New McGowen barrel

[51Bravo]

I just received my new McGowen barrel the other day. When i opened it up, it wasn't chambered. I told them i wanted a Savage small shank 22" varmint contour, fluted in 308 Win. The total bill was $368.16. Did I misunderstand something or was this they're mix up?

Wood

[larryk40c]

I would contact the seller and explain your problem.

[319]

I would say it was THEIR mistake. Go through Northlander and you won't have that problem! If you do, Mr. Briggs will get it set straight!

[VjjR]

yea they screwed up... a prefit should be $289 SS and $260 CM that is chambered and ready to go. add $120 for flutting...

[358Hammer]

One would presume you knew what you ordered. If this isn't what you ordered then they have a problem.

There is a reason I quit using this company some years back.

Neal

[Dennis]

51Bravo, I don't know what to say but give them a call.

I just recieved my 3rd barrel from McGowen and everything has been perfect on all of them! Plus they all shoot bugholes!

[DannoBoone]

There is a reason I quit using this company some years back.

Neal


That being the case, wish we could have had a conversation prior to me ordering direct
from them last winter. I figured one could make sure they got it right if one deals directly
with them, rather than going through a middle man (even though the price would have
been a little less).

Turned out to be a nightmare. It was to be a muzzle loader barrel that required threading
for a breech plug. The time came Dan Wynne (manager) said I would get it. Gave them
another week and then called. Their tap for that size breech plug had gotten broken and
had to order another. Two more weeks, called them again. The tap had come in to Fastenal
and he STILL needed to go get it. After a couple more delays, it finally arrived. The furnished
by me installed plug would not come out. Placed it in a vice and it was all I could do to get
it to turn, and it turned HARD all the way out. The bottom two threads on the plug were
stripped. Long story short, the threads were off center with the relief for the snout of the
plug and I found out later the threads are also "cocked" in relation to the barrel, making
my center-fire primer holders impossible to seal off gases. I did a few things to make it work,
but what SHOULD be a MOA barrel is only 1.5MOA with its best group.

Whoever put this thing together would have to be an absolute moron not to have known it
had a real bad problem when they forced the breech plug in the barrel. If there's any quality
control at that shop, it was completely out to lunch when this thing got boxed. Should I have
them make it right? How? It would have to be a completely different barrel, and I would insist
they have someone to do it who would know what they're doing. Like that would happen when
they can't even get a guy a chambered barrel that he ordered.

I know that many have had good luck with McGowen barrels. This was my first, and last.
I'll never order another from them with the experience had with them.

ok, vent over. Please resume with your normal thread. ;D

[51Bravo]

I hate to hear that other people are having more problems with them. An anybody answer this: Are the McGowen prefit Savage barrels chambered or just turned and threaded blank?

Wood

P.S. I just shot a coyote at about 350 yds with my AR15 carbine. Pretty stoked.

[319]

They are a prefit, ready to screw on and go. I have 3 and all three shoot well. Too bad 2 of the 3 were a PITA before I actually got them. Lots of "it will be ready in a week" on one, the other was not throated as I had asked. I won't use em again.

[sinman]

Mcgowen orefits will have a chamber, I would say they messed up. There is a reason I only get their blanks and do all the work to them myself.

[51Bravo]

Sinman, if i had known this you would have had my business.

Wood

[SMK Shoe]

I had used McGowan in the past. good barrels, BUT, the last pistol barrel I ordered was a in stock blank that was threaded for large shank and a Muzzle break already. Only needed to be chambered and turned down to FULL bull contour. Ordered it near the end of Oct 2010 and received it mid march 2011. Was told so many different excuses ( lathe broken, almost done, need a different reamer, in the next batch to go out, Machinist had family problem's and didn't get to it yet.)and then almost 150$ more than initial quote ( after I asked many times what it would cost) 5 months to chamber and turn down, I will NOT use them again. good barrels but I hat being jerked around. If they would have just been strainght with me I moght use them again. Now, I will not even let my friends order from them. :-\ :-\ :-\

[319]

Machinist with family problems.......that is one they used on me too!! that was well over a year ago!

[5spd]

Darned about your bbl.
I ordered mine through NSS and it was perfect to what I ordered.

[51Bravo]

I called them and they paid for shipping back to them. I hope the chamber comes out good.

wood

[51Bravo]

Got it back and it appears they did a good job reaming and crowning.

Wood

[bogger01]

man,i'm gald that i'm not the only one with problems from them.i had them build me a 338 edge barrel about 6 months ago.i also had them install a brake that needed timing.they said it was a 5-6 week wait.about 8 weeks later they called and told me my muzzlebrake was out of coentricity and i needed another.he said the hole was off center and the bullet would strike the brake .they said they could duplicate this brake in house and it would be free of charge.ok.this is where i start to get mad.2 weeks later no barrel.i called and they said that the machinist was out of town and couldn't do the brake until next week.after that he said it just needed blueing.i said i didn't order blueing as i was going to paint the barrel.he called me a liar and said when i made the phone call to make the order i said to blue it.well,i didn't call the order in i did it thru emails(which i saved for future referances).nothing about blueing.anyway,2 more weeks nothing,i called and he said the same excuse about the machinist being out of town but he would install one of his brakes and his gunsmith was in house and could do it right then.then he could blue it and send it home.by this point i am ready to pull my hair out and explained again that didn't want it blued.i was basically called a liar again..i agreed to the brake and went about my buisness.1 week later he called said my barrel was finished but i would have to handle the brake on my own.the barrel was threaded but not timed.i paid the nice lady on the phone and a week later the barreld action was here.i took the barreled action to a gunsmith and had him check the brake.nothing was wrong with it except it was over timed.anyway,the barrel shoots very well and i have no complints there but i will never use,buy or accept as a gift another mcgowen barrel.i feel better now ;D

[51Bravo]

I too will never deal with them again.