McGowen barrels

[warbird]

just wondering if anyone had any luck with mcgowen barrels, or what you think of them?

 

[tiny68]

I have been involved with 3 purchases and still have 2 of the barrels. I were Savage pre-fits. I will not use them again for a pre-fit Savage. The had some QC issues. Many they had been solved. Don't know. The two I still have shot fine and clean up ok. If I use them again I will buy a blank and have some else thread and chamber.

Just my two cents. On Savage Shooters, a lot of guys have tried them with good success. I am just not one of them.

Luck in your choice, Tim

 

[Titandriver]

Pre-fit Savage 260; cleans easy too! Bought one year ago from Northland Supply.

 

[rwh38238]

I just got mine back has about 1 hundred rounds down the tube. I still can not get the thing to clean up. I did the normal break in. I even shot 20 shoot and clean between each one. It has a rough spot about 6 in up from the muzzle that is rough on top of the rifling. Ive used jb's and every solvent and it just seems to get worse. The caliber is 6.5x55 and it shoots decent it seems like it keeps shooting better the more rounds it has through it. I wont buy another button rifled barrel. The guy i shoot with shoots a krieger and he can clean it with spring water. I know you can get good and bad at any company. The cut rifled sure do look alot better through a bore scope.

 

[skeetlee]

Absolutely nothing wrong with a button rifles barrel. Hart makes some of the very best barrels in the world and they are button rifled. Shilens are great barrels as well. If your barrel has a rough spot, and your sure of this, i would send it back to McGowan for a look. A good button rifled barrel will shoot just as good as a good cut rifled barrel and it will clean up just as easy, if not easier. Lee

 

[butchlambert]

Are they still in the barrel business?
Butch

 

[warbird]

thanks for info, i have 6-47 mcgowen savage daul port, mbr baer stock,havent shot yet. got a remington tured action with kriegger in 6br same stock, jewell trigger, randolph rest, i like it. whish the trigger could be fixed on savage. dont shoot competion yet, would like to try it. [pdogs] thanks again. joe

 

[nhm16]

thanks for info, i have 6-47 mcgowen savage daul port, mbr baer stock,havent shot yet. got a remington tured action with kriegger in 6br same stock, jewell trigger, randolph rest, i like it. whish the trigger could be fixed on savage. dont shoot competion yet, would like to try it. [pdogs] thanks again. joe

Sharpshooter Supply will set you up with a bench rest trigger for your Savage that will go down to 2oz.

 

[tiny68]

Are they still in the barrel business?
Butch

Butch,

It is not Harry McGowen. Harry sold out to a new group. Not sure of their name. They moved from St. Anne, Illinois to Kalispell, Montana 2-3 years ago and started a new shop with some old and some newer equipment. They have a sister company called The American Gun Company. Tim

 

[Steve Blair]

The attached group was shot with a 30" McGowen .308 10" twist on one of my 12Fs. The Berger 210 VLDs shoot well in this barrel and it cleans as easily as any of my Hart, Krieger, Bartlein, Shilen, Brux, etc. If this rifle-barrel-load combination goes above ½ MOA, it is my fault.

If there is a problem with one of their barrels, contact them and discuss it. My experience is that most barrel makers want satisfied customers.

 

[butchlambert]

Tim,
I was aware of that. They have been having problems. They sold a buttload of barrels a few months ago saying they were cleaning out inventory. They haven't been able to get their action business off of the ground yet.
Butch

 

[skeetlee]

Re: McGowan barrels

One thing about the mcgowan barrels i dont like, is that you here way to much negative feedback, on the various forums. One or two bad comments i wouldn't think much about that, but when you see it as much as i have with these barrels it starts to open your eyes a bit. I have heard some good things to but not nearly as many good as opposed to bad. Come to think of it, i have heard more bad about McGowan than all the other barrel makes combined. I dont have any first hand experience, except for the mcgowan barrel my shooting pard had, and it was a lemon. Other than that i guess it really isnt fair for me to say one way or the other though. I wouldnt buy one. To many other solid barrel makers out there for me to take a 300$ chance.

 

[Kenny474]

I agree with Skeetlee 100%. Why bother with taking the chance when so many other manufacturers make more consistent product.

 

[nhm16]

Yeah, I have a 28" .260 from McGowen... it shoots great, but from all I have been reading, I was hesitant to take a $3-400 chance and ended up ordering a Benchmark for my next Savage build.

 

[skeetlee]

benchmark makes some excellent barrels!!! Some of the best!! Good choice! Lee

 

[flyjets]

McGowen Barrels

Here on the West coast of Florida we have a 1000 yard range and twice a month hold matches at that distance.

Often the winner of these matches are shooting McGowen barrels.

My friend has built many of these rifles and he swears by them. To be clear he just orders the Barrels blanks, chambers, threads and whatever else is needed.

Ian

 

[jo191145]

I've got a couple McGowen Sav prefits. One screwed on and went right to work. One screwed on and put me to work. Coppered worse than just about any factory tube I've seen. Most folks would have sent it back. Seeing as the throat was quite short for an 8 twist 243W I gave it some mild firelapping. Smoothed it up well. Normally would never suggest anyone fire abrasives in a barrel but.... I really did'nt care if it fixed it or ruined it.....

Benchmark it is. Same price as a McGowen, built to your specs and quality second to none!!!