(Let's say you were getting a FREE custom rifle, ie, money doesn't matter), but you get to choose what barrel from any maker you know of:

What would it be and why? Stainless or CM? contour? length? Twist? Remember don't worry about cost.

Doc I have or have had about 10 custom match barrels, or in the English way of speaking: "Best Quality." To my way of thinking right now, if I was barreling a rifle, I would want a Krieger or a (Mike Rock) Rock Creek I think it is barrel. Cut rifled as opposed to button rifled. The contour is really based upon what your project rifle is going to end up as, but I would want a rifle which would show me the barrels advantages. In the final realization the rifle produced will be as much a part of the barrel maker as it is the gunsmith and methods used to chamber, stock, bed and build the whole shebang. A great barrel could be made to shoot shitty, but a shitty barrel isn't going to be a tack driver.

Doc,
The caliber I am looking at is 338-378.
Not sure about contour yet. (still a pipe dream at theis point in time)
Maybe 1 in 10 or 9.

There is a barrel maker that is just getting a name going that is from around here: Benchmark Barrels.

I have a HART in 300WM that I haven't got a lot of time with yet but, I will!

So far I´ve used Lothar-Walther for custom rifles and I´ve been very satisfied.

If i could have any barrel...it would be half-octagonal...maybe in .404J...and Sam my gunsmith would tell me which rate of twist I need!

I'd be happy with a plain old Pac Nor or a Lilja...

It would be chambered in a 6.5 x 57 probably...

I already have a Pac Nor with the 6.5 x 57 barrel on it, in a heavy magnum contour and a 28 inch length on a model 70 action... blued barrel...

But since I already have it, and your hypothesis was free... I could send you a bill to reimburse me for when it was done...

I have been using stainless barrels.. but I have a few projects in the mill right now, that I am going to try chromemoly barrels and have them Parkerized instead.. along with the actions...I think those look kinda cool...and different...

Certain barrel makers are known for there caliber barrels. Example, Lilja is known to make very good 30 and 338 barrels. Kreiger has been making some very good 6mm barrels lately and I think Hart is making good 22 and 6 barrels. One thing you can bet on is that the major barrel makers all make damn fine barrels.
I don't think you can go wrong with any of the Shilen tubes.

I've done research on this and asked gun builders and just came up with the fact that everyone has a different opinion so they must all be good barrels (The top Manufs that is).

Had a well recognized builder suggest Lilja just last week.

I personally feel the quality of a custom has much more to do with the builder than the barrel maker. That's assuming you use one of todays top brand match barrels....

Stainless bead blasted of course


Good Luck

Reloader

I have a pre64 M70 in .338 WM built with a Krieger cut rifling SS barrel. Would not do anything different today.

My pre 64 .270 weatherby has a Liljabarrel
--M98 .300H&H Shilenbarrel
--M98 .333 jeffery Arthur Smithcolchester ---M95 winnie 45-100 Kriegerbarrel
--M98 8x57IS Mauserbarrel
--M98 416 Rigby Lothar Walter barrel
.22 magnum Anchutz¨barrel

All of these barrels are fine...I would just pick one radomly blindfolded if they were free

All the top makers make excellent barrels.

We use barrels from several of them - including Shilen, Hart, Krieger, Douglas, Lilja and others.

For the larger calibers - 375 and above - I prefer Lilja, for the simple reason that ever single rifle we have built with their barrels shot extremely well.

The worst barrels we used in the past were called BLACK STAR. I think the compnay went out of business - no wonder.

One of the reasons I brought it up is because of all the variables, like calibers mentioned above.

I've got a nice collection of different custom bbls and with my loading and shooting experience, I can honestly say, I can't tell a difference.

The first custom bbl I had ever heard of was Hart, and these were somewhat tough to get in the early 90s I guess. When I finally got one, on a 270, I must say, it was a pain to clean....worse than a factory bbl, so for those who think breaking in a new bbl isn't necessary, I strongly disagree. I think I gave myself lateral epicondylitis cleaning that bbl, and all I put through it was btips and sst bullets until it didn't foul after each shot anymore. I have NO PROBLEM with its accuracy though!

I just assume have a Pacnor as to any other also. That is/was the least fouling bore I've evey experienced (30.06) and it's had almost ONLY Sciroccos and TSX bullets. It just doesn't copper foul.

Both Shilen's needed only minor cleaning work.

I have 2 Lilja bbls, one on a 270 Win, the other, a 270 AM. This bbl is just like the Pacnor, no fouling issues, only about 11 rounds to "break in."

Broughton-Richards---- shoots .2s with 140 btip and accubond, .5s with sst, .8 with partitions in 130 grain. Fouling? barely.

They all shoot much better than the factory bbls I had. Consistent loads were easier to come by overall.

I think the biggest difference that I've heard about in cut rifle vs. button is that when the cut rifled bbl is shot out, you go from very accurate to crap in short time, as where button rifled bbls are more gradual, and that can cause frustration to the loader....anyone else hear this?

quote:

Originally posted by Saeed:
The worst barrels we used in the past were called BLACK STAR. I think the compnay went out of business - no wonder.

Saeed, seems like I remember reading about them a long time ago...didn't they do some extra step like cryogenic treatment or some other "proprietory" process that seemed more mysterious than anything else?

As a competitive highpower shooter, the topic of who makes the best barrel is something that is always discussed. And at some point, it becomes philosophical if not psychological in nature. You just have to pick a barrel that you are comfortable with.

I know of people who get excellent accuracy with PacNor, and Walter Lothar. I have Krieger barrels, Douglas Barrels, and Wilson match barrels on a number of rifles. They are all good, they will shoot sub MOA groups. Is that good enough for you? And the real question, will it make a difference in your hands off the bench? If the shooter can’t hold better than 4 MOA then what difference does it make if he has a 1 MOA barrel compared to a .75 MOA barrel?

I personally think my Krieger barrels are a bit more accurate, as I have shot more half MOA groups off the bench with those than the other barrels, but that just may be just coincidence. I recently shot a five shot .50 MOA group with a factory 308 Ruger M77 Tactical. The better factory barrels are fine. I have observed that my Krieger barrels are tight, which means I have to cut my loads for those barrels or I blow primers. If you are going to shoot factory ammunition that might be a consideration.

The words you want to hear are holding barrel dimensions to ten thousands, concentricity of the bore, and the inside barrel surface finish tolerance.

What is true that choice of a gunsmith is more important for accuracy than barrel choice and reamer configuration. Many people make good barrels. The guy has to understand how to chamber a concentric chamber, not an ovaled chamber. Barrel bores are not necessarily straight. The bores in fact often wander from one end of the blank to another. However a reamer is straight. Running a long straight reamer into a non concentric bore will result in a chamber that is slightly ovaled. Your accuracy will not be top notch. My gunsmith “free floats†the reamer for the last bit of reaming. I believe it makes a difference. Talk about the reamer, how much throat it has. For best accuracy you do not want a long throat. However a short throat means you have to watch your pressures.

You will also find that the caliber makes a big difference in accuracy. Given the same 9 pound rifle, a .223 will give better accuracy than lets say, a 30 cal belted magnum. The more horsepower the cartridge has, the more deflection. The more deflection the less the accuracy. So while you can buy a 30 caliber blank that would shoot half MOA in a 308 Win, when you chamber the thing in a 300 Weatherby magnum, 1.25†MOA might be all you are going to get out of the system.

Just pick a barrel that you are comfortable with, go to the range and practice. Practice is very important. Shooting skills are the most important thing to work on; you cannot compensate for poor shooting skills with expensive equipment.

LILJA

Krieger

Lilja, 6ppc, Light Varmint, 22 inces long.

Give me a Douglas XX.....same as if I was paying for it!!!!! They have treated me well so far!

I would probably try a Mike Rock.

I have Kriegers and Shilens and have always wanted to try a Rock.

Hey Doc

I think I'd check out D'Arcy Echols for a 280AI.

I have 3 Liljas at the moment and I should have a #3, 10tw Mike Rock barrel by Thursday, you can't go wrong with any of the major players. When I ordered the Rock he said I needed a bigger contour, he was used to making stuff for 338Lapua and the 338-378, mine was for a 338-06.

Although I have used Hart, Kreiger and the like, I would probably go with Pacnor again for any future projects. I really like their frindly customer service, quick turn-a-round time and their barrels just plain shoot. Lou

I currently have a Rem 700 VS in 308 win. I'm having it re-barreled to 338 federal and the work is being done by Alberta Tactical Rifle. The barrel is a Lilja 1:10 twist, blackened stainless and the same varmint contour and length as my factory. Being left handed, wanting a bolt and a little more punch, I elected to re-barrel. The smith is also blueprinting the action and using a match clymer reamer. I don't know about "inherent" accuracy of the 338 federal, but I'm assuming it should shoot.

Hello,
Lots of good barrels on the market, but if you would count the number of Krieger barrels used for long range(600-1000 yard matches/prone/sling or supported-F class) the Krieger is more than likely the most preferred and used of the group. Many service rifle match shooters, Across the Course, use Krieger as well on their AR15's, M1A's, Garands due to their excellent accuracy and extended life if taken care of properly. Just my experience. Sure others have their preference.

Well, I saw at least 8 manufactures listed above and no body mentioned the A&B....cost notwithstanding. If you are going to build a hunting rifle that fires no more than 5 times a year, an Adams and Bennett barrel is not a bad option. I built a 6.5-'06 Ackley w/ A&B that shoots hot hunting loads in a Nickle. I also happen to like the Wilson barrels....haven't had any problem with them. These guys use the same steel and manufacturing process....I'm not sold on "expensive is better" in this arena.

If I were a competition shooter, I'd look at the David Tubb solution...after all, he is the best shooter in the world so why fight city hall? JMO. OBTW, I have a Shilen barrel on my 220 Swift.....nothing to shout about....just a barrel. Regards, Rick.

i just want 1 that will make my mini-30 shoot MOA groups.....

Pac-Nor frist and may be a hart,kriger ect after that.

quote:

Originally posted by jimatcat:
i just want 1 that will make my mini-30 shoot MOA groups.....

OK, let's not get ridiculous!

Obermeyer

Krieger

You guys need to take the best barrels you have, most accurate, and wedge a tooth pick into one side of the barrel channel and tell us how it shoots. Theres a lot of good barrels out there. If Money was no option I rather wonder what gunsmith I'd use. Is Dick Bortmuss still alive?

Good point Don, being in Canada, I have a lot less choice in the matter, but if money, time and politics were no issue, I believe I'd use Kenny Jarrett, his barrels or Lilja.