What are your opinions on prefit barrels?

[Gil P.]

Do custom action makers always cut their threads perfectly? What about the gunsmith who does the prefit? Is there enough wiggle room to avoid any problems?

I was looking at prefits as well as Wolf Precision Accurizing Chamber Extension. http://www.wolfprecision.net/the-ace.html

What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Emmett Dibble]

I'd look at the equipment surveys of the competition you are wanting to shoot and see if anyone is using one... that would be your answer.... if you aren't shooting competition that you burn barrels out then it's a false economy.

 

[DirtySteve]

I checked out that link.. I would go with a regular Remage setup over that thing...

 

[CharlieNC]

Criterion makes an excellent prefit.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Even if they'll fit the action, not having any control over the reamer specs would really suck.

It's probably just fine for informal/casual shooting. It would be a nightmare for competitive stuff.

Edit: Also that ACE thing looks insane.

A video about the ACE:

 

[CharlieNC]

Even if they'll fit the action, not having any control over the reamer specs would really suck.

It's probably just fine for informal/casual shooting. It would be a nightmare for competitive stuff.

Edit: Also that ACE thing looks insane.

Somehow several of us managed to shoot fclass records with them, not bad for casual shooters.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

Somehow several of us managed to shoot fclass records with them, not bad for casual shooters.

I'm not saying they're not accurate. I am saying that at most any large F-Class match these days, folks are running barrels cut off their reamers.

I honestly can't recall the last time I heard someone shooting a pre-fit in F-Class; even at a club match.

 

[JPTX]

I think Pre-fit should be defined. A Pre-fit barrel from Kelby for a Panda action could set a record.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

I think Pre-fit should be defined. A Pre-fit barrel from Kelby for a Panda action could set a record.

Agreed. It's an entirely different "prefit" than that of some internet-based precision rifle company turning hundreds of prefit barrels a month for 15 different custom actions.

Regardless of who is turning the barrel, I do still think there's an inherent advantage to purchasing and using your own reamer for competitive barrels. Specifically that load dev after a few barrels becomes a 50 round affair, you can have custom dies setup, they're not going to get replaced after chambering 150 other barrels etc.

I was answering the question on the assumption the OP was asking about one of the many "mass prefit" online outfits.

I've had them. They can be accurate, but there's something to be said for owning your own reamer.

 

[mudduck]

Do custom action makers always cut their threads perfectly? What about the gunsmith who does the prefit? Is there enough wiggle room to avoid any problems?

I was looking at prefits as well as Wolf Precision Accurizing Chamber Extension. http://www.wolfprecision.net/the-ace.html

What are your thoughts on this?

Interesting idea.

 

[Toptom]

I have a savage 12 i shoot at 1000 and local matches with a prefit from bugholes (southern precision) it shoot better then I can for sure. Not saying I win but it has put groups up to show me it is a great barrel and have gotten really close to winning, still allot of bad wind calls by me still learning.

 

[std7mag]

I'm not saying they're not accurate. I am saying that at most any large F-Class match these days, folks are running barrels cut off their reamers.

I honestly can't recall the last time I heard someone shooting a pre-fit in F-Class; even at a club match.

I shot my first F-Open with a factory sporter barrel.

I have 3 prefits now. They do fine for hunting rifles.

My match build is using a prefit Shilen.
We shall see.

 

[B Nettesheim]

I get the idea behind the ace chamber extension thingy and I really respect them thinking outside the box, but I don’t get why you would want more bores to line up. You have an action to line up with their barrel extension then you have to line up the barrel to their chamber, seems unnecessary.
Ive seen people shoot to their abilities with a normal prefit barrel.

 

[jelenko]

Yeah - + a bunch for out of the box thinking!

 

[Gil P.]

Agreed. It's an entirely different "prefit" than that of some internet-based precision rifle company turning hundreds of prefit barrels a month for 15 different custom actions.

Regardless of who is turning the barrel, I do still think there's an inherent advantage to purchasing and using your own reamer for competitive barrels. Specifically that load dev after a few barrels becomes a 50 round affair, you can have custom dies setup, they're not going to get replaced after chambering 150 other barrels etc.

I was answering the question on the assumption the OP was asking about one of the many "mass prefit" online outfits.

I've had them. They can be accurate, but there's something to be said for owning your own reamer.

I left the question open to encourage conversation. I appreciate any insight you have to offer.

I have seen both types of companies as well. There are some gunsmiths who will make a prefit for a specific action they are familiar with and other companies who mass produce them.

Each can be had for nearly the same price. It's hard to say if there's any difference in the chamber job or if it's possible to spec the chamber dimensions.

 

[Gil P.]

I get the idea behind the ace chamber extension thingy and I really respect them thinking outside the box, but I don’t get why you would want more bores to line up. You have an action to line up with their barrel extension then you have to line up the barrel to their chamber, seems unnecessary.
Ive seen people shoot to their abilities with a normal prefit barrel.

I havent heard anything negative about the ACE yet, but I don't know how many discerning shooters have tried them. Maybe none?

 

[thestoicmarcusaurelius]

I’ve never thought the selling point of a prefit barrel was that it would be more accurate or more consistent or more predictable than a barrel chambered by a top machinist with a known reamer but that the main advantage is ordering it and having it delivered to your door in less than a week while keeping your current action and still being able to shoot in the process.

I’ve never heard anyone say a prefit barrel should be more accurate.

Proof prefit steel barrels are very popular in PRS and you used to be able to get them for $425 shipped but now they are around $500.

 

[Forum Boss]

This site would not exist but for the 3-groove PacNor prefit 6mmBR barrel I put on my Savage. That turned a 0.8 MOA .260 Rem that loved to spit flyers into an honest quarter-MOA rig that holds my home range record in 600-yard steel match.

First measured group out of that 27" barrel (4 shots #16, 17, 18, 19) was a witnessed 0.168.

I think there's a lot to be said for a 3-groove in terms of ease of cleaning and (possibly) greater velocity. I was getting 2910 fps with 105gr Scenars pushed by 30.3gr Varget and CCI 450s. Warning: That load could be too hot for your 6mmBR. Start at 29.00 grains with 100 to 105gr bullets. If the weather is very hot, start even lower, and don't use that with 107s, 108s, 110s etc.

 

[Gil P.]

I’ve never thought the selling point of a prefit barrel was that it would be more accurate or more consistent or more predictable than a barrel chambered by a top machinist with a known reamer but that the main advantage is ordering it and having it delivered to your door in less than a week while keeping your current action and still being able to shoot in the process.

I’ve never heard anyone say a prefit barrel should be more accurate.

Proof prefit steel barrels are very popular in PRS and you used to be able to get them for $425 shipped but now they are around $500.

I don't think anyone believes that a prefit can be more accurate than a barrel chambered by a top gunsmith. Most those that use them are tactical rifle competitors it seems. Their standard of accuracy is much lower than BR competitors. I think it's likely that prefits don't shoot as well, but since they cater to PRS guys, the accuracy difference is not noticeable.

 

[xswanted]

I didn’t read this whole thread but to answer the thread title of “opinion on prefit barrels”

I have a quite high opinion of them. I have two of my own right now and have setup a number of them for a friend. All shot very well. Both of mine I currently own and the friends were either Douglas or Wilson barrels.

To highlight one prefit I did for a friend involving a Tikka…..had a hard time getting the factory barrel off. Had to fix the threads in the action as well as the prefit barrel as I made the mistake of turning it into the action without realizing g the threads had been buggered.

fixed both…..headspaced it with go and no go gauges and the first few shots from the barrel were excellent. And it got better.

if you’re on the high volume of shooting area, you don’t own a lathe to turn your own barrels on, but you’re somewhat mechanically inclined and maybe you even want to switch things around a little bit, they’re a no brainer in my book.

I love shouldered barrels and will always own them but for my PRS type rifles and other rifles where I’m shooting a lot, a prefit is a great option.