Factory Barrels

What's the current consensus on factory barrels as far as value for a hunting rifle?

Typically, it seems like you can pick up a blued or matte sporter takeoff for anywhere from $30-60 for the common calibers like 30-06, 270 or 243.

How much premium would you all place on stainless or odd calibers?

Say a factory barrel in SS in something like 300 Savage or 7x57? What would be a reasonable price for something like that, or the same calibers in blued?

At what price point would you just go to an aftermarket barrel, especially with Shaw's starting around $200?

Maybe I should have just asked what's everyone's opinion on the current production barrels for accuracy? Forget the price.

I have a factory savage stainless barrel that was given a custom chamber= 338 win factory re-chanbered to 338 edge........it shoots 1/4 moa easily.
My only other factory savage barrel is a 338 win and it shoots 0.4moa with the first and only load I worked up for it.
So................I really think other than tikka savage has one of the best factory tubes kicking around but like any real accurate gun: it needs set up that way, optics, mounts, bedding, stock and ammo. If you lock down all those issues, they are perfectly suitable for about anything this side of professional bench rest competition.
.
After market is still "next level" IF it's done right.
I have aftermarket tubes that shoot 1/8 moa easily if everything is locked down.
All my aftermarket barrels (just a few+) are stainless except one and oddly enough it's the only one that does not significantly beat my factory tube, It's about the same group actually maybe slightly easier to clean. From such a small test group it could be a fluke but I lean toward stainless when ever possible.
.
A friendly machinist I know once told me stainless was easier to machine. I always kinda figured it might lead to smoother machining processes as a result.
With Apache GW's $200ish barrels or hand lapped $300ish barrels available how ever I want them (contour,length,threaded,etc.) it's pretty hard to spend very much on any factory tube but for what they are there aint a dang thing wrong with factory.

I built my son a 243 sporter using a factory barrel. That rifle consistently shoots sub MOA at 200 yards with 80 grain HP's and 95 grain Berger VLD's - Hunting bullets.

My Stevens 200 sporter 223 Remington will shoot between .94 inches and 1.3 inches at 200 yards with a Sierra 63 gr SMP handload.

My luck with the heavy factory barrels has been very good. 5 shot groups in the 1/2 to 3/4 inch size at 100 yards.

I have not had the same luck with thin barrels shooting 3 shot groups.

Mine is different. My first shot is spot on. The second usually goes 3/4". The third is just shy of 1.5". The fourth and fifth is over 3". This is from a fixed rest as per conversation from Savage. They said only the first three shots are counted and that is within specifications. They could not explain why the fourth and fifth shots are so far out. They stated they let the gun rest between shots and was cool to the touch. I have repeatedly recreated this on the range with 10 to 15 minutes between shots on a cool morning. I have had several expert shooters do this and the results were the same. I decided to order a barrel through McGowen since I have not had any luck getting the problem fixed. This was done with factory and reloaded ammunition.

I just ordered E.R. Shaw's kit from Midway for 270 Win. in stainless for $199. I based that purchase off this site's regard for Shaw's barrels. Seems the results are pretty darn good for these barrels. Adding items up, consider with a Shaw barrel kit you're getting a $30 nut wrench and a go & no go gauge, which are $30 each too. You can do the math from there.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by rc109a

Mine is different. My first shot is spot on. The second usually goes 3/4". The third is just shy of 1.5". The fourth and fifth is over 3". This is from a fixed rest as per conversation from Savage. They said only the first three shots are counted and that is within specifications. They could not explain why the fourth and fifth shots are so far out. They stated they let the gun rest between shots and was cool to the touch. I have repeatedly recreated this on the range with 10 to 15 minutes between shots on a cool morning. I have had several expert shooters do this and the results were the same. I decided to order a barrel through McGowen since I have not had any luck getting the problem fixed. This was done with factory and reloaded ammunition.

---

That sounds like a bedding issue. Is the barrel free floated? Scope mounts/rings tight?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by RichinVA

That sounds like a bedding issue. Is the barrel free floated? Scope mounts/rings tight?

---

This was using the existing accustock. The scope rings/mounts were not used in the testing (they make you remove them before you send it in)since they put it into a gun rest and fire it. The barrel is free floating. As far as beading issue, it is an accustock. The wedge was properly tightened and fired, then they removed the wedge with the same results. I have tried both ways and see no difference. I have place with screw torque and cannot do anything to change the accuracy. I have tighten down according to specifications, I even just hand tightened them. I have tried several different combinations with the same results. I have used three different scopes and 4 different set of rings and two different bases. I am awaiting on a new barrel and still trying to find a stock. This was the worse shooting rifle I have ever owned. I was going to sell it, but did not want to push my problems on another. With the new barrel and stock, this should be a good shooter since there is nothing left but the action of the original rifle left. Came close to having the rifle turned into scrap metal since I was not looking for a project gun and just wanted something fun to play with out of the box.

Well I picked up a factory SS barrel in .250 and a fast twist 7mm-08 blued. I got the 7mm with the intention of reaming the chamber to .284 Winchester. It should clean up with no setback.

Barrel is supposed to arrive tomorrow. Now I just gotta find someone to do the rechambering and I am set.