Does anyone have any experience with Lothar Walther barrels? I thinking about buying one in 9.3mm and don't want to be disappointed. This is going to be for a hunting rifle and any opinions are welcome.
Thank you
Thank you
lothar walther barrels
- Thread starter firearmdoc1
- Start date
butchlambert
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If you don't have to deal with Woody W , you may be OK. They are certainly not BR quality or you would know that.
firearmdoc1 said:
I prever hammer forged barrels but LW make very good button rifled barrels and they use very good material and have a very good quality controll.
I've heard things about their steel being harder. My buddy had a lothar Walther pre fit put on his rem 700 in 308. He had the action trued when he had the barrel put on. We brought it out broke it in and sighted it in. 1st 5 shot group was just over a 1/4 inch. Went back to 400 and shot a 5 shot 1.5 inch group. We were impressed. This was all with the 1st hand load we put together.
butchlambert
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Not all of their barrels are from that alloy stainless. I believe it is a form of or brother to 17-4. I know they have CM barrels also.
I would like for someone to show me where they show up on the equipment list of a competition match. I've never seen them mentioned.
I would like for someone to show me where they show up on the equipment list of a competition match. I've never seen them mentioned.
I have 2 lothar walther barrels (308) they are very good barrels they both shoot 1/2" with the right load I don't think you will be disappointed
I have one on a savage, chambered in 6br. It shoots pretty darn good for a varmint rifle. I would say it is a 3/8 moa gun (sub .5 easily). It has shot a couple ~1/2" groups at 300, but sometimes the wind can blow 'em together too. It isn't quite a bench-rest quality barrel, but maybe it could be on a full-blown custom. If you are planning on using it for hunting, I wouldn't be scared of using one.
State Arms uses them exclusively on their 50 BMG's, and we've had good luck with the 2 we've had. That said, neither of the 50's we've owned were benchrest rigs. However, I know that some of their rifles have been winners in the 50 BMG arena. Not really what you were looking for, but I thought I'd atleast give some semi-positive info on them.
butchlambert
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sidecutter said:
That is not a correct statement regarding the steel.
The production of barrel blanks at Lothar Walther is accomplished in state of the art facilities. Our rifle barrels are produced using button rifling. We were the first to use this method and it has been in use since 1925. Our materials are specifically engineered to be used in our process. Our Normal Steel, what every one calls "Chrome-Moly" is a special alloy which is very fine grained. It will perform in all situations and will generate phenomenal accuracy. Our Stainless Steel is of a very special type which will give longer barrel life and can be used in all contours. It far exceeds the capabilities of 416R. We manufacture calibers which range from 17 caliber to 600 caliber. Most calibers are stocked in both normal steel and our stainless steel. The charts below give our standard stock barrel blanks. Even with this large selection, there are still many types of barrels which are not shown. There are straight octagon barrels in some calibers. Black powder barrels are available. If you do not see what you are looking for, give us a call, we may have something special hidden away just for you.butchlambert said:
I guess I miss stated and Butchlambart is correct because I could not find on there web page that there stainless is harder than American stainless (I will take that off my other post) I copied and pasted this from there web page
butchlambert
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I believe they call their stainless LW50. As I said, it machines about like 17-4 stainless. It is a tough steel, but not harder.
The only barrels that are replaced at low mileage are competition barrels. Most,not all, hunting barrels will be sold or put up long before they have shot out the throat.
So, if their admittedly tough barrels do not shoot up to the rest of the competition barrels, why do you need one?
I'm not saying they make trash barrels. I'm just making my point.
The only barrels that are replaced at low mileage are competition barrels. Most,not all, hunting barrels will be sold or put up long before they have shot out the throat.
So, if their admittedly tough barrels do not shoot up to the rest of the competition barrels, why do you need one?
I'm not saying they make trash barrels. I'm just making my point.
Ackman
Gold $$ Contributor
Several gunmakers use them. Clark Custom and Volquartsen are two I can think of offhand. I have 3 LW barrels....2 centerfire both 22-250AI, and 1 rimfire. They're excellent. That first LW was 22-250AI and it shoots as well as anything I have, which includes about 12 or 14 different barrelmakers from Douglas to Hart and Krieger. That LW had no break in and the first couple times out I shot 40-45rds each and saw not even a hint of copper. The thing has always been real quick to clean. Even 100rds at 4100-4200fps will produce only faint blue on one patch, then nothing. Fouling just isn't a problem. Accuracy is equal to or better than a Hart with the same chamber and both shoot really well. The Walther stainless isn't harder, it's tougher. After 1500rds of 22-250AI there's about 1/3 the throat wear you'd expect. Haven't messed with the other centerfire yet. The rimfire barrel is 416 stainless, chambered for 22Mag and shoots extremely well. I'm real pleased with LW barrels.
I sure do appreciate all the info from everyone who has posted so far. As I stated in OP this isfor a hunting rifle so bench rest Accuracy is not a requirement, not that I can think of any 9.3 competition suitable cartridges. None the less everything posted is much better than what I have found on other forums. Every other forum was filled with" I heard",I read", "I saw" "I was told", etc. And no actual experience with LW barrels.
As Butch Lambert mentioned, if you don't have to deal with Woody being that he has a barrel on stock to ship you, then you should be allright. Woody Woodall is a smooth and patient and calm talking JERK who strung me on for 6 MONTHS telling me "any day now" ,and 6 months later finally said to me over the phone "What barrel order are you talking about.....I see nothing here about it?" He also lost the barrel I sent him that he was supposed to be copying the contour from. But then he found it a couple of days later after I already almost had a stroke over it. I had him send my barrel back to me, and after that 6 months fiasco I'd never have anything again to do with him or that company. Be advised too that his custom barrels are all manufactured in Germany, and he is simply the satelite station here placing the order.
I've bought barrels from PacNor, Holliger, Bartlein, Krieger, and Brux, and can recommend any of these people in my dealings. Yes, I had to patiently wait, but none of these people lied to me and wasted 6 months of my time.....while misplacing a barrel that belonged to me.
I've bought barrels from PacNor, Holliger, Bartlein, Krieger, and Brux, and can recommend any of these people in my dealings. Yes, I had to patiently wait, but none of these people lied to me and wasted 6 months of my time.....while misplacing a barrel that belonged to me.
Outrider27
Gold $$ Contributor
Not sure it bares any relation to the original question here, but Lothar Walther barrels are standard equipment on a quite large percentage of the medium and high end air rifle market, and are well thought of in that arena. I have one (a precharged pneumatic field target rifle) with a Lothar Walther barrel that shocked a buddy of mine when I had him take it home for the weekend and he set up a target at 20 yards and proceeded to shoot a 5 shot group that was in the 1s. It does this with regularity; you could also buy a BAT Machine repeater action for what that little beast cost (which makes it a medium priced air rifle 
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