Gents:

My dad and I will be using a Half Moon Oberndorf style bolt handle for his BRNO ZKK 602 375 project. I have been discussing with Half Moon the idea of using one of his barrels as they seem to be well regarded in the trade. Can anyone recommend some smiths who may be able to thread, chamber and crown the barrel if we go that route?

Thanks for the input!

Jeff

Lots of good ones that post on this forum.
Butch

did he give you a delivery date on one of his barrels? I have talked to several people over the past few years who were still waiting years after placing an order for a barrel. But i have heard of people who got one after a few months. Knowing my luck, if I ordered one I would be waiting years

Marc:

Jim did not offer a specific delivery date, but instead told me that since we are dealing with a standard 375 H&H it would certainly be easy to crank out. Essentially, I am trying to figure out if the additional cost of having someone do the necessary work to finish the barrel after Jim makes it is advantageous enough to consider using in place of say a Walther which appears to be available fully done for around $400.00 or so in their original H&H 375 contour. At the back of the bus is the option I guess of using the original barrel.

I would get a date inw riting before ordering a barrel from him. Even that won't mean anything, but maybe it will push him to give you a straight answer. Others were going to get their barrel in "another month or so." Been waiting on that month to pass for about, oh, 24-36 months now. You do what you want, but do not be suprised if you still do not have your barrel 2 years from now. If in a year from now you start a product delivery thread like was raging about Satterlee's action/safety delivery, someone will link you back to this warning. But who knows, you may wind up with it in 3 months. You should expect to wait that long from any of the small, niche makers.

I am never a fan of having a barrel maker install a barrel. They routinely charge a lot more than the going rate, plus the job they do is not nearly as good as a cheaper individual custom smith. The barrel makers do it as more of a produciton job, as opposed to the time consuming set-ups people on this board prefer.

I appreciate the honesty. Thanks, Marc.

Listen to Marc. He is correct in everything that he said.
Butch