What are your opinions on prefit barrels?

[jelenko]

I think the words in the title are missing '...... for XXXXX', where 'XXXX' is a specific application; e.g., hunting, short range benchrest, PRS, F-class, etc.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Except in F1.
I know a lot of PRS winners running shouldered prefits. This thread is ridiculous.

The whole snobbery is ridiculous.

Like insisting that a guy who shoots 130 on the golf course should still play clubs used by Tiger Woods. When Tiger in his prime could still beat nearly everyone with a set of girls clubs.

 

[Dgd6mm]

No, there is snobbery in this thread!

 

[Okumacaptain]

And the one's that have the talent are being paid by those that do have the money. They get 10 barrels sent to them and the cherry pick them. if those are good enough they get another 10 until they find a dinger. That is just what

I don't believe there is anything wrong with pre-fit barrels they do a great job. I have some myself. Of course the reason I bought them was price and easy to put together. They shoot very well most better than the people that own them. With that being said. Now do I think the compare to a good Krieger or Brux that has been fitted by a gunsmith that builds Benchrest Target rifles with custom tight neck chambers. No not ever close no more than a Remington or Savage action compares to a Bat or Kelby again not even close. When you buy the very best parts and you have the very best put them together and the you put them in the top shooters hands. Because that's how they do it. So I hope this makes my previous a little clearer. No pre -fit barrels won't be doing the winning.

Somehow I got stuck on Savage . Don’t know how , but glad I did . I know it’s not a Ferrari , but it works . I’m a 40 yr machinist , but no machining was done to my rifles. I bought Shilen pre fits , screwed them on , set head space tight , and the accuracy humbles me everytime I shoot it . I really can’t imagine a top end barrel fitted by smith to shoot any better . I shoot along side some pretty good shooters with smithed rifles and I don’t see a huge difference , if any . Just my opinion !

 

[NC/Br Shooter]

I have a 6 bra barrel from urbanrifleman, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another one from him, great price and great service.

i second and third that im going to buy another.

 

[Dusty Stevens]

I realize a lot of gun smiths are just failed machinists, but any machinist/gunsmith worth his tools will have no problem reading a tenon print from an action manufacturer that holds their headspace to a thou or less, and giving you whatever chamber you want, in your prefit, without ever seeing the action.

This here is real funny. Building a winning rifle takes about twice as much as just being able to machine to a given tolerance. You notice how many “machinists” are out there kicking guns out but theres always only a few of their names on the top of the heap every time?

 

[urbanrifleman]

i second and third that im going to buy another.

Its the barrels.

That's my opinion.

Take a good barrel, cut a nice chamber and make some good threads. But the barrel DESIGN and manufacture makes it shoot.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

Comparing a prefit to a custom barrel is silly. Prefits are mass produced to a certain standard. That's it. Sure they can be nice shooters, but they won't compare to a custom made benchrest barrel. One size never fits all. It all depends on what your expectations are.

If you are satisfied with 1/2 inch groups, then by all means try a prefit. If you want consistent one hole groups see a gunsmith and have one custom made. I defy you to show me a prefit that has won a major competition.

Being a machinist takes a lot of skill but to become a gunsmith requires even more skill and time learning their trade. You can find a good machinist on every other corner in most areas. Gunsmiths are another animal. You have to either travel long distance to see them or send your action and barrel to them. Most gunsmiths have a backlog and you will have a waiting period that many will find distasteful and so look for a prefit.

All that being said, I will shortly order a prefit from one of our members who has a great reputation with the ones he produces. I have purchased several other products from him and the quality is top notch along with very fair prices. That rifle is not intended for true benchrest shooting even though that's how I will be shooting it. We all know that 22-250 is no benchrest caliber but it is fun to shoot.

 

[Tokay444]

This here is real funny. Building a winning rifle takes about twice as much as just being able to machine to a given tolerance. You notice how many “machinists” are out there kicking guns out but theres always only a few of their names on the top of the heap every time?

The discussion is about prefit barrels, and there isn’t a lot more to making a prefit barrel than sticking to the tenon print for the action.

 

[Tokay444]

Comparing a prefit to a custom barrel is silly. Prefits are mass produced to a certain standard. That's it. Sure they can be nice shooters, but they won't compare to a custom made benchrest barrel. One size never fits all. It all depends on what your expectations are.

If you are satisfied with 1/2 inch groups, then by all means try a prefit. If you want consistent one hole groups see a gunsmith and have one custom made. I defy you to show me a prefit that has won a major competition.

Being a machinist takes a lot of skill but to become a gunsmith requires even more skill and time learning their trade. You can find a good machinist on every other corner in most areas. Gunsmiths are another animal. You have to either travel long distance to see them or send your action and barrel to them. Most gunsmiths have a backlog and you will have a waiting period that many will find distasteful and so look for a prefit.

All that being said, I will shortly order a prefit from one of our members who has a great reputation with the ones he produces. I have purchased several other products from him and the quality is top notch along with very fair prices. That rifle is not intended for true benchrest shooting even though that's how I will be shooting it. We all know that 22-250 is no benchrest caliber but it is fun to shoot.

What about a custom made prefit?
Mine has shot in 0s, 1s, and quite repeatably in the 2s, off an Atlas bipod and Gamechanger rear bag…

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

What about a custom made prefit?
Mine has shot in 0s, 1s, and quite repeatably in the 2s, of an Atlas bipod and Gamechanger rear bag…

Your statement is an oxymoron. It contradicts itself by definition.

 

[Tokay444]

Your statement is an oxymoron. It contradicts itself by definition.

It doesn’t.

 

[Tokay444]

I realize we’re on page 6 and it’s hard to keep up, but the discussion is about shouldered prefits.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

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?

The OP says nothing about shoulder weapons. Further, there is no such things as a custom prefit. Go buy a prefit suit of clothes of the rack and then have one custom made.

 

[Tokay444]

Lololol. Now it’s shoulder weapons?!
Shouldered PREFITS!
I’ve purchased no less than 6 custom shouldered prefits for my Nucleus and Archimedes actions from various smiths. None have ever seen my actions.
We’re not talking about suits. The parallel you’re trying to draw doesn’t exists.

 

[Rob01]

The OP says nothing about shoulder weapons. Further, there is no such things as a custom prefit. Go buy a prefit suit of clothes of the rack and then have one custom made.

He was also not talking about benchrest rifles. Just asking about prefits.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

Lololol. Now it’s shoulder weapons?!
Shouldered PREFITS!
I’ve purchased no less than 6 custom shouldered prefits for my Nucleus and Archimedes actions from various smiths. None have ever seen my actions.
We’re not talking about suits. The parallel you’re trying to draw doesn’t exists.

The English is the English language and there is a definition that describes the meaning of both words. Now with that said. I will no longer respond to you on this particular thread. To further do so could only lead to unnecessary arguments. Clearly you and I can't agree, so let's agree to disagree and be done with it.

 

[redrockranger]

This here is real funny. Building a winning rifle takes about twice as much as just being able to machine to a given tolerance. You notice how many “machinists” are out there kicking guns out but theres always only a few of their names on the top of the heap every time?

Couldn't be the man/ lady driving could it ?

 

[Tokay444]

The English is the English language and there is a definition that describes the meaning of both words. Now with that said. I will no longer respond to you on this particular thread. To further do so could only lead to unnecessary arguments. Clearly you and I can't agree, so let's agree to disagree and be done with it.

You don’t have to agree, but there’s an entire market dedicated to custom shouldered prefit barrels where the smith never needs to have your action in hand. You can call them what you want in your head to satisfy yourself, but the market calls them prefits.

 

[Nick Caprinolo]

You don’t have to agree, but there’s an entire market dedicated to custom shouldered prefit barrels where the smith never needs to have your action in hand. You can call them what you want in your head to satisfy yourself, but the market calls them prefits.

You don’t have to agree, but there’s an entire market dedicated to custom shouldered prefit barrels where the smith never needs to have your action in hand. You can call them what you want in your head to satisfy yourself, but the market calls them prefits.

I do agree that there is a market and a place for pre-fits as well as custom barrels. Both are equally important to their intended market and purpose. With a custom barrel I get to have it tailored to my specifications. Free bore is a classic example. It is important to those who wish to shoot a specified bullet. I guess I have taken the wrong attitude about this thread. When someone intends to shoot from the shoulder, they are usually using it for hunting and therefore one inch accuracy is all that is needed and anything better than that is a plus. Miss with the first shot and you most likely won't get a second chance.

Can a prefit shoot tiny groups? It sure can but that is a hit or miss situation. Frankly I could not hit the broad side of a barn with my benchrest rifles fired from the shoulder. They are too damned heavy. I think we agree on some subjects and only disagree on semantics.

Happy New Year.

Nick