Hi, I'm planning to rebarrel my Rem.700 varmint cal 308W; here I've access to Shilen Match grade and Douglas XX stainless barrels. Which brand would you choose?

I'd flip a coin...

Mr. Douglas made some of the finer barrels around but then he died and his wife took over. The "scrap barrels" of his production became "hunter barrels" for sale --like that... Lets make money. All this was before Mr. Shilen was in business. Maybe before he was born.

Mr. Shilen has made winning match barrels for several decades now. If you want a match gun, and he uses the "micro groove" system, it is a good option. Others as good? Probably but access for you??? (You could lurk at benchrest.com and read the opinions...)

As I understand, Douglas has a match grade series of barrels. If you need this level of accuracy, I think the "coin flip" is accurate. For all around hunting, I doubt if you can tell the difference if properly installed. Luck.

+1 for Shilen. I have 4 now and am in the process of getting another 3 ordered.

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All this was before Mr. Shilen was in business

Ed Shilen started hus busines in 1955.

I have two of their barrels on my customs.

Keith

Mrs. Douglas does not own/operate Douglas Barrels for the owner, President is Mr. Tim Gardner. I only live some 10 miles or so from Douglas and know those folks quite well. They make fine barrels, if you like button formed barrels/rifling. Have shot Douglas, Shilen, Krieger, Hart and some others over the years and Douglas will hang with any of them accuracy wise. Do believe cut rifled barrels will give more life, but have not seen any advantage accuracy wise. Douglas barrels are offered in really one grade other than a double XX barrel is air gauged and one is not. It is a simple step to check the internals of the barrel's dimensions, but does nothing for making the barrel more or less accurate. I think you pay a bit more for an air gauged one, but same steel, same button used, etc., charge is for the fellow to go back to the room and run the air gauge up the bore and read the gauge and say, yep it is in spec. As for a lady in the business it is Kay, Mr. Gardner's sister, nice lady and she handles all the incoming orders and shipping chores.

iiranger, what is a micro groove? Shilen makes barrels in 4, 6, and 8 grooves for most calibers. They also offer ratchet[4R] and polygonal lands and grooves. Ed is still very much involved in the company. The rimfire barrels are the cats meow at the present time in rimfire competition.
Butch

+1 for the shilen barrels.... 3 and counting here...

You can't go wrong with a Shilen. The last few Douglas' I've used were so rough on the outside I should have charged an extra hours labor for my time.

I have shot several different Shilen barrels over the years and I have never see one that did not shoot very good.

Flip a coin! Both good manufacturers.

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You can't go wrong with a Shilen. The last few Douglas' I've used were so rough on the outside I should have charged an extra hours labor for my time.

They used to charge $10 extra for a ground finish and believe me, it was worth every penny.

Shilen without a doubt.

Have known Tim Gardner for many years. Have used their barrels and like them. Have used a Shilen or two. Their match barrels are good.

There was a thread recently which showed a picture of a Shilen barrel in which the surface of the lands showed marks from manufacturing. See: http://forums.accuratereloadin...891080611#7891080611 ... I'd not have been pleased if I got one of those!