Re: Contour help please
Well opinions are like assholes..., and I happen to be an asshole, so here's my opinion.
It is a hunting rig, so it is highly unlikely you will be laying down a base of fire - two or three shots in rapid succession would probably be max. That being the case, overheating SHOULD not be an issue - so a fairly light contour is not a negative.
Depending on the terrain you hunt and how you hunt (still vs stalk) weight and balance are more important factors. Anything appreciably heavier than a #3 or #4 contour will leave you with a muzzle heavy rifle that might be a bit slower up to the shoulder than a standard (#3 or so) factory contour. Fluting can get the weight of a stiffer profile down into a range that allows for a more nimble rifle, but at some point, a barrel is too thin to flute.
Purely personal opinion time - I think a fluted #4 barrel will give you a rifle that handles like a basic sporter, but has the advantage of a slightly stiffer barrel which should give more consistent groups. If a #3 can be fluted, that would yield a rifle that handles like a featherweight, and still groups well for three or so shots before heat ever becomes an issue.
Of course there are many many other factors and ways of setting up a rifle to trim weight or redistribute weight to get exactly the set-up you want, but as far as the barrel goes, you just have to figure out how to get the stiffness you want for accuracy, while not being so heavy that it becomes unwieldy. Fluting might get you where you want to go, and if that is what you are considering, talk (email, whatever) to Carl Feldcamp at Kampfeld Customs. He is something of a fluting guru.
