Help with a Barrel decision for a Varmit gun?

[Dust]

I am planning on building a custom Varmit rifle. Not sure on the caliber yet but I would like to shoot 55 grain ballistic tips to help with bucking the wind and good knock down power.

I would like to build 1 similar to the Savage predator to where it has a 20" or 22" medium heavy Varmit contoured barrel. So its not a nightmare to pack around the fields. Love the Predator but I want a caliber that will push the 55's faster. Like a 220 Swift...22-250AI...243AI...6mm something...ect..ect...

So what barrel manufacturer would u reccommend. Plan on getting a action from the North guy and going from there.

[lwink]

In my limited experience, I love Shilen barrels -- since you're going with northlander anyways it would be worth looking at what he has in stock already. Any other custom barrel will take a while to get here which means you won't be varmint hunting until spring. my .02

[psharon97]

the Douglas Barrel from SSS, Shilen, McGowen, Pac Nor will all be around $300 and will all shoot excellent. There is a review done comparing the SSS barrel and a Pac Nor. Her is a link: http://savageshooters.com/index.php?articleview=Project 2005 Barrel Analysis.


Do be warned: having a custom barrel made is not an over night process. Mine from SSS took 4 months to build.

[kslefty]

If you are dead set on shooting 55gr bullets I would build something in .224 instead of .244. I shoot the 55gr nosler ballistic tips out of my .243 very accurately but they do not kill coyotes that great. I say go with the .224 caliber cause the same weight bullet will be longer and perform better in the wind @ the same speed.

[joseph]

Pretty much all of the top name rifle makers make very accurate barrels. I went with a Brux barrel and am verrry pleased with its accuracy. Here is what I had built and how I saved a lot of money.

http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=366263&highlight=

joseph

[diriel]

+1 for the .224, assuming you want to stay about 55gr wt. of bullet.

If you want more punch, have you considered 22-250 or 22-250AI?

Good Shooting,
Gary