Pre-fit Savage barrel

[desertcj]

McGowen stainless vs Shilen stainless match. 26" Savage Varmint contour in 7mm mag. Have an opinion? They are both about the same price, but McGowen is having a sale right now. About $20 cheaper for the McGowen is all which is a little surprising to me, as there barrels seem riskier than a Shilen. Heard of good and bad McGowens, pretty much just good about Shilen.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

I'll throw a criterion in...... made in the same factory as Krieger. Mine shoots very well. My dad has a shilen but its too early to tell if it will shoot as well as mine.

 

[desertcj]

Yes, Criterion is the same price as a Shilen. Shilen has more chamber/throating options from what I can tell. That is without me sending or renting a custom reamer.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I did a Criterion 6.5 CM the other day. Only six shots fired at 100 yards. Made a group of .408".

 

[jpd676]

I have a 26" Criterion in a heavy varmint contour and it shoots very well. I just got back today shooting 1050 yards with it in some decent wind and shot right around a 6" group (3 shots). Criterion is great, especially for the money. Of the choices you listed I would go Shilen. Northland Shooters Supply could hook you up with either.

 

[desertcj]

Yeah, Northland was who I was going to go through for the Shilen. I was thinking 4 groove ratchet rifling in 7mm Rem Mag. .315" neck throated to my dummy rounds. They say free throating on the Shilen page?

 

[desertcj]

.315" is a "minimum" neck I believe for 7mm? I dont want to turn brass. All the loaded 7 mag rounds I have measure .310-.311....

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Criterion may be made under the same roof as a Krieger, but totally different barrels with nothing in common.

 

[BW64]

Have a 26" Criterion SS on a Rem 700 in .308 & it's a freak. Have 1500 rounds thru it & still going strong. Less than .5 at 100 if I do my part. Never seen a .308 shoot that well. On the other side I just swapped to a McGowan 6.5 CM on my Savage Axis. 26" heavy varmint SS with threaded muzzle. Still doing load workup but looks good so far. Got it at Gun Shack for $329 shipped.

BW

 

[desertcj]

I have to say....1/2" at 100yds is acceptable in this day and age, but 1/4" is more like It! I have a factory .243 Savage Varmint barrel that shoots like this...

 

[BW64]

It will do better with a better shooter. Old eyes don't help' LOL It's a mile gun. Been there. The smith that reamed it & the guy that put it together don't believe it shoots that good. 175 SMK tipped with 4064 running 2850.

BW

 

[desertcj]

It did take some work to get there, I should add. Most loads, including factory fodder shoot about 1". Several loads shot 3/4"-1/2", that pic is the best.

 

[BW64]

Never had factory loads thru mine. And yes a lot of rounds & bullet types to get there. LOL Anything past 100 here in the desert is a challenge with the wind. But fun to try. I shoot silhouette out to 960 once a month at our club. 243 is a good round. My smith shoots his past 1500 for p dogs.


BW

 

[BW64]

1 moa targets at 565,715,880,960. 5 shots at each. Best I can do is 15 out of 20. Match record is 18.

BW