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Rifles, Reloading, Optics, Equipment
Rifles, Bullets, Barrels & Ballistics
Do I care how a barrel is made? or do I
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<blockquote data-quote="Mikecr" data-source="post: 283899" data-attributes="member: 1521"><p>Somethings implied so far here, I think you should consider. </p><p>It's generally implied that a 'custom' barrel is more accurate. This is not true at all.</p><p>Actually, it's a roll of the dice.</p><p>For one, 'custom' barrels rarely are. They are 'aftermarket' barrels offered in enough variety to give you some options. Assigning actual improvement over factory, would likely result in one overwelming attribute: LESS FOULING.</p><p></p><p>If they were custom, you could cut a $5,000 check for a guaranteed hummer -with umptysquat cartridge. But that isn't the case really. There aren't any guarantees that their barrel is any better than someone else's, or that it will even produce at some level, much less options for hummers at an appropriate cost. </p><p>This is because barrel makers have no idea how any one of their barrels will perform. And of course, they can't control your gun builders finishing of it.</p><p>That's not a suggestion that their barrels aren't good. But it's not a suggestion that any particular aftermarket barrel will perform well either -without alot of work..</p><p>Your new barrel, from any maker, will not be measured to a specification. It will be lapped as an art to best finish, and possibly Air-Guaged for comparison with others. Not measured.</p><p>There is no indexing for bores, which are rarely drilled perfectly straight.</p><p>There is no verification of any specific taper to the finished bore.</p><p>Some button rifle barrel makers don't even account for contouring in their process. That is, they might do it last(to meet orders).</p><p>Some top BR barrel makers have no idea how to make an accurate factory contour barrel. It's not what they do. They churn out short, fat, 6PPC barrels..</p><p>This I believe, has led to an overwelming notion amoung shooters that an accurate barrel must have a very heavy contour,, And factories respond to this market,, And before you know it, we're accepting 12 to 20lb 'hunting' guns..</p><p></p><p>But when you consider the differences between 'accuracy' and 'grouping', there is no reason a factory contour couldn't be accurate, except nobody actually knows how to make it so. It just happens now & then...Unless Savage knows!</p><p>I've spent a bunch on various barrels, buttoned, cut, and so have my friends. Yet we've concluded that none are really better than another, and none could be predicted to shoot better than another(including discarded factory).</p><p>I've tossed barrels that turned out better than I'm lucky enough to replace. And I've seen huge gains with barrel swaps. So now I buy barrels in pairs assuming one will be better than another. </p><p></p><p>Why such an abstract? Because we accept it. We wish there were more of em.</p><p>And it's the cheapest part of a gun(yet most important).</p><p>If they cost $2k each, we'd expect something. We'd expect a custom that absolutely will perform better than the last barrel.</p><p>Unless, it was a Savage...</p><p></p><p>I have never seen an aftermarket barrel I couldn't reach 1/2moa with.</p><p>But I have never matched a factory Browning Boss barrel I had, which happened to shoot under 1/8moa to 300yds. 3 barrels later on this gun, and no where near it.. Just a bit under 1/2moa.</p><p>That's about what you might expect.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mikecr, post: 283899, member: 1521"] Somethings implied so far here, I think you should consider. It's generally implied that a 'custom' barrel is more accurate. This is not true at all. Actually, it's a roll of the dice. For one, 'custom' barrels rarely are. They are 'aftermarket' barrels offered in enough variety to give you some options. Assigning actual improvement over factory, would likely result in one overwelming attribute: LESS FOULING. If they were custom, you could cut a $5,000 check for a guaranteed hummer -with umptysquat cartridge. But that isn't the case really. There aren't any guarantees that their barrel is any better than someone else's, or that it will even produce at some level, much less options for hummers at an appropriate cost. This is because barrel makers have no idea how any one of their barrels will perform. And of course, they can't control your gun builders finishing of it. That's not a suggestion that their barrels aren't good. But it's not a suggestion that any particular aftermarket barrel will perform well either -without alot of work.. Your new barrel, from any maker, will not be measured to a specification. It will be lapped as an art to best finish, and possibly Air-Guaged for comparison with others. Not measured. There is no indexing for bores, which are rarely drilled perfectly straight. There is no verification of any specific taper to the finished bore. Some button rifle barrel makers don't even account for contouring in their process. That is, they might do it last(to meet orders). Some top BR barrel makers have no idea how to make an accurate factory contour barrel. It's not what they do. They churn out short, fat, 6PPC barrels.. This I believe, has led to an overwelming notion amoung shooters that an accurate barrel must have a very heavy contour,, And factories respond to this market,, And before you know it, we're accepting 12 to 20lb 'hunting' guns.. But when you consider the differences between 'accuracy' and 'grouping', there is no reason a factory contour couldn't be accurate, except nobody actually knows how to make it so. It just happens now & then...Unless Savage knows! I've spent a bunch on various barrels, buttoned, cut, and so have my friends. Yet we've concluded that none are really better than another, and none could be predicted to shoot better than another(including discarded factory). I've tossed barrels that turned out better than I'm lucky enough to replace. And I've seen huge gains with barrel swaps. So now I buy barrels in pairs assuming one will be better than another. Why such an abstract? Because we accept it. We wish there were more of em. And it's the cheapest part of a gun(yet most important). If they cost $2k each, we'd expect something. We'd expect a custom that absolutely will perform better than the last barrel. Unless, it was a Savage... I have never seen an aftermarket barrel I couldn't reach 1/2moa with. But I have never matched a factory Browning Boss barrel I had, which happened to shoot under 1/8moa to 300yds. 3 barrels later on this gun, and no where near it.. Just a bit under 1/2moa. That's about what you might expect. [/QUOTE]
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Do I care how a barrel is made? or do I
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