OK this thread will get my honest experience with them, will be lengthy but all should be explained to prevent it from sounding like a rant. I called them and ordered a prefit to fit my needs, 1 in 9 twist 7mm-08 savage stainless match barrel to fit my small shank action in 20" #3 contour. One of two brush guns I was building at the time. They said no problem and I sat back and waited, after about a month I received news it was on its way, when it arrived I was stunned to see it was a large shank barrel (where they got that I have no idea I was specific about shank size). I called and got a person who accused me of changing my mind and they built what I asked for, Quite rude and matter of fact. So I explained all I build are savages and I know what shank size I ordered could they please cut down and rethread so I could use it. he got really mad and said no they didn't want it back they would build another barrel. OK so I wait again this time about 2 weeks and another barrel shows up the right shank size no charge, maybe this will all be good now. I try a dummy round in it to find lands and find out they won't come near the 2.85" mag length, its out over 3".
Now my good friend and smith enters the pic, he looks at the throat and says we need to shorten the barrel some and rechamber it, at the same time he shows me the crown that is rough to say the least. To shorten a long story I gave him the large shank barrel(which he still has) and he trued and cut the barrel some and match chambered it and recrowned it very well I might add. Now it was ready to break in and shoot, I'm still in the final stages of load development although its been some years. I have it in the fours at one hundred and have the last ladders for distance off lands to do. I believe it will hit the threes this spring and the long adventure will be over, did it end up as a blank from Mcgowen shooting? Yes. Did it do what I wanted when all was said and done? Yes. Did my buddy have a lot to do with that? Yes indeed. Did they stand behind their error? Yes. Were they rude and failed to follow directions? YES.
Would I ever deal with them again? No, don't need the hassle and problems to deal with. At the same time this was happening I also got a Lothar Walther barrel same length and lighter contour in 260 for the other brush gun build. It was perfect and quickly shot threes and fours to my delight. And I'm sure all on here know getting a whippy little 20" barrel to shoot like these two do is a trick all in itself. Dave
