Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Barrel Contour - What's your pick for a sporter?

Soon to find out. Have to finish the stock first.

I like the standard Remington contour. Enough diameter to make it shoot and balance, yet not too heavy to carry all day. Works really well for me with a lightish stock.

I tend to like a bit lighter contour, about .6 at the muzzle. That is the Rem factory KS contour I think.

Thanks again.

+1

I'd duplicate the Rem KS pattern which measures .59" at 24" and measures .60" at 23".

Just MAYBE if I get over my past experience with FACTORY lightweight tubes, how they heat and walk, and try me a good custom in say a #2, I will get more confidence. Cost aside might go 3 fluted, but not sure how much more mass that may be, or if the same weight. Fluting looks nice, but functionally, well I am not ALL that compelled to think it's a huge difference in cooling and rigidity, though the argument is there for some difference no doubt.

Had a good shooting 700 sporter, a 7/08 I chopped to 21, and later put in an HS stock. First 2 were tight as in 1/2 MOA at 200 yds (<1") and tight POI for first shot. I was thinking that sporter weight was around .650 at muzzle but perhaps not. I always thought the sporter mag contour, but at 22-23 was a good balance, not sure where that would fall on 'contour chart' might have to just order that specifically.

Desert Mule Deer, My gun unfortunately accurate and consistent, was a tad heavy w/full length Al bedding block. Next go round would be a Micky or Ti. Problem solved....

I like a #3!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Rem sporter contour, only with flutes, seems to be about 4 ounces heavier than a similar mountain contour.

DD, I wonder if that CDL fluted bbl is a sporter, or mag sporter to begin with, any idea?

DD, I wonder if that CDL fluted bbl is a sporter, or mag sporter to begin with, any idea?

I prefer not ordering numbered contours. Different barrel and stock makers mean different things with the same number which can lead to mismatches between barrel diameter and barrel channel in the stock. "remington sporter", etc are universal and if the barrel and stock makers use those, you're more likely to get compatible dimensions.

Remington lists their factory short action sporters around 7-1/4 pounds. With a slightly lighter stock, I think you can break under 7 pounds with a sporter, rather than mountain rifle, barrel contour.

Not all barrel makers will flute a factory sporter, most will flute a factory magnum (that's what a LVSF barrel is), but you might ask. Flutes on a small barrel like a factory sporter won't save much weight, but even a couple ounces might make the difference between hitting your weight or not.

You can save a little weight by going with ADL rather than BDL magazine setup.

Tom

Contour numbers do vary greatly between makers. Also, how long the shank is (full diameter in front of the recoil lug) will affect the weight of the final project. I do not understand folks that have a #1 and leave a 3.75" shank.

For a lightweight 260 or 7mm-08, I'd do a Douglas #1 contour (or a #2 if I wanted a little more meat) with a 1.25" shank. I did one up on a Rem600 in 7mm-08 that is fatter than a MR contour but thin enough to keep the weight to a minimum.



RH

Always like seeing those 600 customs of yours, nice. McM stock? So what contour again are you 7/08 and 338F? 21"?

Had a Pac-Nor #3 24� on a M70, that felt a bit heavy so later had it recontoured to their #2. That was about right.

The Remington sporter contour is interesting in that it tapers down from the breech to a point about 18� out (maybe that�s 16�) where it will be the full .660� diameter, then runs straight to the muzzle. So you can cut it from 24 to 22 to 20 or whatever and still have that .660� OD.

That contour seems to be a very good compromise between weight, balance and maintaining a stiff barrel.

With their CNC programming, I had Pac-Nor re-taper one of their Rem. Sporter contour barrels (mounted on a Winchester Model 70) to have a .600� muzzle diameter. They just increased the taper to that same point 18� out to be .600 and then ran it straight to the muzzle.

That�s a real nice contour and I�m liking it fine in a 22� barrel. Definitely lighter than the standard and moved the balance point back an inch or more to make it overall quicker feeling.

Pac-Nor and Hart barrel pics are often shank-o-rama.

Jim, what cal in that .600?

.30-06

After playing around with a few different contours, including the Remington mountain rifle (.550� OD at muzzle) that half-way Sporter contour is about my favorite for a lighter weight rifle. .600 is just about halfway between Remington�s standard .660 and their MR .550 which is why I chose that diameter.

FWIW, the Winchester standard sporter contour for .30-06 and .270 rifles finishes up at .600� OD at 24� which was another sort of influence on the decision. I can't remember off the top of my head all the particulars of the Winchester measurements though I believe it tapers all the way from breech to muzzle.

The one pictured is 7mm-08 and is a Douglas #1. The 338F is a Douglas #2. Both have 21" barrels and are in McM mountain rifle stocks - the 7mm-08 is an EDGE.

RH

Jim, CORRECT, and I always did like that aspect of a slow taper on the Winchester barrels, feeling it gave them rigidity, though odds much be the Rem bbls do ok too if a good one, consistent harmonics/vibration even if not as stiff.

Thanks RH, good to know. Is that Olive?

I've got one rifle with a Pac-Nor Lt. Mtn. contour which has a .550 muzzle. At 24 inches, it's a bit whippy. Balance is good, but it's harder to get really accurate loads for it. It's a .25-284. If i had to do it again, it would be a 22 inch barrel or a 24 inch, #1.
Both of my other customs, a .280 and a 30'06, have 24 inch, Pac-Nor #1's. That's a .60 muxzzle. The barrel shanks on both have been reduced to a minimum. BTW, the famous Winchester FWT, 22 inch barrel has a .570 muzzle and almost a straight taper.
I'm happy with the little .25-284, and very happy with both the '06 and the .280. All of them balance on the front reciever ring, and they run 6 3/4 lbs. for the .25-284, 7 1/4 for the '06 and 7.5 for the .280. All of them wear 6X42 Leupolds with steel mounts. E