Wanting to add an update on the 204 barrel I ordred. It slugged very well, or what I think was very well consdiering the slug never really loosend up and there were not tight spots. Break in was not so hot. It was brutal to clean out and took about 15 rounds before things started to clean easier. It shoots 0.30" to 0.40" at 100 yards from an AR platform. I would say that's pretty good. My wife's Savage Model 12 shoots 1" groups at 400 yards for comparison.
X-Caliber Barrels
- Thread starter GPR23
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My 6mmCM & 25CM XCaliber barrels work so good, I put in an order Thursday, for a 27" 1/8 5R stainless 28 Nosler barrel. I just decided that, I can't handload my way out of a bad barrel, wasting $2 per case 28 Nosler brass and Retumbo unicorn powder! Got an 8# of Ramshot LRT today and some Peterson 28 Nosler cases on the way. Hopefully it'l be ready before Colorado hunt seasons ?
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I had an issue with x-caliber. Got a 1-9 twist 24 inch 300 PRC barrel from them. Wanted to make sure I did everything as tight and up to their tolerances I could. Per their recommendation I used a barrel nut from PTG to use with the setup on a Stiller predator action. Dave at PTG actually put the barrel on for me. Well went to breaking the barrel the right way with their recommendations. Wasn't great groups out of the gate with Hornady factory 225 and 212 ammo, maybe 1-1.5 MOA. Was a very hard barrel to get clean and took a few extra processes the first few times. after about 15-20 shots of slow break in it was grouping well under MOA. Did some long range work out to 600 and couldn't hit the target(12inch steel). Did another round of cleaning(after 3 shots it was crazy dirty). While cleaning I noticed the barrel nut was loose. A trip to the gunsmith to tighten it up and check things over. All looked good and I wrote it off. Got to shooting again and it started off good(around 1/2 MOA). Was at around 30-40 rounds now. After a handful of rounds I again couldn't hit my targets and it was shooting all over the place. (Side note is it was being shot off and on Omega 300 suppressor and SWAG muzzle brake(not the reason for misses)). Checked the nut again and it was loose. Well now I'm irritated and have lost all confidence in this rig. Called x-caliber and sent it in to get checked per their recommendation. Apparently in millions of dollars of sales they have never had an issue or ever heard of a nut coming loose. After they checked it they are saying it was the barrel nut and the fact it is Teflon coated. well I can by that I guess. I have No confidence in their barrel anymore even though they ended up giving me a used barrel nut they had To try. I was Not happy how they treated the situation and maybe I am in the wrong But I thought they would take care of the issue since I did everything per their recommendation and no longer wanted this barrel. I was hoping that they would refund my money for the barrel. Well they couldn't do that as it was a great barrel that any of them Would be happy to shoot. I guess I was asking too much of a company who has never had any barrel issues before. So if anyone is looking for a great barrel that's well broken in(their words) check out the classifieds. Make me an offer, and see if their recommendation was spot on because I am not continuing down that road. Just not sure a remage setup on a magnum is a good idea after this. Have a criterion in 6mm CM and it's great. For my magnums I will stick to a shouldered barrel from now on though. Merry Christmas
waspocrew
Well-Known Member
Did you try the non-coated barrel nut?
Let me get this straight, X-Caliber recommended PT&G barrel nut; Dave from PT&G installed the barrel with his own product, but when it came loose, you sent it back to X-Caliber? Why didn't you send it to the person that actually installed it?
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What I can tell you but not explain is that a coated barrel nut, a dry barrel nut, a lubricated barrel nut, a Stainless barrel nut, and a ChroMo barrel nut will all have a different number of Ft-Lbs to achieve tension and stay put. Its all known academic engineering info and is commonly applied on cars as a torque to yield and using fasteners once. There's just alot to it.
It also wouldn't shock me if the XC threads were cut wrong
I've had mixed results with them.
It also wouldn't shock me if the XC threads were cut wrong
I've had mixed results with them.It wasn't an issue to bother Dave with. Between Dave and the awesome gunsmith I have it didn't appear to be on the install end.
I have not tried the new barrel nut. Like I said I am going back to a shouldered barrel and I don't want to use x-caliber products. like They told me it's probably a great shooting barrel but after talking with the one guy there I won't do business with them anymore. The new barrel nut is twice as beefy.
I have not tried the new barrel nut. Like I said I am going back to a shouldered barrel and I don't want to use x-caliber products. like They told me it's probably a great shooting barrel but after talking with the one guy there I won't do business with them anymore. The new barrel nut is twice as beefy.
North Idaho Hunter
Well-Known Member
Interesting take, maybe look at it like this - if you went to the tire shop and had your winter snow tires installed —— took off and realized the lug nuts worked loose —— are you calling the vehicles makers and cursing them for flawed studs?
I just don't see how the manufacturer is at fault here.
I just don't see how the manufacturer is at fault here.
Exactly!
Not wanting to do business with xcal is obviously a choice of your own. I just can't get behind being ****ed at xcal after giving you a new barrel nut to try. Many manufacturers recommend certain products, sometimes those products don't turn out to be the best choice. Personally I would shoulder a magnum cartridge, just piece of mind on my side. I can tell you that I've used 6 xcal barrels now, only one barrel nut, and all have shot exceptionally well. The nut I used was from bighorn. All of my shouldered barrels have been crazy accurate, won a few one day Prs comps this year with the 6xc. I'll be spinning up on of their carbon barrels for the nrl hunter matches this year. You'll be seeing reviews on the carbon once I have it in hand and get it spun up for the impact.
waspocrew
Well-Known Member
I only have 1 xcaliber barrel and it's been a great barrel for the price. 22-250 AI. I've been tempted to try one of their carbon fiber offerings but not a ton of reviews out there at this point.
Here's how fireforming has worked out. 8 shots at 100 yards:
Here's how fireforming has worked out. 8 shots at 100 yards:
The X-Caliber barrel did not come loose off the Stiller action, but the PT&G barrel nut did. Dave installed the PT&G barrel nut, not X-Caliber. Dave and the awesome gunsmith did NOT think it is on the install end. Hmmm ...
Quite frankly, I do not know why you went that route; your Stiller action deserves a better barrel nut, and this is coming from a Savage guy. If you look at my #56 post, the barrel nut is similar to your new one.
I am in no way defending X-Caliber, but there are always two sides to the story. Sadly, we will never hear X-Caliber's.
That Sir is a terrible group. I think you should return it for a full refund.
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You guys read much? I said that Imay be in the wrong. they did help me out with a barrel nut, they did look at the barrel. What I don't like was the attitude of the person I was working with. It did shoot well when the nut was tight. My piece of mind for a barrel nut magnum is shot! You are right it was wrong to put a remage barrel on a Stiller action. it won't happen again. The purpose of my posting was to bring attention to a possible issue either with magnum remage barrels, barrel nuts, or custom actions with the remage system. It is a personal issue with x-caliber for me. I'm sure many out there have good relations with them and their product. This brings light to why Criterion won't do some magnum and WSM cartridges. FYI x-caliber wanted to see the barrel before I sent it anywhere else. Maybe they did have some issues with it before? You can hear their story if you like. Give them a call. I don't feel like I really threw them under the bus but the BS flag was flying. All companies have issues with something or another and to tell some one otherwise is hard to believe. Again, I don't know but from things I have read I doubt it.
