Best barrel manufacturer

Bartleins are and have been the barrel of choice by a large majority of PRC shooters. There are tables and graphs online. I don't know the numbers on benchrest competitors. A lot of variables such as cost and availability over the last 20 could affect the numbers.
That being said, I lean toward cut rifled barrels mostly due to internet info. My neighbor is a gunsmith and builds a lot of customs and rebarreled actions. He uses Hart barrels exclusively (button rifled) and swears by them. His rifles are very accurate.
👍🏻🇺🇸
 
PROOF barrels are often Bartlein barrels with CF wrapping. As far as I know PROOF does not make the steel barrels, they just CF wrap them.

I'd go for a Bartlein stainless factory lapped barrel in 5R rifling.
👍🏻🇺🇸 I have a Bartlien 28 in. Varmint contour 5R stainless in 300 RUM I'm very happy with. Hand lapped. Very little if any break in. Its my only custom barrel so I can't compare.
 
Interesting that you mention this. I have a 11 year old Cooper in 6.5x284 that has a Wilson Match barrel. Not only is it one if the most accurate and consistent barrels I've owned, but it has in excess of 1100 rounds fired, no deterioration in accuracy,, and very surprisingly, ZERO throat erosion! I'm wondering if I'll live long enough to take advantage of the barrel replacement warranty that came with the rifle!🤡.
Is it a model 52 and did it come from factory that way or aftermarket?
 
It's a Model 520…Medium action.
It came from the factory with the Wilson Match. Wilson eventually bought Cooper Arms a some years back, and currently owns them.
I didn't know. Mines a mod. 52 in 6.5x284. great shooter.Guessing not a Wilson barrel.
 
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Bartlein, Rock Creek, Obermeyer, Brux, Benchmark, Hart, & X-Caliber have all been awesome shooters in my guns, never had a dud so far ......

Really like Rock Creek barrels and was exclusively using them for a number of years until they quit making them for the general public, had to look elsewhere ....

Found KS Arms barrels from Canada and am really happy with them, their ability to make super fast twist barrels in any caliber is important to me, twists that none of the above would even touch in certain calibers ... KS have helped me proceed with some projects that were stalled by other barrel makers unwillingness to make the twist I requested ..... ETA times are far better as well, no such thing as a 12-24 month wait some of them have gone to .... 8 weeks baby ! even with the in house straight or spiral fluting , awesome stuff !

And most important of all ....... they shoot just as good as all the others ....

KS only make competition grade barrels ..

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Bartlein, Rock Creek, Obermeyer, Brux, Benchmark, Hart, & X-Caliber have all been awesome shooters in my guns, never had a dud so far ......

Really like Rock Creek barrels and was exclusively using them for a number of years until they quit making them for the general public, had to look elsewhere ....

Found KS Arms barrels from Canada and am really happy with them, their ability to make super fast twist barrels in any caliber is important to me, twists that none of the above would even touch in certain calibers ... KS have helped me proceed with some projects that were stalled by other barrel makers unwillingness to make the twist I requested ..... ETA times are far better as well, no such thing as a 12-24 month wait some of thers have gone to .... 8 weeks baby ! even with the in house straight or spiral fluting , awesome stuff !

And most important of all ....... they shoot just as good as all the others ....

KS only make competition grade barrels ..

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Do they contour, flute before rifling? Nice flutes.
 
I didn't know. Mines a mod. 52 in 6.5x284. great shooter.Gguessing not a Wilson barrel.
Cooper Arms has used spec'd match grade barrels from Wilson Barrels for at least the last dozen years or so. I bought mine in 2011. If your rifle was bought since, it most likely has a Wilson barrel. Both companies have been under the same ownership about 10 years.
 
Cooper Arms has used spec'd match grade barrels from Wilson Barrels for at least the last dozen years or so. I bought mine in 2011. If your rifle was bought since, it most likely has a Wilson barrel. Both companies have been under the same ownership about 10 years.
I bought in in 2019 but bought used. It was emaculate. Bore like new. He said it had about 100 rds threw it. He had a 5 shot target with H4831 and a Berger 140 HVLD that was less than half in.
Thanks for the info. I'm going to see if I can check serial number to see when made .
 
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