for a barrel that won't shoot, I have one laying about five feet from me that's an all day quarter inch barrel (Douglas). I've seen lots of them over the last fifteen years shoot in the twos.
When you get in the big time you don't wait for a barrel. It's often gave to you. (how many barrels do you think Boyer has bought?). Calfee uses almost nothing but Lilja barrels in his world class bench guns. Yet he will openly tell you that three out of five are sent back to the factory as unusable! (sometimes four out of five). Does this mean that a Lilja barrel is sub-par? Not in the least! Lots of folks swear by Krieger barrels, and lets face it he makes a pretty good barrel. But a look at the equipment list and who won will tell you another story. Boyer is probably the best benchrest shooter we'll ever see in our lifetime. He uses nothing but Shilen barrels. He did make a slip once and say that he will go thru several barrels before he gets a "hummer." And then he only gets about three to four hundred rounds thru it. I'd imagine that the "shot out barrel" is better than anything we'll ever use.
Virtually all barrels are bored in a similar fashion off something like a Pratt or an Albion (both are similar quality). I doubt that anybody is using an Elderado or Seneca Falls as they simply don't fit the needs here. Some use cut rifeling and some use a button setup. All the big winners seem tobe button if you check the equipment lists. Aside from the fact that the Albion has a stronger cast iron frame than the Pratt; there's little difference between the bore quality when using the same grind on the drill. The reaming processes are all similar between each bunch wether they'll admit it or not (I seriously doubt any of them will pay the cash for a Mapol reamer so I left that out). The only serious differences are the hand lap job and how the rifeling is cut assuming we're talking the usual 416 SS steel. If Mr. Gardner revised the way he laps the barrels in, then there is little difference. And if by chance mr. Gardner spent the $6K on a Mapol reamer; he has a better blank to rifle right away.
gary
I think you are on to something Gary.
Not being a big name in shooting I'm sure I did not get the best they had to offer but I dont like
having to send a barrel back to the maker for several reasons. after waiting 3 or 4 months time
is getting short and I don't like explaining the customer why his rifle will be much later.
The second reason is that I should not have to reject any barrel (The barrel maker should do that
before it is sent). I believe that the barrel makers should treat "All" of there customers the same
and give them the best they can make. And I do not want to have to re barrel any rifle twice.
I have had to reject barrels from many barrel makers and have only a few that have ended up
near perfect and those are the ones that I prefer and base my accuracy guarantee on.
I did not to mean to imply that Douglas barrels were all bad, just that the ones I had tried were not
very good along with others. I know that world class shooters get special treatment and that's good
for there business, I just don't like getting seconds and I buy from those that take care of all there
customers.
I don't have the customers time to play with and If a barrel maker sends me a piece of crap I have
to make it right with the customer,and that maker will not see my orders any more.
Some barrels just out perform any other barrel and these are the ones that the record holders are
looking for and the only way to find them is to shoot them. The term they use for those barrels is
"its a Hummer"And I don't have the luxury of trying 4 or 5 barrels to get one.
Also If I do reject one, I expect to have a good response and service from the maker.And if I don't
get a satisfactory response I don't use his barrels any more.
You mentioned Lilja and I don't have to defend him, His barrels do that quite well. Every one of his
barrels that I have received have been great and out performed my expectations of sub 1/2 moa
for hunting rifles (Most have been under 1/4 MOA) and some have managed less than 1/10 MOA.
In fact I have had two barrels rejected from Lilja out of all the barrels I have ordered from him
and guess who rejected them, He did !!!!! and called to let me know that he did not like the
barrel and was not going to send it. But would send me a replacement in a couple of weeks
and when I received them they were perfect.
I have had good luck with several other brands as well and will not hesitate to use them if the
customer wishes.
And as I said, I hope Douglas Is doing better.
My point is that the guy that orders ONE barrel should get a quality product even if it is the only
one that he ever buys because he is just as important as others that buy hundreds of barrels.
J E CUSTOM
