Any recent preferred barrel blanks reports?

Ross1147 said:

Just seeing this thread. I have exactly one preferred barrel. It has a huge gouge in the rifling that grabs pieces of cotton patches and leaves cotton in the barrel. Even with that I'd still give them a try again. Their customer service was great. Said they'd replace the barrel blank at no cost. There lies the issue. The company I bought the barrel from are the ones that chambered it. So I could get a blank, but then have to pay again to chamber. The company, who is a site supporter so can't name, told me tough luck. Said that's the gamble I take with ordering a preferred instead of a Bartlein. Left such a sower taste in my mouth I haven't shot the gun since. Who knows, it may be a tack driver??

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Here's reality:

The company, remaining nameless, abandoned their responsibility right from the beginning. Any barrel that they sell , whether they chamber it or not, should have been borescoped right from the start before it got to anyone's project. THEY should have been the ones to reject that barrel so it didn't get to point of being used. Laziness and bad business on their part to not check their products before selling any product. Their disclaimer is simply bad business and doesn't hold water in the custom barrel business.

Name them, call them out. If they're embarrassed, so be it. Learn to do business in an upright, honest manner.

Ross1147 said:

Just seeing this thread. I have exactly one preferred barrel. It has a huge gouge in the rifling that grabs pieces of cotton patches and leaves cotton in the barrel. Even with that I'd still give them a try again. Their customer service was great. Said they'd replace the barrel blank at no cost. There lies the issue. The company I bought the barrel from are the ones that chambered it. So I could get a blank, but then have to pay again to chamber. The company, who is a site supporter so can't name, told me tough luck. Said that's the gamble I take with ordering a preferred instead of a Bartlein. Left such a sower taste in my mouth I haven't shot the gun since. Who knows, it may be a tack driver??

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Why can't you name the site supporter who chambered the barrel?

Is it the same company that just got outed on Sniper's Hide?

If so, that is/was a great thread!

I have three barrels from them all remage prefits.
7mm saw
2x 25 saw barrels.
I was having a issue with one barrel. Sent a email and Bryce called me, explained what was going on. Sent battel to them with my sized brass. Fixed the issue and sent it back to me. I fired a few rounds and issue was resolved. They are the only ones offering 7mm saw and 25 saw remage prefits. Will definitely use them again, even after a small issue

Don't know anything about said company not standing behind PBB blanks. If said company makes it clear up front that their lower priced barrels using PBB blanks are cheaper for a reason and will not be stood behind to the same extent as their more expensive barrels, I see no issue with it. If they don't make that clear up front, well maybe they should stand behind it or make it clear that it's not a "same but for less $" option. The whole PBB selling unlapped barrels thing is a non-issue to some people but one shouldn't act surprised when you don't get a bartlien like bore because you saved $ on a price point barrel that isn't lapped.

Arrowhead used to sell the preferred blank encore smokeless muzzle loader conversions. They also make no-sizing required bore fit bullets but made it clear that they shouldn't be used in a preferred blank because the bore sizes are not consistent enough (edit: this is my recollection, their website currently advises against use in PBB but it might just be a matter of different standard bore sizes). Their preferred blanks required custom bullet sizing to fit the bore. Which makes sense when you look at @Justice1327's video showing barrel groove dimensions larger than the freebore!

Wind Gypsy said:

Don't know anything about said company not standing behind PBB blanks. If said company makes it clear up front that their lower priced barrels using PBB blanks are cheaper for a reason and will not be stood behind to the same extent as their more expensive barrels, I see no issue with it. If they don't make that clear up front, well maybe they should stand behind it or make it clear that it's not a "same but for less $" option. The whole PBB selling unlapped barrels thing is a non-issue to some people but one shouldn't act surprised when you don't get a bartlien like bore because you saved $ on a price point barrel that isn't lapped.

Arrowhead used to sell the preferred blank encore smokeless muzzle loader conversions. They also make no-sizing required bore fit bullets but made it clear that they shouldn't be used in a preferred blank because the bore sizes are not consistent enough. Their preferred blanks required custom bullet sizing to fit the bore. Which makes sense when you look at @Justice1327's video showing barrel groove dimensions larger than freebore!

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Don't most of Arrowheads rigs require the use of a hand press and sizing die to shoot their recommended bullets? I'm not real familiar with the Arrowhead "no-sizing required".

I rebarreled my 300WM last summer with a Preferred pre-fit carbon 9.4 twist
Savage 110 action
It's pushing the 225gr ELD-M at an average velocity of 2934fps with H1000, Peterson Long Brass, GM215M
It's shooting really great.

They did a great job on a fast twist .257 Bee for me. BJ reamer

JAYgs8163 said:

Don't most of Arrowheads rigs require the use of a hand press and sizing die to shoot their recommended bullets? I'm not real familiar with the Arrowhead "no-sizing required".

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That could be interpreted as certain mfr just make larger or smaller bores. My recollection from when they first came out was there were statements more about dimension consistency but that could be errant.

Interesting. So basically Brux and Bartlein and maybe Rock Creek are all that work with those bullets. Confirmed anyways.

PBB was very supportive in processing a damage claim and working through this process. I waiting to share the pictures until the claim was filed and determined to be shipping damage. It looks like someone took a dremel to the barrel.

azsugarbear said:

Ross1147: You ought to try the Tubb Final Finish Bore Lpping System before giving up on that barrel. It would most likely smooth out that burr and get you back in the game.

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I have a video, but not sure how to post those. It's about a 3" gouge that ended in that burr in the picture. I do have some tubbs but haven't tried that. May at lease get rid of the burr, gouge will still be there.

rickiesrevenge said:

Where is the gouge? Near the chamber or the muzzle or in the middle?

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It's about 4" down from the muzzle.

JAYgs8163 said:

Why can't you mention a LRH "site supporter"? That's different than a "site sponsor". I bet if you sent it in to PBB Bryce would get it handled for you!

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It's a sponsor, I miss spoke on that. Full advice was to just shoot it, it would smooth out sooner or later. Like I said, PBB saw the same video I sent the seller and they offered to replace it right away. So in my option, they have great customer service.
What sucks is I would 100% sell this rifle because I have no use for it any more in the state I live in now. Can't use it during deer season. But I in good conscience couldn't sell it knowing there's an issue with it without selling it for pennies on the dollar.

Uintah uses PBB. I'm impressed

What's the scoop, if a site sponsor puts out a dud it's not to be discussed?