E.R. Shaw Rifle Barrels

[k80skeet]

Has anybody had any experience with E.R. Shaw barrels ?? How is the quality ??? How do they shoot??? I see they are very low priced for a Savage replacement barrel. Are they worth fooling with???

 

[boltfluter]

In a word "no". Save your money and get a top of the line barrel and don't look back.

Paul

 

[fdshuster]

Ditto what Paul said. I live 12 miles from the plant in nearby Presto Pa., so thought it may be a good source of a quality barrel.

They did a chrome moly for me in 250 Savage, fitted and blued ( gorgeous blueing job), total cost was $279.00. From the first day it copper fouled to the extreme. Fire 20 rounds and spend 2 hours with Sweets trying to get at least some of the copper out. "Groups" at 200 yards were in the 6" category.

Then I bought my first Hawkeye and was able to scope the bore. Found it to have the surface of a Nicholson file, filled with some of the worst reamer & tool marks I've ever seen.

Cleaned out the powder fouling, but left the copper remain, took it back to the shop & showed it to the owner. He came back & said "Don't go away". Returned with a refund check for $279 and an apology. He said they had some recent new hires and the barrel should have never left their shop in that condition. They do not at any time lap their barrels.

I still have a copy of that refund check if anyone doubts this. I know there will be those who will say they have a Shaw barrel that will "shoot dime sized groups all day", and for them, I say: "Good for you, but that was not my experience".

They must be doing something right though, since they have been in business at the same location since shortly after WW2.

 

[k80skeet]

Thanks Frank, That was the answer I was looking for. I really knew that $170.00 for a good barrel was too good to be true.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Didn't Savage use Shaw barrels before?

 

[fdshuster]

Ray: I can't speak for any other time, but in August 2000 I bought a new Savage mdl. 10FP,(pre-accutrigger) the bore was very rough, called Savage and spoke to the shop foreman, (his name was/is Joe DeGrand or LeGrand, I never can remember which), and during the conversation I asked him if Savage was using barrels made by E.R.Shaw. He sounded insulted when he said, " We make our own barrels".

Shaw was making the Adams & Bennet barrels that Midway sold, and I know they make a lot of AR barrels under contract. They got their start after WW2 when they were making replacement barrels for Mausers and Springfields.

Incidently, I shipped that mdl 10FP back to Savage and about a month later it came back with a really nice barrel, short throat and a great 2 1/4 pound trigger. Shot some great groups with it and it was always easy to clean. That barrel burned out at around 4500 rounds & it was replaced with a Hart 1-8.

 

[Larryh128]

I have a Shaw barrel on a 223AI that is very accurate. It will connect 3 at 300 yds out of a lightweight rifle, cleans decent but not a good as a lapped barrel. That is the 3rd Shaw barrel that I've worked on & they all shot good. One was a 22-250 that would ring 5" steel at 500 yds consistantly. It's like anything else, they all make good barrels & not so good barrels. What I can tell you is that they are very easy people to deal with & will correct any issue that you might have.

 

[fdshuster]

Larry: Yes, and that's what impressed me, a complete refund with no questions asked. I know there are some who would blame everything but the barrel, but they accepted responsibility right up front.

 

[placek59]

It depends on what you are looking for... I bought a 338 Federal barrel from midway (Adams & Bennett) and it shoots good (~1 moa, sometimes less) for a hunting rifle, which is what it is. I ordered my brother a .260 varmint barrel and we could not get it to shoot less than 2" @100 yds and it had a weird "spot" or "knick" on the side of the chamber that would easily show up and could be felt on the brass. We were able to get his money back and he ordered a Criterion and hasn't looked back. These were both for savage rifles.

 

[huffmanite]

About 18 months ago, ordered a chromemoly Shaw magnum contour Savage replacement barrel in 6.5x55 Swede. Was told 12 to 16 wks delivery. It was close to 21 weeks when I received it. Anyway, 3/4" groups at 100 yds is normally the best I can do with mine. From what I gather reading posts on other websites about accuracy of Shaw barrels, 3/4" is typical with them. I've read folks complaining about Shaw barrels copper fouling badly. While my Shaw does copper foul, consider its fouling typical of most of the rifles I own and I own around 25 rifles.

 

[5spd]

I have 2 Er shaws from midway and both shoot from .333"-.600" w/my handloads in .224 cal 1/14" twist. I would not have a problem buying another from them.
Neither one mine copper, nothing but great results with them to date and over 3K rounds through each barrel and still shooting small holes in targets as well as p-dogs & coyotes.
Sure you can spend more, BUT that never means you will get a great barrel either. No reason to over spend when they shoot as well as they do for a good price.

 

[Larryh128]

I really don't think that all of those A & B barrels were made by Shaw. I've seen a couple that looked like they were rifled with a chisel & broad axe. That isn't typical of a broached barrel. The Shaw barrels typically won't have as many tool marks as some other non-lapped barrels because they button them after heat treating. Makes for a smoother interior.

 

[sundance]

I bought a used 25-06 rifle at a Tulsa gun show 8-9 years ago and it shot 3-4 inch groups at 100 yards and fouled badly.I took it to my smith who borescoped it .He said it was one of the worst barrels he had seen. "It should not have left the factory" were his words. I called shaw and asked them if they wanted me to return it to them for inspection. They told me no and they did not care what it looked like or that it was bad. My gunsmith had a new remington take off 25-06 barrel that he installed and shot great.
I must thank shaw for one thing though.This incident made me go out and buy a borescope and has saved me lots of $$$ since then.

 

[ReedG]

If you want a hand-lapped cut-rifled benchrest quality barrel, they cost around $575 chambered and threaded. If you want a replacement barrel for a Savage action that is comparable to or better than factory barrels, E.R. Shaw is your barrel.

 

[JORTZ]

If your on a budget for a rifle there is nothing wrong with er shaw barrels. Heck ive used green mountain for hunting rifle and have shot better than factory.

 

[Raythemanroe]

Have you guys seen Bergara barrel? They were brought up to speed by Shilen, although there not hand lapped they are lapped there tolerances are very good..Another option for a button rifled barrel

 

[NorCalMikie]

Had a E.R Shaw Blued CM 15" heavy barrel fitted by them to my XP 100 action. Deadly acurate out to 440 yards and cleaned up as smooth as silk.
Had another heavy 26" Shaw barrel chambered in 6 BR for my Savage action. Another bug hole maker and cleans up like one of the best.
As far as the A & B barrels? Picked up one from Midway in .221 Fireball that was also another bug hole maker. Accuracy that was real hard to believe and cleaned up like the best.
Same goes for Green Mountain Barrels. Nothing but super good results in two ($100.00 ea.) 20 caliber blanks that were chambered in 20 VT and my 20 VT "short" wildcat.
Shaw has been around a long time and IMHO, still making good barrels.