Help with 375 H&H barrel build

[Hunting Hitman]

I’m having Pale Horse Zero make an R8 barrel for my wife and would like some of your expert opinions/ideas on what the optimal length and twist would be for this setup.

Rifle is Blaser R8 Attaché and can accommodate up to semi weight barrel or 19mm if you will. I also have installed a 16 oz kick stop in it. She will have a Leupold VX6HD 3-18x50 on the rifle.

She is a breast cancer survivor and has had reconstruction so the barrel must accommodate a suppressor to reduce recoil. Im looking for a good working length but still trying to be as balanced as possible.
I appreciate all of your collective expertise and welcome your help on this one.

HH

 

[Donnstar]

You are leaving out critical factors! Are you just going with any old barrel? Have you given any thought to type of rifling cut? Douglas makes an excellent button rifled barrel. Brux and Bartlein are cut rifled. I use all three. A 12T is the standard. I prefer shorter barrels and use 20"-22". I would suggest you skip the mercury insert until you try a "good" suppressor. Many of the new suppressors are light enough to be negligible in terms of balance. Also, teach her to shoot it standing, off sticks. A bench will amplify recoil and perhaps cause her not to like the rifle. My opinion (and we all know about opinions!)

 

[Hunting Hitman]

You are leaving out critical factors! Are you just going with any old barrel? Have you given any thought to type of rifling cut? Douglas makes an excellent button rifled barrel. Brux and Bartlein are cut rifled. I use all three. A 12T is the standard. I prefer shorter barrels and use 20"-22". I would suggest you skip the mercury insert until you try a "good" suppressor. Many of the new suppressors are light enough to be negligible in terms of balance. Also, teach her to shoot it standing, off sticks. A bench will amplify recoil and perhaps cause her not to like the rifle. My opinion (and we all know about opinions!)

Pale Horse uses PAC-Nor barrels and she is an experienced hunter but still a little recoil sensitive and especially because of the reconstruction.

HH

 

[Challer]

Why not a factory barrel threaded by Blaser? I have one of my two 375 barrels setup this way and use a Griffin 46 Bushwacker to great effect.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

Why not a factory barrel threaded by Blaser? I have one of my two 375 barrels setup this way and use a Griffin 46 Bushwacker to great effect.

I already have a threaded blaser 375 but it’s 24 inch barrel and a little to long in my opinion. Once you order the flutted barrel cut it down and thread it, the price is over $3,400. Pale Horse zero can custom make one to my specifications for half that price.

HH

 

[mdwest]

Pale Horse uses PAC-Nor barrels and she is an experienced hunter but still a little recoil sensitive and especially because of the reconstruction.

HH

I think theyre using Kreiger barrels now...

http://www.palehorsezero.com/custom-blaser-barrels-.html

In terms of optimum length.. I don't know how much of a weight difference the Blaser 19mm profile is vs the profile on my Win 70 stainless classic... but I can tell you that my Win 70 is very nose heavy with its 24" barrel and that I am seriously considering cutting it down to 22".. I might even go as short as 21"... I think with a suppressor hanging off the end, even if the 19mm is thinner/lighter than the Win 70 barrel, you're going to be looking at something very unbalanced if you stick with the typical 24-25" barrels that most 375 H&H seem to come with.. The 16oz kick stop will probably help with some of that.. but Im not sure it would resolve all of the issue (that's a whole lot of weight sticking way out in front of the magazine when you start looking at a 25" barrel.. and then the weight of the suppressor sticking another 6-10" out past that...

 

[Hunting Hitman]

I think theyre using Kreiger barrels now...

http://www.palehorsezero.com/custom-blaser-barrels-.html

In terms of optimum length.. I don't know how much of a weight difference the Blaser 19mm profile is vs the profile on my Win 70 stainless classic... but I can tell you that my Win 70 is very nose heavy with its 24" barrel and that I am seriously considering cutting it down to 22".. I might even go as short as 21"... I think with a suppressor hanging off the end, even if the 19mm is thinner/lighter than the Win 70 barrel, you're going to be looking at something very unbalanced if you stick with the typical 24-25" barrels that most 375 H&H seem to come with.. The 16oz kick stop will probably help with some of that.. but Im not sure it would resolve all of the issue (that's a whole lot of weight sticking way out in front of the magazine when you start looking at a 25" barrel.. and then the weight of the suppressor sticking another 6-10" out past that...

All good stuff! The Kreiger barrels are taking 12-18 months to complete and the Pac-Nor barrels are between 4-6 months. As I’m taking my wife on Safari in August/September that removes Kreiger from the equation.

Does anybody have ballistics or load data suggestions for a 20 to 21 inch barrel?

HH

 

[Donnstar]

All good stuff! The Kreiger barrels are taking 12-18 months to complete and the Pac-Nor barrels are between 4-6 months. As I’m taking my wife on Safari in August/September that removes Kreiger from the equation.

Does anybody have ballistics or load data suggestions for a 20 to 21 inch barrel?

HH

There is no reason to adjust your load for length.

 

[Hunting Hitman]

I tend to agree and either way can have a load worked up to achieve my goals. I’ve decided to go with 21 inch barrels in both builds. Thanks for all the information.

HH

 

[Donnstar]

Why not go with a good break for your wife and properly equip you party with electronic ear protection? Weight problem and recoil solved! Just saying.

 

[Inline6]

All good stuff! The Kreiger barrels are taking 12-18 months to complete and the Pac-Nor barrels are between 4-6 months. As I’m taking my wife on Safari in August/September that removes Kreiger from the equation.

Does anybody have ballistics or load data suggestions for a 20 to 21 inch barrel?

HH

They quoted me 14-20 months, I'm also going to opt for a Pac-Nor.

 

[BeeMaa]

@Hunting Hitman - First allow me to say congratulations to your wife as a breast cancer survivor. And don't be modest, you are an important factor in her continued health moving forward. Ask me how I know.

I will make the assumption that she has shot your 24" suppressed 375 and that she's comfortable with it. I also understand that 24" + suppressor length can make a rifle cumbersome in the field. So my question is this...do you truly believe that a barrel 2" shorter will make that much of a difference in handling and balance?

My wife had a 375H&H Selous (22mm) barrel for her R8 Intuition stock. She shot it well, but said it was more recoil than she wanted to deal with. Keep in mind that she also had a 16 oz kickstop in the stock and it did improve the balance but at the cost of it being one of the heaviest rifles I've ever held. The weight and recoil were the big factors and she decided that if she really needed to use a 375, she'd borrow mine for the one or two shots necessary. She's much more comfortable with her 300WM semi-weight barrel.

Everyone is different and what works for one, could be recipe for disaster with another. I'd make sure your bride is 100% positive in the rifle fit and balance of your 24" barrel with a suppressor. Maybe do something to simulate exactly what she's looking for and go from there. Then again, it would be pretty easy to sell a Blaser 375H&H threaded barrel on AH if it didn't work out.

 

[Challer]

Agree with @BeeMaa, fit has as much to do with it as anything regarding felt recoil. We don’t normally fit rifles like we do shotguns but at times it’s needed and easily done by any stock maker.

I bought @BeeMaas 375 Selous. Still keeping my 375 threaded for the 46 Bushwacker. The suppressed is only a bit less felt recoil than the Selous. A 9.3 or 338/35 may be more effective. But fitting first.
Of course with the R8 it’s simply to experiment (couldn’t help it).

 

[Hunter-Habib]

I'm old school. I like Douglas Premium barrels.

 

[Inline6]

I'm old school. I like Douglas Premium barrels.

Have honestly had good luck with most barrels shooting well. Some die a faster death than others, it all depends on the steel. My favorite is Kreiger I'm not willing to wait the time required myself. With the R8 the barrel blanks have a different spec compared to more traditional rifles, little changes add up to bigger production issues. So, this is a more of take what you can get kind of deal.