Shaw prefits

[Newtosavage]

I'm sure a lot of folks here have considered the very affordable Shaw prefits offered by Midway and Eabco (and probably others). I thought I'd weigh in on my experience with them.

I read all the reviews because I was mostly concerned with the barrel contour - this barrel was for my western mountain rifle, so weight matters. As many of the reviews state, the Shaw "FC" or factory contour barrel is in fact, slightly heavier than the standard Savage factory contour. Not a lot, but enough that you might need to open the barrel channel on your stock just a touch. That is easily done with a long socket and sandpaper, and to me is no big deal if you are okay with a barrel that's slightly heavier than the standard Savage sporter contour.

I ordered a stainless 7mm-08 FC barrel from Midway USA and it came with the barrel nut wrench plus go and no-go gauges for just $239 shipped to my door. It arrived in three days. Since I wanted a 21" (or perhaps even 20") barrel, the first thing I did was chop off 3" and recrown the barrel. This is easily done with hand tools and took me about 30 minutes. Larry Potterfield has a nice video on how to do this, as do others on YouTube.

After chopping and re-crowning, my barrel contour was similar to a Tikka barrel, with a 0.600" muzzle diameter at 21". It weighed 2 lbs. 7 oz. which was acceptable to me. I was shooting for 2 lbs. 5 oz. and may still take another inch off eventually. However, this barrel is shooting very well now so I may not ever touch it.

I also tried bucking tradition and after reading some blogs about "breaking in" barrels (which I've done many times now) I decided to not break this barrel in at all. No cleaning. Just shoot it. I wanted to see what happens. And I'm glad I did.

After 30 rounds, this is what I got. 139 grain Hornady Interlock boat tail (an inexpensive but accurate and deadly hunting bullet for the 7mm-08) going 2900 fps. out of that 21" barrel, using IMR 4166 powder and Lapua brass. Both those 3-shot groups measure under 0.7" and were shot with a fixed 6x scope at 100 yards. Not too shabby for a $239 barrel.

If you're on the fence about trying one, I'd say go for it. This is my second Shaw barrel (the other was a custom 6.5 Grendel) and they have both shot great. They are well worth the asking price, plus some.

81118112

[mikebritton]

I have had 3 Shaw barrels over the years. None yet in a Savage action. They have all been happily accurate, and smooth as glass when I got them.
I never "broke one in", and they have all shot well from the beginning.

[Nor Cal Mikie]

Shaw, another barrel company that has been around a long time but you just don't hear much about them.
Kinda like Douglas as well as Wilson. Don't ever sell any of them short.
Had Shaw re barrel my XP 100 with a longer barrel. DEADLY ACCURATE!!
Another one from Midway was A & B. Picked up a .221 Fireball barrel for my Savage. A one hole shooter. :cool::cool:

[GaCop]

My last two builds in 308 and 7mm/08 are Shaw barrels. Accuracy is great but the 308 barrel is still a copper mine after 200 rounds. 7/08 barrel quit coppering up after 80 rounds.

[gbflyer]

My last two builds in 308 and 7mm/08 are Shaw barrels. Accuracy is great but the 308 barrel is still a copper mine after 200 rounds. 7/08 barrel quit coppering up after 80 rounds.

Did they chamber? That’s generally a throat issue. I bet it will smooth out.

I have what I guess is sort of a bargain barrel. McGowen. It’s a great shooter also. I think they all have the capability today to build good barrels. Where folks get picky is barrel to barrel consistency and many feel that the high end stuff fills that requirement with more regularity.

[Newtosavage]

Did they chamber? That’s generally a throat issue. I bet it will smooth out.

I have what I guess is sort of a bargain barrel. McGowen. It’s a great shooter also. I think they all have the capability today to build good barrels. Where folks get picky is barrel to barrel consistency and many feel that the high end stuff fills that requirement with more regularity.

I had two McGowans and sold them both. They were okay, but not great. No better than a typical Savage factory barrel IMO. The two Shaw barrels I've had to date have been above average in the accuracy dept. and it was obvious straight away they would be. The 6.5 Grendel was also extremely forgiving of different loads. I hope this 7mm-08 will be as well.

[stomp442]

I have always had great luck with Shaw. I had one in 6.5-06 Ackley that was probably the most accurate barrel I have ever owned. It would stack 140 Bergers into 3 inch or less groups at 800 yards.

[GaCop]

Did they chamber? That’s generally a throat issue. I bet it will smooth out.

I have what I guess is sort of a bargain barrel. McGowen. It’s a great shooter also. I think they all have the capability today to build good barrels. Where folks get picky is barrel to barrel consistency and many feel that the high end stuff fills that requirement with more regularity. Shaw chambered barrels both. Loads developed after determining distance to lands with various weight bullets. Bullets normally seated about .020" OTL.

[Newtosavage]

That "cheap" Shaw prefit did it again. This was my first test of a new load with 150 GMX's after chopping the barrel to 20" and recrowning.

I had to walk to the target to make sure the 2nd bullet was in the same hole. It was. The third bullet expanded the hole to a whopping 0.45" LOL

This was with a fixed 6x Weaver scope.

[Whynot]

I have no complaints with the shaw barrels that I have had.... except I would never have them do the chambering again. They shoot very well- but are a pain to reload for because of how huge the chambers are. Multiple brands of reloading dies tell me the same thing.... they are way to big in the body of the case and it is difficult to get them in a die far enough to be able to bump the shoulder. Not sure if they used the reamers to long or if they didn't get things trued up as good as they should.

I would use their blanks... but no more of the pre-fits for me. (also, by the time you get a blank from them with a few options such as length, you are just about the same cost as what you can get a Brux for) so they really aren't "cheap" anymore.

[Newtosavage]

I have no complaints with the shaw barrels that I have had.... except I would never have them do the chambering again. They shoot very well- but are a pain to reload for because of how huge the chambers are. Multiple brands of reloading dies tell me the same thing.... they are way to big in the body of the case and it is difficult to get them in a die far enough to be able to bump the shoulder. Not sure if they used the reamers to long or if they didn't get things trued up as good as they should.

I would use their blanks... but no more of the pre-fits for me. (also, by the time you get a blank from them with a few options such as length, you are just about the same cost as what you can get a Brux for) so they really aren't "cheap" anymore.

Interesting. I've never noticed this particular problem.