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Posted By: clos Re-barrle or flute - 10/19/14
I have a Bartlein number 3 in 280 Remington Ackley it is a little heavier than what I thought it would be I have settled on a load right around 2800fps accuracy is excellent I would like a little more volocity but my bbl is only 23 inches long thinking of ordering a barrel from Bartlein in like a number 2 or 2b try to get it as close to a standard Remington Sporter contour looks like a 25 inch 26 inch barrel. would you rebarrel or would you Flute the barrel from Kampfeld custom? to try and get a weight savings
Posted By: SBTCO Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
You'll gain 70 to 80 fps for the extra 3 inches of the 26" barrel. If that is worth the extra expense of the swap, new load development time without the rifle etc. then go for it. For me, I'd say not so much.
Posted By: Ackleyfan Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Fluting will not likely make you feel better about the weight, and adding barrel length will keep the weight up, granted you will get a little more velocity but at a price,not sure Bartlein will do a #2 in SS they will possible do a 2B in .284, I personally would not want my tube any longer than 24" on a 280AI, you could use a different barrel maker so you can drop down a contour size like a #2 or #3 Hart...so much give and take!
Posted By: clos Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
I think I can live with the velocity but not so much the weight. as she sits now she is a couple ounces over 10 pounds
Posted By: Reloder28 Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
That's heavy.
Posted By: 338rcm Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Have you thought about recontouring the existing barrel?
Posted By: Steelhead Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
It get a Remington Sporter contour if that's what you want.

That rifle is a a good 2.5-3 pounds heavier than it needs to be. They'd have to flute the barrel to the point that there was only a hole to make it acceptable.
Posted By: clos Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Originally Posted by 338rcm
Have you thought about recontouring the existing barrel?


that is also a possibility

Hart barrels on their web site says they do recontouring of barrels
Posted By: mathman Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Is this the one in an H-S stock?
Posted By: RDW Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Originally Posted by clos
I have a Bartlein number 3 in 280 Remington Ackley it is a little heavier than what I thought it would be I have settled on a load right around 2800fps accuracy is excellent I would like a little more volocity but my bbl is only 23 inches long thinking of ordering a barrel from Bartlein in like a number 2 or 2b try to get it as close to a standard Remington Sporter contour looks like a 25 inch 26 inch barrel. would you rebarrel or would you Flute the barrel from Kampfeld custom? to try and get a weight savings


I had a 22" #3 Brux spiral fluted by Kampfeld, the fluting made a difference to me, enough of a difference that I don't want to sell or re-barrel it now.

Had him spiral flute two Brux #2's, they are much nicer to me and drop right in Ti take-offs.

I agree with Steelhead, it won't make a 10lb rifle feel like an 8lb rifle.

Posted By: dawaba Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Originally Posted by clos
Originally Posted by 338rcm
Have you thought about recontouring the existing barrel?


that is also a possibility

Hart barrels on their web site says they do recontouring of barrels


If you recontour the barrel, you will also have to rework, or replace, the stock. When faced with the same issue that you have over my own 25" Krieger in .300 WM, I had Dixie Precision Rifles flute my barrel. It knocked off 15 oz. and had zero effect on accuracy.
Posted By: clos Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Originally Posted by mathman
Is this the one in an H-S stock?


yes it is.
Posted By: 30338 Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
For me, I don't mind large amounts of float between the barrel and stock. Had Karl flute a Rem Mag contour and got rid of about 8 ounces. Course that got it down to about 7 pounds 8 ounces for our rig which made it kind of nice. Not sure what else you have on your build, but 10 pounds does seem heavy.
Posted By: mathman Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Originally Posted by clos
Originally Posted by mathman
Is this the one in an H-S stock?


yes it is.


That's a place you could trim some weight by making a change.
Posted By: Crow hunter Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Bartlein's #3 is the same as most folks #4 & their #2B is the same as most folks #3. They will recontour your #3 to a #2B in 7mm because they did one for me, they charge $40 if I remember right. You'll have to recrown but they can do it already chambered. I agree with the others not to put a 26" on there, you'll just be adding the weight on there even with a skinnier barrel & it'll mess up the handling, 23" is plenty for a 280 AI. Fluting is mostly cosmetic, it'll take a little weight off but not enough to make a real difference, going down a contour will be a lot more noticeable. At 10# though you likely have other issues like too heavy stock & bottom metal, that's pretty heavy even with a Bartlein #3 contour.
Posted By: Shodd Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
By the time your done trying to make a 10 lb rifle lite you will have essentially replaced most of the hardware.

I did exactly the same thing when I had a custom 280 AI built. I shortly after learned that I much prefer a lite rifle. I chose to leave the 280 AI as is rather than rebuild the entire rifle.

My solution to the problem was to buy a Tikka T3 lite and top it with a lite scope for my mountain rifle excursions. A Kimber Montana would also do rather nicely. In the end you'll end up with 2 nice rifles for what you would have spent on one.

I use my 10 lb 280 AI for a number of hunting situation, just not mountain excursions. In the end I have discovered my heavy 280 AI is indeed very useful for a some of my hunting situations. My barrel is 23" and in my opinion gives 99% of what the 280AI has to offer.

Shod

Posted By: gene270 Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
I would replace the stock before i would mess with the barrel.......

sounds like you have a lot of extra weight in the rifle and not all of it is in the barrel
Posted By: clos Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Originally Posted by Shodd
By the time your done trying to make a 10 lb rifle lite you will have essentially replaced most of the hardware.

I did exactly the same thing when I had a custom 280 AI built. I shortly after learned that I much prefer a lite rifle. I chose to leave the 280 AI as is rather than rebuild the entire rifle.

My solution to the problem was to buy a Tikka T3 lite and top it with a lite scope for my mountain rifle excursions. A Kimber Montana would also do rather nicely. In the end you'll end up with 2 nice rifles for what you would have spent on one.

I use my 10 lb 280 AI for a number of hunting situation, just not mountain excursions. In the end I have discovered my heavy 280 AI is indeed very useful for a some of my hunting situations. My barrel is 23" and in my opinion gives 99% of what the 280AI has to offer.

Shod



sounds like a good course of action
Posted By: TopCat Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/20/14
Originally Posted by clos
I think I can live with the velocity but not so much the weight. as she sits now she is a couple ounces over 10 pounds


I would look at other components to find out where the excess weight is lurking.

A lighter stock, a lighter scope, aluminum rings floorplate or ADL mag box. You can save significant poundage there. I am more a fan of lightweight stocks, scopes and mounts than I am of skinny barrels.

If you can trim some weight in those other, less important areas, then you might consider throwing $100 at fluting the barrel to save a few ounces, but that is the last place I would look.

I also wouldn't worry about 50 fps one way or another. You are way ahead of the ballistic game choosing any of the high BC bullets available in 7mm.

At 800 yds, whether the bullet starts 50 fps faster or slower is mostly irrelevant.

It sounds like your rifle could be near perfect with a few minor changes. I have #3s that are much lighter than yours with nothing drastic.

It won't beat a Montana in the weight department so spend that $1200 carefully if you are going after a true lightweight.
Posted By: las Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/21/14
Totally agree with TC. 60fps is way high for 23 to 26. Lucky to get 30. 60 is more appropriate going from 17 to 20. This is not straight line graph, but an uneven curve for drop-off.
Posted By: Kaleb Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/21/14
Originally Posted by gene270


sounds like you have a lot of extra weight in the rifle and not all of it is in the barrel


This. Heavy scope stock and I'm betting it's got one of them looong shanks.
Posted By: clos Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/21/14
Stock is a HS precision (mag contour) skim bedded.
Scope is a SS 3x15x44
Rings are Warren in 30mm
EGW Alu. rail
factory bottom metal.

Gun was done up by Micky Coleman and shoots great .5 at 100yds.

Guess I will pull the stock and weight is. really can't change scope.
Posted By: Shodd Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/21/14
Clos, the scope you have is pretty heavy. If you lite weight the rest of the rifle yet leave weight up top the imbalance will pronounce itself rather harshly. Trust me bud....been there done all that.

Then I did myself a really big favor and started reading a lot on the forum about " lite done right " and saved myself a lot of money spent trying to learn what I inevitably discovered I didn't want.

All I'm saying is if you want lite you want " lite done right "

Realistically you need to change just about every part of you're rifle to get where you want to be.

I damned need parted out my heavy 280AI but instead I put it in the back of the closet for about a year. When I pulled it back out and started playing around with it again I never would have imagined how glad I was not to have parted out this fine shooting rifle all for pennies on the dollar.

It really is a fine rifle and it sure sounds like yours is to.

Shod

Posted By: clos Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/21/14
A couple of years ago I started swapping all my scopes out to Mil/Mil. I could switch it out to the 3 by 9 SS. not sure how much weight I can save there? I will have to weigh the stock also.
Posted By: Shodd Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/22/14
I've got a SS 10X42 on my 280 AI. I use the rifle strictly for hunting eastern Montana where 400 to 500 yds shots are an everyday occurance and there's not much for hiking up and down steep mountains involved.

The SS scopes are accurate and touph and have there place, just not on anything you want to have that doesn't weigh much as they are beastly heavy.

My lite rifles pack leupolds that weigh around 11 oz not all most 2 lbs like the SS scopes. One rifle has a Zeiss Terra 3-9X42 that weighs only 13 oz. The Zeiss work very well on low recoiling rifles but I don't recommend it on magnums as the eye relief is less than the leupold 2-7X33.

I wouldn't be afraid to put the Zeiss Terra on my 280AI if my 280AI was around 8 lbs including the scope.

I'm getting ready to put a Zeiss Terra on a Tikka T3 lite 270 that will weigh around 7 1/2 lbs ready to hunt. Not the lightest of liteweight rifles but a dream to pack up a steep mountain compared to my almost 11 lb 280 AI.

Shod

Posted By: clos Re: Re-barrle or flute - 10/24/14
thanks guys for all the responses and information
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