Barrel Companies

[HuntHarder]

I am looking to re barrel a couple of my rifles here in the off season. Are there any companies to stay away from for any reason? I am either going steel with flutes or Carbon, not sure yet. Would need to be a shouldered pre fit as I think Barrel nuts are fugly. I have a Carbon 6 that shoots lights out, but took a long time to get. My Mcgowan shoots well and so does my Shilen. Seems there are a bunch of companies now and most are good quality just comes down to Turn around time?

 

[waspocrew]

You're going to get tons of opinions for sure. So here's mine haha

I've had great experiences with Proof and Bartlein barrels. My Proofs have been carbons, my Bartleins have been steel and carbon. All have shot very well for me. I've also used Xcaliber for a 22-250 AI that's been a hammer.

I wouldn't hesitate to use Benchmark (steel or carbon) or Kreiger as well.

The only one I'd steer clear of would be Fierce - just do a search and you'll see why.

Good luck in the search!

 

[JohnJohnson]

My Bartlein (steel) shoots anything well, fantastic experience with them. My Proof sendero (carbon) is pickier on ammo but that's likely because it's a carbon barrel. Newest build is a Benchmark (steel) and I'll find out in the next month or two how it shoots. My life has to slow down a little bit.

 

[wyosam]

There are a couple that expedite for extra charge I think. Preferred is one I believe, I’ve got a couple of theirs and there both shoot well. I just try to plan ahead when it comes to barrels.


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[lintond]

I have three custom barrels. Proof and carbon6 that both shoot sub MOA. Due to impatience on the Carbon6 I ordered a PVA steel osprey barrel and had it in a few weeks (paid rush fee). That barrel shoots great!

Unless I get curious for no good reason my next barrel will be from PVA again. Both the C6 and PVA were Tikka prefits.


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[HuntHarder]

Yeah, I completely spaced wanting some barrels during the black Friday sales. Anyone remember when the next sales are typically?

 

[Justin Crossley]

I am looking to re barrel a couple of my rifles here in the off season. Are there any companies to stay away from for any reason? I am either going steel with flutes or Carbon, not sure yet. Would need to be a shouldered pre fit as I think Barrel nuts are fugly. I have a Carbon 6 that shoots lights out, but took a long time to get. My Mcgowan shoots well and so does my Shilen. Seems there are a bunch of companies now and most are good quality just comes down to Turn around time?

I've ordered barrels from Bugholes a few times and have been pleased with them. They stock a lot of barrels so you typically get them in a week or less.

 

[TaperPin]

Barrel blanks, are easier to rank in terms of accuracy, because it’s directly related to cost. If $200 blanks were as accurate as Bartlein, Krueger or Brux, they would be $450 and not $200. Shilen gets $80 more for their select barrels because of accuracy potential. That’s not to say there can’t be a dud with any of them, or an extra accurate one, but the odds for accuracy go up with price.

Add in the workmanship of whoever is making the prefit and it’s harder to judge by price, but it seems prefit machining only adds $100 - $150, and shouldered basic installs are $200 - $250.

Cheap barrel blanks and expensive prefit machining always seem suspect.

 

[AZ_squid]

Is there a benefit to having a barely fit and chambered by a gunsmith or is the difference between that and a prefit minimal? I'm completely new to this whole thing. I'd like to do a custom build in the next year or two. I'm leaning towards carbon 6 at the moment.

 

[Wrench]

A pre fit is just that. A custom fit is just that, you get the exact headspace you ask for, muzzle clocked and markings indexed.

 

[NSI]

Is there a benefit to having a barely fit and chambered by a gunsmith or is the difference between that and a prefit minimal? I'm completely new to this whole thing. I'd like to do a custom build in the next year or two. I'm leaning towards carbon 6 at the moment.

What action have you got?

-J

 

[morgaj1]

I have used Bartlein, Benchmark and X-Caliber. All these companies' barrels have shot very well for me.

 

[Archer2]

I’ve had excellent experiences with Preferred Barrels. Much shorter wait than C6. Lots of customizing options also not just standard run of the mill options. https://preferredbarrelblanks.com/

 

[Flyjunky]

I’ve had really good luck with Benchmark and will continue to use them for future builds.

 

[MCS]

I've had a bad McGowan barrel and a couple mediocre Proof barrels. I have had good luck with Bartlein, Brux, Shilen, MGM and Criterion.

 

[sndmn11]

I have a benchmark that seems to shoot very well, and two hs precisions that are meh. All chambered at the same time, by the same smith, for the same action. I'd buy another benchmark for certain, but not the latter at the moment.

I also have a preferred prefit on a different action that shoots very well. I'd buy another, and even buy a blank of theirs.

 

[gbflyer]

I’ve got a couple prefit X-Cals and also several contoured blanks from them. No bad ones, no really exceptional ones. They don’t offer a shouldered prefit I am aware of. That is probably a level of frustration in terms of being responsible for the receiver manufacturers QC that they don’t need.

I would be temped to send them to Pac Nor if I were living in the W or Hart Barrels if I was E. Both with fit their barrels to your receiver. If I were going the shouldered prefit route, make sure your receiver is one that someone will make a shoulder for, and I would accept from the start that there is a fair possibility that the barrel will have to go back for not head spacing or threading into the receiver. Don’t be in a hurry.

 

[onceacamel]

I’ve had excellent experiences with Preferred Barrels. Much shorter wait than C6. Lots of customizing options also not just standard run of the mill options. https://preferredbarrelblanks.com/

I second Preferred for great quality and customer service. I don’t know about current wait times. Going with a blank and a local gunsmith may save some time.

 

[AZ_squid]

What action have you got?

-J
None yet, in the process of trying to decide on one.