NEW but LAST **UPDATE** on New Bartlein "Hard Steel" barrel.

[ShootDots]

I had two (2) 7mm Sherman Short Mag barrels about a year and 1/2 ago. They shot GREAT, however, they ate up my 2 Krieger barrels like a kid on Halloween night eats candy! It kind of "hacked me off" and I gave up on the cartridge. I missed the Sherman and wanted one again. Sooooo I ordered a 8.75T, 4 groove conventional barrel made out of Bartlein's "new" barrel steel offering. I had it chambered up and started to break it in, while creating some initial load development. I started with the first rounds down the barrel at 100 yards. I started by shooting 10 round groups and almost all of them stayed in the .200s! Well this may very well be a shooter. ZOOM up to today... I took it to a 500 yard match at Rio Salado in Arizona. My friend John Farraggio (Cognac Jack) on this forum, shot the rifle today for me, as I needed to shoot a .300WSM that has not been shot in months. I wanted John to keep a close eye on the vertical dispersion. Well John won the match with my rifle and said that the vertical was so close to the waterline, making a gesture using his thumb and index finger, indicating barely over an inch of vertical dispersion. So now we KNOW the barrel will shoot>>> but I wanted to see how the throat was holding up. I scrubbed it to the bone and ran a bore scope in there. WOW! Low and behold there was not even a "HINT" of the preliminary steel discoloration that shows up prior to firecracking raising it's ugly head! To me, this is an excellent indicator that the "special steel" Bartlein uses may very well be what their claim / intent is! Their barrel is a bit on the "pricey" side. However, if it proves to have the longevity it is supposed to have, it will actually be a MONEY SAVER! The cost of 1 less barrel to chamber, about $100.00 cheaper than 2 full priced barrels and no components to break in and do load development with in a second barrel! It is still very early to draw any conclusions, however, ZERO barrel discoloration with over 400 rounds on an "over bore magnum" is quite promising!

 

[JEFFPPC]

Very interesting, thanks for the report. I wonder if its hard on the reamers?

 

[ShootDots]

Very interesting, thanks for the report. I wonder if its hard on the reamers?

Not according to my 'smith, Scott Harris.. He stated you could tell the difference in the machining, but it did not appear to be so hard as to be difficult to do..

 

[Sandstorm]

From the score;s you and John posted, I know your gonna break some hearts in the coming months,
and probly through the season..Nice...just not for the competition..lol
Congrats my friend and see you on the line.

 

[ShootDots]

From the score;s you and John posted, I know your gonna break some hearts in the coming months,
and probly through the season..Nice...just not for the competition..lol
Congrats my friend and see you on the line.

Every once in awhile John and I end up in a good position. We went to Texas about a month or so ago for the 4 State 2 man team event. Our teams' name was "Dead Eyes"! There is a reason for that>>>we can no longer see real well and our shooting has declined over the years. Having said that, from time to time life favors us and we come out at or near the top>>> but that is on a downward trend! Hey I always say "I am 6ft. ABOVE ground and NOT 6ft. BELOW and I am at the shooting range! Does it get any better than that?" So we win one way or the other! LOL!!!

 

[Willow]

I've just had one of the 400MOD barrels arrive in Australia. It's a 7mm, 8.5 left hand twist, 4 groove at 32". It will be chambered as a 284 Shehane. My action arrived this week, so now I just need some good news from the US as far as my new stock goes and then the fun will begin.

 

[ShootDots]

I've just had one of the 400MOD barrels arrive in Australia. It's a 7mm, 8.5 left hand twist, 4 groove at 32". It will be chambered as a 284 Shehane. My action arrived this week, so now I just need some good news from the US as far as my new stock goes and then the fun will begin.

Do keep us posted on the findings you get with that barrel... Thanks!!

 

[RickKr]

What is this Bartlein new barrel steel? I have not found anything about it on their web site, which just may not have been updated.

From the Bartlein FAQ:
"Do you offer other types of steel for the barrels?
Yes we offer Chrome Moly (C.M. 4140) steel and Stainless Steel (S.S. 416R) for our gun barrels."

I just started shooting one of their CM barrels on my Weatherby 257 Mag. So far, looking great. When I want to rebarrel any of my other rifles, which a couple are on my mind, I plan on using Bartlein.

Rick

 

[FrankG]

I had two (2) 7mm Sherman Short Mag barrels about a year and 1/2 ago. They shot GREAT, however, they ate up my 2 Krieger barrels like a kid on Halloween night eats candy! It kind of "hacked me off" and I gave up on the cartridge. I missed the Sherman and wanted one again. Sooooo I ordered a 8.75T, 4 groove conventional barrel made out of Bartlein's "new" barrel steel offering. I had it chambered up and started to break it in, while creating some initial load development. I started with the first rounds down the barrel at 100 yards. I started by shooting 10 round groups and almost all of them stayed in the .200s! Well this may very well be a shooter. ZOOM up to today... I took it to a 500 yard match at Rio Salado in Arizona. My friend John Farraggio (Cognac Jack) on this forum, shot the rifle today for me, as I needed to shoot a .300WSM that has not been shot in months. I wanted John to keep a close eye on the vertical dispersion. Well John won the match with my rifle and said that the vertical was so close to the waterline, making a gesture using his thumb and index finger, indicating barely over an inch of vertical dispersion. So now we KNOW the barrel will shoot>>> but I wanted to see how the throat was holding up. I scrubbed it to the bone and ran a bore scope in there. WOW! Low and behold there was not even a "HINT" of the preliminary steel discoloration that shows up prior to firecracking raising it's ugly head! To me, this is a excellent indicator that the "special steel" Bartlein uses may very well be what their claim / intent is! Their barrel is a bit on the "pricey" side. However, if it proves to have the longevity it is supposed to have, it will actually be a MONEY SAVER! The cost of 1 less barrel to chamber, about $100.00 cheaper than 2 full priced barrels and no components to break in and do load development with in a second barrel! It is still very early to draw any conclusions, however, ZERO barrel discoloration with over 400 rounds on an "over bore magnum" is quite promising!

All of the feedback we've been getting has been very positive.

Congrats on the great shooting!

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[FrankG]

What is this Bartlein new barrel steel? I have not found anything about it on their web site, which just may not have been updated.

From the Bartlein FAQ:
"Do you offer other types of steel for the barrels?
Yes we offer Chrome Moly (C.M. 4140) steel and Stainless Steel (S.S. 416R) for our gun barrels."

I just started shooting one of their CM barrels on my Weatherby 257 Mag. So far, looking great. When I want to rebarrel any of my other rifles, which a couple are on my mind, I plan on using Bartlein.

Rick

The new 400MODBB material is not listed in that. We just released it last year.

 

[FrankG]

Not according to my 'smith, Scott Harris.. He stated you could tell the difference in the machining, but it did not appear to be so hard as to be difficult to do..

It does machine differently but nothing that no one has had any troubles with.

If I had to guess I'll say the reamers won't last as long but it's not going to trash the reamer on just a few barrels either.

 

[ShootDots]

What is this Bartlein new barrel steel? I have not found anything about it on their web site, which just may not have been updated.

From the Bartlein FAQ:
"Do you offer other types of steel for the barrels?
Yes we offer Chrome Moly (C.M. 4140) steel and Stainless Steel (S.S. 416R) for our gun barrels."

I just started shooting one of their CM barrels on my Weatherby 257 Mag. So far, looking great. When I want to rebarrel any of my other rifles, which a couple are on my mind, I plan on using Bartlein.

Rick

I don't know what Bertlein's moniker is for the "hard steel" either. I called their sales dept. and simply asked for the "hard steel / long lasting" offering>>>>they knew exactly what I was asking for. Give them a call..

 

[Mr. Ten-X]

Delivery time on new orders?

 

[ShootDots]

Delivery time on new orders?

That is a question for Frank or call the sales team..

 

[Tokay444]

Over 12 months right now.
Frank posted at the beginning of the year.

 

[FrankG]

Delivery time on new orders?

Ummm? Good question.

I'll be honest....general stuff we are quoting is 12 months right now for the most part.

I don't for see it getting any better anytime soon anywhere in the industry.

Yes it's good to be busy and we we're busy to begin with but we are now BUSIER for the wrong reasons. We we're already busy before all this started last year....and not in any particular order...

Riots
Defund the police
Pandemic
New gun owners (the amount of new gun owners last year from what I understand was up over 7 million) regardless of the number we all know it's up.
Election year last year
and the whole threat of ban this or ban that and a $200 registration tax on new guns that get built...increase in tax on ammo etc....

All of the above creates fear and panic and in the end shortages.

I don't do it but we have ammo on order with some ammo companies that go back to May of last year. I cannot even get a ball park date and no....I'm not holding they're ammunition test barrels hostage till we get it either. Things like that are not going to help anything.

No we don't have a shortage of steel! I get asked that more than you would think. I have steel scheduled into 2022 already. The steel mills lead times are up as well but I have us covered.

I hear things like the Gov't is buying up everything etc...no that is not true. I know of Gov't entities that are either in short supply of ammo or components and cannot get things as well. So I call B.S. on that rumor.

You hear this place or that place isn't making any hunting ammunition....again not true...I know for a fact because I could go right down the list of the ammunition test barrels we have done over the past year and or orders that they have for future runs as well. So the ammo companies are making stuff!

Best thing I can say to do.....is plan ahead the best you can!

Later, Frank

 

[Punkur67]

I ordered my new 6cm barrel for my new Zeus action. Both the action and barrel should be here in the next couple weeks. Please keep us posted on your results.

 

[FrankG]

Oh and before anyone says....hire more workers to help with the lead times! Or put more machines on!!!

Worker wise....nobody wants to work. There are hiring signs every where and we are not the only ones seeing it. This is due because of all of this stimulus money being handed out for unemployment etc...why would someone want to work when they are getting a pay check thru unemployment to stay at home.

Not trying to offend anyone with the above statement...I will acknowledge that due to the pandemic and places that did shut down....there are people that really need the help.

Everyone in the shop is working overtime by us.

Also we all know we are in a bubble...even if we could find workers.....could we justify putting another this or that type of machine on line or will it end up sitting there with no work for it 6 months from now. So at times...it’s easier said then done. How long will this crazy demand be there?

We all went thru this when the previous president was in...we all said, “he is the best gun salesman this country ever had!” and it’s not Trump.

 

[Sniper338]

Is there any facts out yet on barrel life? Real world numbers from customers/any of you here when it comes to barrel burning chamberings?

 

[Willow]

Do keep us posted on the findings you get with that barrel... Thanks!!

Will do mate, this barrel is part of a brand new build, a bit of a showstopper once its finished hopefully and I'm hoping it may feature on here as Gun of the Week when its finally up and running - plan to get my load data sorted before the photos/videos follow...