I just got my first Lothar Walther barrel today, it is a heavy 308 win finished chambered crowned article #724. I got it in about 4 weeks. I'm happy with that. mr
Posts: 58 | Location: ALASKA | Registered: 02 March 2001
Worth the wait! After using my first LW barrel a while back, I won't use other barrels unless LW doesn't make the bore size I want. Since I dig all the European calibers they make, that is unlikely. If you can stick within the confines of their pre-threaded and chambered Mauser 98 barrel program, cost is VERY reasonable compared to other makers. I wish they would make a short-chambered barrel, for the do-it-yourself streak in me, but understand their reasoning for not doing so.
Todd
Posts: 1248 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 14 April 2001
Glad to hear good things about the Lothar barrels. I just wish I could get an email reply from them. How did you contact them? My emails have gone unanswered.
Quote: pre-threaded and chambered Mauser 98 barrel program, cost is VERY reasonable compared to other makers
For projects such as you described LW will supply you with a deep-chambered barrel; that way you don't have to worry about differences in reamer dimensions.
I am in the process of building a .300 WSM using a LW barrel and I can hardly wait to shoot it based on the reputation of their barrels.
Posts: 1323 | Location: San Antonio, Texas | Registered: 04 March 2003
No pricelist - I defer to Woody for the present price, but last time I purchased one of the Mauser 98 barrels in CrMO it was $187.50 + shipping. Custom barrels get a good deal pricier.
Todd
Posts: 1248 | Location: North Carolina | Registered: 14 April 2001
I have been using LW barrels for quite a while now and they are the best I have used to date, and woody can do them any way you want them...His copy of an old barrel is close as you can get and will fall right in the inletting with just a little touch up...
Posts: 42314 | Location: Twin Falls, Idaho | Registered: 04 June 2000
If you can get a price break from LW America [Woody Woodal], the LW price is good.
If you can only get an LW price break from Brownell's, the price is good, but the selection is bad.
If you can get niether, and Hart, Lija, and Shilen will not give you a break, there is hope: Pac-Nor will give the good price to anyone with US denero:
What you want is a factory hand lapped barrel that has been stress relieved.
Some competitive shooters say Shilen wears out twice as fast, or one barrel is more accurate than another, but varmint hunters like me will never know the difference.
Quote: I have been using LW barrels for quite a while now and they are the best I have used to date,
My experience is the directly opposite. I had a LW barrel that were a true dud, avery expensive tomato stake. Got unfriendly customer "service". NEVER again
I prefer American or English made cut rifle barrels. Krieger, border, Obermayer. The nices button rifled American barrel has been Lilja.
Quote: Is Woody a one-man crew? They/he sure makes a good barrel.
He takes orders for barrels and relays them to Germany. The wait is a few weeks for your barrel(s).
I got a bunch of LW's from Brownell's, but I have only shot two of them. They are the most accuate rilfes I have ever shot, very slow to foul, and shoot perfectly when hot.
Because I didn't qualify for wholesale prices from Woody, I am going to try Pac-Nor barrels next.
We use Lothar Walther barrels almost exclusively. My personal rifles will wear nothing else. Period. I have used Walther barrels for going on 6 years now and can only say they are superb.
The deal with the discounting is that if you do not have an FFL, which you must have to do gunsmithing for anyone other than yourself legally, you must pay retail prices. This is common pratice within the industry, really more like the rule, although I am sure now and again there are some exeptions, like Brownell's I think one can get a dealer discount on parts if they are a vendor or manufacturer of parts. Here is how these walther barrels shoot with good factory ammo. This group is common from my rifle.
Johan- I will support you on this one. I prefer Border or Krieger too ( I have a good deal of experience with Border), they are extremely accurate and for some reason or another they will last longer than most other makes..
How come that you always show up when a post says Walther Lothar but rarely replies to any other posts
Don't be shy
Ulrik- I have noticed that cut rifled barrels is lasting a bit longer than button. Have you used arms restoration service barrels ? They make cut rifled 404 barrels
hey Clark, they make the barrels in Georgia. I was on the phone with Woody checking the progress of my barrel and he walked back in the shop to check the status. He said he was holding the barrel right in his hand. I haven't shot mine yet. I don't have the action. I wanted to use a stainless Charles Daly action when they arrived, but I've heard a lot of complaints about the quality. Take care, Rojelio
Posts: 495 | Location: South Texas | Registered: 13 November 2003
Quote: My experience is the directly opposite. I had a LW barrel that were a true dud, avery expensive tomato stake. Got unfriendly customer "service". NEVER again
Dear Johan, you should have done the right thing and have contacted a German attorney-at-law specialized in firearms matters, instead of trying to straighten out the problem on your own with Swedish charm and with a sledgehammer...
Carcano, ambulance-chasing
Seriously, I am sorry about your distress. If there is anything I could do for you, please give me a call or send me a PM.
Posts: 2452 | Location: Old Europe | Registered: 23 June 2001
We are so busy lately that I have not even been here for a couple months. I came here yesterday to find a thread about Walther barrels. I almost alays put in my $.02 when it comes to these fine barrels.
As for replying to other posts, I reply to the ones that I feel I can be of the most help on and reply only to the ones that interest me as well. I build rifles mainly for police snipers and competetive shooters, so many of the posts have little to do with what we specialize in and can many times be answered or responded to, to greater effect by someone else.
Me shy? Naaa
Other examples of winning guns with Walther tubes are Clark Custom guns. All the Ruger 10/22 and 77/22 barrels come from Walther made to Jim clark's specs. Our rifles have been winning Sniper comps. The ILR nationals was won with one of our rifles wearing a walther tube. Almost all the gold medal winners in the olympics / airgun/ will be Walther tubes.
Personally, I have yet to have a bad barrel from them, and the customer service I recieve is nothing but great.
you should have done the right thing and have contacted a German attorney-at-law specialized in firearms matters, instead of trying to straighten out the problem on your own with Swedish charm and with a sledgehammer...
Carcano, ambulance-chasing
Well Carcano
Since Lothar Walther handeled this soo poorly I felt sorry for their shortage of customer service and went to another maker. Perhaps they need a adrenaline stiff Preussian Oberstleutnant to get the point
I have never looked back, since the "Tommy's" does not only build cars from spit and paper, they are also very good at makeing cut rifled barrels I have used Border on six rifles with great success. American barrles like Kreiger, Lilja has worked fine too.
Actually, I doubt it there is any German maker of cut rifle barrels? Heym is hammer forged, L-W is button rifled. The Austrian made are mostly hammer forged.
Quote: Actually, I doubt it there is any German maker of cut rifle barrels?
There are two possible sources in Suhl: the successor of the late Fritz Schilling, and one half-commercial old pensioner who still does one or the other odd job now and then. Both should have cut-rifling equipment. And that's it.
Regards, Carcano
Posts: 2452 | Location: Old Europe | Registered: 23 June 2001
Quote: hey Clark, they make the barrels in Georgia. I was on the phone with Woody checking the progress of my barrel and he walked back in the shop to check the status. He said he was holding the barrel right in his hand. I haven't shot mine yet. I don't have the action. I wanted to use a stainless Charles Daly action when they arrived, but I've heard a lot of complaints about the quality. Take care, Rojelio
The reason for marriage is to keep couples together when they hate each other's guts.
Think of it as a covenant with God that transcends emotion or think of it as those societies that have a strict marriage vows can beat militarily those that don't.
-- A society that teaches evolution as fact will breed a generation of atheists that will destroy the society. It is Darwinian.
I called them using phone number on internet. 770-889-9998. The gentleman I spoke to was very informative and answered all my questions. He mailed a catalog out the same day. I haven't received it yet but it's only been 2 days. I have only read good things about L-M here and in magazines.
