inexpensive blanks

[Kings X]

Don't overlook Shilen. Quality barrels at a fair price and sometimes - short delivery. I had them ship in 1-2 weeks.
Just don't ask for the 22 rimfire barrels - those are taking a very very long time.

 

[padom]

Here some of the initial testing with the 223 GM I did.

26" Green Mountain 1.2" Straight 1-8
TL3 Single shot


80 SMK
24.0gr Varget
Lapua brass
Federal 205M
2830
SD 7

300yd.

One shot at orange sticker to check POA/POI. Made adjustment..

Then 1 5 shot group and 2 10shot groups.

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400yd

Last 4 rounds I had left on a piece of steel

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[cb186]

I haven't bought any Wilsons from RH in a while, but planned on ordering a couple for next years PD builds. So they aren't getting barrels like they used to?

 

[Evlshnngns]

I have an xcaliber that shoots great. Their blanks are a decent price on sale.

Sample of 1, but I'll try another.

 

[simo hayha]

Green mountain and Shaw are probably your best bet.

 

[linebaugh]

I haven't bought any Wilsons from RH in a while, but planned on ordering a couple for next years PD builds. So they aren't getting barrels like they used to?

Last 2 times I tried to order the barrels I wanted out of stock and he did not know when they would be in. Ended up going with a GM and a preferred.

 

[SKWERLZ]

Don't overlook Shilen. Quality barrels at a fair price and sometimes - short delivery. I had them ship in 1-2 weeks.
Just don't ask for the 22 rimfire barrels - those are taking a very very long time.

I like Shilens and have had quite a few but I’d hardly call them a cheap option.

 

[jpjulian]

Just for info purposes....... I bought a Douglas barrel for my .223WSSM last summer. I also have a Douglas on an M1A from around 1995-6 or so that is very accurate out to 600 yards. This .223 barrel was not lapped and it shows machine marks from one end to the other. It will not shoot sub moa but is maybe still good enough to turn a PD into red mist. Still, I would be hesitant to purchase another one now. I'm thinking of fire lapping it knowing it may become a tomato stake sooner rather than later. Be aware Douglas barrels may not be the Douglas barrels from back in the day. YMMV

 

[std7mag]

If you can get one of E.R. Shaw's specials, they aren't badly priced.
But to order one, they are comparative in price for a Shilen.
Don't forget to add in the wait.

I got a Douglas right before Stan passed away.
Decent barrel and the wait wasn't too long.

One problem with Douglas is if you want your barrel blued, they don't do it. They have someone local that does it for them. But you have to send a separate check.

And I wasn't too impressed with the bluing from Douglas or Shilen.

The bluing on the 4 E.R. Shaw barrels that I have gotten have been a thing of beauty!

All of the barrels that I have gotten from the different manufacturers have shot well.

 

[Sniperhandle]

Stan sent me prefits for less when he was running things, but I suppose things have gone up like everything else. Who knows.

The new owners at Douglas are going to have a rough go if they don't bring their shipping prices back in line with everybody else, I was going to buy a barrel a few days ago until the shipping quote popped up, $63.00 to Utah from WV. I went on around 5 different barrel manufacturers and added barrels to the cart, The cheapest was $30.00 flat rate, The highest was $43.00.

I understand shipping has gone up, But when the guys charging the highest amount can do it for $20.00 less, Something is wrong, Stan was good people R.I.P. Stan.

I watched an interview from the new owner/owners and he thinks he is going to be able to bring Douglas to the top of the heap. Douglas is a niche market. I just don't see that happening. But if I was in his shoes the first thing I would do is hire a good lapper and start offering lapped barrels. I know Douglas has always said their barrels don't need lapping but some people won't buy a barrel that isn't lapped, That is the first thing I would change, Not the shipping prices.

 

[Rat Rifle]

The new owners at Douglas are going to have a rough go if they don't bring their shipping prices back in line with everybody else, I was going to buy a barrel a few days ago until the shipping quote popped up, $63.00 to Utah from WV. I went on around 5 different barrel manufacturers and added barrels to the cart, The cheapest was $30.00 flat rate, The highest was $43.00.

I understand shipping has gone up, But when the guys charging the highest amount can do it for $20.00 less, Something is wrong, Stan was good people R.I.P. Stan.

I watched an interview from the new owner/owners and he thinks he is going to be able to bring Douglas to the top of the heap. Douglas is a niche market. I just don't see that happening. But if I was in his shoes the first thing I would do is hire a good lapper and start offering lapped barrels. I know Douglas has always said their barrels don't need lapping but some people won't buy a barrel that isn't lapped, That is the first thing I would change, Not the shipping prices.

Just guessing here, but not all barrel shippers include insurance, and they don’t all package the barrel adequately. If Douglas is including things like this, it adds to the cost and protects the customer.

 

[jelenko]

One shot at orange sticker to check POA/POI. Made adjustment..

Then 1 5 shot group and 2 10shot groups.

The orange dot is 1"? The black lines 1/2" apart?

 

[prone.life]

Outlier Barrels offer "sub moa guaranteed" blanks for $200. Company was founded in 2021 by the same folks who founded Arken.

 

[Sniperhandle]

Outlier Barrels offer "sub moa guaranteed" blanks for $200. Company was founded in 2021 by the same folks who founded Arken.

That's for a 16 inch barrel, You start selecting the options to make it a useful barrel and it's $350 to $400

 

[Judd]

Sniper…useful is relative. But I get what you’re saying and you aren’t wrong.

 

[prone.life]

That's for a 16 inch barrel, You start selecting the options to make it a useful barrel and it's $350 to $400

OP asked for a blank, not a prefit, not chambered. You can get a 26" 1.2" straight blank for $250. Even if you add in Rem700 prefit and a chamber it's still under $400 which is less than a lot of blanks on the market.

 

[V35]

I may buy an Outlier blank and use it as a fire form barrel on a particular cartridge I am doing soon. It will end up forming 800 pieces of brass in a cartridge that will burn out a barrel in that time. It wont take long to see how good it is. The other hang up with Outlier is the limited twist and contour choices.

 

[Sniperhandle]

OP asked for a blank, not a prefit, not chambered. You can get a 26" 1.2" straight blank for $250. Even if you add in Rem700 prefit and a chamber it's still under $400 which is less than a lot of blanks on the market.

Well from the way I'm looking at it, You can get a contoured Wilson Blank 26 inches long for between 200.00 to 250.00 which are proven to be a good barrel. If you just want a straight 1.250 blank (Not Contoured) you can get them pretty cheap from Green Mountain for around $70.00.

So my point is, Outlier barrels isn't all that cheap for what you are getting.