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Picking up my Origin today!

Savageman2506

Private
Minuteman
Apr 7, 2023
83
36
Arizona
Due to all of you bad influences, plus my buddies who are also probably on this forum, I ordered an Origin short action from Front Range Precision. Its supposed to arrive at my FFL today.


Now I need to make decisions on my barrel. I want a CF barrel so it can be lighter weight. My goal is to have rifle setup sub-12 lbs with scope and bipod.

Anyone know of any carbon-fiber barrel manufacturers other than Proof in that same price range?
 
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Are you a member on ExpertVoice?
No, I've never even heard of that :LOL:

I'm mostly a hunter, this is my first foray into precision rifle stuff and I'm pretty ignorant when it comes to all this kind of stuff.... That's why my other thread I created is asking for advice on glass, lol.
If all you want is weight reduction, get a lighter steel profile and your options open up.

Cheaper than proof is going to be tough for a barrel that is worth shooting.
I'd prefer a heavier contour so I can target shoot without having to wait for my barrel to cool down (as often) or get a fancy barrel cooling fan and for longer barrel life. That being said, I'm not completely opposed to that idea. I don't mind having to wait to get the "right" option though, I want to buy once, cry once when it comes to this rifle. I'm not going to go get a Kahles or Schmitt and Bender scope because those are completely out of my budget right now, but I don't mind paying an extra $3-400 for a quality barrel if it means it'll last and be accurate, and most importantly be of good quality (good threads, good chambering, rifling, etc.)

My original plan was a McGowan SS barrel but some recent threads turned me off of them, although I know every manufacturer can make good and bad products.
 
Proof shouldered barrels are the best off the shelf option for CF, there's Bartlein too and you can order a prefit from Altus, Bugholes, or a number of other places on a Bartlein blank if they have it in stock but that's going to cost a lot more then a Proof prefit. You can get the Proofs for $750ish if you shop around, I was considering having a Bartlein CF done with a blank that was on the shelf and was quoted $1380 before shipping and tax for a Bartlein CF impact prefit with muzzle threading and cerakote. I went for a Bartlein 3B that was on the shelf at another dealer for $450 less all said and done. It will weigh within a few ounces of the CF. If Proof made a prefit in the length I wanted I would have just went that route though.

If you're not in a hurry you might be able to snag a deal on a used barrel too, Origin prefits pop up regularly in the classifieds in various configurations and often for a bargain.
 
Proof shouldered barrels are the best off the shelf option for CF, there's Bartlein too and you can order a prefit from Altus, Bugholes, or a number of other places on a Bartlein blank if they have it in stock but that's going to cost a lot more then a Proof prefit. You can get the Proofs for $750ish if you shop around, I was considering having a Bartlein CF done with a blank that was on the shelf and was quoted $1380 before shipping and tax for a Bartlein CF impact prefit with muzzle threading and cerakote. I went for a Bartlein 3B that was on the shelf at another dealer for $450 less all said and done. It will weigh within a few ounces of the CF. If Proof made a prefit in the length I wanted I would have just went that route though.

If you're not in a hurry you might be able to snag a deal on a used barrel too, Origin prefits pop up regularly in the classifieds in various configurations and often for a bargain.
Yeah that's the only bummer. I was hoping for a 24" .308 prefit but they only make 20". Not a deal breaker, but certainly considering it.
 
I'm building up an Origin 6.5 Cr right now and I'm using an X caliber barrel. They came highly recommended.
 
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I started with a PVA prefit on my Origin and it was always kind of disappointing. Got a Proof recently and wish I had picked one up a while ago, shoots great. Those are both heavy steel barrels, but still, another vote for Proof.
 
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If I had to guess it will be mostly a hunting rifle. I live in Arizona so out west, hiking, steep country, etc. That's why I want it sub-12 lbs, weight is a factor

I would first decide what you want it to be mostly and accept the fact that you’re going to need to swap barrels at the very least to have both a good target rifle and hunting rifle in the same gun or two rifles. A 12lbs rifle isn’t bad as a casual target rifle but it’s not a weight you want to hike far with either.

The 20” Proof CF 308 wouldn’t be a bad choice for a hunting rifle. For the price you can get them if would cost you $200 more to get a steel prefit done up. Then get a truck axle to put on it for the range.

Or build it as a target rifle if that’s what it will mostly see and then go spend what you would on a second barrel and buy a T3X to hunt with.
 
I would first decide what you want it to be mostly and accept the fact that you’re going to need to swap barrels at the very least to have both a good target rifle and hunting rifle in the same gun or two rifles. A 12lbs rifle isn’t bad as a casual target rifle but it’s not a weight you want to hike far with either.

The 20” Proof CF 308 wouldn’t be a bad choice for a hunting rifle. For the price you can get them if would cost you $200 more to get a steel prefit done up. Then get a truck axle to put on it for the range.

Or build it as a target rifle if that’s what it will mostly see and then go spend what you would on a second barrel and buy a T3X to hunt with.
I want it to mostly be a hunting gun, but am okay with it being a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I have other rifles if I plan on doing back-country hunts that will require extreme weight saving. A sub-12 lb rifle is acceptable to me, and from my plans for the build I should be able to get it at or below 11 lbs fairly easily.

Eventually I plan on getting an M24 or similar contoured steel barrel, probably in 6.5 Creedmor for ringing steel solely.
 
It's a battle. Nothing is perfect for every job. Hopefully that's why we bought origins, mine will be here Friday!! I ordered a varmint profile 6 Creed barrel for it. Im shooting a couple nrl hunter type matches that don't have a power factor, and looking at a couple regular prs type matches, thought that was a happy medium. Im also looking for a 223 trainer barrel and then a variety of calibers in various profiles.
 
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It's a battle. Nothing is perfect for every job. Hopefully that's why we bought origins, mine will be here Friday!! I ordered a varmint profile 6 Creed barrel for it. Im shooting a couple nrl hunter type matches that don't have a power factor, and looking at a couple regular prs type matches, thought that was a happy medium. Im also looking for a 223 trainer barrel and then a variety of calibers in various profiles.
Right on.

I mostly bought the Origin because its a reliable and solid action and changing barrels if I shoot out a barrel or decide I want to use a different caliber is relatively easy, especially with prefits. My use for the rifle probably won't change much however. Hunting first, target shooting second.
 
I want it to mostly be a hunting gun, but am okay with it being a jack-of-all-trades, master of none. I have other rifles if I plan on doing back-country hunts that will require extreme weight saving. A sub-12 lb rifle is acceptable to me, and from my plans for the build I should be able to get it at or below 11 lbs fairly easily.

Eventually I plan on getting an M24 or similar contoured steel barrel, probably in 6.5 Creedmor for ringing steel solely.

You could do a lot worse than that Proof 308 CF then. I would just be concerned about balance if you've got a 12lbs rifle with that light of a barrel. I just put a 20" Proof CF 223 barrel on an Impact and it balances perfectly with a lightweight chassis (32oz) with a pretty lightweight optic (23.7oz for optic and mount) and thats with a 10oz can hanging off the end too and it only weighs 9lbs. A 3lbs heavier gun with roughly the same weight barrel is probably going to be ass heavy.

6.5 Creedmoor is going to be nicer to shoot in a lighter rifle for target use and for hunting it will kill stuff the same as 308. If you use a good modern bullet in either and you have a 500-600 yard big game rifle from either of them. You might just want to have a 6.5 Creedmoor rem varmint barrel done up as that will probably put you around the weight you want while still having enough meat to balance out.
 
You could do a lot worse than that Proof 308 CF then. I would just be concerned about balance if you've got a 12lbs rifle with that light of a barrel. I just put a 20" Proof CF 223 barrel on an Impact and it balances perfectly with a lightweight chassis (32oz) with a pretty lightweight optic (23.7oz for optic and mount) and thats with a 10oz can hanging off the end too and it only weighs 9lbs. A 3lbs heavier gun with roughly the same weight barrel is probably going to be ass heavy.

6.5 Creedmoor is going to be nicer to shoot in a lighter rifle for target use and for hunting it will kill stuff the same as 308. If you use a good modern bullet in either and you have a 500-600 yard big game rifle from either of them. You might just want to have a 6.5 Creedmoor rem varmint barrel done up as that will probably put you around the weight you want while still having enough meat to balance out.
My stock should be around 39 oz (Grayboe Phoenix), plus bottom metal, mag, and my plan is a Leupold Mark5HD and a Magpul bipod. My total weight with optic, Seekins rings, bipod, and all the rifle parts came to 10 lbs 13 oz unloaded by my specs. It might be a little ass heavy but I think the bipod will help balance it. I can always get a pic rail extension to sit the bipod out farther. I eventually plan on getting a can, so that could help too. I'm trying to cut as much weight as possible, while still retaining a stock if possible. Chassis are expensive and I'm not very used to them, so for me stocks are more natural feeling. I'm sure I'll eventually get some chassis rifles though.
 
Have you considered a skinny steel barrel for less weight( it would be lighter than the proof CF) when hunting and a heavier barrel for range use? That's what I'm doing with my Origin build. I also have 223, 308 and magnum bolt heads to adapt the rifle to whatever I plan to do with it. Eventually, I'll have 223, 308/ 6.5 cm in light and heavy contours, and a 6.5 prc for mule deer and elk hunts out west...and also white tails over giant fields I sometimes hunt in eastern NC. Yes you'll have to document multiple zeros, but that's not the headache it seems.
 
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Have you considered a skinny steel barrel for less weight when hunting and a heavier barrel for range use? That's what I'm doing with my Origin build. I also have 223, 308 and magnum bolt heads to adapt the rifle to whatever I plan to do with it. Eventually, I'll have 223, 308/ 6.5 cm in light and heavy contours, and a 6.5 prc for mule deer and elk hunts out west...and also white tails over giant fields I sometimes hunt in eastern NC. Yes you'll have to document multiple zeros, but that's not the headache it seems.
I hadn't considered it because I assumed that a CF Proof Sendero would weigh so close to a light contour steel barrel that I'd rather have the CF so I can have the larger contour if I want to. Plus, I'd like to put a can on it eventually and the barrel harmonics seem to be better with heavier contour barrels. I could totally be wrong about that.
 
I just put a deposit on an Origin with mag bolt face. They said end of August I should receive it. I am building a 6.5 prc with 22 inch proof barrel.
 
Mine got here yesterday. I'm not disappointed. Machining and finish looks flawless. I think I'm going to find out why people go custom. Keeping my eye out for a cheap 223 trainer barrel.
 
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If you're looking for proof prefits, Stockys has a good sale going now (pops up during checkout).

Why didn’t you just order from a vendor that has in stock?
^ This, I'd see if Front Range Precision, Northland Shooters Supply, etc has what you want.
 
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If you're looking for proof prefits, Stockys has a good sale going now (pops up during checkout).


^ This, I'd see if Front Range Precision, Northland Shooters Supply, etc has what you want.
That's a good price on the proof prefits from stockys, anybody have any idea on the lead time.
 
If you're looking for proof prefits, Stockys has a good sale going now (pops up during checkout).


^ This, I'd see if Front Range Precision, Northland Shooters Supply, etc has what you want.
I had seen that. Unfortunately I didn't have the money to drop on completing the entire rifle at the time. My plan is to assemble this rifle over the course of multiple months. Hopefully the Stockys sale holds out a couple more weeks so I can get a barrel.