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Shilen vs Bartlein

Tokimini

I have a Savage in 6BR with an 8 twist McGowen barrel that has about 3000 rounds through it. It's still shooting well but I'm starting to think about ordering another barrel. I shoot mainly at 100 yards with Bart's 68 gr Ultras. The Bartlein is cut rifled but is about $100 more than the Shilen. I've had good results with Shilen in the past but never owned a Bartlein. Are they worth the extra money?
 
The 2015 Super Shoot equipment list for the top 20 shooters shows one Shilen barrel. Bartlein and Krieger were a pretty even split.
 
My gunsmith told me that the buttoned rifled barrels he installs would not show much if any disadvantage in accuracy when compared to the Krieger or Bartlein barrels. He did say that the cut rifled barrels have longer life.
 
All my Shilen barrels are tack drivers. All are on hunting rifles, but for their purpose, they are extremely accurate. Of course with hunting rifles I only test 3 shot groups. One of my Shilens with only a #5 contour at 26" in 6.5 Rem Mag will put 3 shots in 3/4" at 300 yards. Another Shilen barrel I have with a #3 contour at 22" in a 6.5x55 Swede will put 3 shots in 1/2" at 200 yards (haven't shot that one at 300 yards yet). And the kicker is that they are both the cheapo CM barrels.
Have another Shilen SS ratchet rifle barrel on another rig, but have only broken it in. Haven't load tested. But the break in holes at 100 yards were little clusters so it already shows a lot of promise

Also had great luck with Krieger and Brux cut rifle barrels, but no experience with Bartlein yet.
 
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Tokimini said:
I have a Savage in 6BR with an 8 twist McGowen barrel that has about 3000 rounds through it. It's still shooting well but I'm starting to think about ordering another barrel. I shoot mainly at 100 yards with Bart's 68 gr Ultras. The Bartlein is cut rifled but is about $100 more than the Shilen. I've had good results with Shilen in the past but never owned a Bartlein. Are they worth the extra money?
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So why change barrel maker? I also have a Savage Model 12BR in 6mm and also use primarily 68 Barts Ultra, backed up by Berger 68's that don't shoot quite as well, all @ strictly 100 yds. But when I had the barrel changed out, I went to a Kreiger 1:8 and get nice tight groups. In my view and paying attention to competition results, I'm seeing the majority of serious shooters using Kreigers. Each to his own I guess, but I wouldn't pay $100 more for a Bartlein over a Shilen. In my book, Bartlein is much like Hart barrels which I also own. But most of my barrels are Kreigers which keep a smile on my face.

Alex
 
Love the Bartlein barrels, would definitely pay the extra $100 any day... just my experience with the Bartlein barrels.. and my opinion.. if you are NOT shooting competition with your rifle shoot whatever you want, but if I am going to compete seriously I am going with my Bartlein.. by the way a 6BR with zero freebore and Berger column bullets out of a 13.5 twist bartlein will be scary accurate at 200yds..;)
 
I will never buy another Shilen barrel again. I've owned three and they're marginally better than a factory barrel as far as I'm concerned. My Shilen 22-250 barrel gets a lot of carbon fouling and the groups open up after about 12 shots. I'm actually replacing it with a Brux barrel because I'm not happy with it. I had a Shilen 6.5-06 barrel and that thing went South after about 1000 rounds or so. The throat erosion and copper fouling were awful in this barrel, and I didn't even run it hard.

I have a Bartlein barrel in my 30-06 and it shoots great and cleans well. I would HIGHLY suggest a Bartlein or Brux over a Shilen any day. Shilen lives in its past glory as far as I'm concerned. Hell, Shilen can't even flute a barrel which is sad IMO. Also, my smith went out to shot show this year and said their booth was very arrogant and disrespectful to him. Shilen sucks IMO. Get the Bartlein.
 
I don't stick to any one barrel manf. I like testing all of the top names. I have had outstanding results with douglas, Krieger, benchmark, criterion. so-so results with Hart. next one will be a Schneider, then who knows after that
 
I recently had a 6BR made up with a Krieger barrel, and a new Bartlien barrel put on my 22-250.
The Krieger "broke in" within 10 shots, and has virtually no copper fouling.
The Bartlien took many more rounds to break in, and still copper fouls more than the Kreiger, of course it's going 400fps faster.

Both barrels are vary accurate. I have had several Hart barrels on my 22-250, and they acted like the Bartlien. In the future, I will stick to Krieger.
 
powderbrake said:
I recently had a 6BR made up with a Krieger barrel, and a new Bartlien barrel put on my 22-250.
The Krieger "broke in" within 10 shots, and has virtually no copper fouling.
The Bartlien took many more rounds to break in, and still copper fouls more than the Kreiger, of course it's going 400fps faster.

Both barrels are vary accurate. I have had several Hart barrels on my 22-250, and they acted like the Bartlien. In the future, I will stick to Krieger.
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99% of barrel break in is the throat cut by the gunsmiths reamer. The barrel maker has absolutely zero control over that. Dont blame the barrel maker for a dull reamer or someone without the proper skills to use it.
 
swd said:
99% of barrel break in is the throat cut by the gunsmiths reamer. The barrel maker has absolutely zero control over that. Dont blame the barrel maker for a dull reamer or someone without the proper skills to use it.
Click to expand...

Very true. A quality barrel is just part of the equation. My BR gunsmith is a top shooter. He recently chambered a 30BR for his Bat action and it shoots lights out.
 
Shilen select match barrels typically shoot great. So does the Bartlien I have on one of my dashers. I think savagedasher has it right. All the major barrel makers make mostly good barrels but they all make some duds.
 
Shilen has different grades of barrels and a different price structure. We don't have different grades. So that is one area you have to look at in how are you comparing the prices?

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels
 
swd said:
99% of barrel break in is the throat cut by the gunsmiths reamer. The barrel maker has absolutely zero control over that. Dont blame the barrel maker for a dull reamer or someone without the proper skills to use it.
Click to expand...

I agree regarding the burr due to the reamer.
In this case the 6BR and the 22-250 were done by the same gunsmith who is a highly respected benchrest shooter and gunsmith, and the 22-250 reamer was new, as I ordered it for this job.

I am not blaming the barrel maker, just stating my preferences based upon my limited experience.
 
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