Did your GS find anything wrong, and did you address this issue with the manufacturer?
Last edited:
Terrible barrel
- Thread starter wvbearhunter
- Start date
It was a Bartlein barrel, so it certainly wasn't trash. This was close to 12 years ago, but I believe the barrel blank was around $450 for contoured blank.
It was a dedicated ELR rifle for shooting 1500+ yards in local matches. Shooting 1 MOA at its best wasn't good enough to even be competitive. I wanted .5 MOA (under ideal conditions) or better to justify the project.
lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
I want .5MOA for any hunting rifle that goes in the field with me.
In my opinion, an accurate hit on game is far more important than an accurate hit on steel. Unless you are shooting for $$$. Guys call an edge hit on shot #5 on a 24x24 steel at 1760 as a hit.
While it is cool to watch a hit at a mile+ on steel on shot 3 to 10, give me a DRT first round hit on an elk at 800 all day long.
There's no guarantee that any given barrel will shoot lights out regardless of manufacture. Too many factors.
Back in my short range benchrest days, I know some shooters who would chamber or have them chambered barrels and test them all. They kept the top shooters and sell the rest.
My GS back then, TJ Jackson from Austin, always reminded me that great shooting barrels are like women, the very best are a few and far between.
Back in my short range benchrest days, I know some shooters who would chamber or have them chambered barrels and test them all. They kept the top shooters and sell the rest.
My GS back then, TJ Jackson from Austin, always reminded me that great shooting barrels are like women, the very best are a few and far between.
Last edited:
LRNut
Well-Known Member
I have tried a lot of barrels but the ones I am most satisfied with are Blake F Class Products. I shot my PRC he did for me this morning at my 906 yard gong - missed the wind by 4" but would have been a dead deer. Just shot my Lapua at 763 with a 1MOA wind hold and that would have been a dead deer too.
I agree with Lance that an edge hit on a 24" gong at a mile doesn't do it for me. I would rather be competent in mild wind (5 mph or less) at 1000, 750 in winds to 12, and 625 in just about any wind condition. One MOA won't cut it.
I agree with Lance that an edge hit on a 24" gong at a mile doesn't do it for me. I would rather be competent in mild wind (5 mph or less) at 1000, 750 in winds to 12, and 625 in just about any wind condition. One MOA won't cut it.
We used to shoot for groups at 1500, and hits on 1.5 MOA targets beyond that. A 1 MOA gun just Isn't competitive, or fun.
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2001
- Messages
- 9,640
- Reaction score
- 20,303
- City & State/Province
- Long Island, New York
The barrel was returned and found to be "in spec".
Been there myself brother! Frustrating is an understatement lol. A lot of ppl continue to say barrels are cheap??? Are they're cheaper barrels yes. But when the barrel work threading, chambering, fluting (if you get it) muzzle threads (if you get it) can cost more then a whole rifle. I've got some factory tikkas that shoot submoa and l only paid $500-$700 for each of them, the whole rifle lol. I've paid over $1,000 just for a CF blank and shipping. I wish l could say that was cheap to me lol but can't.
With that being said l know it is a consumable, we all do. We all know we gotta pay to play. And that's why l busted my *** to make the money to buy it. But to me personally that ain't cheap lol
jerry moore
Well-Known Member
i've been down the rabbit hole, no more 1moa go hunting or shooting
orifdoc
Well-Known Member
My last purchase was a Tikka .308. The first load I tried with VLDs is grouping about 1/2 MOA. That's either extremely gratifying or extremely frustrating depending on your viewpoint. 
My only thought here is that the barrel itself isn't the only variable. Bad reamers exist. The crown can be messed up. The "free-floated" barrel can contact the stock somewhere as it heats up. A scope can choose just that occasion to go belly-up. Some actions have more potential than others……. Somedays it's hard to figure it all out. It took me a few hundred rounds once to diagnose a bad scope. I'm a slow learner……
My only thought here is that the barrel itself isn't the only variable. Bad reamers exist. The crown can be messed up. The "free-floated" barrel can contact the stock somewhere as it heats up. A scope can choose just that occasion to go belly-up. Some actions have more potential than others……. Somedays it's hard to figure it all out. It took me a few hundred rounds once to diagnose a bad scope. I'm a slow learner……
Walker375
Well-Known Member
I feel your pain. I've been fighting a 6.5 carbon barrel since December. After 300 rounds and multiple other component changes the well known manufacturer agreed to replace it at the end of March. I sent it right away and he's been sitting on it since. I was told probably 3-4 weeks turn around, it's been almost 3 months. He's only answered 1 phone call after the first 2 months and was supposed to call me back the following Monday or Tuesday. It's now been 2 weeks and nothing but crickets from him. Won't answer an email or call now. Needless to say we'll never do business again EVER. I can't even go buy a Benchmark because he has my actionI am fed up with the Rainier Ultra Match 223 wylde barrel I have been trying to load develop for. The best group I have managed was 1.5moa with Fed GMM. I have tried 17 different loadings from 62gr up to 77gr and never got better than 1.5moa. This is absurd for the supposed quality of these barrels, worse is Rainier has ghosted me when I asked for assistance.
Pretty sad when a cheap PSA barrel is more accurate (which is what I swapped out to).
Just venting
randy86314
Well-Known Member
I use Douglas barrels. Never a problem.
Similar threads
