Barrel makers with the least rejects

[Gil P.]

For those of you who go through lots of barrels, which companies have you seen that consistently make great barrels?

I'm not asking for anyone to out a particular company that's notorious for making sub par barrels, just list the good ones.

 

[Straightshooter1]

For those of you who go through lots of barrels, which companies have you seen that consistently make great barrels?

I'm not asking for anyone to out a particular company that's notorious for making sub par barrels, just list the good ones.

I've been very happy with Krieger barrels.

You might find this, if you haven't already seen it, of interest as I feel it relates to your question:

Precision Rifle Barrels – What The Pros Use

This is an exciting post, because many believe the barrel is THE most important component of a preci...

precisionrifleblog.com

 

[Rope2horns]

A hummer barrel could have any makers name on it. I've had great barrels that I couldn't do justice from the "top three"...Bartlein/Brux/Krieger.

 

[Rob01]

Bartlein.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Similar to factory barrels (e.g. Remington and Ruger) where you might get lucky to get a good shooting barrel, the high end barrel makers have variance too in how good their barrels will shoot. . . . just not as much variance as those factory barrels. Because of that, I've heard serious shooting competitors remark that they'll buy several barrels from their preferred barrel company and test them to find the one barrel that shoots the best for their competition gun.

 

[LVLAaron]

Gordy Gritters - has chambered probably 10k barrels in his career. In his class he talks about this. As others have said, there's no right or wrong answer to the question. Any one maker can have a new guy come in and lap barrels wrong. Most people wouldn't know that's the problem, but it can happen to any maker.

He'll not mention brands because it's not fair to the makers who have had a bad piece of steel.

It's worth taking his class just to learn how to inspect the barrel with a lead slug and get a good idea of problem areas in the bore, and if it should be sent back to the maker. It's an eye opening bit of knowledge.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Its unlikely you will get a meaningful answer to your question. Most of us that use a lot of barrels do not use enough of each maker to give you a good answer. I use a lot of Kriegers, I can say they have a very low rejection rate, but until I use an equal amount of all the others I dont have a frame of reference to compare them to. Theres some great barrels out there that people dont give a chance to because they are buttons. Some of the best barrels I have owned have been button barrels. I use Krieger, Bartlien, Brux, Broughton, Rock Creek, Hawk Hill, and Lilja. I wont use anything I dont feel is top shelf, my name goes on the finished product. Theres other good ones out there too.

 

[Gil P.]

Similar to factory barrels (e.g. Remington and Ruger) where you might get lucky to get a good shooting barrel, the high end barrel makers have variance too in how good their barrels will shoot. . . . just not as much variance as those factory barrels. Because of that, I've heard serious shooting competitors remark that they'll buy several barrels from their preferred barrel company and test them to find the one barrel that shoots the best for their competition gun.

That makes sense, I want to be able to afford to do that too haha.

 

[Gil P.]

Its unlikely you will get a meaningful answer to your question. Most of us that use a lot of barrels do not use enough of each maker to give you a good answer. I use a lot of Kriegers, I can say they have a very low rejection rate, but until I use an equal amount of all the others I dont have a frame of reference to compare them to. Theres some great barrels out there that people dont give a chance to because they are buttons. Some of the best barrels I have owned have been button barrels. I use Krieger, Bartlien, Brux, Broughton, Rock Creek, Hawk Hill, and Lilja. I wont use anything I dont feel is top shelf, my name goes on the finished product. Theres other good ones out there too.

I heard the same thing about buttoned vs cut rifled barrels. Both are equally as accurate re and last as long as the other.

I made this post to see if I could get some kind of consensus.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

What kind of rifle? That may be a better way to get a consensus. Certain bore/groove configurations seem to do well in specific uses.

 

[JBT47]

For those of you who go through lots of barrels, which companies have you seen that consistently make great barrels?

I'm not asking for anyone to out a particular company that's notorious for making sub par barrels, just list the good ones.

ABC, Lilja, Krieger and Bartlein.

 

[MikeMcCasland]

I heard the same thing about buttoned vs cut rifled barrels. Both are equally as accurate re and last as long as the other.

I made this post to see if I could get some kind of consensus.

If there is one topic you won't get a consensus on here, it's barrel quality, or rifling type.

You've got a few guys in here who ought to know what they're talking about, and they're basically telling you to choose a reputable name and just go with it; same with rifling type. There may be minute advantages in very specific situations, but generally speaking if there were a massive difference, we'd all be running that one brand or that one rifling type.

I seek out Brux & Kriegers these days, but I wouldn't hesitate to run a barrel from any of the mfgs Alex mentioned. Oddly enough though, the only "dud" barrel I ever had was a Krieger; it was the most accurate barrel I'd ever shot until it suddenly struggled to hold the 9 ring at 1000, somewhere around ~800 rounds. I'll still shoot them though.

Perhaps more important than which reputable mfg you go with is using a well established/"known to work" reamer (and one from JGS or Manson for that matter), and get a good smith to do the work.

You do those three things, and know how to develop a load; your rifle is more than likely going to shoot very well.

 

[ballisticxlr]

I burn 3 a year on average. I've had send-backs with almost every company I've tried except Columbia River Arms, Hart, Bartlien and Brux. The last 3 I haven't bought enough barrels from to make a judgement and not had any send-backs with those. CRA I've bought more than 20 barrels over the years. For rifling, button vs. cut, bah. Hasn't mattered a lick. What has mattered, polygonal rifling from CRA. My pressures are lower and I get quite a bit longer barrel life with my barrel burning hot 6mm's 7mags. Velocities are slightly lower with CRA than others though, 50fps-ish, probably because of reduced friction reducing pressure.

 

[PRECISIONWELDING01]

BRUX

 

[Liven The Dream]

I like Alex's point what is it for or use..

I have been Blasting Paper for 50 years now.
Target Rifles( In the day Obermeyer .), Krieger,( Brux as of Now) Bartlien Mark Charlyn .

Hunting Rifle Best I ever had Harry McGowen , Douglas ,Krieger

 

[338 Mollett]

What exists is a gap in perspective.The guy that wants and does hit a milk jug every time at 100 yds. will be easy to satisfy . The guy that wants to shoot a group at .0001 is going to have a different perspective.Given all the crazy variables that can influence a barrel shooting small, people have to keep an open mind on their expectations.Also a good education on the subject will help. Every barrel maker has made a barrel that is not a world record holder.And every barrel maker has made some real shooters .Without throwing names out there to start a poop storm , I intended to establish platforms of communication between customers ,barrel makers ,and gun smiths so all can find a way to be satisfied .

 

[butchlambert]

I've had great barrels from a lot of MFGS. Post#2 is a 6 year old post about 1 discipline. If I'm building a hunting rifle to kill a deer or hog size target I will not pay an additional $150 for a "name" barrel. If it shoots MOA everytime with a cold, hot, dirty, or clean barrel I'll shoot it. I'm not hung up on saying I have a "name" barrel.

 

[Gil P.]

What kind of rifle? That may be a better way to get a consensus. Certain bore/groove configurations seem to do well in specific uses.

I had no idea that mattered. I shoot in PRS/NRL matches. Which bore /groove configuration would be best for that?

Ive got two rifles chambered in 6.5x47 Lapua. Shooting 130 VLDs and 140 Hybrids. One in heavy palma contour, the other in mtu or m24, I can't remember wich. One rifle is using a BAT TR, the other a trued 700.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

You do see certain barrels consistently do well in certain types of shooting. I believe they have a good bore volume for the bullets used and thats why they tend to work well. Some barrels are fast and I lean towards them for hunting builds. In PRS, you wont be held back by the barrel. Choose any of them and go practice tuning and shooting from your positions.

 

[XTR]

There are very few of us who have enough experience to give you any kind of an answer that has any basis other than the occasional statistical anomaly when talking about the main barrel makers out there. I've personally shot my way to the podium with Lilja, ABC, Keriger, Bartline, and maybe a Brux in there too.

I don't shoot BR but I've read statements some very experienced members here that 5 groove barrels seem not to shoot the 6s as well when you are trying to get into the low .1s to .0s in the BR game. Personally my guns (in my case 308s and 223s) typically run no better than the .25 to .3 i ideal conditions at 300 yds, but in F class that is all I need.

I've got a fair pile of used barrels, of all of them there is a possibility that one of them may be not up to scratch, but I haven't had time to figure out if it is the barrel or the load, and it's twin, chambered that the same time, shoots great.

Bottom line is that for most of us it doesn't really matter.