is not shown, but it is 1.25" which is 0.2" larger than the breech threads.


A barrel nut barrel has a shank diameter that is the same diameter as the threads.



Then a nut is threaded on to the barrel.
The nut tightens against the front of the reciever to lock the barrel in place.
The advantage of a barrel nut is that the headspace is adjustable and therefore people can install them without machine work.

The disadvantage of a barrel nut is that headspace is adjustable and does not repeat to the same position each time you install it.
A barrel-nut system barrel can not have a contour larger than the breech threads.
Barrel-nut system barrels also have to be made with "nominal size" threads.
That means the threads are small enough to screw into every sample of receiver that they might ever be installed on.
Shouldered barrels can have threads cut to fit a specific reciever.
The fit between the barrel and reciever threads directly influences accuracy potential.
The more slop there is between the threads, the move a barrel can move on the reciever with each shot.
Shouldered barrels can be removed and re-installed without any change in headspace.

[mtenenhaus]

Thank you so very much. I really appreciate it.

[longrange1]

I just put a Heavy Palma Hawk Hill blank on a Bighorn TL3 last week.
Definetly a chunky contour.
I'm partial to rem varmint or medium palma myself.

im shooting a rem varmint right now and it just dont feel right...im so use to the heavy palmas and i shoot short-er barrels 24"...and love the hawkhills...the last 4 HHs have been the straightest barrels ive seen and they shoot lights out.

[kriller134]

I just put a Heavy Palma Hawk Hill blank on a Bighorn TL3 last week.

Definetly a chunky contour.

I'm partial to rem varmint or medium palma myself.

Randal what are the pros and cons of a medium Palma compared to a m24/40?

[ar15barrels]

Randal what are the pros and cons of a medium Palma compared to a m24/40?

With most stocks, a medium palma or rem varmint will balance better than an M24 or M40 unless you cut the M24 or M40 really short.

You need a really heavy stock to balance a heavier barrel.
The barrel length plays into this as well as the stock weight and stock CG.
There's no single right answer as all the parts depend on each other.

A 20" M24 or M40 barrel balances significantly different than a 26" M24 or M40 barrel given the same stock.

A 26" Rem Varmint or Medium Palma might balance really similar to a 20" M24 or M40 though.

[kblack583]

With most stocks, a medium palma or rem varmint will balance better than an M24 or M40 unless you cut the M24 or M40 really short.

You need a really heavy stock to balance a heavier barrel.
The barrel length plays into this as well as the stock weight and stock CG.
There's no single right answer as all the parts depend on each other.

A 20" M24 or M40 barrel balances significantly different than a 26" M24 or M40 barrel given the same stock.

A 26" Rem Varmint or Medium Palma might balance really similar to a 20" M24 or M40 though.

Randall, from your experience, how much does overall balance play into larger builds that will always be shot prone or from bench. Reason I'm asking is I'm starting a build in either 338 Lapua or 300 Norma. Initial thought is that to help maintain site picture and also my degrading shoulder, contours such as Heavy Varmint would make sense. What balance issues could I run into when pairing this barrel setup (say 26") with stocks such as a McMillan A% or Manners T4?

[LynnJr]

Every

Kblack583
A front end heavy gun will shoot just as good as a balanced gun BUT it is so much work to shoot it isn't worth it.
The barrel contours and length you are talking about are relatively light for a competition rifle but seem extremely heavy if your used to a hunting type rifle.
I have zero experience with the stocks you mentioned but the picture is of a Tooley MBR stock Remington 700 action and a 28 inch max heavy varmint barrel in 338 Lapua Ackley Improved.
I am inletting the stock by hand so no recoil lug in the picture and lots of tape.
If it doesn't balance I will remove the buttpad and fill with lead shot and epoxy until it does.

[ar15barrels]

Randall, from your experience, how much does overall balance play into larger builds that will always be shot prone or from bench. Reason I'm asking is I'm starting a build in either 338 Lapua or 300 Norma. Initial thought is that to help maintain site picture and also my degrading shoulder, contours such as Heavy Varmint would make sense. What balance issues could I run into when pairing this barrel setup (say 26") with stocks such as a McMillan A% or Manners T4?

I have seen such heavy barrels used with lightweight stocks to the point that the stock only had a few ounces keeping it from teetering on the bipod and going muzzle down on the bench/ground.

You want the back of the gun to be heavy enough to sit still.
If you don't have enough weight in the back, don't go with too much weight in front...

[sigstroker]

The Markansamafterwork youtube guys add weight to the back with a piece of solid steel roundbar cut to fit the stock as a bagrider. Dual purpose low cost accessory.

[LynnJr]

Here is one of my heavygun stocks setup for a 1.750 diameter barrel 34 inches long showing the round stainless bars. They add weight but they also keep the gun from rocking side to side. If your stock has a flat bottom banging the bolt open and closed will make the sand buildup in the middle of the bag and hurt accuracy.
By placing two points apart from each other sand buildup in the middle doesn't allow any rocking motion.