Benchmark lead time

[ofdscooby]

I ordered a Benchmark barrel throug my smith last January and have waiting patiently but I just got a tag in the mail for my home state of California that starts late September so I'm starting to get a little anxious. I need to get load development going!
I've been calling him to check up and trying not to be that guy but I need a barrel for the season. If someone could talk me off the ledge before I freak out it would be great. The barrel was nothing special 7mm rem mag sendero contour and throated for accu bond 160's.

 

[varmintH8R]

I had a 338 built using a Benchmark. My order went in January and the barrel was in by May. My trigger and chassis actually took longer . . .

Can't speak to why the lead-time would be longer on the 7's, unless I caught them in advance of a 338 run and got lucky.

Have you tried calling Benchmark and asking (in generalities) what lead-times are?From all I hear 7 months is too looooong...

 

[MudRunner2005]

In stock, and ready to order... 1:9, Stainless, #7 Contour (really close to Sendero). And it comes with a 100% satisfaction lifetime return policy from Brownells. Which is pretty cool.

The muzzle measures 0.875" when cut to 26". Which is only 0.045" larger than a Sendero contour. So they are VERY close in weight & contour.

And the Douglas Premium Air-Gauged barrels are guaranteed to 0.0001" land & groove tolerance, from breech to muzzle.

.7mm-9 Twist, S/S : "AIR-GAUGED" PREMIUM BARREL | Brownells

 

[HARPERC]

Call Benchmark, find out whats up, and explain your circumstance. 7 months puts you back to when they started a thread on this site saying lead times were down to 3-4 weeks. That may have spurred a flood of orders, but if its not going to be shipped by hunt time you need to know for sure. Busy gunsmiths have sometimes used "waiting on parts" to deflect customer heat and pressure.

 

[westcliffe01]

I have not yet got a barrel from anyone in 16 weeks. In my case one was a Remington barrel for which a blank was supposedly in stock, so only threading, chambering, and crowning was needed (and head space). The other is a Savage Prefit which is machined complete at Shilen. Plenty people reporting 20+ weeks on CBI barrels, who make Savage and Remington prefit barrels. I have a second custom on order and I am sure it will be 2014 before I see it.

Its hard to imagine so many people are buying custom barrels for bolt guns. I suspect the government is buying thousands or tens of thousands of sniper rifles and those contracts are keeping all the barrel makers running.

 

[Edd]

Third Generation has three of them in stock.

 

[ofdscooby]

Called Benchmark today I'm trying to tread lightly I dont want to get in the middle of my smiths relationship with Benchmark but I need a rifle for the season. They were very helpful aparently I was on the list for a 3groove we changed it to a 5 and it will be out the door tomorrow. I'm climbing down from the ledge now.

 

[FEENIX]

Called Benchmark today I'm trying to tread lightly I dont want to get in the middle of my smiths relationship with Benchmark but I need a rifle for the season. They were very helpful aparently I was on the list for a 3groove we changed it to a 5 and it will be out the door tomorrow. I'm climbing down from the ledge now.

I hope you have a back-up plan/rifle set-up that suits the situation ... it's cutting it way too close.

Good luck!

 

[gunaddict]

I ordered 3 Benchmarks this year so far. First one was 3 1/2 weeks. Second one was told 6 weeks and got it in 8 weeks. 3rd one was told 8 weeks got it in 10 weeks. But the last one they fluted for 30 inch and I wanted it fluted for 29 inches.So that's why it took 2 extra weeks. My gunsmith bought the 30inch. My 7 ultramag and 300 ultramag shoot awesome. Just waiting for the smith to finish my 338 ultramag. Chris and the guys at Benchmark have been awesome to work with.

 

[Broz]

I ordered my first Bench Mark barrel a while back. Was told 4 to 5 weeks. I needed it fast so I went with them. I started calling and finally got it in about 12 weeks if I remember correctly. Had them flute it and hold the flutes for a 26" finished length. Flutes were a little long so we had to go 26 1/2" to finish correctly.

Since then I have went back to , recieved barrels from Broughton and Hart who stuck with their promised lead tme. Think I will stick with them from now on.

Jeff

 

[Tikkamike]

I had my smith order me one back in march.... the rifle is now done and I have had it for several weeks... I'm guessing your smith didn't order it when he said he did

 

[crazyhorse]

I sent my Remington action to Benchmark back in January to be trued and rebarreled. They told me at the time that it would be 4-6 weeks turnaround time, I received it 13 weeks later. I also asked that they return the take off barrel when they shipped the rifle back, never received it. I will say that the fit and finish of the completed barreled action was excellent and the rifle shoots great. However when they were cutting my stock to fit the new recoil lug they cut right through one side of the aluminum bedding block and never mentioned it(there was plenty of room to avoid this). I didn't notice it until it was returned, I'm in TN and Washington is a long way out to be returning parts and squabbling over these issues. As I said the rifle shoots great and I wish they would have done a better job of communicating and following up on promises as I have a 300 win mag that needs the same treatment. I will be finding someone closer to home for my next build.