Plan is a Defiance An-ti, AG Composites carbon fill and a fluted 22” Bartlein #3. 6.5 prc. I want light but not too light. 6 3/4 lbs ish, but well balanced. Don’t want it too front heavy, with that light action and stock though. Should I go 2B instead?

I prefer weight in my left hand.................

MM

I wouldn't go over a 2b. Their #3 is everyone else's #4.

If you have the extra jingle, I'd spiral flute it too, won't take off much, maybe 4 ozs at the most.

Oh I know. I actually have 3bs on two other rifles and a 2b on another.

Not sure if I have an exact weight, but here's a spiral fluted 6mm Bartlein #3. Might be a horse apiece for weight between a fluted 2b and a #3, due to the 3 having more meat to work with. I'd still go 2b, fluted or not.

If I was watching weight I would consider the Bartlein 0 contour. I have one on a Borden stock and at 24" in 6mm balance is perfect. I didn't have to add any weight to the butt stock, and I used a light pad. Balance point is solidly beteen your hands and the carry point is at the front action screw. The 0 contour has steel where you want and then a fast straight taper to .600" at 22". I will be getting more of them.

My second choice would be a Douglas #2 but I don't think Bartlein will do one in stainless, but they will do Remington Mt. Rifle contour due to the thicker shank at around 0.80" which is their minimum for stainless. You could even go up slightly at the muzzle on the Mt. Rifle contour.

The 3 or even the 2b you will probably need to add weight to the butt to not be too muzzle heavy. Some weight forward can be good just not too much. It always rubbed me the wrong way to get a light stock and then proceed to add weight to it but that is what Melvin Forbes does and all his rifles balance nicely.

You can also alter your barrel contour a bit to achieve the balance you want. GD

I like weight on my left han also. I don’t care for light rifles.

I just took delivery of a Lothar Wather #1400 contour (Heavyweight Sporter). The shank is turned down to 1.060 for installation on my Barrett Field Craft action. The muzzle diameter is .650" and it is straight fluted as deep as LW would go. It is 22.5" long and weighs 2 lbs., 6 oz., unchambered. I expect finished weight to be 2 lb 5 oz., chambered. That is damn light for a muzzle dia. of .650" in .264 caliber. There is plenty of barrel channel clearance in my Manners Ultralight classic carbon fiber stock. A LW magnum sporter (.700" muzzle dia.) would probably fit fine in the Manners Ultralight Classic stock.

Tarquin that sounds pretty nice. Did you order directly from LW? Their barrel steel is like SAKO's hard and it holds up longer.

Tejano, yes, I did. You can call and ask for Sales (John McBrayer----great guy BTW) or you can spec your barrel on-line at their web site and order from there (it's pretty user friendly). They will call you within a day or two of your order to confirm the specs and quote you a price. I think their barrels are phenomenal. Its a German industrial product made with German steel. Also, they are now offering hammer-forged blanks in .30 cal., .224, 9mm and .45! I suspect they will be adding other calibers and twists soon. I'm seriously thinking of ordering a .30 cal hammer-forged blank and having them contour and flute it for me.

Too heavy of a barrel does nothing for you in a positive manner when we are talking "hunting" rifles. If you want to shoot your rifle off the bench, by all means go with a heavy bastid barrel. If I'm hunting it, I'm going for perfect balance. Fulcrum point right at the front action screw... Can a skinny barrel shoot lights out. Hell fu ck yes it can..

Rough on tooling, also.