E R Shaw Barrel Kits Review

[CaptnC]

Let me start off with the fact I'm not the greatest shot. Getting better, but not there yet.

The finish on this barrel is perfect. I have an action I sent out to have rebarreled and spent quite a lot of money on that is no where near as nice as this barrel is.

This is on a Savage 110 Savage LA, 24" 1 in 9 twist (wish it was 1 in 8 and 26" but it is what it is). 264wm mounted in a Choate aluminum bedding block stock, factory pre-accu trigger. That I did the all the assemly on myself.

The gun was shot pretty much just as it is pictured above, just off a bench, not prone. Bi-pod with sand bags under the rear. Did the best I could at firing it recoil free.

I didn't do this review after my first trip to the range to do the break in...I know I'm still not fully broken in, but the results are way over expectation after the second trip to the range.

During the first range trip I was shoot one-clean for 15 shots. I noticed the shots 12 to 15; three were touching and one was a 1/4" low right. I was in a rush and changed bullets for the last 10 shots (which didn't group very good) so I didn't wait for the target.

I'd cleaned the barrel very, very good after the first range trip so I basically fired 5 foulers before settling in to shoot for groups on trip 2. I started off with the Hornady GMX 120gr pushed by 59.4gr of H-1000. Roughly a .875 group. Not great but this bullet has not shot well in any of my 6.5's.

Next some 130 Sierra HPBT 59.4gr H-1000, which shot very good in my other two 6.5's...again roughly .875, not terrible but not as good as they shot out of my 6.5x55 or 6.5-06.

Next Hornady 129gr SST 59.4gr of H-1000. These bullets were the ones that shot so well on my first trip. I saved them for last to make sure the barrel was "seasoned well" after the deep cleaning.

Just as before the bullets fell into the same hole! But now I had shooters on both sides of me. 30-06 on my left an 5.56 to my right. The AR guy was shooting 10 shot strings pretty fast but was taking breaks to adjust the scope and load his mag. They other guy was less dependable on when his next shot would break.

The reason I say this is the concussion of the 5.56 hit me just as the trigger broke on shot 4 of my group. I seen the gun move just as it went off. So one hole is left. The hole to the right...not sure what happened on it.

But out of 5 shots, shot 1,2 and 5 are all in a nice tight little group.measuring .348 outside to outside.

The fact that all 5 shots are on the same elevation my shot that is right could have come from the guy to my left. I confess I didn't feel it but I don't normally pull a shot right.

Any way, the barrel far exceeded my expectations. I'm going to work more on load development after deer season. The above load/bullet combination should get me by. Shots at my lease will be lucky to break 100yds.

I'm a happy camper so far!

 

[wbm]

Have also had good results with Shaw barrels. Thanks for the review. My suggestion would be to quit cleaning the rifle so much and find yourself a quiet place to shoot. I think you will find that the barrel will thank you for not scrubbing it so much and your groups will improve when you don't have noise intrusion to your right and left.

 

[CaptnC]

This is my second Shaw barrel and they both shoot very good. The first one I had them rebarrel a Mauser action.

This was also during break-in of that barrel.

 

[CaptnC]

OMT-the "bore paste". It reminds me of graphite paste. Never couldn't tell if it removed any copper or not. I still used it because that is what was recommended by them.

When I got home I used some Hoppes #9 and found quite a bit of blue on the patch. So I worked on the bore.

 

[tim_w]

No paste please do not use paste in the bore. Hell I do not even use brushes anymore. Try Bore Tech according to Phorwath its better than KG big Bore which is the best I have ever found. If its better than its by in far the best of the best for copper removing.

What I THINK I have found is that cleaning often just keeps roughing up the slick burnished bore surface and you just waste good shots for fouling and possible wear just from cleaning process. It does not sound like much when you think of just a few fouler shots but when you add it up over the life of a barrel and it being taken away from its useful life its an eye opener.

Many barrels with common over bore used by LR shooters have 1000-1500 rounds life. BR tradition would have thorough cleaning every 10-20 rounds and then needing 1-3 foulers

IMO cut down on cleaning till it actually meaningfully effects accuracy. Those rounds instead be used for the main intent of the weapon be it critters, paper, or rocks and cow pies.


Just as an example:

1000 rounds cleaning every 10 (A BR cleaning standard LOL)=
1 shot foulers = 90 shots 9% of barrel life
3 shot foulers = 228 shots 23% of barrel life

If you have to shoot foulers after a cleaning than to me it only makes sense to clean when you loose accuracy and not before. No issue taking out loose carbon with a tight patch.

1000 round cleaning only every 100-200 average 150 rounds.

1 shot foulers = 7 shots 00.7% of barrel life
3 shot foulers = 20 shots 2% of barrel life

% would be the same regardless of barrel expected round count life of a given barrel 1000-5000 same but cost of those fouler rounds per barrel goes up with useful life.

9%-23% - for old school typical BR cleaning schedule every 10 shot group

00.7% -2% - for more practical results based clean schedule that even some top BR are now starting to adhere to. Every 150 rounds or when accuracy drops off whichever come first as it varies with barrels.

Here is a quick example of cost run down comparison:

Barrel life 1500
Clean every 15+2 foulers
$300 custom barrel
$200 fitting
$1 per in loading costs fouler ammo

176 foulers 12% barrel life

$336 barrel
$224 fitting
$176 fouler
Total:$736

Clean every 150+2 foulers
10 foulers 00.6%

$301.80
$201.20
$10.00
Total:$513

Difference: $223 or 31% additional cost or cost savings... however you want to look at it.

This does not account for lost time cleaning and waiting for new barrel and fitting.

 

[CaptnC]

Thanks tim for the detailed analysis of over cleaning a barrel. I never thought about it like that.

I'm not noramlly a barrel cleaning freak, but I've built 5 rifles this year and read so much about cleaning between shots during break in that now my head is spinning.

The 6.5x55 and 308 on M48 mauser actions were short chambered barrels that I had to head space. Then Douglas (6.5-06) and ER Shaw (300wm) rebarreled two 98 mausers. And now my Savage 110 264wm build. I just wanted to do as much as I could (cleaning copper) to ensure the accuracy of all those rifles. I've spent so much time working on them I was willing to sacrifice the time to ensure it was done by "the book"...lol

So far they all 5 shoot very good, much better than a factory rifle. But the two ER Shaw barrels are both outstanding as you can see above.

They say a barrel and best accuracy are seen after 200 or so shots...can't wait to see what these two riflesh will do then!

 

[tim_w]

Yeh I know it was long winded but I do not think people really consider the costs as its over a long stretch of time but it really does add up.

 

[Deleted member 48126]

Great thread thanks for the information on Shaw barrels and cleaning practices.

 

[elk creek]

Any more info on Shaw barrels?

 

[cuznguido]

Yeh I know it was long winded but I do not think people really consider the costs as its over a long stretch of time but it really does add up.

Cost factor aside, I know we all feel differently about these things, but I know a couple of very experienced, expert, shooters who clean their barrels "when it needs it". More often than not they go several hundred rounds between bore cleanings.

 

[dogbuster0006]

I run a dry patch to remove powder fowling and that's about it. If I have a day of heavy shooting 200+ rounds in 22lr or 223 I'll run a powder solvent patch and that's it. I haven't intentionally removed copper from a barrel in nearly 5yrs have no measurable decrease in accuracy in any of my rifles.