best prefit barrel for savage model 12? suggestions please.

[chevytruck_83]

Im tossing around the idea of swapping my 1x7 twist savage bvss to 6mm br. My question is, with so many companies making prefit barrels for the savages. are there any that stand out as being the best? Is there a certain rifling, number of grooves or length etc that works best? I like the idea of running untouched lapua brass. is this something that needs to be considered? I most likely wont be competing so Ill be shooting the bullets that shoot good without breaking the bank. Like the 105 a max.

 

[MarkS]

Northland great to deal.

withhttp://www.savageshooters.com/showthread.php?6274-CBI-(Criterion)-Rifle-Barrels

Mark Schronce

 

[284driver]

McGowan has a short wait on prefits from their online store. They shoot well.

 

[fm1947]

Shilen

 

[kelbro]

I have had great results from both Shilen and McGowen barrels.

 

[jonbearman]

I have had mixed results with shilen,however the best shooters are mcgowen for me.Pac-nor's are good and if you have your own reamer Jim at Northland will have them chamber your barrel with that reamer but it takes longer.

 

[LRPV]

I have only had one each of Mcgowan (6br) and Criterion (22-250AI), both bought from Jim at Northland. They both shoot good however MY 6br did not like the 105Amax at all. It would shoot most everything else I put through it quite well. It cleaned easy and I had no complaints other than I couldn't get it shoot that bullet.

I have been completely impressed by the Criterion I have.

 

[fm1947]

have any of you bought the Mcgowen target big barrel, that starts at 1.200, I wonder do you use your regular nut, or do they have a larger one for the barrel side ,the large nut inner diameter is only 1.130, so may be you must screw nut on all the way back, then screw on barrel?

 

[Nomad47]

I have 3 Criterion barrels that I bought from Jim Briggs - 6XC & .284 for a PTA and a 6XC for a 12 BVSS. I also have a Shilen 6-284 for the 12 BVSS but the jury is still out on that one. The Criterions are all great and I have a 243AI on order.

 

[chevytruck_83]

wow. seems like a complete toss up.

 

[RonS]

chevytruck, I doubt if I'll be competing with mine either. It's a 24" Pac-Nor 14T 3G 6BR barrel that loves 55gr Nosler Spitzers but will also shoot Speer, Barnes, Sierra and Bergers bullets up to 68gr very well. IMO, the barrel will tell you what it like, I was totally surprised that mine shoots the 55gr Nosler better than all the rest. The 3 groove barrel is very easy the keep clean. The 55gr. Noslers also help offset the cost of the Lapua brass, less than $75 for a 1000 rounds. The other bullets work in my two other 6mm barreled guns.

 

[chevytruck_83]

how do the 55 grain do in the wind?

 

[CanusLatransSnpr]

I have a .243 Win. McGowen 12tw. 26" length varmint taper that shoots extremely well! Then I have a .243 A.I. Criterion 8tw 28" bull taper that I haven't had the opportunity to shoot yet. I will say that I am impressed with Jim @ Northland's service. He's topnotch! As far as a PacNor and you having to have a chamber reamer to finish a prefit? I don't think that is true for the Savage prefits. Now for the Rem. and other action makes they offer a short chambered prefit for them!

Mike

 

[rich44]

I have barrels from Shilen, Lothar Walther, Pacnor, Benchmark on Savage actions they all shoot very well and if I were in the market for another I would just take whichever one I could get quicker

 

[RonS]

chevytruck, I must admit they don't do well in the wind but on a calm day they can't be beat, even out to 200 yards, whistling along at about 3600 fps kicked off by a full case of IMR 4895. I have used Pac-Nor, Shilen and coming soon McGowen barrels for my Savage rifles and found they all shoot better than the factory barrels, so like rick44 says whichever one is the fastest to get. Now McGowen offers one week delivery on select prefit Savage barrels.

 

[chevytruck_83]

3600 fps.. holy freaking wow. foes the lighter faster bullet effect barrel length?

 

[RonS]

It's a 24" 14T Pac-Nor, this load is on the very edge of being "HOT" and I have reloaded those ten pieces of brass over ten times and neck sized only. The 55gr. Noslers are what I originally used to break in the barrel but they shot so well that I went back to them, I think these are the same bullets MidwayUSA sells as there 6mm DogTown bullets.

 

[chevytruck_83]

sorry. ment to say does it effect barrel life.

 

[RonS]

So far I don't know, its only got about 125 rounds through the tube, but I do plan on backing down on the charge before summer. If I'm not mistaken 3500 fps did just as good. I think I'm going to get a 26" 8T 6BR barrel for my target action, the .223 that on it now just ain't what it use to be.

 

[DennisH]

have any of you bought the Mcgowen target big barrel, that starts at 1.200, I wonder do you use your regular nut, or do they have a larger one for the barrel side ,the large nut inner diameter is only 1.130, so may be you must screw nut on all the way back, then screw on barrel?

All Large Shank and Target Shank McGowen Barrels start at 1.115. One barrel nut fits both Shanks.

Screw the nut on the barrel until it stops, no force. Install your barrel. Set your headspace then start tightening the barrel nut.

You have any other questions, don't hesitate to PM me or email.

Dennis
McGowen Outlet