Yep.
They are already making barrels.
Call 406-755-4907 in Kalispell, MT.
They answer the phone: "McGowen Rifle Barrels."

Dan Wynne and John Frost are in Kalispell. The owner is Ron Duplessis of Baton Rouge, LA. Red stick! The baton has been handed off to the Montana team, without a fumble.

.17 caliber through and including 50 BMG up to 36" length.

They have a lot of buying power for acquiring barrel steel, apparently, and get the stainless barrel price down to an incredible $193.00 for a contoured blank up to 26" long. About $9 per inch for longer lengths. Chrome-moly barrels are $175 for a 26" contoured to standard contours same as Douglas and same as Harry McGowen used.

Delivery is predicted: 4 weeks or a month

Those 3 actions they are offering are:
1) pushfeed Husqvarna 8000, IIRC
2) Larger CRF
3) 1885 Hi-Wall

Maybe a web site soon?

Oh yeah, ANY TWIST YOU WANT.

Hello,
These barrels, are they button, hammer forged, or cut rifling??

They are button-rifled, same as Harry McGowen did them.

They are also cryo-treated.

What a bargain, eh?

Interesting story:
Mr. Krieger complained to Mr. McGowen about the tedious method of cut-rifling making it hard to keep up with his Weatherby contract. Mr. McGowen taught Mr. Krieger to button-rifle and showed him how to build the machinery. Presto! Mr. Krieger can now keep up with his work. Mr. Krieger was so grateful that he taught Mr. McGowen to cryo-treat, and Harry McGowen said, "Good." And on the seventh day, Harry rested.

Most of the top barrel makers use button-rifling.

Hammer-forged barrels: Ruger, CZ, mass produced factory barrels, etc., and some fine barrels result.

The button-rifled barrels require less lapping for smoothness than the hammer-forged ones, I seem to recall.

Some may claim a cut-rifled Krieger is the cat's meow.

Dan Lilja button-rifles and does a little lapping.

American Gun Holdings says they seldom have to do much lapping at all, as their button-rifling is so smooth right out of the machine after the final button pull ... at whatever TWIST any reasonable person could want.

As an aside: I've never read anything of a scientific study supporting the accuracy of one method of rifleing over another.....the issue is how well the particular method was done.

True.

And as a further aside, when any of these barrels are as good as they get, then none of them will do any good with a bad bullet.

Obviously bullets have a greater effect on performance ballistics: internal, external, and terminal.

And as a further, further aside you simply must have a perfect bullet to find out how good a barrel is: GS Custom and North Fork

HOORAY! Now let's see, I need a .243 with an 8" twist, a 6.5 with an 8" twist, a .375 with a 9 or 10", the 416 we'll make a say 1-30" for GSC bullets? Nah, the last one was a joke. The others aren't.
Max

quote:

Originally posted by RIP:
True.

And as a further aside, when any of these barrels are as good as they get, then none of them will do any good with a bad bullet.

Obviously bullets have a greater effect on performance ballistics: internal, external, and terminal.

And as a further, further aside you simply must have a perfect bullet to find out how good a barrel is: GS Custom and North Fork

Yup.....100% agree here!

Hello,
I am somewhat familiar with button barrels since I live almost in the backyard of Douglas and have used their barrels for many years and they are very good barrels. Douglas is I believe the largest and oldest barrel maker in the United States.
I have also used the Krieger barrels in long range/prone/sling matches for many years and have found them to be the standard for which others are judged.
Go to Camp Perry in about 5 weeks (Palma, Winbledon, Leech) and you will see several hundred top shooters from all over and would imagine more than 2/3rds are using Krieger cut rifled barrels. I am sure other barrels are used, but most High Master shooters are using Krieger for it has taken them a considerable effort and expense to reach that level of match shooting and can realize the benefits of the Krieger.
Regardless of the equipment, barrels, actions, triggers, loads, etc. end results are what counts and the key element to that is the trigger puller. Great barrels and equipment do not make for great shooters.

quote:

Originally posted by dsiteman:
Hello,
I am somewhat familiar with button barrels since I live almost in the backyard of Douglas and have used their barrels for many years and they are very good barrels. Douglas is I believe the largest and oldest barrel maker in the United States.
I have also used the Krieger barrels in long range/prone/sling matches for many years and have found them to be the standard for which others are judged.
Go to Camp Perry in about 5 weeks (Palma, Winbledon, Leech) and you will see several hundred top shooters from all over and would imagine more than 2/3rds are using Krieger cut rifled barrels. I am sure other barrels are used, but most High Master shooters are using Krieger for it has taken them a considerable effort and expense to reach that level of match shooting and can realize the benefits of the Krieger.
Regardless of the equipment, barrels, actions, triggers, loads, etc. end results are what counts and the key element to that is the trigger puller. Great barrels and equipment do not make for great shooters.

+1

GVA

Prof242,
About that 30" twist .416 barrel: you need to get a new comedy writer.

Rifleman factors: A drunk going into delirium tremens is not going to have a clue as to whether his barrel or bullet are any good, nor is he going to care.

What causes the occasional oversize barrel or whatever cause for a "bad barrel?" A material defect resulting in a rough spot that is lapped excessively and sneaked into the big batch order of barrels?

My opinion of McGowen barrels from the past is that they are capable of 1/2 MOA with the big bores, when all the other rifle and handloading issues are sorted out.

I think the current makers expect the same kind of performance: 1/2 MOA-capable

Thanks Ron for the kind words. Our company is called "McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC" for all that are interested.

We hope to have a website up and running within the next couple of weeks.

Thanks,

Dan

If these are similar/same as MRC barrels, they are sweet barrels!

quote:

Originally posted by McGowenRifle:
Thanks Ron for the kind words. Our company is called "McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC" for all that are interested.

We hope to have a website up and running within the next couple of weeks.

Thanks,

Dan

Hi Dan,

Well, I misheard on the phone, just having a flashback. I gotcha now:

McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC

And I just thought of another barrel or three I need.

quote:

Originally posted by PWS:
If these are similar/same as MRC barrels, they are sweet barrels!

I don't think there is any connection between "MRC" and McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC, except location in Montana, unless some employees of MRC jumped ship and are now crewing at MPB.

McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC is the result of the purchase from Harry McGowen of everything in St. Anne, IL and trucking it to Kalispell, MT. Harry was 78 years old. He and his sons continue their gunsmithing business in St. Anne.

Ordering barrels from the coming web site of McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC will be great.

I'll bet even Harry McGowen and sons will be ordering barrels from Montana now.

quote:

Originally posted by McGowenRifle:
Thanks Ron for the kind words. Our company is called "McGowen Precision Barrels, LLC" for all that are interested.

We hope to have a website up and running within the next couple of weeks.

Thanks,

Dan

Welcome to the forum.
I for one am looking forward to the website. We now have a go to guy for barrel questions.
Bill

McGowen Precision Barrels is not related to MRC whatsoever. The only connection between the two companies is that the staff of McGowen used to work at MRC at one time or another. The staff of McGowen was given the opportunity to take McGowen far into the 21st century. We as a group are all dedicated to producing the very best product available. We are all very lucky to be working for an owner who has a real passion for the gun industry and is a phenominal businessman.
This is just the beginning, as I have said before there are great things coming in our future, keep watching.

Dan

Well, alrighty then!

McGowen

Did your firm also acquire the Accurate Innovations rifle stock company? I know someone did, and it was a group from MRC.

Hey Dan,
Good to see you're still in the industry.You always did me right when you were at MRC. Wish you guy's much success.
Danny

No, Accurate Innovations is still under the same ownership as before. We were looking at the company at one point but didn't work out. The boss is looking at starting a new stock company. Will let you know what happens with that.

Dan

quote:

Originally posted by 404WJJeffery:
McGowen

Did your firm also acquire the Accurate Innovations rifle stock company? I know someone did, and it was a group from MRC.

DannyH,
Thank you. I aim to please. The crew we have here is fantastic. Besides myself we have Jon Frost who is one of the best salesmen I have ever worked with, Ken Sedon who we call the professor as his knowledge of guns, cartridges, barrels and machining are hard to match along with a few of the quality conscience people we felt would be great additions to our company.

Dan

quote:

Originally posted by DannyH:
Hey Dan,
Good to see you're still in the industry.You always did me right when you were at MRC. Wish you guy's much success.
Danny

So is the website up and running?

Dan - if you are the same one who helped me with my MRC 1999 stainless in .358 Win - it still shoots under a half-inch very frequently.

Are the McGowen barrels lapped after rifling?

Thanks,
Rick

Try this McGowen Precision Barrels

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:
As an aside: I've never read anything of a scientific study supporting the accuracy of one method of rifleing over another.....the issue is how well the particular method was done.

Also has a little to do with the jerk on the trigger!

I've ordered two barrels and am getting ready to order a third McGowen barrel. Service has been prompt and knowledgeable. Jon has been a great help for the weird things we've wanted as far as the .395 caliber has been concerned.
Max

I am hoping my 'smitty has already picked one up for an 8mm Rem Mag project he is working on for me.

Convenient having a barrel maker so close, even if it is on the wrong side of the 49th.

RIP
In your first post you talk of 3 actions can you explain a little more.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by RNS:
RIP
In your first post you talk of 3 actions can you explain a little more.

Thanks

Hi Neal,
No, I cannot explain about the offering of three different actions any further than the above. Maybe Dan will one of these days. It is one of those "startup" things. I am just overjoyed that they are delivering barrels already, and they are soon to deliver some more .395 barrels to prof242 and me, and Canuck is getting an 8mm barrel.

BTW, can I explain why Gerard has not gotten some .395 bullets to you yet? No I cannot. Please charge me whatever is reasonable for your trouble when he does.

Had a good discussion yesterday with whomever picked up the phone...don't recall the name.

I was really impressed with their quoted production time.

Sent a follow up email today with a couple more questions.

Sorry guys haven't been in here in a while. Should have put notifications on. Our barrels are all honed & hand lapped. This gives us what we feel is one of the prettiest bores you'll ever see.

As to the actions, because we are still in the design phase I cannot give too much information out. I don't want us to be another one of those "we hope to have it by" companies. Once the design is done and accepted we'll go through some prototyping & testing, after that we'll start production. Sorry guys, loose lips sink ships....LOL

Dan