Barrels: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

[Phil3]

I have often read that ANY barrel maker can turn out a dud, and my very first rifle was proof positive of that. I raise this, along with photographic evidence, to show people that even the best, make mistakes. Dramatic ones..., like shown in the photo.

This is the muzzle end of a brand new barrel, direct from the barrel maker. The barrel was never fired, nor the interior touched with a cleaning rod or anything else (except a Q-tip). It is a .223. The barrel maker is a very well known, highly regarded cut-rifled barrel maker. Upon seeing the photo, they asked the barrel be returned. They inspected it and informed me the barrel would be replaced. The new barrel shoots very well.

It puzzles me how such a glaring defect could ever get past inspection, and the maker told me they would investigate their quality assurance processes. I hope they did. The defect was pretty serious and would easily snag a Q-tip rubbed against it. I would buy another barrel from them, as I know on average, they are highly regarded and turn out an excellent product (including the replacement barrel).

Phil

 

[Cool Tool]

I have often read that ANY barrel maker can turn out a dud, and my very first rifle was proof positive of that. I raise this, along with photographic evidence, to show people that even the best, make mistakes. Dramatic ones..., like shown in the photo.

This is the muzzle end of a brand new barrel, direct from the barrel maker. The barrel was never fired, nor the interior touched with a cleaning rod or anything else (except a Q-tip). It is a .223. The barrel maker is a very well known, highly regarded cut-rifled barrel maker. Upon seeing the photo, they asked the barrel be returned. They inspected it and informed me the barrel would be replaced. The new barrel shoots very well.

It puzzles me how such a glaring defect could ever get past inspection, and the maker told me they would investigate their quality assurance processes. I hope they did. The defect was pretty serious and would easily snag a Q-tip rubbed against it. I would buy another barrel from them, as I know on average, they are highly regarded and turn out an excellent product (including the replacement barrel).

PhilView attachment 987706

Was this barrel just a turn barrel or was it chamber threaded cut an crown ready for head spacing.

 

[ShootDots]

Even barrels with apparently no defects can and will be, as you say, a "dud". I have had a barrel or 2 from prominent barrel makers that simply would not shoot. I would take them to my 'smith who would look down the bore with his Hawkeye and not see any flaws, yet they would not shoot! When I say they would not shoot, I mean they would do no better than 1 m.o.a. out to 300 yards. If they can't be at least 1/3rd M.O.A. or slightly better, they will not be competitive! This does not mean the barrel was "bad", per se, it was simply not "good enough" to be competitive. In those cases I never send the barrel back, it's a "good barrel", just not good enough for competition! I have also had barrels that will only shoot, as far as I could find, just one load with one bullet>>>period! VERY finicky. Then you get normal barrels that are just good barrels that shoot 1/4 to 1/3 m.o.a. and they are excellent! AND then, from time to time, you get a real "hummer"! They shoot so well with just about anything and everything you put down the bore, you think you could put stones as bullets and they would shoot! These are hard to come by>>but when you do, you know it! And every barrel maker makes all of the above barrels!

 

[dickn52]

Every barrel I ever bought was cut 1 inch on either end then finished by my smith. In fact that is stamped in the metal on the ends. I buy 30" barrels for a 28" barrel finished product.

 

[Liven The Dream]

The only barrel I ever had that would not shoot came on a factory rifle.
I have been lucky for over 30+ year of shooting HP and Long Range.
I have had or have barrels from the Top and Middle Barrel Makers . They all shot and made it to the Winners circle .

I have had and have one right now in .308 1-12 twist. It should as most shoot Varget Powder with 175 Gr. Match Grade Bullets well.
It will not shoot Varget .........
I put IMR4320 in it and it shoots Bug Holes.
Sometimes you think and look out of the box.
I have two more .308 barrels from the same Guy and Varget is just dandy .

 

[IdahoCTD]

I've had the best luck with cut rifled barrels for consistent accuracy although my most accurate barrel was a button rifled barrel. I've had a lot of bad shooting button rifled barrels over the last 25 years. They seem to come in waves from the button barrel companies. I'm not sure if that is from bad steel, improper rifling or just not inspecting them but once I get a few bad ones I move on to another company and never look back. Any more I just try to buy cut rifled barrels. It's hard to beat Brux, Bartlein, or Krieger IMO. About the only button rifled barrel I've never had a issue with after using a pretty good amount of them is Schneider.

 

[Milo 2.0]

I'm not sure why the barrel in pic is an issue, most barrel blanks are made to cut 1-2" off the muzzle end. The chamber end is taken care of by a reamer, even a 6br case will use the first 2".

 

[Phil3]

Was this barrel just a turn barrel or was it chamber threaded cut an crown ready for head spacing.

I was also asked, "I'm not sure why the barrel in pic is an issue, most barrel blanks are made to cut 1-2" off the muzzle end. The chamber end is taken care of by a reamer, even a 6br case will use the first 2".

--------------

This barrel was for an AR-15. It came chambered, crowned, gas port hole drilled, and fitted with a barrel extension for the bolt, and ready to fire. No further gunsmithing was needed. The barrel maker quickly admitted to a problem.

The replacement barrel was identical to the first (except free of the defect), was attached to the upper receiver, assembled, and fired, performing quite well.

Phil

 

[Phil]

Monday`s and Friday`s account for 40% of the work week..................

Phil.

 

[Milo 2.0]

I apologize, lol. What kind of a crown is that, a 45 deg?

 

[butchlambert]

What was I supposed to learn from this thread?

 

[Phil3]

I apologize, lol. What kind of a crown is that, a 45 deg?

It is a standard 11 degree. The part right adjacent to the lands is much steeper, but to what angle, I do not know. - Phil

 

[wooger]

That isn't an 11 degree crown, it's been re cut. This is an example of an 11 degree crown.

 

[Phil3]

That isn't an 11 degree crown, it's been re cut. This is an example of an 11 degree crown.

Please see http://forum.accurateshooter.com/threads/barrel-crown-what-is-it-exactly.3100782/. There is obviously debate on what a crown is. I can't say what was or was not recut, or what happened inside the factory. All I can say in addition to what I have already said is that the replacement barrel looks just like the one pictured. The large angle from barrel outside edges to the outside edge of bore chamfer is 11 degrees. The angle of the small chamfer at the edge of the bore is too small for me to measure. The barrel maker at the time said they use a pilot in the bore to crown and it looked like something went wrong where use of the pilot marred the bore.

Phil