Barrel finally came. Anyone else familiar with this?

Well, after over 25 weeks, my barrel is finally here. I still need to sandblast & Cerakote. But I’m wondering if anyone else has seen this in receiving a Barrel? The packaging. Every other barrel I’ve ever ordered, came packaged in one of those very thick, hard cardboard tubes with the wood or plastic ends in place & wrapped very well to prevent movement. This barrel came today in a standard cardboard shipping box with 1-layer of bubble wrap around it. Everything looks good to me. No dings or dents on the box. So I’m sure it’s fine. But it still could have been banged around quite a bit. Who knows? But, am I being out of sorts to have expected it shipped in the tube, for fear of warping? I mean, is everyone else getting barrels shipped to them like this? Again, it’s just I’ve never received a barrel(aside from some inexpensive AR barrels), with seemingly so little care taken in shipping? But, maybe it’s just me.

https://i.ibb.co/wrjH9sN/4-E6-A7-EAB...215-F211-A.png

Also, I did check as soon as I got it & Headspace GO gauge today, it WILL work fine with a .300” Recoil Lug. As in the Titanium Lug I machined for it. I was told when I was placing the order, these Criterion Barrels will only fit a .250” Recoil Lug MAX. I was skeptical, and was correct in my suspicion. To be fair, I initially said I was planning to run an 8mm or 5/16” Lug. But this barrel would fit the .312”+ lug as well.

Anyway, I’m finishing making the lug. It’s within about .002-.003” like this. But I’m using my 1000grit water stone maybe get it a bit better
https://i.ibb.co/G9SRWJh/FF5-AE2-C3-...FBB2-BE902.jpg

Tubes cost more money. It actually is fine that it came in the box, but like you I would’ve totally expected much more packing material in it so it is held firmly in the box. A round foam pool float tube might’ve fit inside it and already has the hole in the middle for the barrel to slide in. Bam! Well protected and no rattling around in the box.
Atleast it had the rubber end caps on the each end of the barrel to help protect it?
Cutting costs is one thing, but you made an investment and waited months for it. Least they could’ve done is take every precaution they could that it would get there safely. Must have a lot of confidence in the postal system…lol

Glad it made it to you ok!

Have some early McGowen's that came that way

Yeah....That's just you being overly concerned-- How is a cardboard tube going to stop a steel barrel from warping? With the bubble wrap it wasn't getting banged around-- and lets not lose sight of the fact that it is a steel tube-- one that you are going to attach to your action in one spot on the very end and then hang unsupported from there--

I purchased a DD barrel and it came in a box with other items and absolutely nothing protecting it except it had that weird plastic thing they put barrels in (I call it fishnet stockings for barrels..... ), and it was fine.

I’ve received barrels from Krieger, Bartline, and X Caliber and all of them arrived in a plain cardboard box. The Kriegers had the “fishnet stockings” on them but the others were just wrapped in paper with protectors on the threads.

My two Shilen barrels have come in tubes, and 2 Proof research barrels came in boxes. My 6mm Arc, AR barrel came in a box also

Yep. Just got mine and it was packaged the same. Covers on the threads and wrapped in bubble wrap. No issues noted.

When given the requirements for a new Marine rifle Stoner had a conf with the Commandant. He brought out the only thing that would survive some of the tests proposed, a 1" dia chromed steel rod. :)

But, if I had ordered a nicely polished blued barrel I don't think some simple bubble wrap would have protected the finish. If I were shipping barrels...I'd use the plastic tube my Shilen came in, and it was inside a 2" square, heavy duty, cardboard box.

I’m certainly not worried about the looks of it. Like I said, I’m still going to sand
blast & Cerakote.

I did a quick mock-up with the Action & such, testing for headspacing with the Ti Lug I made. It looks like a beast! This thing would handle the recoil from a 50 BMG I bet, LOL!

I received one in a PVC pipe tube.

My Shilen shipped exactly the same way, no big deal. My X-Caliber barrel was wrapped with foam sheet for a tight fit in the round cardboard shipping tube. Both barrels had a plastic/rubber plug over the threads.

I would actually prefer my barrel be sent in a rectangular or triangular box over a tube. Round tubes get beat to death in shipping because the shelving in delivery trucks is designed for square/rectangular boxes, not round tubes, and thus round tubes just roll off them and then all around on the floor of the truck. I couldn't begin to count the number of times I've ordered something with some weight to it that came in a long tube and the end of the tube was either cracked or totally missing and re-taped over. Even had two occasions where USPS delivered empty tubes due to one of the end caps coming off at some point.

As for protecting the ends of the barrel when packaging, it's no different in rectangular or triangular boxes than it would be in a round tube. As in this case, one can leave excess length of bubble wrap extending off the ends to form a cushion area. Another option is to cut hard foam blocks to properly fit the end of the package to act as a bumper. Biggest thing is just making sure that there's sufficient packaging material to prevent the barrel from moving much within the box and that the ends have extra cushioning.

My new barrel come in a standard cardboard shipping box and every thing seemed ok . But I really like the PVC pipe tube with a cap one end and a screw cap on the other and taped . I also pack the inside of the tube . It just makes me feel better . Going to send the new barrel out to be chambered . BOY DO I MISS MY LATHE .

Yes, mine came without any seeming damage. It was just the first I’ve received in anything other than the hard tubes; which I’m not sure if everyone quite understands to which I mean. The tubes I’m speaking of are very thick cardboard that I can stand on without even denting them. All 280lbs of me! And the barrels have always been isolated within the tube. Every barrel I’ve purchased has also had the end caps, as this one has. Now, I haven’t received hundreds of barrels in the past, but I have gone through over a dozen or more of various rifle builds.

That said, I’m past it now. All is well in the end. Barrel is here & in fine condition. So it’s time to get to work.

My Service Rifle barrels from WOA if I do not run by and pick em up are shipped in a oversized box with a nylon wrap around the barrel and packed in paper so thick. Glad it made it safe and washed poking out the end of the box.

As previously mentioned, foam "pool noodles" work great. In my case, ship pre chambered barrels out to be fluted, etc.
Pool noodle, longer than the barrel, zip ties to hold barrel in place and in the center of the noodle. Packed in a 4" square, 4' long USPS shipping box that YOU trim to your length.
Goes out that way and comes back the same. Extra care to CYA.
Did get one barrel that had a long scratch on it when it was packed/opened. Knife wound.
Bubble wrap works but, the foam "pool noodle" IMHO is what gets the job done. :cool: A few extra $$$ to insure it gets shipped and received in good shape is worth the cost.
The outside of the box may look like it was run over by a truck but the foam keeps the barrel and finish protected.

And when you send out a pre chambered barrel (in the $300.00 + range) with a "high polished" finish to get an Octagon" cut, (another $250.00+) it better be protected!! :(

It’s tough to hurt a barrel blank but once chambered and crowned they need to be protected a bit better then just a single layer of bubble wrap..
I wouldn’t be very happy. The old saying in gunsmithing and chambering is ..Don’t make the phone ring !!!