Guys,

Rebarreling a M77 Hawkeye left hand I picked up from CDNN. I was looking at the twist rates. I was going to go with 1-12, but have seen in some manuals that the test barrels were 1-10. I plan on duplicating the factory contour and go with 22 inches. I plan to shoot the 286 grain bullets. Which twist rate have you seen success with?

Also, I am going to rent a reamer for my smith, does anyone have a good experience with a particular rental company?

Thanks!

One in 12 does everything. The is all I use.
Whose barrel are you using?
I put on a 9.3 barrel every month at least. Have two on the bench right now for AR members.

I am open to barrel makers. Do you have a suggestion? I would like to copy the factory contour so I can use the factory walnut stock.

I use only Douglas barrels. Others in this price point and below, have proven to be inferior, in my experience. Your gunsmith can turn it to your specs, or Douglas can copy it. A factory contour 9.3 will be a very lively barrel. But easy to carry. I usually make them a bit heavier than factory contour. .650 muzzle diameter.
PM me if you want to know about installing 9.3 barrels. I am not an expert at anything, but I have done quite a few of these.

I've had my best luck with 1x12 and 1x14 as well. I only use LOthar Walthar these days, they have all shot under an inch and I've been using them for the last 10 years or so, that's a lot of good barrels..I only use them on custom rifes, as a custom rifle should have only the best of the best of everything IMO..

If I were building a rough country hunting rifle and not wanting to spend much, I might opt for a Douglas and save myself a couple of hundred bucks..I used Douglas for many years, and no complaints and they are much less expensive, but they are no Lothar Walthar barrel by any means...Only barrels Ive seen to compete with LW were made by Butch Obermyer..

Thats curious since LW barrels sell for about $50 to $100 less than Douglas. I don't know were you found that Douglas sells for less than LW. Check Brownells web site for prices.
Couple of hundred bucks more for LW? No.
I know LWs are ok, but are a new comer to the game. I've visited Douglas factory many times and they know how to make barrels.

1:12 is the best option. I have a 9.3X64 in 1:14 and the Cutting Edge Raptors won't shoot in it even with the high velocity. Kind of a bummer as they really scream in that rifle.

I have also had great results with Douglas. LW has been fine as well and my 9.3X64 has a LW barrel. If you order from LW direct, they are more than Douglas cost wise.

The known barrel brands all make good barrels. Pick one. Fitting it and truing your action are far more important, IMO.

All that said, go with a 24" barrel. Get as much as you can out of that cartridge. The faster handling, lighter rifle thing is myth, again IMO.

Jeremy

Ok, I do want to know this; do LWs really sell for $200 more than Douglas as indicated above? Douglas barrels are in the $250 to $300 range.
If so, how can Brownells sell them for $205?
I might start using LWs on my lower end builds at that price.

DPCD,
The LW barrels I order from LW in the contours I request cost me $390.00,plus tax and postage, sometimes more. The same with Krieger or Lilja..

I buy Douglas in the same contour work for $190 to $210... Your comparing blanks to contoured barrels, in effect your playing games with figures to make a point..

Everyone knows LW, Krieger, Lilja cost more than Douglas, nothing at all against Douglas, I just don't consider Douglas equal to LW, LIlja, Kreiger, Obermyer, Hart and others, nor have they preformed as well for me and others consistantly. I do consider Douglas a better barrel than Shaw, Shilen, and most less less expensive barrels and I have that option. I do consider Douglas a damn good barrel, and they are always an option. If Im building a $5000 or more dollar gun, It will have the best and most expensive barrel on it. The barrel is the heart and soul of any rifle. If I were building a hunting rifle with a $200 piece of wood on it, inexpensive checkering pattern, no bells and whistles so to speak, just a darn nice rifle for rough use in the field I would certainly consider the use of a Douglas barrel to save money and I have done that many times..I would at least let the customer have that option.

Well, the price in Brownells is for LW contoured barrels, and I used a 7mm as an example; $205, and 30 cal is $232, both match grade; I just looked and they are in stock. And you can't buy Douglas for $200 any more. Douglas is $259.99 at Brownells for an air gauged barrel, contoured. I am not comparing blanks to contoured barrels. And I certainly am not playing games; no need to.
Check out them on the Brownells web site.
I do not doubt that you are paying LW $390. If so, then they are giving Brownells a hell of a discount.

in years past I've bought directly from LW and gotten a gunsmith discount that was closer to what Brownells lists them at. Brownells only carries a few calibers and contours in them though. I've use those too and they are very good barrels. Very straight bores, great finish on the outside.

Yes, of course they are good barrels; my only point is that there is not a $200 difference in the price, that I can find.

You both are over looking what the barrels by LW are from Brownells are the #1300 basically a pipe! They only have two options. They are fine if you like to spend that much time turning them to a specific contour which apparently you do..

The Douglas barrels Brownells sells are turned to #1, 2, 3. 4, and 5 and are really priced well, worth the money.

Eqully turned barrels from LW, Krieger, Lilja, Hart, and a few others turned to those contours are priced considerably higher than Douglas..

I buy both, that's about all I can tell you, believe what you will, one of us is mistaken I suspect, but if I were you Id call LW and get a barrel turned to a specific contour like a #2 fwt or #2, threaded turned, crowned and maybe short or long chambered then compare..


I just don't understand where your coming from in the first place, if they are priced equally then why would anyone buy a Douglas over a Lothar Walthar, Lilja, Krieger, Obermyer, or Hart??

At any rate lets just agree to disagree and let the masses buy what they want.

quote:

Originally posted by Dieseltrucker:


Also, I am going to rent a reamer for my smith, does anyone have a good experience with a particular rental company?

Thanks!

Are you talking about renting a reamer to finish out a short chambered barrel?

If so, I just rented from from 4D Rentals last week (https://4drentals.com/). They sent me the finish reamer, go and no go gauges, and the T-handle for about $60 shipped to my door. Everything was packaged well, shipped quickly, reamer was sharp and in good shape, etc..etc.. Zero complaints..

I was actually thinking about going with 9.3x62 for the rifle project I've been working on, but chose to go .35 whelen instead.. (building a mid-bore for my wife)..

quote:

Originally posted by Dieseltrucker:
Guys,

Rebarreling a M77 Hawkeye left hand I picked up from CDNN. I was looking at the twist rates. I was going to go with 1-12, but have seen in some manuals that the test barrels were 1-10. I plan on duplicating the factory contour and go with 22 inches. I plan to shoot the 286 grain bullets. Which twist rate have you seen success with?

Also, I am going to rent a reamer for my smith, does anyone have a good experience with a particular rental company?

Thanks!

1-10 is not necessary(too much of a good thing), I would go with 1-12 twist.

I have a few Lothar Walther’s that are 1-14.17 with .365” groove(CIP specs) and have been happy with them. But 1-12 would stabilize the 310gr Woodleighs with more margin, should you ever choose to try those. Just to be clear though, the 1-14.17” twist stabilizes the heavies fine in my rifles.

Unfortunately the 1-12” Lothar Walther barrels are made to the US .366” groove spec, so I went with Shilen. They offer a .365” 1-12, $235(contoured). Yes, I’m wierd about details, .001” really doesn’t make a lick of difference in reality.

quote:

Originally posted by Dieseltrucker:
Guys,

Rebarreling a M77 Hawkeye left hand I picked up from CDNN. I was looking at the twist rates. I was going to go with 1-12, but have seen in some manuals that the test barrels were 1-10. I plan on duplicating the factory contour and go with 22 inches. I plan to shoot the 286 grain bullets. Which twist rate have you seen success with?

Also, I am going to rent a reamer for my smith, does anyone have a good experience with a particular rental company?

Thanks!

1-12 twist is my choise as well.....Call Douglas and get a price on the barrel you want and make sure they understand you want a specific contour copied...personally, I'd order a standard contour and alter the stock to match.....it should cost quite a bit less.

Email stansrifles@msn.com...he is the man I work with at Douglas.

one more thing....don't rent a reamer for your gunsmith....he should do it and then bill you for it in the end....only he knows when he needs it and if you buy it you run the risk of it sitting around and costing more....4-D rentals is a good outfit to work with....make sure you get a headspace gauge as well.

One more thing.....Lothar Walther is NOT a better barrel than Douglas..

For me, 1-14 has proven too slow for the homogeneous bullets, (or for any long or heavy bullet if the cartridge is relatively low velocity such as the 9.3x57) I went to 1-10 and haven't found any 9.3 bullet that it won't stabalize and shoot well. Not knocking 1-12, just don't have experience with that.