Place your vote for the best barrel maker here...

[twoworms]

Just a chance to see what barrel maker folks like the best. And I plan to rebarrel a 700 Rem soon and want to know what you think.

Thank you.

Twoworms.

[waksupi]

I don't know if they are the best, but we do use a lot of Montana Rifle Barrel Co. at work. It is unusual for them not to shoot under an inch, sometimes much less. We did a .350 Rem.Mag. last week, that went into .259". I will add the caveat, they must be properly mounted and bedded, as any good barrel requires.

An update on Montana barrels. A customer sent a barreled action from them, for us to stock. After examining the barreling job, we found it had been mounted crooked, and apparently not had the usual lapping job in the bore finish. It was taken back to MR, and the barrel was remounted, and we did the lapping. On test firing, the bullets were hitting a foot left of the bore sighting. After dismounting the barrel and examining it furthur, we found it was not straight, with the light bars running off considerably.
This is the first barrel we have got from them, that slipped through the inspection cracks. Actually, from probably a hundred barrels over the past year from them, this really isn't too bad of an average, as anyone can miss one occassionaly.

[felix]

Cost effectiveness should be your question. That would be the barrel having the proper twist, land height, and form for the application. ... felix

[fourarmed]

If you were building a benchrest rifle, you would already know the answer, so I presume this is a hunting rifle. If $$$ is a concern, E. R. Shaw's barrels have a pretty good reputation, and they will do the fitting and refinishing for quite a reasonable cost.

[versifier]

Hart. The only name you need to know if you want the best. They are pricey, though, and cater more to the bench rest shooters, but they contour them for sporting rifles, too.

[felix]

Hart is devoted to the BR crown first and foremost. They won't do a cast boolit barrel because their buttons don't match up. Harts true advantage is that their barrels either shoot or they don't right out of the box, making it easy to make up your mind if the barrel will be ready for match time. Their barrels take quite a bit of "break-in" when not ready out of the box. Probably, the longest lasting barrels out there. ... felix

[twoworms]

Lots of the shooters at the Monroe Co gun club shoot hart barrels. We shoot to 500meters with anything from 6mm to 308 cal... But your shot is only good at each range if you knock over the target. The Ram at 500 meters can take a hit, and then stand there... ((DING))

My Rem700 has a stock barrel and used to shoot great but after 2800 rounds it needs help, a 260Rem is a little harder on barrels than some of the others cals the guys shoot. So now there is a need for a new barrel...

Tim
I

[Explorer1]

Expect to spend aroung $300 (or more) for just a barrel, but look at PacNor, Hart, and Lilja to name a few. I have had fantastic success with PacNor, DouglasXX, and Lilja, stainless of course. All shot ~1/4" at 100 yds off a rest if I did my part.

Any of the big names you see in benchrest are worth considering as any can have a bad day or a great day. The ones you see commonly in benchrest just have many more good days than not-so-good days!

[Hairtrigger]

Will you be doing the work yourself?
If not I would follow the advice of the gunsmith doing the work, hopefully to avoid "I told you so's"

[StrawHat]

What's the matter with the barrel on the 700?

I have used barrels from Douglas, Shaw and Montana. All filled the intended need well. The determing factor for me was the purpose of the rifle. The Douglas iron went on ML for target work. The Shaw was a bolt action hunting rifle and the Montana went on a Win 1895 rebarrel. They all shot as I hoped and will continue to do so as long as I load them properly. If I had to narrow it to only one I would be happy to use Douglas for the rest of my time.

[felix]

Tim, that's a good point by Strawhat. Chop the barrel at both ends and rechamber. Might be worth the chance if you like the same internal dimensions. If you want to change calibers for that sport, then you might find a known shooting 14 twist BR 308 takeoff barrel and repair both ends, if needed. The BR boys take their barrels off whenever the barrel cannot shoot in the low teens. Any quarter inch barrel will put smiles on your face, especially for targets as large as offhand rams. ... felix

[versifier]

Hart is devoted to the BR crown first and foremost. They won't do a cast boolit barrel because their buttons don't match up.... felix

They use a "push" button rifler. You just can't go as deep as with a "pull" setup. They will happily true up and barrel sporting actions, or they did when I took Jerry's course at RIT some years ago.

How deep does it need to be really? It's nice to be good and deep for bp & m/l's, but there are lots of MicroGroove barrels that handle cast just fine. Any barrel can be a problem with the wrong alloy/lube/powder/velocity, and a pleasure when you get them right.

I think the odds are better that you'll get a tack driver from Hart barrels, but I have seen inexpensive A&B barrels shoot sub MOA, and a Lilja that patterned like a 12GA with every combination tried (.30cal, 20 bullets between 110-180gr, eight powders, 4 brands of cases, 3 primers). I have nothing bad to say about Green Mountain, Douglas, or Shaw, either, though, all of them make decent products, but twoworms asked for the best....

[twoworms]

The 700Rem barrel has lost lots of its speed due the the 2800 rounds. I used to get 2750fps easy and now can't get much more than 2450 to 2500fps with hot loads. It takes at or near 2800 with a 142gr 6.5mm boolit to work well on the ram.

Tim

[felix]

The best barrel maker? Today, I'd pick this order: John Krieger, Ed Shilen, and Ernie Stallman. A couple of years later, I might reverse the order. Specifically, John does cut rifling, and makes the contour first. He guarantees a choked barrel.
... felix

[Hip's Ax]

I've got Krieger, Hart, Schneider, Shilen, Johnson (RIP Eric) and even Wilson barrels. Which is my favorite? The one I happen to be shooting at that time! They all shoot great. I do have more Hart barrels than anything else though. Been itching to try a Broughton but none of my rifles need a barrel right now. :roll: Frankly I really think the gunsmith is far more important a choice than barrel brand. In fact, once I've chosen my smith I pretty much let him choose the barrel brand.

[Pop Gun]

I would say that there is some truth in alot of what is said. The best barrels go to the biggest users. Logical. Take care of your bread and butter first. So choice of Smith means the most if you want the best from any maker.

But different makers make their barrels in different ways. Different methods have different advantages. So a recommendation would be based on how you want to use it. Then if you say for cast, then you open up a hole new set of criteria for recomendation.

IF you want to educate yourself, read this. It's dated, but will give you a good background. The business hasn't changed that much.

http://www.border-barrels.com/articles/bmart.htm

[mainiac]

When i started b.r. shooting, the hart barrell was the only barrell used. After a few years guys started using shilens,and won matches with them also. I went from harts and lilja,s to niemi,s and then to shilens. Shilen would give a good discount for ordering 5 or more,so,,,,,, not only got a good deal,but 95% of them shot better then any hart i ever owned. Now theres so many making barrells that before i get into b.r. shooting again, ill have to really study!

[felix]

If Ed Shilen personally finishes up a barrel just before delivery, that barrel will shoot right out of the box. The 64K dollar question, was he the one who finished the barrel? There was a time he was involved with race cars, and his products fell accodingly. ... felix

[bobthenailer]

i have 4 guns rebarreld with shilen match barrels , i think the last one was done in 1987 all are excedling accurate and arent to finikey about loads , but they do have there favorites.

[Powderface]

Wow!

All these answers and nobody has mentioned Lothar-Walther? I've had absolutely great results on 5 different barrels/calibers. Give Woody a call. 770-889-9998

http://www.lothar-walther.com/start.htm


Mike

[Bass Ackward]

Wow!

All these answers and nobody has mentioned Lothar-Walther?
Mike


PF,

LW has lost some of their stature in my eyes going to button rifling. I just used one of their older cut barrels for a lead 223 project I have going now.

[twoworms]

I'm going to have a hard time making up my mind on a barrel maker. Wish me luck, I'll need it.

Tim


P.S.Thanks to everyone for the info.

[Char-Gar]

Humm..I am suprised that Obermeyer barrels have not appear on this thread. Any reason why not?

[Phil]

There are no shortage of excellent rifle barrels on the market. The trick is in getting someone who truly knows what he is doing to fit and chamber it! For instance, I won't fit a barrel to a stock Remchester receiver, they about all need truing. When I indicate the barrel in to chamber and fit it I indicate off the lands to zero with a .00005" indicator. Takes a darned good set of spindle bearings to do that too! There was an old saying (years ago) that .0001" of error (misalignment of chamber to bore) was worth .1moa at the target. I cringe when I hear how some guys fit and chamber barrels. Just my two cents worth.

Cheers,

Phil

[felix]

I think Obermeyer went to button pull also. Phil is correct, but not 02 cents worth. It's more like 3500 bucks worth. ... felix

[twoworms]

Looks like a Hart in 7-08 won this round.

Thanks to everyone for your help and time....

Tim

[crossfireoops]

Badger Barrels, Appleton Wis.

good barrels, outta' great material......love the machinability.

GTC

[Bear Claw]

Mike Rock Barrels, Schneider Barrels, or Obermeyer,Krieger.......Potato,Patato they are all good and will all out shoot me, But if money was no object....

A Surgeon with a Mike Rock, all trued up, jewel triger in a MacBros stock:drinks: