I am chambering a Bartlein 17 twist barrel for 30 BR with a 332 neck to go on a Farley action and am planning to put a few different design tuners on it and am wondering what barrel length you guys would go with. I am planning on a 22 inch length but can go longer. What would you do???
Aside from the weight issue, I'll assume that you're thinking about velocity - here's the deal - each inch of barrel is worth maybe 12 FPS - maybe that much. When I compared my original 24" HV (30BR) barrel to my first LV (30BR) chambered barrel, which was crowned at 21.5", the difference, using the same bullets, powder nad primers, at the same range session, was 24 FPS. I wouldn't consider it unusual to measure that much difference between two barrels of equal length. So, if velocity is the question, go with balance! For a LV rig, acquire a NBRSA HUNTER taper barrel,
but with a
full 1.250" diameter cylinder , which is 5" long, as opposed to the 4" shank common to the HBR barrels. This makes for a nice stiff barrel and keeps the weight better centered . . . and, when it comes to chopping off (either end) , such a blank provides many options. Sans a tuner, I like to use all of the cylinder and chop the muzzle-end to whatever the weight limit calls for. Also, Most LV contour barrels and many of the HBR contours feature a 1.200" diameter shank, which saves a little more weight.
I am about to test some tuners (Spears/Davidson type, as offered by ShadeTree Eng.), so, eventually, may have to alter my tune regarding contours . . . or, not.
RG
