I am looking to rebarrel a couple of rifles soon and it has been a while since I did this. First one I need is a stainless 338 barrel. Please rate the top three barrel companies you would use for a hunting rifle.
My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost.
My opinion? Kreiger. Yup, they're probably more expensive than most but I know I trust 'em. If they can take a tang safety Ruger Mod. 77 .257 Rob'ts., rebarrel & rechamber to .257 Imp. and then it shoots bugeyes, they've done something right. JMHO. Bear in Fairbanks
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Posts: 1544 | Location: Fairbanks, Ak., USA | Registered: 16 March 2002
The Kreiger and Lilja barrels previously mentioned are great. I love my Shilen barrels as well...having got some eye popping groups out of my hunting rifles. I love Hart barrels as well, but they seem to wear out much much sooner than the ones previously mentioned. Will stick with my Shilens... Tried some PacNor barrels and did not like them at all. My 2 cents worth.
Posts: 373 | Location: Leesburg, GA | Registered: 22 October 2005
Rating barrels is like rating motor oil. Too many variables and every bodies experiences will differ. I've used a few brands and had good luck with all of them. The most accurate rifle I've ever owned was a factory barreled Savage 10FP.
Terry
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Well, other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
Posts: 6315 | Location: Mississippi | Registered: 18 May 2002
Originally posted by Hank H.: The Kreiger and Lilja barrels previously mentioned are great. I love my Shilen barrels as well...having got some eye popping groups out of my hunting rifles. I love Hart barrels as well, but they seem to wear out much much sooner than the ones previously mentioned. Will stick with my Shilens... Tried some PacNor barrels and did not like them at all. My 2 cents worth.
I would add Lothar Walter to the above good list, there isn't any wrong with a Match Grade Douglas either, I have had a couple of good Douglas barrels in the past. I would also include Boots Obermeyer in the above list, another excellent barrel. The Schnieder rifle barrels are excellent barrels also. Bottom line the list of good barrel makers is a lot of choices in this day and age. Any of the above if they are installed right will give you excellent results, and if installed poorly will give the same results as the installation.
Posts: 1486 | Location: Idaho | Registered: 28 May 2004
Based soley on the three least rejected barrel blanks that I use, or, have used are #1 least rejected is Shilen, #2 Schneider and #3 Krieger. Of course coming in at probably a really close #4 would have to be Lilja and Pac-nor. And all of these are within a coin toss of the front runners. Confused? Me too, but these are my top picks... So good luck!
I think the best buy for a hunting rifle is the CM unpolished pac-nor for $165 (lapped). I have quite a few of these and they are all very accurate. In fact, I just ordered 3 more last week, and may add 2 more to that order this week...
If you want SS, it will cost you $195. Still a great deal.
I've had Kriegers and Harts and Liljas, and they are fine barrels no doubt. But none shot any better than my pac-nors, so why spend an extra $100 bucks and wait 3 times as long for delivery???
I'd rather put that extra $100+ towards action work and/or hiring a more reputed smith to install the barrel. The barrel is of course only one piece of the accuracy puzzle...
SS Shilens are very good also, though I've had mixed results with CM Shilens...
Krieger and Lilja have worked well for me. As noted above, I hear good things about Broughton. I have a couple Mike Rock (Rock Creek) barrels. INCREDIBLE! Those are what I use for building sniper rifles for my boys (and me too ).
Krieger and Rock learned the barrel making trade from Boots Obermeyer, and they learned it well.
lawndart
Posts: 7158 | Location: Snake River | Registered: 02 February 2004
I use Krieger, Shilen and Schneider barrels and I can’t tell a bit of difference in them as far as accuracy is concerned...they are all fine barrels and none of them seems to foul much...VERY easy to clean! I don’t think Gary Schneider uses anything but stainless for his barrels and they come with a bit rougher outside finish than either the Shilens or the Kriegers...but they shoot as good as anything out there.
Posts: 4574 | Location: Valencia, California | Registered: 16 March 2005
I like Krieger. Lilja and Shilen select matchs barrels have great reputations along with Broughton, Border, etc. I've never built on a Pacnor but my gunsmith will do everything he can to talk you out of building a long range precision gun on one. His experience is that when you get a good one it's great but they don't seem to be as consistent in their quality.
Frank
"I don't know what there is about buffalo that frightens me so.....He looks like he hates you personally. He looks like you owe him money." - Robert Ruark, Horn of the Hunter, 1953
NRA Life, SAF Life, CRPA Life, DRSS lite
Posts: 12695 | Location: Kentucky, USA | Registered: 30 December 2002
Originally posted by Snowwolfe: Thanks for all the opinions. what about Hart barrels?
Quite pricey given this year's price hike. SS only. Extremely good barrels. Buttom rifled. I've heard rumors that they wear out faster that other button rifled barrels. Not sure if this is true, or why it is true (softer steel, shallower lands)...
However, IMO you don't need to spend $300+ on a barrel to get a superb HUNTING rifle...
I think Lawndart's boys ain't just varmint hunting with their sniper rifles, they're in the shit hunting terrorists and Iraqi insurgents--well maybe those are varmints of some sort---but he obviously thinks a lot of whatever barrel he puts on their rifles.
I've got 3 rifles that were rebarreled with Krieger's at Lawndarts recommendation, and I've never looked back since the first one.
Posts: 3563 | Location: GA, USA | Registered: 02 August 2004
Thanks for everyone who suggested something. I am building a Ruger Mark II and will be rebarreling it to 338 Win Mag. I have chosen to go with Lilja after learning of long delays in receiving Krieger's. A phone call to Lilja and they spent 10 minutes talking with me about what contour may be best for my purpose. I went with a #4. I must admit Lilja did not even enter my thoughts till people starting mentioning them here. It is nice to have the valued opinions of so many to make informed decisions. I am also ordering a McMillan stock for it. I hope to finally have a big game rifle that will shoot under MOA for a 3 shot group day in day out.
My biggest fear is when I die my wife will sell my guns for what I told her they cost.
Welcome to the Krieger Brotherhood. My 1000-yard dinner-plate buster has one on it that I designed myself. I like that they will cut one for you exactly as you want it. Mine is in stainless and very unique in its length, diameter, number of flutes and taper. I wish I had specified five lands/grooves over the more common four, but there's always another gun to build, you know...
Posts: 2758 | Location: Fernley, NV-- the center of the shootin', four-wheelin', ATVin' and dirt-bikin' universe | Registered: 28 May 2003
There are several good premium barrels on the market that are of competitive quality. If that wasn't so one barrel would be winning ALL the competitions.
My feeling is given the fact you’re using a premium barrel to build a quality rifle the biggest difference is what the gunsmith does or doesn't do to that barrel/action and the tolerances that the smith works to.
i've got three pac-nors one krieger one shilen the krieger seems the easiest to clean considering it's on a 30x378. my shilen is on a 7mm-08 built by russ haydon it is the most accurate rifle i own to date.
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