Preferred Barrels Carbon Thoughts?

[HandgunHTR]

Okay, I got the barrel today. My first impressions are really good. Great packing and very practical barrel break-in instructions. Overall the machine work is top-notch. I asked PBB to do a custom freebore and sent in a dummy round. They nailed it!

Got it torqued on my action and checked headspace, all good. Barrel is 18” and the weight is 2lbs 4oz.

I loaded up some ammo and will shoot it tomorrow. More to follow.



View attachment 823253View attachment 823252

Great looking rig! I have a pretty high confidence level that it is going to shoot to your level of satisfaction. I am a big fan of PBB and MGM.

 

[83cj-7]

Okay, I’m impressed. I knew this would go well when I fired my first round. My experience is that if I can bore sight a rifle (looking through the bore) and my first round impacts close to my point of aim, it’s going to go well. This did not disappoint!

Below is my target.
-First round out of the barrel is at the 7 o’clock. I cleaned the barre, no copper.
-Second round just above it. Cleaned the barrel, no copper.
-Third round, six o’clock. Cleaned the barrel, no copper.
-Fired a 3 round group which are closest to the center of the dot. Cleaned barrel, no copper.
-At this point I knew I was good and fired 9 consecutive rounds. Not slow, lots of suppressor mirage, at 6x.
-I never adjusted the scope after bore sighting! I’m impressed!

 

[Archer2]

Very happy with the way my PBB prefit turned out! It headspaced perfectly. Just need to have time to make it out and shoot. .300WSM 20” on a Kelbly Nanook action.

 

[bojangles808]

The nickel plated finish and the 50/50 finishes look so good

 

[Zebediah]

Very happy with the way my PBB prefit turned out! It headspaced perfectly. Just need to have time to make it out and shoot. .300WSM 20” on a Kelbly Nanook action.

Very happy with the way my PBB prefit turned out! It headspaced perfectly. Just need to have time to make it out and shoot. .300WSM 20” on a Kelbly Nanook action. View attachment 823819

Rifle looks great! Have you shot it yet? Curious how it groups and speeds you’re getting.

 

[83cj-7]

I just shot this group with my PBB Carbon.

I’d say it’s a solid shooter!

 

[waspocrew]

I just shot this group with my PBB Carbon.

I’d say it’s a solid shooter!

View attachment 839588

That’ll do!

 

[Howler65]

I called Kelbly with an action question and we started talking barrels. The gent I spoke with had nothing but great things to say about Preferred's carbon barrels...said their carbon wrap is flawless. I've got one on order that should be here in a month or so and can report back. I will say my Tikka Lite Hybrid in Stainless is perfect from them.

 

[Team4LongGun]

I've had great success with PBB. Just today assembled a 22ARC I'm doing a review on. I'll report back how this barrel shoots.

 

[83cj-7]

I called Kelbly with an action question and we started talking barrels. The gent I spoke with had nothing but great things to say about Preferred's carbon barrels...said their carbon wrap is flawless. I've got one on order that should be here in a month or so and can report back. I will say my Tikka Lite Hybrid in Stainless is perfect from them.

I agree with this. I’ve had other carbon barrels and the finish is usually not smooth and several imperfections can be found I. The carbon. The PBB is almost like it is turned and sanded to a perfect finish.

 

[JRS3]

I have four Proof CFs and all shoot very well. I would not hesitate to buy another and will. Three are on bolts and one is on an AR.

18” 5.56 Gas Gun

 

[HandgunHTR]

I have a few PBB barrels and all of them are shooters.

If I was a carbon-wrap guy (I am not as I don't see the value), I would use PBB.

 

[83cj-7]

I shot this at 300 yards in a stiff R to L wind with my PBB Carbon 6x45. The more I shoot it, the better it shoots. 5 shots

 

[83cj-7]

Just thought I’d update this thread.

This is my PBB Carbon 6.5 GAP barrel shooting 156 Berger EH. I shot 1 round cold bore at the top dot at 100 yards. Then I shot 6 rounds at some steel targets at 400 yards. Right back to the 100 yard and shot the bottom dot. That impressed me quite a bit. Came up one click and called it zeroed. Too bad I didn’t order this in 7.5 twist. It’s marginal on cold days at sea level with the 156s.

 

[UnckleBob]

Interesting take. I've never seen weatherby say "We load ammo using our own brass". It would be very odd and misleading for a company named precision barrel blanks that manufactures barrel blanks, to deliberately say "using our blanks" if they used someone else's.

The other thing is the idea that a blank manufacturer would outsource their primary business function doesn't make sense unless being sold as a different product line. A barrel core to be carbon wrapped is nothing but a different contour. Hells canyon use(d) Rock and Benchmark blanks and did the carbon wrapping, not sure what their current practice is. PVA sends their Osprey blanks to hells canyon to wrap them now. Carbon 6 uses mcgowan blanks. Bartlein, proof, and benchmark obviously use their own blanks. In none of those cases does the company that actually manufacturers the core sell someone elses blanks under their name.

I may have used poor wording in my initial post. I don't doubt that they use their own blanks. I was really interested in who does the CF wrapping for them.

I would rather have them send them out to another firm with proven expertise in wrapping barrels than spend the time & money to master it themselves.

I have one of their barrels and am happy with its performance. If someone thought I was suggesting shady business practices, I apologize.

 

[honestcomrade]

Is it just me or has their website been down for months now? Are they still in business?

UPDATE: looks like they blocked my IP for some reason, website is fine.