Wilson barrels

[urbanrifleman]

That will be news to competitors that won National Championships, State Championships, set records and shot their way into the Hall Of Fame.

I was simply talking about the MARKETING. Not the actual truth.

 

[AlNyhus]

I was simply talking about the MARKETING. Not the actual truth.

I was worried I'd have to throw these buttoned barrels away...including the two new ones at the bottom.

 

[Jud96]

Legit question, why are Wilson barrels priced the way they are vs. other lapped button barrels such as Lilja and Hart? Borescoping only shows you the surface finish, I’d be legitimately curious to see how x10 Wilson measured end to end with gauge pins or lead slug vs. an equal quantity of Hart or Lilja barrels. I’d also be curious how consistent the depth of the grooves measure compared to a competitor’s barrel using a .0001 indicator and how consistent the twist is from barrel to barrel. I’m just one to think there has to be a catch somewhere. I’m not doubting them, I’m just curious why or how they’re half the price of other button rifled barrel makers.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I was worried I'd have to throw these winning buttoned barrels away...including the two new ones at the bottom.

Oh, I was agreeing with you.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Legit question, why are Wilson barrels priced the way they are vs. other lapped button barrels such as Lilja and Hart? Borescoping only shows you the surface finish, I’d be legitimately curious to see how x10 Wilson measured end to end with gauge pins or lead slug vs. an equal quantity of Hart or Lilja barrels. I’d also be curious how consistent the depth of the grooves measure compared to a competitor’s barrel using a .0001 indicator and how consistent the twist is from barrel to barrel. I’m just one to think there has to be a catch somewhere. I’m not doubting them, I’m just curious why or how they’re half the price of other button rifled barrel makers.

If they weren't good (to spec), they wouldn't shoot.

Wilson is a production facility capable of making huge quantities of barrels.

Interestingly enough, the Wilson UrbanRifleman barrel was the fastest barrel tested in the Snipers Hide test by @padom

 

[Jud96]

If they weren't good (to spec), they wouldn't shoot.

Wilson is a production facility capable of making huge quantities of barrels.

Shoot to what spec though? I’m sure they shoot well enough for hunting and PRS style matches. But what about BR and F-Class. There has to be a reason they’re half the cost as their competitors is what I’m getting at. Nothing against them. I’m just legitimately curious

 

[urbanrifleman]

Shoot to what spec though? I’m sure they shoot well enough for hunting and PRS style matches. But what about BR and F-Class. There has to be a reason they’re half the cost as their competitors is what I’m getting at. Nothing against them. I’m just legitimately curious

One of my prefit barrels was 34th out of 82 shooters at the benchrest midrange nationals one year.

 

[Will Henry]

I think, generally speaking, the BEST barrel by any of the makers may well be equal. The difference is, the best company makes more barrels to that standard. The spread between the best and worst is likely to be much greater in the bargain barrels.
The quality of the barrel has very little to do with the method of manufacture and everything to do with the level of quality control employed by the maker. WH

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Shoot to what spec though? I’m sure they shoot well enough for hunting and PRS style matches. But what about BR and F-Class. There has to be a reason they’re half the cost as their competitors is what I’m getting at. Nothing against them. I’m just legitimately curious

I did one for a customer who I think won the blank. He paid me to chamber it up so.. Pretty sure it was year before last. It was decent but it was never competitive for him in sr br. He's a former national champion, good shooter, fwiw. Great varmint bbl but just never was competitive in this game. Then again, 1 of anything just means that 1 wasn't quite good enough.

 

[Jeff Porter]

I have used several Wilson barrels in White Oak Service rifle configuration and they always shot as well as any major brand cut rifle barrel for the Highpower XTC game. The difference was they would “ loosen up” at 600 yard line at about 3000 rounds vs 4500 on a Kreiger. If you do the math ,per shot they come out to about the same cost per shot. I always had two rifles going. One with a newer low round count for serious full course matches and one with 2500-3000 on it for practice and reduced course matches. Even after 3000 rounds they would hold the X ring under 300 yards on our bigger target. I would pull the barrel on the high round count upper after the second season and sell it on AR15.com for about $100 and out that toward the new one. Wilson’s are a great value for that purpose.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I did one for a customer who I think won the blank. He paid me to chamber it up so.. Pretty sure it was year before last. It was decent but it was never competitive for him in sr br. He's a former national champion, good shooter, fwiw. Great varmint bbl but just never was competitive in this game. Then again, 1 of anything just means that 1 wasn't quite good enough.

As far as I have been told short line benchrest guys cull lots of major brand barrels as "not good enough".

 

[linebaugh]

I've owned a few wilson blanks now. No love nor hate to offer either direction. I have used them on PRS rigs and rimfire PRS rigs. Have used them on hunting rifles as well. I just had one delivered last week that I had to send back due to a contour being wrong. Outside finish was rough but sent back due to taper being wrong not finish.
Are they lapped? Perhaps, dont know. They are often advertised as lapped.

Bottom line is you get what you pay for. Dependant on your expectations and luck of the draw you could come out ahead or behing. You know going into a 200$ blank what the results might be.
If I was paying to have the machine work done, no way would I risk it.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

As far as I have been told short line benchrest guys cull lots of major brand barrels as "not good enough".

Yes and no. Not many in the score game do and only a very small percentage of group shooters do either...at least any more so than the rest of us. True, if the bbl isn't competitive, no sense wasting a ton of time and money on it but a big percentage of people will spend a more than fair amount of time and money trying to get the potential out of any barrel before tossing it. They don't grow on trees and the wait is long, for premium bbls. Very few just throw a load or so at a bbl and toss it for not shooting what they hoped it would. Boyer had a lot of bbls and work given to him. Not all, but a lot.

 

[moondog]

Interestingly enough, the Wilson UrbanRifleman barrel was the fastest barrel tested in the Snipers Hide test by @padom
Snipers Hide? Pretty much sums it up.
I've read a few posts. Comparing Apples to Broccoli.
I'd be tempted to try one on a Pdog rig, I'm not taking a gamble with chambering expense on my match guns.

 

[Judd]

I’ve done two personally, both hunting guns…a 7-08 and a 6 Creedmoor. Both shot well.

I’ve not bought anymore. I bought them when they were $175 a piece and for that price it was value purchase.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Interestingly enough, the Wilson UrbanRifleman barrel was the fastest barrel tested in the Snipers Hide test by @padom
Snipers Hide? Pretty much sums it up.
I've read a few posts. Comparing Apples to Broccoli.
I'd be tempted to try one on a Pdog rig, I'm not taking a gamble with chambering expense on my match guns.

Insulting Padom would be a mistake. That guy is legit. He probably has more actual barrel data than anyone I've ever met.

 

[JB10]

Im debating on buying one in 20 cal. Anyone have any experience?

 

[Ccrider]

Would be interesting if someone would chamber one up in PPC and shoot it side by side with a major brand barrel using the same setup. That would tell some.

Everything I have read is consistent with what Mike says above. Wilson barrels are plenty good for hunting rigs, but not as accurate as major brand barrels used for benchrest.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Would be interesting if someone would chamber one up in PPC and shoot it side by side with a major brand barrel using the same setup. That would tell some.

Everything I have read is consistent with what Mike says above. Wilson barrels are plenty good for hunting rigs, but not as accurate as major brand barrels used for benchrest.

I have lots of customers competing in benchrest and f class in their club matches. I've had customers that have gone from expert to HIGH MASTER with my stocks and barrels shooting mid range f class. I had a HIGH MASTER shoot the best score he ever shot in his 35 years of shooting across the course with one of my 6xc barrels.

I don't spend much time fretting about the "short line benchrest" crowd and if they want to shoot my barrels. That is a tiny crowd. I'll stick with f class, PRS, across the course, varmint hunters, and hunters.

I've had this discussion on this board probably 20 times. And people act like they never heard of a Wilson shooting well. It always seems to come down to whether or not it should be chambered in a PPC and shot in a short line benchrest competition.

One of my customers shoots my 12 twist in a 6bra zero free bore and he shoots the 68s. He has beaten people shooting the 6PPC.

 

[Tesoro]

Would be interesting if someone would chamber one up in PPC and shoot it side by side with a major brand barrel using the same setup. That would tell some.

Everything I have read is consistent with what Mike says above. Wilson barrels are plenty good for hunting rigs, but not as accurate as major brand barrels used for benchrest.

It is a challenge to market what is generally considered a middle of the line barrel to a group who are accustomed to only using accepted premium barrels for their shooting. Anecdotes dont count, it would have to be an impartial objective test as you mentioned. But like brad just said, it is a small part of the market so is it worth it?