anybody know who Al Biesen may have been using to supply his barrels in 1964?
Roger

A good chance it would be Shilen or Douglas. They've been the commodity suppliers for the gunsmithing world for decades.

Possibly Buhmiller barrels

I don't think Shilen was even in business in the 1960's? Douglas was in the far east, WV..
As I remember in the 60's Buhmiller was in Kalispell, MT as was barrelmaker Les Bauska. I turned down a job opportunity in Buhmiller in 1978 because I wasn't interested in making barrels.
There were a host of fellows making cut-rifled barres in the Kalispell area also including Hall Sharon and Half Moon, Jim Baiar was in nearby Columbia Falls.
All of these guys knew each other and were not far from Al Biesen in Spokane. These guy are much more likely to be supplying barrels to Biesen.
Pioneer metalsmith Tommy Burgess (originally from Spokane) and Stockmaker Monty Kennedy were just south of Kalispell in Lakeside, MT where I visited both and Jerry Fisher in 1978. I knew both Al and Roger Biesen from the ACGG Custom Gun Show in the 1980's. Between the two they were in business for several decades.

My 93 year old gunmaker friend used a lot of Apex barrels out of Flagstaff. Not sure if he was in buss. In the 60’s.

Shilen's website says "world class accuracy since 1955". I know Shilen made barrels long before they made actions. I have been told that if the customer did not specify, the Biesens used mostly Douglas barrels. May or may not be fact.

quote:

Originally posted by squeezenhope:
Shilen's website says "world class accuracy since 1955". I know Shilen made barrels long before they made actions. I have been told that if the customer did not specify, the Biesens used mostly Douglas barrels. May or may not be fact.

I stand corrected on Shilen~ I still imagine regional sales connections in that era. I believe Apex started in California, but obviously, I could be wrong~

Donnelly, maybe?

being Al Biesen, i bet it's safe to say it's a good barrel. I can't imagine he'd put some piece of junk on it. i was hoping that Biesen rifles would be able to provide some history but per their website, Al's old records were disorganized, stored in cigar boxes and such and there's no way they can look anything up. pity, but honestly is about what i expected.

Roger

I met Les Bauski several times at his shop. What an incredible Gunsmith. I had a chance to buy some of his rifles at a shop in Kalispell MT really worth the money. Most were big game rifles with that rapid twist that started out slowly and then increased. The stocks were awesome and I believe that he made his own actions and of course his barrels. I had heard that he also designed Brevex actions. I believed the shop belonged to the man who started Montana Rifles.