Shilen barrels!!

[NorCalMikie]

Got my Shilen barrel today in 6BR,,for my Savage 110) that I waited 2 1/2 months for.
I expected to spin it on, set the headspace and go shooting.
You can't set the headspace cause the case fits "flush" with the end of the barrel! And on top of that, the threads are too short to run the nut on far enough.
I always thought Shilen was a "class act"!
Looks like I got a "very expensive" tent stake! Pretty too!
Be real interested to see if it takes another 2 1/2 months to get another one.
The bad part is they did a barrel for my XP 100 rifle conversion and it came out beautiful. I figured they would do the same quality of work on this one. Looks like "not this time"!
Go figure! :cry:

 

[memilanuk]

I must be behind the times,no big surprise there)... when Shilen start making PTC barrels for Savages?

 

[tenring]

Mikie - Are you saying Shilen chambered and threaded your barrel? If I were you, I would call them right away. I have given thought to ordering a new barrel for my Savage 112 in 6.5-284. Now I'm not so sure. Let us know what they say. Good shootin.

 

[Kav]

I am sure the guys at Shilen intentionally screwed your stuff up..and on top of it you know they have no other work to do besides your barrel so they let it set there for 2 months then chambered it in the last 15 days just to tick you off

Just pokin' at ya but man... You mentioned they did a great job previous... You never make a mistake/ mess something up? Before having a coronary try calling them and get it straightened out. And 2.5 months... I waited 6 months once for a chamber job and I drove the bbl to the smith.

 

[ArtinNC]

Maybe the barrel was chambered deep so you could turn the end of the barrel to fit the bolt face depth . But I don't under stand the short threading .

 

[rhino]

Spend a little more and get a Pac-nor and be done with it!

RHINOUT!

 

[NorCalMikie]

I had ordered a "chambered and threaded" barrel. Couldn't make it any easier then that. Or at least thats what I thought.
When I got a look at the barrel I thought I would spin it on, set the headspace and be off to the range and give it a "real" workout. I started to measure the throat to adjust the OAL on my loaded ammo.,I have been ready for 2 1/2 months.) Dropped a Lapua case in the chamber and it sunk flush with the end of the barrel. WTF??? Got the barrel that I took off and dropped a case in it. Sure enough, the rim of the case sticks out of the chamber. Got on the :comp: and sent a email with a description of the problem and the fact that I wasn't very happy with the quality of their product.,to say the least )
Headed to Fed Ex this morning to ship it back to them.
I think the thing that bummed me out the most was the fact that it was a "Shilen, Inc." barrel. These folks are known for their "high class" barrels and workmanship.
This really took the wind out of my sails!
But, if this is the worst thing that ever happens to me, I'll survive. But I wanted to shoot this thing so bad....
I guess I should take my M1A and about 400 rounds and head to the range to "forget about it". I know it will all get worked out but, I couda had a 6BR. :thumb: I'll keep you posted. Mike.

 

[butchlambert]

Mr. Mikie, I think that you owe Shilen the courtesy of a phone call before jumping on them on the forum! They left for the Shot Show thursday and will be back Monday. What would you think if you had a comeback on a customer's car and he blasted you all over the internet without giving you a chance to rectify the problem? I'm in the car business and know how I would feel especially knowing that I had done them a good job in the past and the next thing that I know he is bad mouthing me all over town.
Butch

 

[NorCalMikie]

ArtinNC. It's a Savage. Chambered and threaded. Spin it on, set the head space and go shooting.,don't need a smith to do that)
And even if the end of the barrel needed to be turned down, you would have run out of threads. Believe me, I thought of different causes for the problem. Someone was out to lunch!

Order a Pac Nor? Check your prices. Shilen are more $$$.

Kav. I don't make mistakes! The only mistake I ever made was one time when I thought I was wrong.
The fact that I was so charged up about the 6BR thing and the problems I ran into compounded the situation.
If they told me that it would have been another 2 months, I would have never given it a second thought.I know they have other work too. Thats the reason I ordered from Shilen.,reputation)
Like I said, It will get worked out. Everything happens for a reason. Just wish I knew why!

 

[NorCalMikie]

butch: Not so much jumping all over them as much as being ticked off because I had to send it back. I think more "venting" if anything. Shilen has reputation for quality. Thats why I ordered from them. And they did a good job for me before so I was set back with this situation. And if It turns out that I am wrong, and it wouldn't be the first time, or the last time, I'll make sure that everybody gets all the facts.I have big shoulders and I'am not shy about taking my lumps. The barrel has been shipped back to them so like I had said, "it will get worked out in the end". But I could have been at the range today shooting my 6BR. Oh well. Lots of "other days".

 

[kaferhaus]

Don't feel so bad Mike.

I had to send one back to them twice. And it never was right

1st it was short chambered about .250. Sent it back and they turned it around within a week. Then it left a nice ring right at the neck/shoulder junction about .003" deep... perfect circle but it shot great....

Sent it back again as it was wrecking the lapua brass with the ring... again came back within a week.

Barrel shot like crap.... but the brass was perfect! The third call let me know that they make no "accuracy guarantees"... before I sent it back to have the chamber cleaned up because of the ring being left in the brass, the rifle was shooting in the high .2s.... it's a 308 so that was plenty good enough.

When it came back, it wouldn't hold 1.5"

They have a first rate reputation and I've had great luck with their barrels in the past but whoever was watching the farm when they had a chance to make me a good one three times and in some way or another failed each time...

They still make some great barrels, but I no longer do business with them.

For the money they charge someone should be doing a QC inspection before these things are shipped...it takes all of 5 seconds to drop a headspace guage into the breach and take a peek. Maybe another 5-10 seconds to shine a light down the chamber to make sure there's no tool marks...

Perhaps 1 minute of QC time would have saved them and I nearly a month of aggravation.

 

[NorCalMikie]

kaferhaus. I went as far as sending another email to them. First I apologized for "going off" on them and then told them to take care of whatever was needed to be able to "spin it on and go".
As it is now, I've got $500+ invested in it so a little more won't make much difference. I don't need a "expensive tent stake". Right or wrong, it needs to be corrected.

Some days you're the fire hydrant and some days you're the dog. Just wasn't my day!

It seems easier to send a email, let them figure out what I'am saying and get back to me then listen to me trying to get in their face. And a phone call would have been the worst thing for them at the time. Time has a way of working things out.
I'll just have to wait and see. And it doesn't seem that important now. Mike.

 

[chrisj]

I got a Ratchet rifled Shilen bbl that is by far the most accurate and easy to clean bbl that I have ever owned. And I have probably rebarreled a hundred times. However...my gunsmith did the chambering and fitting. That's really a shame that this is happeneing. I hope they make good on fixing the problem.

Chris

 

[BillDorsey]

I know that all of you guys who are running down Shilen over this issue have NEVER made a mistake yourselves.

Think about this for a while....and just a little for instance.

YOU are in business...one of YOUR customers has a problem with a product.

Instead of picking up the phone and sorting the problem out with YOU...which is the way it SHOULD BE DONE...

They get on a world wide PUBLIC forum such as this one and scream bloody murder about it to the whole world.

It really doesn't matter at the point of posting to the whole world if it's before or after you contacted them about the problem.

The point is that "DIRTY LAUNDRY" WAS aired in PUBLIC. That should NEVER be done.

You wouldn't appreciate it if it was YOUR good name being smeared.

You all can fire away at me if you wish...I stand firmly by every word I've written.

Bill Dorsey

 

[kaferhaus]

I think you read too much into my post... I said Shilen makes some great barrels. I've had some of them. I'm sure a very high percentage of their customers are happy... most of those folks are likely not having Shilen chamber and thread their barrels though...

As far as "airing dirty laundry". Call it what you will. Custom barrel makers charge a hefty fee for a product that you expect to be perfect... that's why you're paying the high prices. Not for mediocre work.

If you were sending some guy money and he wasn't sending the goods as promised....repeatedly... I'd bet you'd be crowing about it too.

If they'd fixed it right the first time I sent it back, I'd have never said another word about it. But I ended up with a $400 tomato stake. 3 attempts to do something right is plenty.

It's no different than having a mechanic that screwed your car up repeatedly and then not telling your friend what he could be in for if he goes there.

I'm not saying they make bad barrels.... I've said quite the opposite. BUT, in my case they repeatedly screwed up the same barrel which cost me time, aggravation and money.

 

[BillDorsey]

Kaferhaus...I don't think I'm reading too much into your post.

And this is NOT like telling a friend about a bad experience with a mechanic.

You told the WHOLE WORLD...not JUST your friend.

 

[kaferhaus]

Kaferhaus...I don't think I'm reading too much into your post.

And this is NOT like telling a friend about a bad experience with a mechanic.

You told the WHOLE WORLD...not JUST your friend.

So, what's your point?

I'm sure there are many people that would like to know what they might expect should they have them "fit" a barrel for them.

As a previous poster said, "everyone makes mistakes". Truer words have never been said.

Most people will take pains to fix that mistake given the opportunity.

They had the opportunity 3 times to chamber this barrel correctly and failed to do so. never an apology, never an offer to cover the shipping or refund my money.

When you produce a bad product and fail to make it right when repeatedly given the opportunity there's a price to pay.

And I don't go around starting threads about them. But when someone else opens Pandora's box, I'm gonna give it my 2 cents.

Maybe the next guy will get the service he paid for.

I own a small manufacturing business. I can assure you we make mistakes. But you can bet we fix it correctly at the first opportunity without our customer incurring additional costs. AND we do not make this type of error.... if an order calls for specific measurements, it's checked by two different people before it's released to a customer.

 

[NorCalMikie]

Bill Dorsey. Rather than going after kaferhaus, come after me. I started the thread because I was not happy with the fact that I couldn't get my rifle set up when the barrel arrived. And it wasn't the cost or the wait time. Like I said, I have big shoulders. And I know no one is perfect. Maybe I just expected more from them? I still hold them in high regard for their reputation and the quality of their product. And I didn't have a dog to kick so I posted here. One way or another the situation will get resolved.
I didn't mean to stir up the mud. If I did, I apologize for that mistake.
Theres too much class here to be going after each other. :thumb:
,older and smarter) Mike.

 

[BillDorsey]

NorCalMikie, You are right, there's too much at stake reputation wise for this to end up being a "Running gun battle" so to speak.

In my opinion, and as I posted earlier, problems like this just should not be posted for the world to see.

I appreciate the "Big shoulders" reference you give, and as for me, the same goes.

I do still hold to my statement that Mr. Kaferhaus probably wouldn't want his good name smeared all over the world wide web before or after the fact if there was a problem that one of his customers couldn't get resolved through normal channels.

Bill Dorsey

 

[Cochran]

I find it funny how its ok to criticize Remington or Winchester
but blasphemy to criticize any of the custom action or barrel makers. The same applies to stocks. You can say anything about HS or B&C but criticize McM or any of the BR stock makers and you get hate mail.
Someone explain this to me ? I dont recall ever criticizing any manufacturer on a public forum but sometimes I sure would like to. We could save each other alot of aggrievation if we could discuss the pros and CONS of different products. Is there a legal issue ?

This has nothing to do with Shilen, McM or any other vendor but more to do with how this thread has progressed.

Jeff