PAC-NOR Barreling

[lead chucker]

I would like to know have any one here had any work done by this outfit? I was thinking of having a barrel made for my ruger 77/44 all weather. Gun cant hold a group. there is no rime or reason to this rifle. I have tried everything.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I suppose you have checked it, but I thought that I would mention it anyway. Have you checked or tried another scope? Assuming you are using one of course. The reason I mentioned it is because I had a friend who chased his tail for a long time and did a lot of engineering on the rifle ultimately to find te cheap scope was at fault. He is a member of the 'I only use Leupolds now' club.

If it is a matter of the barrel one would expect the groups to be consistently bad. If it fluctuates, it may be some other problem.

I have a few froends who have used PacNor barrels and they were happy with them, but they were target quality.

Have you slugged your barrel? Maybe out of specs. They are a pretty cheap rifle, I would be inclined to move it on and try another one or something different.

Try hunting with it, it will probably work fine, we tend to get a bit hung up on accuracy at the range. I used to hunt with a 303/25 and as a young hunter, I would aim at a small rock on the next hill and if I hit it, I was good to go. I grassed a lot of game with that rifle. Then I went to the range and couldn't get better than 4moa! Man, I didn't realise how bad that rifle was (I had previosly thought it was a pretty capable rifle). I was never really happy with it after that. Young and foolish!

[Marine Sgt 2111]

I have two Pac-Nor barrels: one in .17 ackley hornet and the other in .223rem on a Mini -14. I did the fitting. The .17 holds 1/2" all day long with just about any load and will go down to less than .250" with select loads. I haven't shot the Mini-14 yet. Great Barrels, great workmanship.

[NHlever]

The current Ruger hammer forged barrels are generally pretty good. The 77/44 receiver / trigger housing bedding issues are prone to problems though, and I would suspect that the gun is either under strain from a twisted trigger housing, or is moving around in the stock when fired, or both. I would check that out before investing in a good but expensive barrel.

[Blkpwdrbuff]

I have a PAC-NOR barrel on my .250 Humdinger which will shoot sub moa with cast bullets when fireforming the brass.
I have been very impressed with the barrel and how it shoots.
Yes, they are target quality but remember, you also get what you pay for.
I wouldn't hesitate to have another PAC-NOR barrel on anything I own.
Just my .02 worth.

Blkpwdrbuff

[kelbro]

Never heard anything but good about PacNor.

Before I went to that expense, I would check the scope, bed the action, and work on the trigger. If none of those get you where you want to be, then try a barrel. Getting a new barrel without addressing those three would probably not 'fix' your issue.

[akajun]

JOhn Hollinger with White Oak Arms highly recomends them and uses them himself. He claims they are on par with Krieger. I know a lot of high masters shoot them.

[Trifocals]

First off, have patience. I have read that the bore dimensions on Ruger .44 rifles are on the generous side. I believe that was on Ranch Dog's web site awhile back. His boolits are designed for Marlin lever guns which are typically generous in the bore dimensions. He stated his .44 boolit design also worked well in Ruger .44 rifles. If you have not already done it, I would suggest you slug your barrel or do a chamber cast. Some years ago I purchased one of the first model Ruger .44 mag semi auto carbines. Everyone I talked to about that rifle told me not to expect better than 4"-5" groups, and they were correct. After trying glass bedding and other "fixes", I had the rifling lead reamed to a taper. That was the answer. It settled down and began to shoot decent groups. When I finally found the "J" bullet and load it liked, it would shoot MOA groups all day long. A side note to all of my persistence is that I discovered that 4227 powder always produces the best accuracy for me in any .44 mag handgun or rifle. I have tried virtually every powder applicable for use in the .44 mag except #9 and thus far 4227 is the accuracy winner. Granted it produces a bit lower velocity than some of the other powders, but the critters don't seem to notice the difference. LOL

[smokemjoe]

I had Pac-nor put a barrel on a 1917 Enfield, 308- in 1-13 twist, Its shoots under 1/2 at 100 yards, cast or jacketed

[Three44s]

I'd change the scope to a KNOWN quantity!

I'd then look at bedding!

In the meantime ....... order the book from Beartooth Bullets on cast bullet shooting!

It deals with boolit fitament and fire lapping.

If you are prepared to throw the current barrel away anyway .........? What can it hurt to experiment????

In the mentioned book, Marshall Stanton makes the case that Ruger's stainless is pretty hard long wearing stuff ...... and it can take a whole bunch of fire lapping rounds ...... but when it does come clean .......

........ you've got a barrel for the generations!!

Three 44s

[tonyjones]

Assuming that you don't have a problem somewhere else: bedding, scope, mount, etc., you should be very happy with a PacNor. I've had several of their stainless match barrels. My .25-06 would shoot sub .3" groups with Sierra 100 grain BTSP and the barrel is a No. 3 taper. My .338-308 MG Arms Ultralight, 6 pounds-4 ounces with scope, shoots Nosler BT's and Partitions into .5" to .625" at 100 yards.
I consider PacNor to be the equal of Lilja, Shilen and Hart. That's pretty good company.
Good luck,
Tony

[Four Fingers of Death]

Be a shame to fit a new barrel and have the same probs!

[Artful]

Before I replaced a factory barrel on a new factory gun I'd be talking to the factory about their barrel - most are pretty good about standing behind their products - I assume you have the same problem with factory J-word ammo.

[358wcf]

I've got one PacNor barrel on my 358Win rifle. Outstanding quality and extremely accurate for a 35cal hunting rifle. My next rebarrel job or custom rifle will be using a PacNor barrel. Enough said?

As stated before, change to a known quality scope before pulling all your hair out, or better yet, try using your iron sights at 50 yds. Eliminate every variable in testing, and only change ONE thing at a time-

358wcf

[Four Fingers of Death]

I've got one PacNor barrel on my 358Win rifle. Outstanding quality and extremely accurate for a 35cal hunting rifle. My next rebarrel job or custom rifle will be using a PacNor barrel. Enough said?

As stated before, change to a known quality scope before pulling all your hair out, or better yet, try using your iron sights at 50 yds. Eliminate every variable in testing, and only change ONE thing at a time-

358wcf

Well said and the barrel is potentially the most expensive, so I'd be looking at that last

[dale2242]

I live 70 mi. from the Pac-Nor plant. They were kind enough to give a friend and I tour of the shop. Very impressive. They use only the very best and latest equipmentand materials.
The employees are all highly skilled. The barrels are hand lapped after they are bored and again after they are button rifled.
A few of us were standing out side the shop talking next to a trailer full of their 'so called' reject barrels. After looking through several of them, some one said ' Why not sell these under a different name, they are better than most of other barrels available"
The owner says" Nothing but perfect barrels will leave this shop"
I would highly recommend them...dale

[Three44s]

PacNor certainly produces very fine barrels ........

But those of us that are advocating not throwing the original tube away are not arguing that point .......

We are just trying to articulate a much simpler concept ........ KISS!

Keep It Simple Stupid!

When you have problem ..... start looking at the bottom of pyramid first .......

Changing the barrel ...... and particularily with your own bucks .......

......... is climbing all the way to the top ........ while disregarding other more likely choices.

EVEN if the barrel dimensions don't fit your bullets ...... or boolits ......... it does not automatically mean you need to change the barrel .........

You can change your bullet dimensions far easier, cheaper and quicker.

Best regards

Three 44s

[frankenfab]

PacNor certainly produces very fine barrels ........

But those of us that are advocating not throwing the original tube away are not arguing that point .......

We are just trying to articulate a much simpler concept ........ KISS!

Keep It Simple Stupid!

When you have problem ..... start looking at the bottom of pyramid first .......

Changing the barrel ...... and particularily with your own bucks .......

......... is climbing all the way to the top ........ while disregarding other more likely choices.

EVEN if the barrel dimensions don't fit your bullets ...... or boolits ......... it does not automatically mean you need to change the barrel .........

You can change your bullet dimensions far easier, cheaper and quicker.

Best regards

Three 44s

You are a wise man.

[45r]

Pacnor does make good barrels.They are used a lot in competition AR's.Some say the Kreiger's last longer before accuracy drops off.