Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

[lonely_wolf]

With all the truck gun photos that have popping up on the site lately, I've the urge to build a small compact 308. I'm thinking a 700 with an 18" barrel sitting in McMillan Hunter stock with a Nightforce Compact on top.

My barrel will be from a Canadian maker who uses contours very similar to Shilen. Looking at Shilen contours I'm stuck between the #4 and #5. McMillan says the stock will take up to #4, but I've read posts of people using #5. I guess with the differences in specifications across manufactures anything is possible...

I want to keep the barrel light. The #4 will easily be a half pound lighter. I also want the barrel to be moderately stiff for follow up shots, which leads me to the #5.

Will I appreciate the #5 when shooting groups and varmints? Or will I only feel its weight on my back?

 

[swampbuck]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

#4 gives me sub 1/2 MOA groups for 3-5 shots. Plenty stiff for hunting truck gun. You could always split the differance and go 5 fluted.

 

[lonely_wolf]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

Thanks for the feedback Swampbuck. The lack of responses makes me think I'm splitting hairs... or maybe this forum just has a bias toward truck axles...

 

[mkollman74]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

I built my wife a hunting rig with a #3 countour in 6.5x55. It is extremely accurate, and does not heat up too bad at all for 5 round groups.

 

[swampbuck]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

Both is true. A lot of guys on this forum think that a Sandero is a light sporter barrel. I'm going 5 fluted for my next barrel but I have a few #4 Harts and Broughtons 20-22 inches that all shoot great. They are plenty stiff for general use. You really only need stiffer for sustained fire in competition or extreme long range where you want a very heavy forgiving solid prone platform with really long barrel. #4 is great for 18 inch length. Makes for a great compact package.

 

[TGagnon]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

For a light weight build I would personally go with a heavily fluted remington sendero contour. I have a 28" krieger contoured to a remington varmint/PSS contour and it shoots great. Balances really nicely to.

 

[ZLBubba]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

I'd stick with the #4 if I were you. The reason is that most often we default to the heavier contoured barrel, and often end up with more gun than we actually need. I don't know if I've ever heard someone say, "Man, I sure wish I'd gone with a heavier contour." But, I have heard quite a few guys I've shot with say the exact opposite. Go with the #4. In what caliber are you going to chamber your gun?

 

[lonely_wolf]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I really appreciate it.

@ZLBubba- It's going to be boring ol'308. Maybe 7mm-08... But 308 is just so easy and convenient. I was tempted to build a .223, but the hunting regulations where I live would make it pretty much a range gun.

Good point on people never saying, "I wish I'd gone heavier."

 

[ZLBubba]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lonely_Wolf</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thanks for the feedback everyone. I really appreciate it.

@ZLBubba- It's going to be boring ol'308. Maybe 7mm-08... But 308 is just so easy and convenient. I was tempted to build a .223, but the hunting regulations where I live would make it pretty much a range gun.

Good point on people never saying, "I wish I'd gone heavier." </div></div>

I think you're dead right on going with a 308. There's a reason (or many reasons!) that caliber has been around so long and it's still as popular as it is. I won't lie, I absolutely love 308s for their versatility, value, and availability of ammo. What's interesting is that my two most recent hunting rigs have been a 7WSM and a 300WM, but I have yet to need that power or range while hunting since I've had either one. Of course, it's better to have it and not need it than the other way around. Still, a 308 with a well-placed bullet and within reasonable ranges can take damn near anything on the continent. Bottom line, 308 is still one of the best all-around cartridges you can choose, IMHO.

I look forward to your range report once the rifle's finished.

 

[n8lusk]

Re: Contour Advice for a Light Weight 308

I just finished a #2 contour in 308 at just under 18". Love it! I have a rifle with a #5 that I built several years ago as a "lightweight" truck gun. If I had to choose between the two for a truck gun and general deer rifle, I would take the #2 hands down. The #5 has served me well, but the #2 seems perfect for what I wanted.