I'm sure everone on here has at least one Single Shot handgun or carbine barrels. I'm not looking to put folks down, just facts and answers to the questions below. I would like to know what you think of the work on your last 1,2 or 3 barrels, reworked or new? It don't really matter how long it took to do the work as long as it was with in the time you were told when ordering.
1. Type of firearm
2. List the shop, factory or person who made it or done the work on it.
3. How is the fit and finish.
4. Was it made just the way you ordered it first time around, and if not was it taken care of in a timely matter?
5. Given every chance you could and even with the help from the folks on this or other forums, Was it an accurate shooter? 3 shot groups are fine.
6. Are you happy with it?
7. Was it worth the money you paid for it?

[ 01-18-2003, 16:32: Message edited by: Jules ]

1)encore, 13" stainless 6mmbr, 12" twist
2)virgin valley custom guns
3)perfect finish, great job
4)arrived in the time i was told, no problems with it so far
5)it's a good shooter, so far my best group is .850" for 5 shots @ 100 yards. using sierra 80gr sspb over H322.havn't tried many others yet.
6)tickled shitless can i say that?
7)worth the money for me. i bought it in the shorty barrel sale for reduced price.
howdy jules. nice to meet you. yep, i've seen you here. hehehe,your a funny man have a goodin, KYODE

Here is my list so far.

• .223, 21" bull barrel from Bullberry. I also ordered exibition grade english walnut for the stock and forearm. This barrel shoots 1" or less groups at 100 yards. excellent fit and finish and good conversations with fred. The wood is outstanding.
  
• .17 HMR, 11" bull barrel from Bullberry. I just got this one within the last month or so. So I have no range results yet. It's just to flippin cold out there (3 degrees this morning). However the workman ship is excellent as usual from Fred.
  
• .444 Marlin, 14" bull barrel with muzzle break from Mike Bellm. This is one of Mike re-chambers. Although I didn't get a chance to take a deer with this barrel this year. I can tell you from my range time. That is a excellent shooter. 1" groups at 100 yards are normal. The finish, scope mount and crown are top notch.
  
• .357 Maximum, 15" bull barrel from Mike Bellm. This is another one I have not had the chance to get out and shoot yet. I know, I know, I need to get out and shoot more. Just like the .444 this barrel show the attention that Mike pays to the barrel he puts out.
  

So far I am satisfied with all of these barrels. I'm sure after I get a chance to get back to the range and try out the .357 maximun and the .17 HMR that will not change my opinion. All of my barrel are topped with scopes. Some fixed others are variable.

As much as I enjoy my custom barrel, I have to say this. When I bought my contender years ago. It was the hunter package with a 12" .44 magnum barrel and muzzle tamer on it. That barrel out of the box was and still is a shooter. Capable of shooting 1" groups at 100 yards.

[ 01-18-2003, 18:55: Message edited by: Fisher ]

10" 41mag Full Bull
1) Contender
2) E.A. Brown
3) Finish is matte, as requested.
4) NO! But i received the replacement barrel a month after the phone call from Eben. I will add that he called me BEFORE HE SHIPPED knowning that it was not what i ordered. They did have to build me a replacement.
5) It EASILY shoots 3 shot sub inch with a 2x Leupold @ 100 yards. WORKS FOR ME!
6) YOU BETCHA! Eben Brown went the extra mile, he reviewed what i ordered BEFORE he just threw it in a box and shipped it.
7) Every nickel....

My newest toy is a full-bull 6.5x55 Encore barrel from David Van Horn. The fit and finish of the barrel itself are perfect, but I must add that the finish is gloss (I ordered matte).

There were several other things wrong with the barrel, such as overall length (2" short) & length of throat; the forend ordered was to have a hanger bar, have a sling swivel stud and be fully finished. It came back unfinished, set up for regular barrel-direct mounting and without a sling swivel stud. I sent it back and had it in just under 2 weeks. It was pillar bedded (couldn't do hanger bar anymore), nicely finished -- but still lacked the sling swivel stud and also required me to remove app. 0.3" of "wood" to get it to fit my frame.

I elected not to send the barrel back and to keep the forend and do the sling swivel setup myself.

Yes, my order was error-plagued. But then, after a proper break-in, I began shooting the thing. And boy, does it impress me. My current working load -- 47 grains Re-22, Sierra 140 grain BTSP GameKing, Fed 210 and Lapua brass -- gives tiny cloverleaf groups at 100 yards and has been quite impressive at 200. This morning, I backed off to 300 and 350 yards. The 300 yard group went 1.57" (3 shots) while the 350 yard group was only 1.8". And I must add that I have removed the 4-12x40AO Monarch and replaced with with my "hunting" scope: a shorter, less unwieldy 3-9x40 Monarch.

I am thrilled with this barrel -- and am thankful I gave it a chance before having Dave build me another to my original "specs."

This one will do just fine, thank you.

It was worth every penny. In talking with him, I found that Dave is going through a tough time right now, and I feel his shop problems will soon be history -- and that things will be back to normal. I certainly plan to order from him again -- just as I plan to do from Virgin Valley in the enar future.

As an aside, I've had or have barrels from Virgin Valley, Bullberry, SSK and Van Horn, not to mention a Mike Bellm re-chamber. Without getting into details (that would take forever), there were minor complications along the way with all of them such as significantly longer than expected delivery times, a barrel that would not lock up (due to some type of grit or cleaning compound hindering the movement of the locking bolts), forends that did not come close to fitting, etc. But the end results, to me at least, matter most, and in that regard, I have been quite pleased with them all.

[ 01-18-2003, 21:47: Message edited by: Bobby Tomek ]

WEll Jules, you asked for it so here goes.

Number ONE
1. Stainless-Steel 15" Contender Barrel in 6mm T/CU
2. Virgin Valley Custom Guns
3. PERFECT
4. Everything was just as requested, even down to the non standard forend dovetail spacing, It arrived 3 weeks earliey than Steve quoted me.
5. So far I have been just fireforming cases, and am pleased with the accuracy. H-335 is the powder of choice, 55gr. NBT's @ 3000 FPS, 80gr. NBT's @2700 FPS, both fireform loads producing SUB M.O.A. Groups.
6. EXTREMELY
7. Yes

Number TWO
1. Factory Contender Barrel, Super 14 Match Grade .22 Long Rifle
2. Factory Production Barrel
3. OK
4. N/A
5. Easily the most accurate Rimfire I have ever had the pleasure to fire. Just ask the Rifle Shooters I am competing against at our local clubs Bench Rest Matches.
6. Extremely
7. Yes, absolutely.

Number THREE
1. Super 14 .30-30 Ackley Improved, Factory Barrel (6 Land & Groove, 1 in 14" Twist .30 Herrett Barrel) Rechambered
2. SSK Industries
3. Good, chamber seems to be great.
4. Actually delivery time took a couple weeks longer than quoted. However I had sent it in right before the Holidays, and I am sure that that had something to do with it.
5. Haven't got a clue yet. Just got it back Tuesday, and only fired 5 rounds to see how they fireformed and if there are any imperfections in the chamber that would show up on the fired cases. However I do look for good things from this barrel. Time will tell though.
6. Too soon to tell, but so far so good.
7. I hope so.

There you have it, the last 3 barrel purchases.

In addition I purchased an old style Contender Frame (per #195xxx) right before Christmas and sent it to Fox Ridge Outfitters to have the "Easy Open Conversion" done to it. This too arrived a week or so prior to what I was quoted, and the work seemed quite good.

Later

Larry

[ 01-18-2003, 21:59: Message edited by: SD Handgunner ]

Ok... hmmm.... total true and honesty.

.357/44 Bain and Davis.
Rechamber 10" T/C 357 to 357/Bain and Davis. Done by bain and Davis. Simple rechamber, looks good, shoots as well if no better than before. Worth the money, yes.

.358JDJ
14" T/C ,35 Rem to 358JDJ and TSOB by SSK. Looks good, shoots MUCH better than it did as a 35 Rem. Worth the money, YES! (as a side note, i sent this barrel out on a Monday, and had it back that friday. I wouldn't expect that kind of turn around time normally. lol)

300-221
Custom order from Virgin Valley 11" stainless 300-221
Looks great. Accuracy unimpressive, no better than the factory 300 Whisper barrel it replaced. Good enough to hunt with, which is why I bought it. Worth the money ..yes? Though i could have kept my old barrel, which shot just as good, and saved the money. So I guess in reality, to ME, in this case it wasn't worth the money. But if I was buying from scratch, I'd say yes.

309JDJ
16" stainless T/C 30-30 rechamberd to 309JDJ by SSK. Looks good, and will out shoot every rifle I own. Could not ask for more. Worth every cent, if not more.

17 Ackley Bee
Custom orderd 12" Stanless 17Ackly Bee from Bullberry. Muzzle face came nicked in several places. Dings here and there. Breach end of barrel not round, has small flat spot on right side. Left side breach face has small spot of missing metal? (Problem in barrel manufacture?) Right side of barrel discolored at weld to lug.
Not happy with cosmetics of a NEW custom orderd barrel. Seems to want to shoot great, but keeps throwing out flyers. Needs more work, but shoots well. Worth it... I paid way too much for the condition (cosmetic & metal work) of the barrel I received.
I'm used to smiths taking longer than quoted, that's normal. This one took nearly twice as long as quoted. (Fred was in Africa for part of it)

300-221
Virgin Valley 16" fast twist step barrel (Steps up to 1" diameter after frame)
Barrel came, wouldn't fire, bolts too big. Sent email, they sent new bolts. No problem.
Gun fired but would not extract. Emailed, they sent new extractor. No good. Sent barrel back and was repaired. Pain in the ass, but they fixed it, so no big deal in the big picture.
Barrel looks great. Thus far in the little work I've gotten to do with it, it doesn't seem to want to shoot the heavy bullets, which is the very reason I bought it. Not too happy about that. Need to try even more loads, and come down in bullet weight. Jury is still out on this barrel. Worth it... not yet, but too early to judge.

[ 01-18-2003, 23:45: Message edited by: cas ]

Well OK here goes
BULLBERRY
7-30 16" SST ..................PERFECT
300 Winmag 26" SST.............PERFECT
22lr Match 22" Blue............PERFECT
221 fireball 12" SST ..........PERFECT
708 SSt 15"....................PERFECT
357 MAX 12"......NOT so perfect but shoots well
Quit buying his stuff after three Situations in a row.

VV
7TCU 14" SST..........PERFECT

Vanhorn

358 Norma Mag.........Perfection Beyond expected
6.5 TCU..............."" "" ""
Few rechambers from dave vanhorn.........Excellent
But the 45-70 still in progress And Not good so far
as is a 6mm Encore barrel in 1-8 twist

SSK 309JDJ.....Very good barrel after some trouble

I have many TC factory barrels that are VERY good Barrels

All Listed cutom barrels will shoot well Under 1" groups at 100 yards EXCEPT for the 358 Norma Mag in 15" and I feel that it is Me not being able to shoot it well after about 4 Shots due to recoil.
The first two or three will go into about .600 but after than I SUCK.

fireball

[ 01-18-2003, 23:51: Message edited by: Fireball ]

OK Jules my turn.

1)9 1/4" Bullberry 45 Colt SS
2)Finish was good Satin SS Fits better with Bellm Oversized hing pin.
3)No it was shorter than ordered & extractor didn't work. No was not taken care of quickly & Fred was rather uncoperative. Took longer than stated.
4)Accuracy of barrel very good to excellent.
5)My happiness with this barrel is best described as bitter sweet.
6)Was it worth what I paid ? Accuracy Yes Aggravation No. I will not buy from Bullberry again.

1)SSK 300 Whisper 10" SS
2)Finish & fit very good!!
3)Made to order. Shipped as told.
4)Accuaracy very good
5)I am happy with it!
6)Workmanship excellent just wish he was more affordable for me.

1)T/C 14" SS 30-30 Hunter rechambered to 308 Bellm.
2)Fit & finish good - Standard T/C SS Finish. Fit Good
3)Mike Bellms Rechamber & work were as ordered. Took longer than I expected due to batching & Mike's family matters(unavoidable).
4)Accuracy very good !
5)I'm happy with it! Became a favorite to shoot & was worth the wait.
6)It was worth the money.

1)7TCU 21" SS carbine barrel by T/C Custom shop
2)Standard T/C Barrel SS finish. Fit was one problem among many.
3)Made to length as ordered. It arrived with gouges in chamber visible by eye. It was delivered on time, but had to be returned multiple times throughout the time I had it.
4)Accuracy was erratic at best.
5)Not happy at all - Returned for refund.

I would like to say I wouldn't buy another Custom shop barrel but don't know if that would be accurate. I might buy a factory barrel for a rechamber.
Rich Jake

E.A.Brown Co.Received in the time as per their statment on the order (8 Wks.)Encore 15" Blued nice gloss blue\black finish. As ordered all as requested.
6.5 Rem Br with tight neck. Excellent shooter
.472 5 shot groups at 100 yds. .750 at 200 yds. The barrels is better than I hoped. Will order another soon. Have only good things to say about E.A. at the present...

Keep them comming. I know were just a small group on here but it looks like there's a whole lot more positives then negatives.
XPs, Strikers,MOAs or any others. Customs or factory, it don't matter.

#1...Xp-100 rebarreled to 300 Whisper by Virgin Valley.

I sent a dummy round, for the OAL I wanted, and my dies, along with the gun for rebarreling.
The gun came back and the throat was not long enough for the dummy round I sent. I called and they said to send it back again and they'd fix the problem.
Three weeks later I got it back and the dummy round would still not chamber, I finally gave it to a fella and he lengthed the throat so the round would chamber.

I was ticked at the time, especially after send the dies and dummy round from the very beginning and then again and the problem was still not fixed, but the barrel shoots like a dream and I'd probably buy from them again.

#2...new Virgin Valley 12 3/8" Encore heavy bull (1.020" OD) barrel in 7mm08.
Just got this barrel a few weeks ago and I'm very pleased, she shoots like a champ.

#3...just picked up a Van Horn 14 13/16" Contender barrel in .256 WM a few weeks ago also, more than pleased with the accuracy.

#4...I've got six off the rack Contender barrels and everyone will shoot 1 MOA or better.

Is this only for pistol barrels or are us rifle shooters allowed in too?

Can't figure how to list it in a row so bear with me. Barrel 1- 1) 22-250 Ack. SS 28 1/4" heavy Varmint with fluting and muzzel brake. 2) VVC 3)Perfect 4-7) perfect and yes, best bargin on a barrel to date. Barrel 2- 1) 7 STW SS 28 1/4" heavy factory conture. 2) VVC 3)Couldn't get the action to lock up, sent it back and they changed out the locking lug no problems since.4-7) yes and have, read on. Barrel 3-1) SS 45-70 Gov 26" varmint conture with williams peep sight and Lyman 17 front and forward mounted scope base. 2)VVC 3-7) perfect and yes. Barrel 4-1)260 Rem 14" SS 1-8" heavy varmint. 2) VVC 3) Hinge pin hole looks odd, called DAve he said no problem to send it in when I got ready. Hunted with it during season now sending it back to get a profesional checking out. 3-7) yes. Barrel 5- 1)SS Heavy sporter conture with flutes .50 cal ML 26" with Iron Sights and scope base. 2)VVC 3-7) waiting on it will let you know when I get it. In all fairness the only barrel I custom ordered was the 260 rem the rest are inventory barrels. If you don't want the wait just ask what they have on the shelf. The longest wait I had was 4 months for the 260 barrel because I wanted a 1-8" twist. The rest I have gotten within 2 months because of waiting on forends.

I'll let you decide if I'm happy or not

http://ktsammo.250x.com/17MBMCO.html

Ditto me too Mike.

I got my order in