Mcgowen Barrel Reviews

[z987k]

Yeah, lots of gunsmiths will turn a barrel to your desired profile and chamber a prefit. It’s just going to cost quite a bit more than a price point barrel like McGowan, PBB or a limited option run for efficiency like the PVA osprey. I wouldn’t be surprised if PVA would make exactly what you want as a custom order at a higher price.

I wish the carbon barrel silliness would go away and the void would be filled with sporter contours with flared ends for 5/8” threads.

I don't understand the carbon barrels either.
They weigh more than a hunting sporter barrel. Carbon barrels are for heavy rifles.

And if you're not hunting and packing the rifle who cares how much it weighs? No reason not to just get a heavy contour steel.

 

[SamsonMan22]

I tried to get PVA to to a lighter contour even at a higher price and they told me the only way to lighter than a 3b was to buy one of their carbon wrapped barrels.

They offer the ospreys as button rifled and rock creeks with both cut and button rifling.

Not sure of anyone offering cut rifled Prefits in a light Sporter contour other than McGowan or at least I thought I read they were offering cut rifling. I believe if you go the barrel nut route you might find some other options as well. I wouldn’t let cut vs button rifled make my final decision but that’s just me.

 

[slowelk]

I tried to get PVA to to a lighter contour even at a higher price and they told me the only way to lighter than a 3b was to buy one of their carbon wrapped barrels.

I have a 2b OBW from PVA, got it late summer 2022.

Cut rifled doesn’t matter @jourdan

 

[Seeknelk]

My main question is how in earth does Dan still have a job? He's basically the worst person for it. I live near them so I wish I could trust the prefit product.

 

[z987k]

I tried to get PVA to to a lighter contour even at a higher price and they told me the only way to lighter than a 3b was to buy one of their carbon wrapped barrels.

They offer the ospreys as button rifled and rock creeks with both cut and button rifling.

Not sure of anyone offering cut rifled Prefits in a light Sporter contour other than McGowan or at least I thought I read they were offering cut rifling. I believe if you go the barrel nut route you might find some other options as well. I wouldn’t let cut vs button rifled make my final decision but that’s just me.

I think all the McGowan barrels are button rifled.

 

[SamsonMan22]

I have a 2b OBW from PVA, got it late summer 2022.

Cut rifled doesn’t matter @jourdan

You have to be kidding me, I asked about that exact contour around that time and was told it wasn’t an option. I guess I need to call again, if that’s the case I may need to get another barrel from them.

I think all the McGowan barrels are button rifled.

For a while it said cut rifling was offered on their site but I don’t see it now. Their Facebook page still has an older post up stating they are offering cut rifling though.

 

[NSI]

This is news to me - cut rifling doesn't matter?

If we go by Form's assertion that a properly stress relieved thin barrel will shoot just as accurately when hot as a properly stress relieved thick barrel, are we still certain that button rifling is the equal of cut rifling?

Thanks,
-J

 

[Tullis94]

This is news to me - cut rifling doesn't matter?

If we go by Form's assertion that a properly stress relieved thin barrel will shoot just as accurately when hot as a properly stress relieved thick barrel, are we still certain that button rifling is the equal of cut rifling?

Thanks,
-J

Form also likes tikka barrels. They are hammer forged.
I'm not here to say button rifling is equal to cut rifling, but very few shooters will be able to tell a difference in the way they shoot. If there even is a difference. My understanding is that button rifled barrels can be properly stress relieved after the rifling process.

 

[BAKPAKR]

You have to be kidding me, I asked about that exact contour around that time and was told it wasn’t an option. I guess I need to call again, if that’s the case I may need to get another barrel from them.


For a while it said cut rifling was offered on their site but I don’t see it now. Their Facebook page still has an older post up stating they are offering cut rifling though.

Cut rifling is a $100 upgrade on the online order form.

 

[Harvey_NW]

can be

Key words. And if they are not properly stress relieved it's usually evident with group size increase or scatter as the barrel heats up, especially on light profiles.

 

[NSI]

I'm trying to avoid wasting money by leveraging the hive mind here.

Who has direct physical experience with a particular Tikka (or other, I suppose) pre-fit barrel of Lite contour which shoots a 1MOA 10 shot group within a minute?

I don't really care if it's button rifled or cut rifled as long as it is properly stress relieved so that as it heats up it does not wander.

It seems like this would be useful information for us all to have, given our common interests in light and accurate mid-budget rifles...

-J

 

[Harvey_NW]

I'm trying to avoid wasting money by leveraging the hive mind here.

Who has direct physical experience with a particular Tikka (or other, I suppose) pre-fit barrel of Lite contour which shoots a 1MOA 10 shot group within a minute?

I don't really care if it's button rifled or cut rifled as long as it is properly stress relieved so that as it heats up it does not wander.

It seems like this would be useful information for us all to have, given our common interests in light and accurate mid-budget rifles...

-J

These groups are from a Preferred Barrel Blanks 25 creedmoor/BJ reamer, Tikka prefit. Fluted 20" x .75" taperless contour, in a factory Tikka stock.

Initial OCW test, aggregate group was probably 1 MOA over all charge weights (1" elevation adjustment after the first 3 groups).


Did an optic swap last weekend, initial zero after POI on paper and adjustment. 39.2gr load from OCW.


.25" right adjustment, 5 shot confirmation including cold bore.

 

[260284]

I'm trying to avoid wasting money by leveraging the hive mind here.

Who has direct physical experience with a particular Tikka (or other, I suppose) pre-fit barrel of Lite contour which shoots a 1MOA 10 shot group within a minute?

I don't really care if it's button rifled or cut rifled as long as it is properly stress relieved so that as it heats up it does not wander.

It seems like this would be useful information for us all to have, given our common interests in light and accurate mid-budget rifles...

-J

That is asking a lot from a lite contour barrel. I shot 10-15 shots out of my CTR 260 barrel in local club matches in under 2 minutes and it was under 1 moa. I have a lite contour from McGowen in 6 Creed for coyote calling. Very accurate, but the most I have shot on one stand is 3-5 shots in 2-5 minutes. It does shoot 1/2 moa 5 shot groups, but I don't shoot fast strings.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

McGowen is garbage. There as some “cheap” barrels that are decent but I just don’t see the point in not getting a great barrel for not a lot more money. A quality barrel is an investment. I’m not talking about spending $800 to have an action trued and machine work done necessarily plus the cost of the blank, but saving a couple hundred bucks at most over the cost of a top quality cut rifled prefit just doesn’t make sense to me.

 

[Old-Cat]

Well, I did get my refund from Dan ( minus shipping) I suppose that’s a plus. Nonetheless, it’s doubtful I would ever revisit them again after my experience.


I went w Brux btw.

 

[Rooggvc]

It seems like Tikka prefits are out. Has anyone had luck with Mcgowen Barrels that need a barrel nut?

 

[Sled]

It seems like Tikka prefits are out. Has anyone had luck with Mcgowen Barrels that need a barrel nut?

it doesn't fix the bad threads issue. if you want an inexpensive barrel that needs a nut and want if fast, try anthony at crown ridge.

 

[Gorp2007]

It seems like Tikka prefits are out. Has anyone had luck with Mcgowen Barrels that need a barrel nut?

My Criterion with a nut shoots great on my T3 and it's priced right, if I were doing it again I'd stick with shouldered but the barrel shoots too well for me to replace it.

 

[HandgunHTR]

It seems like Tikka prefits are out. Has anyone had luck with Mcgowen Barrels that need a barrel nut?

I have one threaded for a Remington action (Remage) chambered in .260 Rem and it shoots great. Threads are all fine too (both ends).

 

[z987k]

I ordered one a bit back, sent them an action to thread it to. Came in today, so I haven't shot it yet and wont for a good bit, waiting on a stock for it. Everything is fine, the threads on the end are great, and I had them flair it for a suppressor, which threads on like it should. They also custom throated it and that seems to be fine as well, chambers my rounds fine.
I'll report back in a few months when I shoot it for the first time.