Barrel makers with the least rejects
- Thread starter Gil P.
- Start date
Shooter13
Gold $$ Contributor
I shoot short range BR and have 2 of Anthony's barrels now and 2 more on order, I'm not a record holder but I'm very competitive and know that most of the barrels make will shoot better than my capabilities. In that same breath I don't want to be limited by my equipment........in case I get lucky!
True, and with the custom barrels I've used, I haven't noticed a change in poi during reasonably long strings of fire when the barrel gets hot. That's the main advantage in my discipline vs lesser barrels.
CharlieNC
Gold $$ Contributor
The most worry some aspect I see in barrels is not quality of the machining, but the "wormhole" pits which I assume is related to the quality of the steel. It seems the more I see in a new barrel, the more will emerge soon upon shooting. Maybe not an issue, but those on the edge of a land can not help.
Gil I have been shooting PRS style matches for 18 years and have used many barrels. Never a tight bore and the groove configuration hasn't been a big deal. I have used 4, 5R and 6 groove and both cut and button rifled barrels. I have come to like the 5R cut rifled barrels. I like the cut due to less stresses on steel compared to button and little if no variances when it's hot and they get hot with 10+ shots in 90 seconds. My two top choices would be Bartlein or Kreiger if you are looking but most of the big names will produce good barrels. You will very rarely get a bad barrel so don't stress that. More important to have a good smith doing the work to attach it to the action or make the prefit.
Contour comes down to the end user need. I have used Rem Varmint, Med Palma, M24, and MTU contours. Comes down to weight.
Forum Boss
Administrator
Krieger makes great barrels and has been a long-time, major supporter of this site. I am personally very grateful to John Krieger and his family for running such a superb enterprise with a true commitment to quality and customer service. I have Kriegers on two of my rifles.
Other barrel makers can definitely produce winners. This site probably would not exist had I not replaced a Savage .260 Rem barrel with a Pac-Nor pre-fit 3-Groove 27" in 6mmBR. The first measured group out of the gun (4 shots, rounds 16,17,18, 19 through the barrel) went into a measured, witnessed 0.168". One ragged hole at 100 yards. That was with new Lapua brass, no neck-turning, no nothing. The "load development" consisted of bumping the 105gr Scenar Varget load from 30.0 to 30.3 grains, just for more velocity. That barrel has shot multiple bullets and various powders (Varget, IMR4895, Norma 203B, H4895) in the high ones, low twos. That barrel holds my range record on our steel course and has shot 1.3" (5 shots) at 600 yards in competition. Here is a set of 3-shot groups with two different powders, multiple load weights.
Pac-Nor 6mmBR Barrel, 9 three-shot groups
From my experience with this gun, I came to the conclusion that a really good barrel can deliver great accuracy at multiple loads -- at least with a cartridge such as the 6mmBR. Hence I am skeptical of the utility of certain time-consuming, barrel-life-wasting load dev and OCW folderol when you have a really good barrel.
This is the rifle that inspired 6mmBR.com, the predecessor to this site. Yes, when I got started I shot off that simple cheap rest (which I also used for pistol testing). You see I was between jobs and on a very tight budget. I actually built the gun originally for a hunter-style match, hence it is not a conventional benchrest stock. It was professionally bedded, which helped with accuracy.
Oh... and the Pac-Nor's flat wide, lands/grooves clean easily. That barrel gets cleaned with multiple soaking wet patches followed by two applications of Wipe-out Foam every 60-70 rounds, while the barrel is still warm. Brushes? "We don't need no steenkin' brushes". Readers would be absolutely shocked if I told you how little this barrel has been brushed, and the latest measured 4-shot group was in the high ones.
My thinking behind not brushing was this -- the barrel shot insanely well right out of the box, so the last thing I wanted to do was change ANYthing internally. That strategy proved effective. No abrasives have ever been in the barrel. I believe the repetitive use of Wipe-Out foam may help reduce the tendency to foul. But I do clean after every range session and get almost all the carbon out with soaking patches even before the foam is applied. I fill the still-warm barrel with foam, wait 15-20 minutes for the bubbles to dissipate, then apply foam a second time. Then I plug muzzle and chamber put it in a vertical case (muzzle lower than breech) and drive home. The barrel is then patched out 5-6 hours later.
Other barrel makers can definitely produce winners. This site probably would not exist had I not replaced a Savage .260 Rem barrel with a Pac-Nor pre-fit 3-Groove 27" in 6mmBR. The first measured group out of the gun (4 shots, rounds 16,17,18, 19 through the barrel) went into a measured, witnessed 0.168". One ragged hole at 100 yards. That was with new Lapua brass, no neck-turning, no nothing. The "load development" consisted of bumping the 105gr Scenar Varget load from 30.0 to 30.3 grains, just for more velocity. That barrel has shot multiple bullets and various powders (Varget, IMR4895, Norma 203B, H4895) in the high ones, low twos. That barrel holds my range record on our steel course and has shot 1.3" (5 shots) at 600 yards in competition. Here is a set of 3-shot groups with two different powders, multiple load weights.
Pac-Nor 6mmBR Barrel, 9 three-shot groups
From my experience with this gun, I came to the conclusion that a really good barrel can deliver great accuracy at multiple loads -- at least with a cartridge such as the 6mmBR. Hence I am skeptical of the utility of certain time-consuming, barrel-life-wasting load dev and OCW folderol when you have a really good barrel.
This is the rifle that inspired 6mmBR.com, the predecessor to this site. Yes, when I got started I shot off that simple cheap rest (which I also used for pistol testing). You see I was between jobs and on a very tight budget. I actually built the gun originally for a hunter-style match, hence it is not a conventional benchrest stock. It was professionally bedded, which helped with accuracy.
Oh... and the Pac-Nor's flat wide, lands/grooves clean easily. That barrel gets cleaned with multiple soaking wet patches followed by two applications of Wipe-out Foam every 60-70 rounds, while the barrel is still warm. Brushes? "We don't need no steenkin' brushes". Readers would be absolutely shocked if I told you how little this barrel has been brushed, and the latest measured 4-shot group was in the high ones.
My thinking behind not brushing was this -- the barrel shot insanely well right out of the box, so the last thing I wanted to do was change ANYthing internally. That strategy proved effective. No abrasives have ever been in the barrel. I believe the repetitive use of Wipe-Out foam may help reduce the tendency to foul. But I do clean after every range session and get almost all the carbon out with soaking patches even before the foam is applied. I fill the still-warm barrel with foam, wait 15-20 minutes for the bubbles to dissipate, then apply foam a second time. Then I plug muzzle and chamber put it in a vertical case (muzzle lower than breech) and drive home. The barrel is then patched out 5-6 hours later.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
What happens when you find a reject is of major concern....service after the sale. Not all makers are equal in service after the sale issues....take that to the bank!
Krieger is absolutely one of the finest barrels you can choose, in all regards.
Krieger is absolutely one of the finest barrels you can choose, in all regards.
In alphabetic order: Bartlein, Brux and Krieger. I would and have taken any of the three to the line with complete confidence. Each won many matches for me.
Wow you started shooting way before my first match in 2012. I thought it was a semi new sport back then. I remember chase stroud and his teammate won, (there was a problem with the scoring, so I can't remember who it was that took first.
Ive found with my stocks that a heavy Palma and up to M24/M40 makes the rifle balance pretty well for me. I haven't gotten any chassis that use weight systems. I don't like the idea of weights to make a rifle heavy, though I understand the utility for making your rifle balance how you want. I wish there was a "limited" division with a weight limit on rifles. Sorry for the rant.
Great information here, those are some incredible groups! I have a custom barrel from a well known mfg that copper fouls like crazy. I'd like to try a Pac - Nor for the ease of cleaning alone.
Absolutely, it seems everyone here praises Krieger.
muleman69
USMC -1st marine Div. RVN
My 6BR has a pack-nor thats shoots well to say the least, have not shot a match in a few years but the last two I was at the pack-nor brought home the bacon.
No specific preference for barrels. Have used Maddco, Mullerworks, Brux, Krieger and Bartlein with good success. The last couple of Kriegers I've had have been excellent and I just had a Bartlein 400MOD fitted up which I'm looking forward to working up a load for once COVID lockdown ends in NSW. The only true lemon I've seen was from an NZ company. It made a great garden stake for it's owner.
Been a sport since the mid 90s or so. I actually got into it later than some. The PRS didn't start until 2012 so most think that is when the sport started but a lot of us had been traveling around the country for years shooting matches. They were different back then but still same feel.
I like the M24 contour myself as it's the one I have used most over the years. The 8 barrels on my .308 match/practice rifle had all been M24 and my 6.5 and 6 Creed(28") and present match .308926") are M24. Gives the good weight but also balance and not too much weight so moving with rifle is still easy. Now with the excellent brakes on the market a ton of weight isn't needed to cut recoil. My first Creed barrel back in 2008 had an MTU and I liked it as it didn't have a brake. Even the med palmas were fine with brakes and real easy to move with. I don't have any rifle that weighs more than 18.5 pounds and that's even with Razor II scopes on top. I like the 16.5-18.5 weight range.
butchlambert
Site $$ Sponsor
That’s a fat finger .308 26” barrel. Lol
Upgrades & Donations
This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.
Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.
You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.
To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.