What is the Best Barrel Maker and Why?

[dc9loser]

I want to get the best barrel for my gun build, who makes the best and why?

[peterf225]

I don't know if there is a "best" barrel maker. I have had Shilens, Kriegers, PacNors, and McGowens. All shot 100% better than most factory barrels. I have never borescoped any barrel but some will say the Kriegers have less tool marks on the inside than the others but I don't know. Most of the blanks are around the same price. Shilen and PacNor offer barrels ready to go for the Savages for cheaper than buying the blank and have a gunsmith thread and chamber. All the aftermarket barrels I have had shot 1/2 moa and less. Barrel selection is like selecting between Ford and Chevy. If it helps any I have a Shilen Select Match grade barrel on my F-Class rig chambered in 300 Win Mag.

[wapaloose]

Benchmark Barrels
Ron Sinnema, Barry Graber
1105 Pioneer Hwy East
Arlington, WA 98223
phone: (360) 652-2594
email: benchmarkbarrels [at] yahoo.com

[pdog06]

Chevy!!! Oh crap, wrong thread :D

Seriously, this thread could go on forever, and I think theres already one started. If you look in the aftermarket barrels section you will find a ton of info on alot of the barrel makers.

How are you gonna use the gun?


Getting what many say is "the best"(Lilja, Broughton, Kreiger, etc) is gonna cost you alot of money to have one done. It is worth it if you are competing, but if you are just doing informal shooting or hunting you may want to look into some of these:(Brux, Benchmark, Shilen, Lothar Walther, Pac-Nor, Douglas, Mcgowen). They may be a tad cheaper but many have been more than satisfied with the way they shoot.

One thing for sure is that every one of them will clean very easily with little to no copper fouling.

Everybody has their own favorite, which tends to be their most accurate one. I have my own favorite also, but that is because I have not shot some of the other brands. If i did I may have a new favorite. I have shot Shilen, Mcgowen, Douglas, and Lothar Walther barrels. My Mcgowens have been my most accurate, but they are now under new management so I dont know if it's the same quality or not. But the LW was the smoothest bore I've ever seen, almost like a mirror finish. I have a Pac-Nor on the way and a new Brux on order, so who knows, maybe I'll end up with a new favorite. Been hearing alot of great things about Brux.

[Eric in NC]

Harry Pope

[sinman]

it matters more who is doing the work on your barrel than the barrel them selfs, a half ass job on a $500 barrel maybe be worse than a $120 a&b barrel. any of the top names will be good.

[GaCop]

Get a barrel from Devin (Sinarms)........................I have no complaints about his work, only praise. My next barrel from him is going to be a 223AI.

[Blue Avenger]

Get a barrel from Devin (Sinarms)........................I have no complaints about his work, only praise. My next barrel from him is going to be a 223AI.
but Devin did not make the barrel! he machined one for you.

[DGD6MM]

All the barrel makers that make what we consider the BEST, still are capable of making a BAD one now and again. I think what is as important, is a barrel maker that will stand behind a bad barrel. Never had a Brux but oneday I will, because I hear so much good about them and that makes me what to try one.

[Hammer]

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Don't have enough data yet to decide.

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[Fjold]

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Don't have enough data yet to decide.

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Gotta agree with Hammer on this one. I've been shooting custom barrels since the early 1980's and have seen literaly thousands on the line in different competitions and I can't decide yet.

Go look at which barrels are in the top ten of the Super shoot and the other big benchrest competitions, the same barrel makers show up all the time. Any out of that group will give you the best chance of getting a top barrel.

[Tightgroups]

Both of my BRs 22 & 6MM are Pac-Nor Super Match, and they shoot great, well under 1/2moa, even down in the .1 to .3s if I dont drink much coffee.
But what I really like about Pac-Nor is, you tell them what its for, what caliber, twist. # of lands, length Etc Etc. And if you dont know whats best for your application, they will advise you. And they do it all, it comes threaded and chambered, so if its for a Savage, all you do is screw it in, and your good to go. (well almost that easy) Plus the price is right.
And you could be making bug holes in an hour or less.
But the truth is, there all good.

[Galveston22]

Hart, Bartlein, Broughton, Lilja are known to be among the best. Shilen, McGowan, Pac-Nor all have Savage prefits though. Anyone who is in the business of barrel making exclusively is going to be your best bet.

[SWN]

Just took delivery of an Edge barrel from McGowen. 26 days from order to my doorstep. Way friendly people. The only thing wrong with this is that they built this barrel faster than the rest of my build so I can't run out and fire it yet.

[caroby]

who makes the best and why?

Honestly.................... There is no such thing........ There is no "BEST"...

You decided to barrel in a good "time"........ Today's barrel makers are turning out DAMN fine barrels. From button rifled to cut rifled......... Competition breeds then need for quality coming out of these shops.

BUT...

The bummer does happen from them ALL...

IMOP.... Typically this is what is produced... 85% Real Good, 5% Excellent, 5% Hummer "OMG".... Then the 5% Bummer/Not Real Good...

The Cut rifled makers are really starting to dominate short range Benchrest... Krieger, Bartlein...
Just doesn't mean they are THE best... But does mean they are turning out Exceptionally high percentage of better than "Real Good" tubes. I like Krieger 6mm 1-13.5 tubes because they are so darn consistent.. VERY important in the Short Range BR game...

Hummers are REAL rare... Got one .22PPC .100 short chambered Shilen barrel that is just SPOOKY accurate.
Also have a .22PPC chambered PacNor that has helped me yield "wood" from matches... Love that PacNor..!
As well as a Bartlein 1/4 GT barrel 14.0 - 13.75 6PPC that I have set my new personal small 100/200 aggs. Tracy & Frank at Bartlein are great to work with :)

Barrels is good these days,
cale

[Hammer]

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Think the definition of a Hummer is a barrel that regardless of the ammo, action, shooter, wind, mirage, etc... Puts all the bullets inside 0.100 inches.


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[358Hammer]

Go look at which barrels are in the top ten of the Super shoot and the other big benchrest competitions, the same barrel makers show up all the time. Any out of that group will give you the best chance of getting a top barrel.

I really have to tag along with the above advice to a point. Benchmark though making centerfire barrels all along have 50 plus world rimfire records and have dominated the rimfire arena. Until recently they did not have much selection and records in centerfire.
Having been a competitor for 3 decades I learned that shooters follow a trend. I have heard gotta have a Kreiger, gotta have a Obermeyer??? because so and so or such and such. Then you look at by comparison, SHilen or whomever sponsers or makes 10 times the amount of barrels than say someone small like Benchmark. There are way more name brand winners out there because there are way more of their barrels being shot.

I have three Benchmark barrels that are bugholers and two more on order. Everyone is perfect internally and externally. They clean like a dream and I am sold.

Neal

[jrmy_1]

I went with a Brux barrel. I decided on either a Bartlein or a Brux, basically, because they single point cut rifle and they are a small shops. I actually would have went with a Bartlein, but they have an 8 month wait right now and I wasn't willing to wait that long. I went with the 3 month wait from Brux. I will probably get a Bartlein for my next build.

My reasoning was is if you have a barrel maker that is fairly well known and there are only a couple people working there, e.g. the owners, you're probably going to have a smaller chance of a "bad" barrel slipping through. Kreiger has a good name, but is a bigger shop so I wasn't sure who would make my barrel, whereas Bartlein and Brux are smaller. I also hear that Bartlein has all new machines whereas most of the other single point cut rifle machinists have older machines from the 40s and 50s. Not sure if that matters, though.

[nastynatesfish]

why hasnt anyone listed E R Shaw?? i got a 26" .850 muzzle barrel from them and it will out shoot my buddys shilen. and the barrel only cost me 175 to the door ready to install.

[Blue Avenger]

why hasnt anyone listed E R Shaw?? i got a 26" .850 muzzle barrel from them and it will out shoot my buddys shilen. and the barrel only cost me 175 to the door ready to install.

OK, that makes then economical. You go win a few national competitions and they will have a new name for them selves