Barrel for Hog Hunter

[kwikvette]

Anyone here replace the barrel on their .308 hog hunter?

Purpose has changed so I'm wanting suggestions for a new barrel on this specific action. This rifle is being used to punch paper and steel at 400+yards and I'm already looking for new glass so thought I'd try out a new barrel. I would like to have a threaded barrel for a muzzle brake; I'm spoiled by the lack of recoil with this current build.

[kwikvette]

I should've added that I prefer a heavy barrel since I won't lug it around anywhere and it doesn't matter if it's SS or not. Not sure what twist to go with or length and that's where I need help deciding, based on my needs. Again range will vary between 400 (as short as 100) to 850.

I don't reload but will start next year.

[kwikvette]

I'll take the lack of responses as 'keep your current barrel'

[earl39]

Way to many choices with no info provided. How does it shoot now? Is this informal or competition shooting? Will you also hunt with it and if so what will you hunt? Do you reload? If not are you willing/can afford to start? How much are you willing to change? Just the barrel will limit your choices but with a bolthead change you are wide open to all types of options. Is there a price point you want to stay under? Do you want to challenge yourself more? Lots and lots of things we would need to know before anyone can even begin to answer your question without proper information.

[foxx]

Way to many choices with no info provided. How does it shoot now? Is this informal or competition shooting? Will you also hunt with it and if so what will you hunt? Do you reload? If not are you willing/can afford to start? How much are you willing to change? Just the barrel will limit your choices but with a bolthead change you are wide open to all types of options. Is there a price point you want to stay under? Do you want to challenge yourself more? Lots and lots of things we would need to know before anyone can even begin to answer your question without proper information.

Exactly.

As long as you stay with short action cartridges s.a. .223, .243, 308, 22-250, 260, 7mm-08, 6BR, etc., you can make it anything you want with very little modification (normally, just the bolt head, which is no big deal and not necessary if choose .260, .243, 308, 22-250, 7mm-08 or any other with a .473 bolt head like these. If you go .223 or .204 you will need to change bolt heads, but that's only about $30 more and magazine which is about $30 more.

All Savages are easily modified. Hog Hunters are especially popular choice for new donor rifles.

[kwikvette]

Way to many choices with no info provided. How does it shoot now? Is this informal or competition shooting? Will you also hunt with it and if so what will you hunt? Do you reload? If not are you willing/can afford to start? How much are you willing to change? Just the barrel will limit your choices but with a bolthead change you are wide open to all types of options. Is there a price point you want to stay under? Do you want to challenge yourself more? Lots and lots of things we would need to know before anyone can even begin to answer your question without proper information.

Exactly.

As long as you stay with short action cartridges s.a. .223, .243, 308, 22-250, 260, 7mm-08, 6BR, etc., you can make it anything you want with very little modification (normally, just the bolt head, which is no big deal and not necessary if choose .260, .243, 308, 22-250, 7mm-08 or any other with a .473 bolt head like these. If you go .223 or .204 you will need to change bolt heads, but that's only about $30 more and magazine which is about $30 more.

All Savages are easily modified. Hog Hunters are especially popular choice for new donor rifles.

Appreciate the feedback from both of you.

The rifle shoots well now, and yes I know "if it ain't broke then why fix it" kind of thing. I just figured while I'm searching around for scopes I'd put a little more into the rifle than just that.

The hog hunter will shoot .5" MOA if I do my part with match ammo, otherwise the bulk stuff will open up groups. For this reason I am going to start reloading next year as stated above.

Next part, this rifle is strictly for punching paper and steel.

On top of just wanting to upgrade just to upgrade, I wasn't sure if the 20" barrel itself will limit my urge to go for long range shooting. Basically I want to take every equation out of the picture upon entering longer range shooting in the future. 400 yards currently is no problem and I'll see that from time to time but after I get reloading down in the next months I'd like to take that further and try out for 600-800+ (mid 2016).

I'd like to stick with .308 just to simplify things seeing as how my experience is strictly with the AR-platform.

[kwikvette]

Another thing, budget is of no concern really but I'm also not expecting to pay more than $500 just for a barrel seeing as how this isn't going to be used for competitions.

[foxx]

I don't know for certain, but I don't think the .308 will shoot any more accurately at long range with a longer barrel, though you would get more speed, which helps some (negligibly?) for fighting the effects of wind and helps if you are estimating range. i.e. If you shoot known range, you probably won't see much improvement with a longer barrel. .308 is almost unique in that regard.

If I were looking to make a change for more long range precision purposes, I would look hard at any of the 6.5mm or 260 calibers (same caliber) That is, .260 .260AI, 6.5 Creedmoore, etc. THe bullet itself is inherently more accurate than the .308. My personal favorite is 260AI.

Also, you can get nearly any barrel you might want for $300-$400.

[kwikvette]

Thanks foxx; I'll just buy another rifle

Now to convince the fiancé since after I got the chassis I bought another handgun that same day lol.

I've been seeing the 6.5 pop up more and more for a long range shooter on my local forum.

[foxx]

Next I'd look at:
Apachegunworks.com
myaccuratebarrel.com
thebarreloutlet.com
northlandshooterssupply.com
sharpshootersupply.com
for supplier/maker.

Sorry. THought these were links. Oh, well. It's a start.

[earl39]

Nothing wrong with the 6.5's I would look at the 260 if you want to reload and the Creedmoor if you shoot factory ammo or foresee a time when you might need ammo because you don't have time to load any. The 6.5 Creedmoor is a lot cheaper factory ammo than the 260 is and most of the time easier to find.

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I am actually doing a hog hunter build right now. I converted mine to 6.5 CM. Bought a 28" Criterion bull barrel from Jim at NSS. Waiting on the headspace gauges still so i haven't got it all together yet.