Best Barrels

S

Saltydog235

New member
I'm getting it all together for the Savage build and am trying to settle on a barrel, damn sure are a lot of choices out there today, then the contours, length, twist etc.

Shaw - can't believe I left that one out originally.
Hart
Lija
McGowen
Shilen
Spencer
GMR
Bartlein
Brux
Krieger

To flute or not to flute, that is the question. Actually thinking of doing one of those spiral flutings and getting the barrel body in a flat black finish and the flutes in a OD green and setting it in a McMillan stock with a green and black spiderweb stock. Its getting a Timiney trigger job as well.
 
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Although I've never shot them myself, based on reviews I've read, it would be hard to beat a McGowen from Northland Shooters Supply from Savageshooters.com. I think he's still selling them under $300 after shipping.

I actually planned on buying one, but had an unexpected car repair set me back.. so is life sometimes, lol.
 
I imagine ANY of those top barrel makers would make a barrel that was exponentially more capable than I was. I've heard nothing but good about those on the list that I recognize. There were a couple I've never heard of, but I'm not into building rifles right now.
I'd probably boil it down to Shaw, Lilja, Shilen, and Hart.

Personally, I don't like fluted barrels.
 
I just bought a .243 Win 1:7 twist from savage-barrels.com which took about 5 weeks to get. Cost was right at $250 for a McGowen 26" varmint contour. I'm wanting to run 105+ grain bullets out of it for some long range shooting. It was cheaper to order it from them than to have NSS order one for me since he didn't have a 1:7 twist.

However, I agree if you want something in stock I'd just order a barrel from NSS over on the Savage Shooters forum. NSS stocks factory take off barrels, as well as Criterion, Shilen, and McGowen. Check out Sin-Arms barrels as well if you want something a little different he is on Savage Shooters as well. Pac-Nor makes great prefit barrels as well for the Savage rifles. Check Midway as well as they have a few barrels in stock and the might just have the chamber you are looking for. The somtimes have A&B, Shaw, and Shilen. They haven't had many A&B barrels lately.

Then for the trigger I'd but a Sharp Shooter Supply Competition trigger or a reworked 3 screw from NSS. The Competition trigger is around $100 and adjusts from 2lbs down to 12 oz. The 3 screw from NSS is basicly the same as the Timney but sells for 1/2 the price. Just follow NSS instructions and you can tune that trigger in to a pull you like, and I like this trigger better for hunting rifles as I can set them at a nice crisp 3 lbs.
 
Actually thinking of doing one of those spiral flutings
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That pretty much limits you to ER Shaw. They patented the spiral flutes. Go figure.

Nothing against ER Shaw, they make an OK barrel. I usually recommend barrels I can get within a few weeks, which usually leads me to McGowen (my preference), Shilen, or Douglas. None of these are bad barrels and, short of competitive benchresters, no one will know the difference between those and a Hart or Krieger or Lilja (which usually take longer than 5 months to get).
 
A friend had a Bartlein put on a new build target rifle and was impressed enough to get one to rebarrel an old gun.

As Gale McMillan* said, "The main purpose of fluting a barrel is to transfer $50 from your pocket to the gunsmith's."

*You know, the guy frequently quoted to the effect that breaking in a new barrel is unnecessary.
 
Just for kicks I had Shaw price out the build with their action and the price was $875.00 which in itself isn't too bad if I get what I want in the end but their lead time was 16 months. 16 Months to build a rifle with screw and bolt together components, either they have a helluva backlog or they're slow as molasses on a sub-zero winters day.
 
I'm a Hart fan. I've owned a couple rifles with their tubes and both were phenomenal. If I had to choose the best, Hart, Kreiger, Douglas and Lilja.
 
As was stated above, you will see no difference in the choices listed unless this is a dedicated benchrest rifle. And if that is the case, your front rest and rear bag, bedding, along with a good trigger and rifle handling skills will have an equal amount of importance. Too close to call for anything other than br shooting.
 
I'm just working up loads for a Benchmark 3.08 barrel on a Montana 1999 action. The Benchmark barrel barely required break in as it didn't foul right from the start. I've got some very nice groups right from the start.

I wish I'd more extensive shooting to report but a vacation and 70 hour work weeks are crowding my shooting time.

Bottom line I wouldn't hesitate to buy a Benchmark again.
 
If I look down the bores for smoothness and/or see how small a groups I can shoot, and how long the barrel stays clean of Copper fouling, I will produce a drop in the bucket of anecdotal information.

I have looked down my bores and graded them:
Lilja
Shilen Stainless select match
Lothar Walther
Krieger
Hart
Parker Hale
Douglas
Pac Nor
Green Mountain
Shilen Chrome moly
Remington factory
Winchester factory
Ruger factory
Savage factory
Marlin factory
Addams and Bennet

My best barrel is a Shilen select match stainless steel.
My worst barrel is a 2002 vintage Addams and Bennet chrome moly.

I would bet money that there is some guy out there with nothing but good luck with his 2002 Addams and Bennet barrel and can out shoot my best all day long.

What does it all mean?
There are too many variables, so you can sniff the wind of gun culture folklore, pay your money, and take your choice.
 
Krieger, Obermyer, Broughton, Bartlein, Rock Creek, Lijla, Hart, and shilen are barrel makers that come to mind when i think of one to buy from. Scnieder also but apparently they're hard to get. Sure i'm leaving some out but there are a ton.. My first custom barrel is going to be a bartlein M24/M40 contour 24" 5R. A good friend of mine uses mostly shilen and has plenty of success with them. My gunsmith is loyal as hell to krieger which is The big name barrel manufacturer that i read about most. That all being said if Gale McMillan was still making barrels thats the barrel i would be getting.

Doyle yes douglas is still making barrels.
 
To flute or not to flute, that is the question. Actually thinking of doing one of those spiral flutings
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Spiral flutes will have to be done by a local gunsmith/machinist, if you don't buy from Shaw.

If you want the flutes for looks, go for it.
If you want the flutes for strength/stiffness, it's a waste of money. A cylindrical (unfluted) barrel is stiffer than a same-diameter barrel that has been fluted.

I think it was Rifleshooter that ran a good article on flutes some time between 2000-2002. It was a bit of a "Truth or Myth" article. Their testing, came to these conclusions:
Flutes don't strengthen a barrel; they weaken it. Flutes don't help cool a barrel enough for even competition shooters to benefit.

Some people think they look good. If you don't want the look of flutes, it's a waste of money.
 
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