ER Shaw barrels question

[Bill2905]

I was wondering where the ER Shaw products fit in the pecking order of aftermarket barrels. At a price point of $199, are they kind of equivalent to a Savage factory barrel?

[stomp442]

I have ran several Shaw barrels and each and everyone has shot very well. They may not have as good of a finish as other barrels but they have all been half moa or better shooters.

[pdog2062]

The only one I have used is 6x45 and it was a shooter,easy to clean and perfect fit. I would order another one if I needed it no hesitation

[darkker]

I'm in the same camp as Stomp. I've used a lot of Shaw, including a current small shank barrel on a XL7. I bought it as a blem for having a "tight spot" in the bore. That lasted about 5 rounds, and now can't feel it. That barrel is over if the most accurate I've ever owned. Was the second rifle I made a mile with.

If you want exclusivity, or cool factor; that's fine. If you want a shooter for a working price, buy one.

[bulldogs42]

I have a MK VII from Shaw in 35 Remington, since that's the only way I could get a new bolt action in 35 Rem and it is quite accurate. I was able to to get around 1 MOA at the range, which is minute of deer in the woods I hunt. I'm satisfied with the Shaw barrel and would recommend it.

[bulldogs42]

One more thing, the polished stainless is mirror shine. It's a great looking barrel, but it will reflect the sun. I had to get a Boca Shield rifle barrel cover to minimize the glare while hunting.

[std7mag]

I have 2 now.
One on a commercial Mauser action. 1.5 contour, 24" with recessed target crown. Polished & blued, chambered in 284 Win. Delivered to my door was $272.

My other barrel is a Savage sporter contour, 24", polished, blued in 250 Savage. Overrun special for $100.

Both shoot sub MOA.
And their bluing is a thing of beauty!

I stopped by their store several times, and keep checking out their MK VII.
One in particular was a fluted, stainless with muzzlebrake. You couldn't tell where the brake screwed on. The salesman actually unscrewed it to prove it wasn't a machined part of the barrel.

Note though. They only make up to 26" long barrels. If your looking for longer, you need to look elsewhere.

[yobuck]

Never owned a Shaw barrel, but have only heard good things about them from those who have.
As for barrel length, and the 26” max, with modern powders that is no longer the issue it once was for most cartridges.
As an example of that, for many years i used H870 powder in my 7x300 Wetherby rifles.
89 gr would produce max about 3200/ 3250 fps from a 30” barrel with a 162 gr bullet depending upon conditions.
Today i can easily get 100+ fps more with 78 gr of 7828 using the same bullet, (and) i get the same velocity using the same cartridge and load in a different gun with a 26.5 “ barrel.
And if i used heavier bullets it would be easier yet due to using less powder.
So i personally wouldnt be concerned much over the barrel legnth situation.

[std7mag]

Looks like we may walk some of the same ground, Yobuck!
I hunt Moshannon State Forest off of Quehanna Highway.

My length post is due to me wanting to build a designated range rifle chambered in 7mm-08AI. Mostly F-Open matches (600 yards), with a couple long range steel matches thrown in (800-1,000 yards).
With the 7mm-08AI, any help velocity wise will end up helping at long range.
Still gonna end up subsonic, but...

[yobuck]

Looks like we may walk some of the same ground, Yobuck!
I hunt Moshannon State Forest off of Quehanna Highway.

My length post is due to me wanting to build a designated range rifle chambered in 7mm-08AI. Mostly F-Open matches (600 yards), with a couple long range steel matches thrown in (800-1,000 yards).
With the 7mm-08AI, any help velocity wise will end up helping at long range.
Still gonna end up subsonic, but...
We certainly have walked on the same ground. I can close my eyes and envision every bit within the 50.000 acre Quehanna.
Before there was Quehanna, there was a scandel, involving the land, polititions, and more than 300 camps and homes within that area.
I was at that time a teenager, and our camp was located at the very head of Panther run on Riddle rd. Today Riddle rd is blocked off, but there is a parking area on what had been untill recently been called Reactor rd about 1/4 mile before it turns into dirt and heads to Mosquito creek.
I believe the entire road from the Quehanna highway to Caldonia pike is now called lost run rd.
I can tell you that other than the power lines, and gas pipe lines and the few paved roads like the Quehanna highway, nothing within that area has changed in the 70 years ive been familiar with it.
And as for the hunting part, it is from an overall standpoint better today than it has ever been. Just too bad more young people arent taking advantage of that.
Our present camp is on Mix run rd about a mile from Driftwood, and a short distance from where Nanny run crosses the road.
The property pretty much adjoins Quehanna.
Camp name is Yobuck.

[Robinhood]

Hunting barrel yes and very accurate. Target barrel no way. You would have to clean the copper before you finish your string

[darkker]

You would have to clean the copper before you finish your string


Just like all Savage factory barrels. :p

[Robinhood]

Just like all Savage factory barrels. :p


My point. Why replace a a factory barrel with something equivalent to. for a step up Wilson or xcaliber. X caliber has tried to take a space between the Wilson and the higher end barrels like Bartlein, Brux, Krieger and yadayadayada.. I'm not convinced and the Criterion may be the better value in that space.

Bill, you didn't ask for an alternative to the Shaw but if you are looking for an accurate high maintenance barrel with the possibility of chamber issue, that's your barrel. If you plan on outings with 20 plus rounds being shot I recommend saving up for something better or buying a low round count higher end barrel.They are out there. On this forum and others.

[Savage170]

Delete.
I tried to post target pics.
I have Shaw barrels and continue to use them one ragged hole with hand loads, moa with good factory stuff.

[Bill2905]

My point. Why replace a a factory barrel with something equivalent to. for a step up Wilson or xcaliber. X caliber has tried to take a space between the Wilson and the higher end barrels like Bartlein, Brux, Krieger and yadayadayada.. I'm not convinced and the Criterion may be the better value in that space.

Bill, you didn't ask for an alternative to the Shaw but if you are looking for an accurate high maintenance barrel with the possibility of chamber issue, that's your barrel. If you plan on outings with 20 plus rounds being shot I recommend saving up for something better or buying a low round count higher end barrel.They are out there. On this forum and others.

I have one rifle with a Shilen select barrel and another one under construction, waiting for the barrel to arrive. I hand load for target shooting. Sometimes it gets stale and I want to try something different. I have another action sitting around and was thinking about screwing on a low cost barrel in a new chambering that I could plink around with using factory ammo. It sounds like I would be better served by finding a take off factory barrel or a low mileage used custom barrel. Accurate, high maintenance, with the possibility of chamber issues is not the combination of qualities that I would be looking for.

[Fuj']

If your looking closely at your dimes, and it's just going to be
a low round count hunter, Shaw will do fine. It's a budget barrel
plain and simple. You pay your money and take your chances,
or like some say. "Buy once, Cry once". I'll add that I can get
finnicky about my barrels, and who chambers them. I was doing a
budget build and selected a button Criterion prefit from NSS.
That barrel is still impressing the hell out of me.

[Texas10]

My point. Why replace a a factory barrel with something equivalent to. for a step up Wilson or xcaliber. X caliber has tried to take a space between the Wilson and the higher end barrels like Bartlein, Brux, Krieger and yadayadayada.. I'm not convinced and the Criterion may be the better value in that space.

Bill, you didn't ask for an alternative to the Shaw but if you are looking for an accurate high maintenance barrel with the possibility of chamber issue, that's your barrel. If you plan on outings with 20 plus rounds being shot I recommend saving up for something better or buying a low round count higher end barrel.They are out there. On this forum and others.

^^^^ Exactly my experience. A good hunting barrel with a beautiful bluing job, and your own private copper mine all rolled into one.

Also, if you put a camera down the bore and notice a light at the end, that's not a reflection, it's a train coming at you. :o

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Been a few years ago but I sent my XP 100 pistol in to E.R.Shaw and had them replace the 10" barrel with a 15" straight pipe. Nice polished blue finish and deadly accurate. To this day, I have NEVER had a bad barrel from Shaw, Pac Nor, Douglas, Wilson, Shilen or just about any barrel maker you can think of. None of mine are listed on "The Winners List" but they will produce bug holes for me and that's what counts.;)
I did pick up a Wilson barrel at auction one time and was told by a smith that they were CRAP because they wern't lapped? Turned out to be one of my better bug hole makers.:cool: Funny thing was, he didn't have any problems taking my $$$ to chamber and thread it for my Savage.

[Bunky-Shooter]

I have nothing bad to say about there barrels. Made a build years ago for a 30-06 and it will shoot one hole groups at 100 yards when i do my part. Would be a good barrel for a hunting build but if you are looking to punch paper at long distance i would spend 100 dollars extra on a McGowen or Criterion..