Anyone ever get a bad barrel?
- Thread starter 65joe
- Start date
I have received two, one sent me a new barrel but denied anything was wrong with the first one! The second, said it wasn't their problem as I should have discovered it was bad before I cut into it. I will never buy anything from the second company again!
7stubby
Some days it doesn't pay to even get out of bed.
I had one bad barrel. It was a 6mm barrel from Krieger. It was suppose to be .236 bore. Cleaning it was a pain. 6mm jags and patches fit really really tight when I cleaned. It was chambered in 6mm Dasher. I was getting crazy speeds for less powder then a 6mm BR load. Called them up and they said they wanted to see the barrel. So I sent it in and they took a look at it. They air gauged it and it was smaller then .236. They said that it was for sure a bad barrel. They asked what I wanted to replaced it and had a new barrel in less then 2 weeks. That was about a year ago and it was a barrel they had in inventory. I haven't chambered this new barrel I got, to see if its fine. I'm sure it is. My other Krieger barrels are just fine. Just like with anything that's made these days, there is always going to be lemons that make it through QC.....cars, electronics, etc. Just the name of the game.
Over the years I got two bad barrels. The frist came from Sisque Barrels and would not do better than two minutes no matter what. Since it was a hunting rilfe I installed an adjustable muzzle brake and dialed in the load I wanted. On a bad day it did 2" at 300 yards with that brake.
The second was a Pac-Nor. It just would not shoot a good group for anything. I called. Since I am only a couple hours away the owner sent his son with a rifle rest; kinda like the pistol rests in magazines. Anyway after firing a couple groups he took the rifle back with him. About a week later I received my rifle with a new barrel. Great service.
The second was a Pac-Nor. It just would not shoot a good group for anything. I called. Since I am only a couple hours away the owner sent his son with a rifle rest; kinda like the pistol rests in magazines. Anyway after firing a couple groups he took the rifle back with him. About a week later I received my rifle with a new barrel. Great service.
I shot out a Douglas SS 6.5-284 barrel and replaced it with a PacNor, same dimensions. Had PacNor chamber it for my Savage action as well. It just would not shoot. When I complained, they asked me to send it in. They returned it promptly, said nothing wrong with it. Almost $500 down the drain. It sits in gun cabinet now, only 230 rounds thru it. No more PacNor barrels for me. Have had better luck with Shilen, Bartlien, Krieger, and others. I do think bad barrels are often the result of poor gunsmithing.
Boy this is a sore subject for me...i just can't get into it.
but yes i have had a few bad barrels, i feel i have had some bad gunsmithing work done....
but lets not open that sealed can of worms.
one rifle i got rid of with the bad barrel on it.
one barrel that just would not shoot better than .750 groups at 100YRD in 6BR.
sent that barrel back to manufacture and they said could not see anything wrong with
it but sent me a new blank, but yea still out time frustration and money spent, sold that blank to my buddy and he had dwight scott turn it into a .243AI and it pounds em into a hole.
This subject is the whole reason why i buy all my barrels straight from the manufacture
and i talk to them about what i want and what i want to do with it and then i say
what happen if i get a bad barrel, krieger told me they love bad barrel's and if i get one they would love to have it,because they learn so much from a bad barrel.
but yes i have had a few bad barrels, i feel i have had some bad gunsmithing work done....
but lets not open that sealed can of worms.
one rifle i got rid of with the bad barrel on it.
one barrel that just would not shoot better than .750 groups at 100YRD in 6BR.
sent that barrel back to manufacture and they said could not see anything wrong with
it but sent me a new blank, but yea still out time frustration and money spent, sold that blank to my buddy and he had dwight scott turn it into a .243AI and it pounds em into a hole.
This subject is the whole reason why i buy all my barrels straight from the manufacture
and i talk to them about what i want and what i want to do with it and then i say
what happen if i get a bad barrel, krieger told me they love bad barrel's and if i get one they would love to have it,because they learn so much from a bad barrel.
Yes, I have had a few bad barrels. First was a localy made one. The 1st 2 of the triplets (same length, contour etc) were great, the 3rd was a shocker, a real rough patch from 1/2 to 2/3rds of the way down the barrel, which viewed a few years kater with a borescope showed pits (or inclusions a gunsmith called them. I was just told I didnt know what I was doing and it wasnt the barrels fault. I had to get some more of the same brand barrel later on as I was in a hurry and they were great, but I still steer clear of them when possible due to the way they treated me.
The next 2 bad barrels (7mms)were from a U.S barrel maker. Both looked perfect unfired when looking through a borescope, but after a few shots it was clear the barrels went tight,loose, then tight again. The 2nd barrel they sent was a free replacement after the gunsmith gave them a call. They looked good through a borescope but just wouldnt shoot. These were the 3rd/4th barrels in a row I have bought in that caliber, same reamer so I knew what it takes to get them to work. I have since bought another barrel from them in a different caliber (6.5mm) as they treated me well but I think there might have been a bad batch in 7mm??
I have heard of others where the 1st twin was a hummer and the 2nd twin ended up being a bummer, the red headed step child. All from top name barrel makers.
Barrels are like women. Just because the first few you got from a certain bar went realy well and satisfied you in every way, doesnt mean the next one wont be a tempermental bitch which gives you the shits and chews up time and money.
The next 2 bad barrels (7mms)were from a U.S barrel maker. Both looked perfect unfired when looking through a borescope, but after a few shots it was clear the barrels went tight,loose, then tight again. The 2nd barrel they sent was a free replacement after the gunsmith gave them a call. They looked good through a borescope but just wouldnt shoot. These were the 3rd/4th barrels in a row I have bought in that caliber, same reamer so I knew what it takes to get them to work. I have since bought another barrel from them in a different caliber (6.5mm) as they treated me well but I think there might have been a bad batch in 7mm??
I have heard of others where the 1st twin was a hummer and the 2nd twin ended up being a bummer, the red headed step child. All from top name barrel makers.
Barrels are like women. Just because the first few you got from a certain bar went realy well and satisfied you in every way, doesnt mean the next one wont be a tempermental bitch which gives you the shits and chews up time and money.
1shot
Gold $$ Contributor
As FJIM said, “This subject is the whole reason why I buy all my barrels straight from the manufacture.
I bought a 6mm Krieger from a vendor, had it chambered at my one and only “smith” and it didn’t act right from the 1st break-in shot until I pulled it 175 rounds later. It copper fouled badly, and I could feel a tight spot at about the 75% mark measuring from the breech. The cleaner the bbl. got, the less obvious the “tight spot” was. After taking it to a 1K match and having a round fail to arrive on shot #17, I pulled the bbl. and contacted Krieger. I was instructed to ship the bbl. to them, which I did. The same day the bbl. arrived at Krieger I got a call from the gentleman in charge of QC. Apparently, there was a 1.750” tear in the lands at the exact place I explained to him on the phone that the cleaning patch got tight. Long story short, Krieger sent me a replacement bbl. inside 2 weeks and it’s still the best shooting 6mm barrel I own. I will buy Krieger’s again without hesitation as the need arises, but I’ll buy directly from the factory. I’m not implying that the vendors got the second rate bbls. I’m simply relating my experiences to you and saying that any bbl. maker can make a mistake, just like any of them can produce the next record holder. The difference is how they make it right.
I hope this helps,
Lloyd
I bought a 6mm Krieger from a vendor, had it chambered at my one and only “smith” and it didn’t act right from the 1st break-in shot until I pulled it 175 rounds later. It copper fouled badly, and I could feel a tight spot at about the 75% mark measuring from the breech. The cleaner the bbl. got, the less obvious the “tight spot” was. After taking it to a 1K match and having a round fail to arrive on shot #17, I pulled the bbl. and contacted Krieger. I was instructed to ship the bbl. to them, which I did. The same day the bbl. arrived at Krieger I got a call from the gentleman in charge of QC. Apparently, there was a 1.750” tear in the lands at the exact place I explained to him on the phone that the cleaning patch got tight. Long story short, Krieger sent me a replacement bbl. inside 2 weeks and it’s still the best shooting 6mm barrel I own. I will buy Krieger’s again without hesitation as the need arises, but I’ll buy directly from the factory. I’m not implying that the vendors got the second rate bbls. I’m simply relating my experiences to you and saying that any bbl. maker can make a mistake, just like any of them can produce the next record holder. The difference is how they make it right.
I hope this helps,
Lloyd
I have two bad bbl's right now.. both of them are Rock Creek.
They are bad to the bone!
They are bad to the bone!
65joe said:
I normaly use hammer forged barrels. They are extrem uniform and the inner diameter is made on CIP minumum +0,0002".
I`m able to measure the inner diameter within a tolerance of 0,0001" and if the inner diameter is not 100% uniform, I can partial lapp it.
But sometimes it happens, that a 100% perfekt barrel don`t shoot perfekt - not bad - but not perfekt. I don`t know why.
Then you have only one chance: change the barrel.
But I also shoot with realy cheap rifles with have a 0,004" wider inner diameter, a lot of tool markings inside and with and unbeliveable accuracy of 1/2 MOA or less...
There are no rules - every barrel is different.
The best way to get a good one is to buy a good blank that is mounted right by an expert.
Got a 20cal krieger back today with an inclusion 8 inches back from the crown. That is the 2nd 20cal from krieger going back in the last 3 months. It got by there QC and also got by the hawkeye in my shop. The barrel will be sent back to krieger monday.
If krieger stands behind the barrel great, I do stand behind my work and have a lilja 20cal that will be here next week.
Kyle
If krieger stands behind the barrel great, I do stand behind my work and have a lilja 20cal that will be here next week.
Kyle
I've had some that were better than others, but as for a bad one....no. The worst I have had was a 8 twist 22 cal sporter contour that I installed on a turd Winchester action. It was a 1/2" group shooter at 100 yards. All others have shot .3's or less.
I'll take that back, I once installed a 7mm rem mag chromoly that would only do 3/4" at 100. I will never do another of their barrels!!! I won't mention their name but it starts with a "d".
I'll take that back, I once installed a 7mm rem mag chromoly that would only do 3/4" at 100. I will never do another of their barrels!!! I won't mention their name but it starts with a "d".
holstil
Silver $$ Contributor
It wouldn't suprise me if people buy a few at a time, dial them in a lathe and look through em and pick the best and sell the rest.
I sent a Krieger back to them after having done this. The barrel had a crook in it, more than most. I sent the blank to them and they told me what thier tolerences are and gave me a lesson on TIR. Whatever, how about another barrel? They said no problem, 8 weeks later I have a laser looking tube waiting to go on my next DAsher.
Jim
I sent a Krieger back to them after having done this. The barrel had a crook in it, more than most. I sent the blank to them and they told me what thier tolerences are and gave me a lesson on TIR. Whatever, how about another barrel? They said no problem, 8 weeks later I have a laser looking tube waiting to go on my next DAsher.
Jim
I have been lucky enough not to have a bad barrel. Maybe, I just haven't ever been able to shoot well enough to know. "Bad Barrels" happen. Sometimes the cause can be somewhat easily detected (visual flaws, etc.). Sometimes barrels just won't shoot and the cause may be not easily found or may be otherwise impossible to say why. I was just wondering what the answer was to another part of the original post---if a barrel has been found by the barrel maker to be "A Bad Barrel"; has the company in anyway compensated the purchaser for the time, effort, and cost of smithing the original barrel?
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