I have seen them advertised lately and judging by their price they must not be much.

Have any of you had any luck w/ them as cheap factory replacements?

Seems like they may be good for a worn out cheapy factory rifle that needs a new barrel.

Thanks,

Reloader

Do a search here they have been talked about a lot here before.

Ive got a shaw, Wilson and an A&B. Of all of my cheapie bbls the A&B is the roughest finish. But with that said, it is on a 35 Whelen and I like it fine, it shoots quite well.

Think of A&B as the Savage of the barrel world. Functional in appearance but quite accurate. I have the A&B 358 win on my Savage Scout and it shoots very well.

AB is no assurance of quality.
I have one that is 1/2" out of straight, and one that has a bore as rough as a file, and I have one that is decent.


Remember what Forest Gump said about AB barrels, " Life is a box of chocolates, you never know what you're going to get.

A&B barrels can be very good or very bad, but most are about average. If I got one that was 1/2" out of straight (whatever that is) it would go back for a replacement or refund. IMHO there are two very legitimate reasons to buy an A&B barrel. The first is as a fire-forming chamber to save your $400 barrel and the second is for a live-varmint barrel where you might fire a couple of thousand rounds in a wild weekend of shooting. The prairie dogs won't know the difference but your wallet will.

I have two A&B barells, a 270 and a 7x57 both are smooth non fouling barells that shoot MOA. The 7x57 was my entry gun into the cheap ugly rifle contest and I learned a great deal building that rifle and now it is a favorite but it is ugly.

Maybe I'm a lucky one, but I have three of them and am very pleased. One in heavy barrel .220 Swift that shoots better than anything I have. Tested 3 different rounds couple weeks ago to see if they hit the same point of aim, boy do they. It was only a 3 shot group but it was 3 different loads and measured .34 or .36 (I can't recall right now) and it hasn't been cleaned since November.
Another is a .416 Taylor that shoots very well too. I never shot it for groups really, but when I sighted it in for bear season last year at 75 yard zero I fired pairs while sighting in and it just made oval holes from the two bullets. Plenty for a big bore. This one does take longer to clean than my other two.

The last was bought in 338-06 but is being used for a 338 wildcat on a mauser98. There is no scope on it yet so I can't say how well it shoots but after fireforming brass it cleaned up easily.

Plan on buying another right off soon.

Hope this helps

not necessarily related to Abbott and Bennett barrels but can anyone explain how two of the cheapest rifles ever made are also among the most accurate????? I.m talking about the Remington 788 and today's savage.....is it because they had such very good (and very expensive) barrels?????

actually the rem788 cost MORE to machine than the rem700. I beleive the machining in the bolt cost close to as much as the 700 rifle.

I have a A&B -barrel on my 416 Taylor, and that works perfect. Good accuracy too.
Some of them can be rather rough inside, but some good break-in period made it alright.

I just took a rifle to the gunsmith the other day to install my 1st A&B barrel. It's going on a 1910 Mexican Mauser. I think these barrels do have a place for rifle builders. On mine, the 7X57 barrel was shot out and the action had been modified by a amateur gunsmith. It wasn't so bad to warrent throwing it in the garbage, but not worthy of a Krieger barrel and custom stock either. Mine is going to be a .257 Roberts, I hope it all works out.

Terry

I just ordered a varmint weight 22-250 barrel for one of my favorite mauser actions. I'll be pleased if it shoots as well as the 270.

I have built 2 rifles using m98 mauser actions and A&B barrels..one was .257 Roberts and the other is a 35 Whelen..they both are very accurate and I have not experienced the fouling problems that some others have had. I have friends that also have used the A&B barrels on project rifles..mostly in 6.5x55, and they are happy with their results...

Z

i have a adams and bennett barrel in 35 whelen, its very accurate and is easy to clean. i would highly recommend it for the money.

I have an Adams&Bennet in 35 wh.,on a Savage action with a factory plastic stock. shoots great,cleans great----IS UGLY---LOVE IT p--

I have an A&B barrel for my Ruger 10/22 and it's a tack driver, no problems at all.

Ian

I have installed several for customers along the way and they seem happy with them. The only one I did for myself was a 338/06 and it shoots as well as I can shoot. I wouldn`t recommend them for a Benchrest Comp gun but for all-around plinking and the hunting rifle? Why not. If you`re thinking about a wildcat and would like to kinda try out the cartridge? Get a A&B and chamber it out and play. Like it? Go get a Shilen or McGowan or Douglas.

Aloha, Mark

Some shoot and some don't...I won't buy a cheap barrel for myself, its just cost a little more to go first class..Make mine Lothar Walther barrels, they all shoot...

I have a friend that has installed two A&B barrels on his 06, the second one shoots 1.5 and that Ok, the first one shot 2-3/4...

I've had good luck,and bad luck with A & B.

It's really a crap shoot to see what you get. Trouble is, if the barrel is bad, there is nothing you can do with it. Midway won't take it back, so you own it.

Get a "bad" custom barrel, and they can't get it away from you fast enough and replace it.

If you're looking for an inexspensive way to replace a shot out barrel, or as a means to tickle that, gotta try a certain chambering, they have their place. The one I have is reasonably accurate, though a bear to get really clean.

If you want top notch accuracy, or are building a fine custom gun, then it would be a prudent investment to get a better barrel.

You get what you pay for, just be sure you know what you want.

Reloader,

This just happened to me 3 weeks ago. After seeing two A&B 22-250 barrels shoot fairly well in friends rifles I decided to put one on my son-in-laws 22-250. I got burned. Two inch groups at a 100. Well, not really groups, kind of a 2 inch spray at a 100. Never again will I do that.

Jim

A&B barrels are like Tasco scopes, yeah I've got some great groups with them, but because I can't depend on them, I will never buy any more.

i've had 270 win, 6.5x55, 300winmag, 35 whelen, and i think another i can't recall at the moment. totally satisfied w/ them all. i did on most lap the bores before i even fitted them. the whelen will put 4 shots touching at 50 yds and that's w/ open express sights and loads put up in range pick-up 30-06 brass and load development consisting of "i want to use 250 gr hornady's; what kind of powder and primers are on my shelf?"

to be honest, i don't shoot much from a bench. sight in and then go to field positions. have yet to see many rifles that aren't more accurate than i can use. personally i think the money for a much more expensive barrel would be better spent on ammo and practice.

There are many reasons rifles don't shoot. I mean, pdhunter why did you put the new barrel on your son in laws rifle? Both the 7x57 and 270 are in synthetic stocks and I got a college education in learning how to make them shoot with the 7x57. Those lessons made the 270 a simple project. Either of these rifles are accurate enough to hit sparrows at 200 yards, what more do you need from a hunting rifle?

Rickt300,

I realize there can be other causes (than the barrel) for a gun to give poor accuracy. Please correct me if I am wrong, but in this case all indications are that it is the barrel.

My Son-in-law has a Savage that he switches barrels on for the type of hunting he is going to do. I ordered the A&B 22-250 for hunting coyotes. All that is being changed on the gun is the barrel. With the other two barrels the rifle shoots very well.

The handloads I am using have shot equal to, or better than anything I have seen or tested in a 22-250. The same loads shoot less than .250 in my custom 22-250, and less than .400 in several Savages.

I was sober, had taken my medication (its not the don’t operate machinery type) and cholesterol was under 125 at the time of the testing.

There were two things I noticed when looking carefully at the targets. The groups were in a definite circular pattern, with no hits in the middle. And the holes had a slight egg shape to them. I realize the significance of this, but do not want to debate the cause on this thread.

Once again, I am not condeming all A&B barrels. From looking over the posts above there seems to be very little trouble with them, especially in calibers larger than 22. I am glad you have not had any problems with them.

Jim

i'm assuming on his savage (which from the one example i had and everything i've heard and read are accurate out of all proportion to their price) is accurate w/ whatever other ctg(s) he shoots in it, the scope is the same, i.e. no other variables at all? provided not some quirk of bedding touching the barrel somewhere then yeah, the barrel itself is all that's left. is only reasonable thing you can conclude.

A&B barrels, from what i've read elsewhere get kinda short shrift and i think a lot of it is just because of price and status. and i do admit that the degree of precision required for open sighted whelen's and 6.5 swedes is an order of magnitude less than on a pasture poodle gun. i had thought a 22-250 i built once that was quite accurate had an A&B barrel but after checking my records it was actually a shaw (i've also heard that shaw makes A&B barrels but not sure i believe that).

you'll find an awful lot of people who don't like them and my opinion is slanted just by the type of shooting i do - i.e. itty bitty groups off a bench just don't float my boat. i'm happier w/ 6" groups standing.

I have been waiting for a savage with the accutrigger to hit the pawnshop rack cheap so I could take advantage of the switch barrel idea. How well does the concept work out, is changing barrels easy enough?

Rickt300,

Yes, the entire operation is about 5 minutes. The rig must be sighted in again each time, but (to me and the Son-in-law) that is not a problem.

My problem is I just can't have a Savage around for too long and I have to get rid of it because........because........never mind, I will tell you some other time. So I have started putting together a switch barrel Remington 700.

Jim

On switching M700 barrels, be sure you have a little device that holds the recoil lug straight or it will drive you nuts.

See Brownells catalog #57 page 34 bottom right corner of page. Item # 488-004-700 $24.95 and worth every penny

John Barsness has verified that A&B barrels are Shaw 2nds. Despite this, I have had five or six of them in various calibers and they all shot very well. Some of them do foul badly.

Have bought two of them and all shoot real good. vangunsmith

I suggest a douglass XX at least, preferabley douglas prem air gauged AT LEAST. Neither breaks the bank, and you are getting more assurance with them without a lot of extra cost IMO.

Who was it that coined the phrase "every cloud has a silver lining"?

The good thing about a cheap rough barrel is that it is a great excuse to get out of the house and put a couple thousand rounds through it. My idea of firelapping.

The short chambered medium heavy 22-250 barrel came todayy from Midway, Adams and Bennet of course and the stainless barrel is beautiful inside. Looked at it carefully with a borescope and my gunsmith said if it doesnt shoot the chambering and fitting is free.

Even the worst A&B barrel can get a great group if shot just after copper cleaning and slowly enough not to heat the barrel up.

A more expensive barrel will be lapped and stress relieved.

But if you got an A&B barrel that is slow to foul and does not change point of impact when you fire 5 shots fast, you lucked out.
But with half a dozen A&B barrels, I find them all over the spectrum from rough as a file to smooth and pre warped to heat resistant.

Again, like a Tasco scope, you may do ok or maybe not. But what is at risk is:
1) your money
2) your time
3) your enthusiasm
4) your oportunities

That is why [after years of screwing around] I now buy premium scopes and premium barrels.

I do like good scopes but out of three of these barrels I have experienced no problems. When you buy a barrel, inspect it and if it looks rough or poorly manufactured in any way send it back. My first rebarrel project was using a douglas and I omitted that step because it was a "Douglas" and ended up with the worst shooting rifle I ever owned. They sent me a new barrel but I was out the cost of fitting.