Barrels: Are All Customs Pretty Much The Same?

[dreever]

Since I don't do my own gunsmithing and have to pay to have a new barrel blank chambered and fitted I go by the old addage "Buy the best that you can afford" or "Buy once cry once." I can't see not buying the top of the line barrel blank just to save a couple of dollars.

Danny

 

[BoydAllen]

While doing barrel comparisons is beyond my means, except when I change brands from the one that I just wore out, I pay attention to what big budget shooters, that are doing well in competition are using. Recently an extremely reliable source told me that one of the top shooters in short range took delivery of 150 barrels at a major match. With that level of commitment and budget, he could be shooting anything that he wants, and can easily afford to buy five of each if that is what he wants. I also listen to gunsmiths who build for top shooters, whose reputations depend on the successes of their clients. It is not that I need this information very often, but when a new shooter, or someone building a top line custom hunting rifle asks me a question, I like to be able to give them a reliable and informed answer.

 

[Raythemanroe]

While doing barrel comparisons is beyond my means, except when I change brands from the one that I just wore out, I pay attention to what big budget shooters, that are doing well in competition are using. Recently an extremely reliable source told me that one of the top shooters in short ranger took delivery of 150 barrels at a major match. With that level of commitment and budget, he could be shooting anything that he wants, and can easily afford to buy five of each if that is what he wants. I also listen to gunsmiths who build for top shooters, whose reputations depend on the successes of their clients. It is not that I need this information very often, but when a new shooter, or someone building a top line custom hunting rifle asks me a question, I like to be able to give them a reliable and informed answer.

Mr. Allen what type of barrel would you recommend, most say cut is the pinnacle. I believe Broughton are button and DKhunt14's ten shot group at a 1000 yards was pretty darn impressive.

 

[BoydAllen]

As long as you are aware of the competition records of particular makers, I think that you are as qualified as I am on this subject. I would also pay attention to what calibers are doing well for different makers. For instance, although Pacnor has not done much in the 6PPC game, I have had good reports on their slow twist .30 BR barrels. I think that great barrels can be made with both button and cut process, but I believe that cut barrels have the edge on average dimensional, and twist correctness, and that they may be less prone to variations based on the skill of the person lapping them, given that they are cut closer to final dimension. One thing that I would recommend is slugging barrels to feel and measure what one has in hand, before doing any work on it. A friend has done this by casting laps, and although he has done a lot of work learning how to relap barrels, it has allowed him to feel and measure a barrel's internal variations in dimensions, even if his is not going to lap. As controversial as Bill Calfee has made himself, by his choice of how to describe some of the things that he does to tune rifles , one thing that I believe that he has contributed to gunsmithing of all types is revealing that he did not get good consistent top level results until he started slugging barrels so that he could determine where to cut and crown them. This has yet to become common practice, even among CF smiths of high reputation for building competition rifles, and one does not have to own a lathe or be the one chambering a barrel to do it.

 

[Raythemanroe]

This is a good piece of info for me at this time

 

[cmillard]

criterion makes a fine barrel

 

[Webster]

You make about 400 post a year. If you cannot make decisions find a top notch gunsmith discuss the basics about what you want and trust him to make good choices. you will get a rifle that shoots inaccurately.

 

[Rustystud]

Not all barrels are the same, many are very similar. The variables depend on the steel, and the processes involved and the steps taken, and the skill level of the final lapper. Both button and cut rifled barrels can be great shooters.

All of the barrel makers go through spells of good and better barrels due to the quality of the steel they receive from their vendors.

There are some great barrel makers in America and their barrels show up in the winners circle in many shooting disciplines over and over again.

There are some barrel makers who's barrels from time to time excel into the winners circle.

There are some barrel makers whose barrels are never in the winners circle.

I am a firm believer in you get what you pay for and better barrels usually are more expensive due to the time taken to make them special.

There are a couple of barrel makers who have cycled up and down over the years. It is sad to say their owners and managers don't have the integrity to admit when their barrels are on a downward cycle. The better barrel makers will accept that from time to time they make a crappy barrel and replace them without question. They bring them back in and inspect them and find what went wrong in their process. Be it raw material or their process.

Another factor is many who get rifles re-barreled lack the knowledge or skill level to evaluate what they have. I mean that in shooting skills, reloading skills, barrel cleaning skills, and barrel inspecting skills. One man's treasure may be another's mans trash. Barrels are classed in hummers that consistently shoot groups in the single digits and teens, barrels that shoot groups in the teens and low .2s, barrels that shoot in the .2s and .3s. There are many barrels that will shoot in the .3s to .5s. The needs vary between disciplines. I build a lot of F-class guns and a great starting criteria is having a barrel that will consistently shoot 20 shot groups under .3 to.4", when a 20 shot group opens up to .6 or .7 the rifle needs to be replaced to be competitive at 600- 1000 yards.
Benchrest standards are higher than F-Class standards but not by much. I know of several smiths who re-contour used target barrels and make them hunting rifle barrels. Most hunting rifle shooters would be very satisfied with a .5" rifle.

I say what I say because I have experienced it all in 40 plus years of installing barrels on rifles. I try to only use the best barrels made because I don't need the headaches associated with a lessor quality barrel. Cheap barrels and cheap smithing don't consistently get you ahead. Shooting is not a poor mans sport.

There are always new barrel makers and new processes going on in the barrel world.
It is interesting to see a high end barrel makers stay with what they know works and new guys experiment an find something new that works better.

Just my two cents worth.
Nat Lambeth