Going to start assembling items to rebarrel a R700 in 300 Win Mag. I do want to stay with a finished 26". Will be threaded for a can also. I do not have a weight goal in mind for this rifle. All around hunting rifle with African Plains game on the list. Will ride in a McWalnut with standardish fill if all goes according to plan and I stay on task with the build. I have only one Bartlein barrel in my collection and it's a Varmint dupe on a heavy Creed. No other experience.

Any guidance on which of the two contours more appropriate?

I would go with the 3B at 26" but then again I wouldn't go 26" specially not with a can.

I’m a 3b fan

For reference, a #3 is everyone else's #4, and their 3b is everyone's #5 contour.

I have a 26" 3b in my LR 6.5-284 gun. I like it for it's purpose.

What is your end goal on weight? Seems a 2B would be sufficient for that rifle in a sporter, depends how much you will carry it.

I dont think a 2B will go to 26". Sub 10 pounds all up. Probably a 24oz optic

My last 6.5 build was with a 26" 2b.......

Are you running can's?

No

I didn't think so, but wanted to ask rather than just assume. In my opinion 26" plus a can is just way to much for me anyways.

23” would be perfect with a can

Nothing larger than # 3 for me, depending on scope it will be plenty heavy!

Forgot about the can aspect.......

I have a 700 300H&H with a std 24" Remington sporter contour in Brown Precision stock. It's a bit light at 7.5lbs for bench shooting but a nice carry. I like the rifle and wouldn't change it.

OTOH .... I don't think I'd go heavier than a Remington magnum contour if I wanted more weight.

Number 3 contour will be perfect for that rifle.

Same here, Bartleins 3 is pretty hefty. I usually use a Krieger 2 for 7 and 300 magnums. My Mashburn was a Bartlein turned down to match a 2 Krieger. Still weighs 8.5 scoped with a 6x36.

That is just under 7 pounds if you can read that on the 260. The tag is the donor action.

In the past 3 weeks for 3 rifles, I have cut 3 Bartlein #3 barrels down from 4 pounds to 2.5 pounds. I cut them off at both ends from ~26" to 20 or 22". Then I retaper them to follow a Winchester featherweight taper.

Me? 2b at 23-25" max. especially with a can. For a WM 300 24" of barrel is enough for a Weatherby 26" gets a little more out of the cartridge to make it worthwhile over the 300WM.

If you choose too you can walk a lot in Africa and tracking type hunts you are guaranteed on some or a lot of walking. A rifle much over 8lbs will have me switching shoulders frequently with a muzzle carry and if held at port arms a heavy rifle gets cumbersome fairly quickly. I would go for 8.5 Lbs. or less all up, no more than 9 max. This all up loaded, scope, sling etc. which means no more than about 7.75 bare.

One contour I really like but not too many others seem to is the Bartlein 0 contour, it is a feather weight with a straight taper from the chamber parallel to about half the length and then resumes the feather weight contour to about a .600 muzzle at 24". This leaves a thick shank about like a #3 at .850 to .900 to leave more steel where it does the most good and then the lighter forward taper to avoid muzzle heaviness. The barrel weighs 3 Lbs or less finished.

It's gonna be a 26" tube for sure. And I want no part of 7.5lb 300 Win Mag with 215 Bergers.

I've put all my rifles on a certified scale.......most are well over 8 pounds all up....even the light ones. Surprising how it all adds up

Meant 7.5-8lbs nakkid. Arounf 8.5 or 9 ready to go.