Shilen chrome moly blank??

[skeetlee]

Thinking about trying a shilen chrome moly barrel for a 22-250Ai prairie dog rig. These barrels are not expensive and only around 130 bucks. I know they are not the cream of the crop and are pretty basic, but I was wondering if it would still be ok for a hunting rig? Anyone know anything about them? These barrels are in the white so i guess it will have to be painted or such. Lee

 

[butchlambert]

They are as good as anything. It will not come lapped unless you pay extra. That means it will take longer to break it in. I always use them on my hunting rifles. I have used them on BR rifles and they shoot just as well as a SS.
Butch

 

[tiny68]

I have a couple of CM Shilen blanks mounted in 6mm calibers. They shoot as just well as my more expensive barrels. The lapping is worth the $30 in my opinion. Chamber, thread, & shoot. Good quality stuff. tiny

 

[dennisinaz]

I had one, I think it was a 'Lone star' from Brownells. It was the worst fouling barrel I had but it shot just fine. I think when you are used to hammer forged and custom lapped barrels, you notice a difference when they aren't lapped, at least I did. I would have no problem using one again, but would pay to have it lapped. Chrome Moly barrels are tougher than SS barrels and make for a better hunting barrel IMHO.

 

[ChuckMiller]

Here's a pic of a Shilen unturned blank on a Rem 700. Picked this one up off Ebay for 70.00 awhile back, Shilen CM 25cal 1-12 unturned blank. Sent it to Kevin Weaver and told him to knock the scale off, minor polish to clean it up and chamber and blue to match in 25-284 to shoot light 25's at lightspeed. No barrel breakin, took it straight to the range with 40 fullhouse loads for work up and it shot under 1/2' before I left. Cleaned up quick, minumum copper and fouling, not sure I would recommend that for any new barrel, it's just what I did. Oh yea, it's one heavy mother.

 

[Jeff A]

Just sent in my M-77 .22-250 for a Shilen Chrome-Moly barrel. I am looking forward to trying it.

 

[rayjay]

Getting the unlapped bbl is false economy. It will take more than $30 worth of brass, bullets and primers to get the bbl as smooth.

 

[LHSmith]

Not to mention the cost of bluing. To me the stn.stl. is a no-brainer.

 

[skeetlee]

If i buy one of these barrels for 130 bucks new, It will be chambered in a 22-250AI. The barrel will be used for prairie dog hunting and i suppose it will get shot out in a couple seasons. I will not blue the barrel as i was thinking a simple coat of Krylon would suffice. I am also used to cleaning my rem 700 varmint rifles with factory barrels so i cant hardly think the shilen would be much worse? Are they worse than a factory rem 700 barrel as far as cleaning? Na, Cant be!!! I like to hang out over on Sniper Hide and read what the tactical guys talk about. There was an interesting post on there tonight regarding one fellas visual observations comparing a rock barrel to a Krieger barrel. After a little debate the owner of Rock barrels joined in and stated that he prides his work on perfect barrels but that he has shot many many of his barrels that didnt make the cut. He even said that he has shot his barrels that looked like they were cut with a chain saw and that they shot just as good as his mirror perfect barrels. WOW!! So from what i have gathered the main complaint if any with the shilen chrome moly barrels is copper fowling. I have plenty of patches and solvent so i think i might just give one a try, Thanks guys!! Lee

 

[jlmurphy]

The cost of premium barrels is almost twice because of the hand lapping. I recently ordered a Douglas barrel, which are not lapped at the factory, and lapped it myself after reading multiple threads online. It wasn't that difficult, and I could feel the difference afterward. This was a barrel blank, the lapping can distort the ends of the bore, so don't try this on a finished barrel. I have a borescope, it really opens your eyes, and yes there is a huge difference between factory and custom barrels.

 

[dennisinaz]

I don't know that they necessarily all foul real bad, just the one that I had did. It had 8 grooves which I thought was interesting. I have no idea if this contributed or not.

Just lapping a barrel after the fact won't necessarily fix all the problems. I think that most of the barrels are lapped before they are rifled and then again after. I don't know if this is the case in a Shilen CM barrel or not, but I wouldn't be afraid to use one again.

I think SS is overrated. Big advantage is not having to finish the metal. Disadvantage, is that some of us don't like the look of a silver rifle!

 

[butchlambert]

About 60% of my hunting rifles are CM. I have them rust blued or cerrokoted. Shilens are not lapped either before or after rifling. For $30 they will lap as the last operation.I have had them both ways and no difference in accuracy. It just takes longer to break in.
Butch

 

[dennisinaz]

Not even their match barrels are lapped without paying extra??

 

[butchlambert]

All Stainless Steel barrels are lapped and without extra charge.
Butch

 

[dennisinaz]

OK, that makes more sense

 

[skeetlee]

Ok fellas, I went with a new Brux barrel. they had an 8.5 twist in stock so i bought it for a 6mm dasher build. However this rifle will most likely end up being a switch barrel rifle. I am still thinking about one of the shilen chrome Molly barrel blanks for 130 bucks. I need to know what i have to do to protect the chamber from rusting. Can i blue the inside section of the chamber and just shoot the outside of the barrel with alumahyde? How do i go about bluing the chamber? Lee