"Preferred Barrel Blanks" Vendor -- Opinions

[ArtinNC]

https://preferredbarrelblanks.com/ Anyone ever use their barrels ? there lead time is 3 weeks . so you don't have to wait 8 months .

 

[Monte F]

Looks like the barrels are a little short for most long range competition.

 

[timeout]

I see that they have an additional charge to lap the barrel. Am I wrong in thinking that is standard procedure for most barrel manufacturers?

 

[jelenko]

Their website indicates they do their own rifling.

 

[butchlambert]

$350 for a lapped, contoured barrel blank?? I think not. No twist slower than 10 in 243?
Sorry, I will opt for a proven blank even waiting on one.

 

[std7mag]

I see that they have an additional charge to lap the barrel. Am I wrong in thinking that is standard procedure for most barrel manufacturers?

The high end barrel manufacturers may include it in their pricing, but your still paying for it.
Lower cost manufacturers may or may not offer it.

 

[timeout]

The high end barrel manufacturers may include it in their pricing, but your still paying for it.
Lower cost manufacturers may or may not offer it.

I understand that one is still paying for it, I was just trying to ascertain whether it was SOP.

 

[JSH]

Preferred Barrels, I have two. Both shoot well and super easy cleaning. I didn’t pay any extra or recall that being an option.
I pay Shilen extra for a select, don’t know a difference as the Select is all I have ever ordered. I am happy enough to continue that.
I would suggest contacting them directly to flag questions, opinions are like elbows, everyone has a couple.

 

[LuvDog]

I have 2 for my Tikkas. 6.5cm 26”. They shoot great and are MOA or better

 

[Straightshooter1]

https://preferredbarrelblanks.com/ Anyone ever use their barrels ? there lead time is 3 weeks . so you don't have to wait 8 months .

For the first time, I'm using one of their prefit barrel on my 6.5 PRC. I ordered it after I made an order at Krieger as Krieger was going to take way too long. I kept the order at Krieger, but made the order at Preferred as I wanted a barrel way sooner and Preferred delivered at a little lower price.

When I got the Preferred barrel, I inspected and scoped it before mounting it and found the chamber, throat, bore and crown all looked good, except . . . there were a few minor what appeared to be flaws in the metal in the bore (see pic below) and a few light machining marks left. The bore had been lapped, and I couldn't think what it was except something might not be right with the metal. With the Krieger barrels I've had in the past, I've not seen anything like that and maybe my expectations for my Preferred barrel was too high???

I've got just over 800 rounds though this Preferred barrel and it has actually shot better than I expected, but I feel a Krieger barrel would have done a little better. I finally got my Krieger barrel and am trying to decide if I want to swap it out now just to see if there's enough difference to be noticeable.

Bottom line is . . . with just my limited experience, I'd rate the Preferred barrel as good value. Having only used this one barrel, I can't say how consistent their barrels are one from another.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Man it is tough to get into the barrel business. The expectation is that one should basically give barrels away until they are "proven", but then the snobs won't buy them because they must be junk because they are too cheap.

 

[butchlambert]

Barrelmakers say bore scopes are their best sales person.

 

[urbanrifleman]

$350 for a lapped, contoured barrel blank?? I think not. No twist slower than 10 in 243?
Sorry, I will opt for a proven blank even waiting on one.

Who are you buying blanks from that $350 seems outrageous? I looked at Bugholes and they don't have a blank under $350.

 

[butchlambert]

Who are you buying blanks from that $350 seems outrageous? I looked at Bugholes and they don't have a blank under $350.

You have a PM.

 

[L.Sherm]

I see that they have an additional charge to lap the barrel. Am I wrong in thinking that is standard procedure for most barrel manufacturers?

If they don't lap before the button is pulled then tooling marks will still be there after the button is pulled.

 

[butchlambert]

If they don't lap before the button is pulled then tooling marks will still be there after the button is pulled.

How do you figure that?

 

[L.Sherm]

If there's tooling marks before the button is pulled they will be after.

 

[L.Sherm]

How do you figure that?

Have you seen a button iron out tooling marks?

 

[butchlambert]

Have you seen a button iron out tooling marks?

No, but the lap does. Can you tell me what makes the tool marks? The reamer in the bore after drilling or the button?

 

[L.Sherm]

Drill or bore reamer.