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Douglas barrels

RonS

In searching for a barrel for my next project, I stumbled upon Douglas Barrels. After looking them up and finding the caliber and twist I've been looking for, I decided to check the list of barrel makers on this site but found they are not listed. So before I purchase from them I'd like to know your opinions of their products. This barrel will be for plinking, target and hunting. Thanks....

Ron
 
That depends on what type of accuracy your expecting.
Douglas makes fine barrels so does shilen both have a few different grades of barrels.
walther makes barrels too
The better grades are more expensive Hart Bartline Kreiger are quite popular and give benchrest accuracy.
There are others too I'm sure others will chime in.
 
RonS said:
In searching for a barrel for my next project, I stumbled upon Douglas Barrels. After looking them up and finding the caliber and twist I've been looking for, I decided to check the list of barrel makers on this site but found they are not listed. So before I purchase from them I'd like to know your opinions of their products. This barrel will be for plinking, target and hunting. Thanks....

Ron
Click to expand...
Both of the Dakota Rifles I've owned were barreled at the Dakota factory with Douglas Barrels. Both were scary accurate. I'd buy a barrel from them tomorrow. Good Luck. John Kruzan
 
I had a 7STW barreled with a Douglas Air-Gauged barrel and it shot very well.
All in all though I would choose (not that much more $$) a Bartlien or a Krieger.
 
What Dusty said . That is a good company and a good barrel . That's all I use to use 1970-80s . Probably because that's what my uncle used in his shop .
 
I have five or six of them on various guns.

They all shoot better than I can I know that.

I wouldn't hesitate to have another one.
 
I had one in .172. Had problems, found out the groove was .0015 too tight. I called them, they said send it back. They replaced it so that was good of them but the problem was I had $350+ into chambering, muzzle threaded that I never got back or heard anything about. So I'm still not very happy with them.
 
I have had three 223 bolt rifles rebarreled with Douglas premium grade barrels. They all shoot fantastic. The heavy barrel, No 5 contour is a 1/4 moa rifle. The other two are sporter weight barrels and shoot in the 1/2 moa range. My rifle smith who had been rebarreling rifles for 30+ years swears by Douglas. I'm completely satisfied with mine.
 
I have used them and they shoot fine. I remember back in the 70's when I got started seriously hunting, they were the only barrel anyone ever talked about. It was as if they were it, and maybe back then they were. If you were at the range and you had a "Douglas air gauged barrel" you were somebody.
Now, I get them in my shop and they shoot fine. You will see tooling marks in the bore just like a factory barrel and just like the same kind of marks I see in Shilen barrels.
If all I was after was a barrel that I knew would shoot good on a hunting rifle I would not hesitate. If I was building a rifle to be the best I own I would probably get something else. I barrel my own actions, but for the average guy that just wants a nice rifle it costs entirely too much to have one barreled and not spend a few dollars more for a better high end barrel with some resale value. Ask yourself this, two identical in every way nice custom rifles for sale, only difference is the barrels...price is the same, you going home with the Douglas or the Krieger????
 
IMO, Douglas barrels are just fine. As was said above, they used to be "it" when it came to custom barrels. Nowadays we have many as good or better choices. I'll get back on my stump & once more recommend that you call X-Caliber for your needs. They are helpful, quick, will make any contour you can describe & the price ain't bad either. My X-Caliber barrels are the only ones I can remember that never coppered at all from the very 1st shot. YMMV, but I think they are one of the better choices currently.
 
I decided to go Douglas on my mk13 build. Honestly, I'm a cut rifle guy but I needed a chromoly barrel in a custom taper. Had the barrel in three weeks. Shoots pretty well, maybe great, but I can't shoot a 300WM like a 6BR :)
 
Dusty Stevens said:
You cant be in business that long and make crap.
Click to expand...

As I mentioned recently in a different thread, lots of shooters chase the current "in" name when dealing with barrels.

But the Douglas name has been there, consistently, for as long as I can remember (five decades worth....).

Properly installed, they will outshoot the abilities of the vast majority of shooters.
 
My first Douglas was in 1972. That thing was a shooter. My last Douglas was a couple of years ago and it also is a shooter. These barrels shoot much better then I do...I don't need a super custom barrel. So, for my present build I went with McGowen. Go figure!
 
I used a Douglas barrel on a Savage build in a 221 fireball for my girlfriend. Great turn around time & Super customer service.
 
The two Douglas barrels I have shoot lights out. I have barrels from several others manufactures too, most of them shoot very good too but all of them cost more$$$, I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Douglas, not for a minute.
 
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