Selecting a Rifle Barrel for a Custom Build

Selecting a rifle barrel for a custom build is a critical step in building your ultimate rifle.

Shooters who are building a custom rifle are in for a real treat. While “off-the-shelf” makes and models have greatly diversified their offerings, mass-produced firearms will always lack the fine fit of a tailored setup. Bespoke rifles should offer several benefits over their store-bought counterparts, most notably in their appearance, fit, and function. And selecting the right rifle barrel for a custom build is the most important step to maximizing accuracy and performance. 

The options and combinations for barrel construction are nearly limitless. Shooters should first decide their intended use for a custom build. A custom hunting rifle will likely look and act much differently than a custom long-range competition rifle. 

Much like building a house from the ground up, the open architecture of building a rifle can also be overwhelming. A barrel is one of the rifle’s most important components and should be carefully selected. This article should be a guide to help you start the process of selecting the right barrel for your custom rifle build.

Construction Material

Most custom barrels are made from blued steel, stainless steel, or steel wrapped with carbon fiber. All three materials provide different pros and cons. Blued barrels are generally the least expensive but also the most sensitive to the elements. 

The black finish has been used for hundreds of years and gives off a very classic appearance that appeals to nostalgic shooters. Stainless steel is more resistant to weather and corrosion but is usually a pricier option. 

Carbon fiber barrels are the most expensive. But they are significantly lighter and arguably the most accurate material due to better heat control and barrel harmonics.

Carbon Fiber Proof Barrels are some of the best in the industry – Claiming up to 64% lighter than traditional steel barrels of similar contour.

Barrel Length

The length of a barrel affects two main shooting factors: accuracy and bullet velocity. As a barrel is lengthened, both are mostly improved. The accuracy improvements adjust on a bell curve, however, and eventually lead to less accurate shots from a longer barrel experiencing more “whip” during a shot than a shorter, stiffer barrel. 

Barrels should be long enough for a bullet to reach its maximum potential velocity and no more. In most cases, longer magnum cartridges – like the .300 Winchester Magnum – burn powder more slowly than shorter cartridges and therefore need a longer barrel for the muzzle gasses to properly expand and maximize power. Shorter cartridges are commonly able to reach maximum velocity through shorter barrels.

Contour

A barrel’s contour is its shape. Stiffer barrels are usually more accurate, especially as a barrel heats and cools, and meatier bull barrels offer more stiffness. Thick-walled barrels are considerably heavier, though, and are more appropriate for bench shooters looking for hairpin precision. 

Sporting contours taper significantly from the barrel’s throat and offer a lighter construction at the risk of slightly less accurate shots. In most cases, however, a hunter needs one shot to be on target rather than several shots in the smallest group possible. Because of this, heat control and absolute maximum accuracy are not as important as the handiness and agility that a lighter rifle provides.

Twist Rate

Twist rate refers to the concentration of a barrel’s rifling. A rifle with a lower twist rate will cause the projectile to spin more quickly than the same barrel with a higher twist rate. For instance, a barrel with a 1:7 twist will cause a bullet to fully rotate every seven inches, while a 1:10 twist will cause a bullet to fully rotate every 10 inches. 

The optimal spin is desired to produce the most accurate rounds, and a bullet’s shape and speed dictate which twist is ideal. Shooters should consult with their selected barrel manufacturer to find out which twist rate is best for their desired bullet and cartridge construction.

Fluting

Fluting is the collection of grooves cut into the outside of a barrel. In most cases significant material is removed through the process and greatly reduces barrel weight. The cut grooves also add surface area to the barrel and allow it to cool more quickly. 

Shaw Custom Barrels patented Helical fluting provides additional surface area for improved cooling, improved barrel harmonics, and helps to counteract rotational torque, giving the shooter greater shot consistency.

However, removing material also means the barrel heats up faster than a thicker, solid-walled pipe. While a debate is ongoing relative to how fluting can positively and negatively affect accuracy, there’s no doubt that it adds significant visual appeal to a rifle’s build.

Threading and Muzzle Devices

A barrel usually needs to be threaded to add a muzzle device. But some muzzle brakes are milled into the end of the barrel. In either case, a shooter needs to be prepared to select an option if they would like to add a brake or suppressor. 

Muzzle brakes significantly reduce recoil by redirecting gasses to the side of the muzzle rather than straight back down the barrel, but the redirecting of gasses also redirects noise towards the shooter and can blast gas on any hunting partner or spotter sitting besides the shooter. 

Suppressors conversely reduce noise but are heavy, bulky, and require an ATF background check that takes months to clear. In either case, shooters who are selecting a rifle barrel for a custom build should consider threading the end of the barrel so all options are open in the future.

While a custom rifle build can seem daunting, educating yourself on a rifle’s structure is the most important first step. With custom barrels, the options are infinite, but finding the right construction for your intended purpose is relatively easy once you learn some basics. Mastering the barrel is the most important step to finding your ultimate custom rifle.