schillen barrels

[chad]

So I see a lot of posts on new barrels, Schillen is not one of the choices people are getting. Why? Are they not good anymore? I just had a stainless select match schillen put on my rem700 in 280AI this past july. Did I make a mistake?

 

[Jim in Cali]

I own one but won't buy another since I don't care for or agree with their policy on fluting. Yes I fluted mine, spiral flutes at that. Yeah I know dumb reason but it's mine so it is what it is.

 

[Clever]

They are as good as any aftermarkets. Just break it in.

 

[benchracer]

Shilen barrels seem to be regarded as low quality barrels by quite a few people. I have had more than one experienced person on this site tell me they won't use a Shilen. I have also been told by a very good gunsmith that Shilens are about the lowest quality barrels he is willing to work with and that he prefers other barrels like Krieger and Lilja.

I have Shilen barrels on four of my rifles (two are currently being installed, so they haven't been evaluated). I am very happy with them. I have Krieger barrels on two other rifles. Both are very accurate, but no more so than my rifles wearing Shilens. I have a rifle with a Bartlein getting ready to be put together. I am interested to see how it performs.

FWIW, I recently saw a list of which barrel makes were being used by the top competitive shooters. It was dominated by Bartlein and Krieger. I don't remember seeing Shilen make the list. I'm not sure that is necessarily relevant to a hunting rifle, but it may yield clues as to who is making top quality barrels.

By quality and price, I would group Shilen barrels with Douglas and E.R. Shaw. Not top quality, but a definite improvement over a factory barrel.

 

[Dosh]

Shilen barrels seem to be regarded as low quality barrels by quite a few people. I have had more than one experienced person on this site tell me they won't use a Shilen. I have also been told by a very good gunsmith that Shilens are about the lowest quality barrels he is willing to work with and that he prefers other barrels like Krieger and Lilja.

I have Shilen barrels on four of my rifles (two are currently being installed, so they haven't been evaluated). I am very happy with them. I have Krieger barrels on two other rifles. Both are very accurate, but no more so than my rifles wearing Shilens. I have a rifle with a Bartlein getting ready to be put together. I am interested to see how it performs.

FWIW, I recently saw a list of which barrel makes were being used by the top competitive shooters. It was dominated by Bartlein and Krieger. I don't remember seeing Shilen make the list. I'm not sure that is necessarily relevant to a hunting rifle, but it may yield clues as to who is making top quality barrels.

By quality and price, I would group Shilen barrels with Douglas and E.R. Shaw. Not top quality, but a definite improvement over a factory barrel.

Chad, same here. Can't see any difference between my Shilen and Krieger. Both on Weatherby actions with Wby calibers.

 

[J E Custom]

So I see a lot of posts on new barrels, Schillen is not one of the choices people are getting. Why? Are they not good anymore? I just had a stainless select match schillen put on my rem700 in 280AI this past july. Did I make a mistake?

I don't think you made a mistake because you picked the select match.

I have had very good luck with Shilen Select match grade barrels in the past.

Some barrel makers build barrels and then grade them after they are complete. Most have three or fore grades from the best they can build to the acceptable quality barrel (I don't recommend these barrels because of there acceptance tolerances.

I prefer and use barrels that are made to a specification in the process, and if it does not meet that spec. it is rejected.

Most barrel makers have there acceptance criteria on there web site so you can decide based on there quality standards.

One reason I wont use a pre chambered barrel is because these are normally the lower end barrels
that are bought in bulk and at a discount.

When you order a barrel, know how it is specked and you should get the quality you need.

There are some brands that I wont use because their best is poor and their least is unusable
and no better that lots of factory barrels.

There are many brands of premium barrels to chose from that are excellent and if you do your homework, you will be happy with your choice.

I could post my top 5 barrel makers in my order of preference but it would just that MY Preference .

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

 

[chad]

Well the barrel i got my gunsmith ordered and didn't tell me, he screwed up my barrel (factory) while he was fluting it. So he just ordered the one i have. It was a blank and I had him chamber it in the 280AI I was after. I know its a lot easier to clean and a hell of a lot smoother inside then any of my factory barrels have been. Still toying with loads for it. I have thought of selling it and going to a different cal and barrel maker. But Im tight on budget so ill stick with what I have for now.

 

[dmj]

I don't think you made a mistake because you picked the select match.

I have had very good luck with Shilen Select match grade barrels in the past.

Some barrel makers build barrels and then grade them after they are complete. Most have three or fore grades from the best they can build to the acceptable quality barrel (I don't recommend these barrels because of there acceptance tolerances.

I prefer and use barrels that are made to a specification in the process, and if it does not meet that spec. it is rejected.

Most barrel makers have there acceptance criteria on there web site so you can decide based on there quality standards.

One reason I wont use a pre chambered barrel is because these are normally the lower end barrels
that are bought in bulk and at a discount.

When you order a barrel, know how it is specked and you should get the quality you need.

There are some brands that I wont use because their best is poor and their least is unusable
and no better that lots of factory barrels.

There are many brands of premium barrels to chose from that are excellent and if you do your homework, you will be happy with your choice.

I could post my top 5 barrel makers in my order of preference but it would just that MY Preference .

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM

I'd be interested in your preference of the top 5 barrel makers? thank you

 

[RT2506]

I currently have two Shilen barrel rifles. One is a select match SS 25-06 Rem. and the other is a chrome molly 264 Win mag. Both are extremely accurate and I can't tell any difference in them and the Douglas and Heart match barrels I have. I had an old gunsmith tell me this once when I asked him which barrel he thought was best. He said "flip a coin, you can get a bad one from them all but most are good. Real accuracy of a barrel depends on the gunsmith most of the time. The way the barrel is mounted and chambered can make or break the accuracy of a barrel."

 

[Jud96]

I currently have two Shilen barrel rifles. One is a select match SS 25-06 Rem. and the other is a chrome molly 264 Win mag. Both are extremely accurate and I can't tell any difference in them and the Douglas and Heart match barrels I have. I had an old gunsmith tell me this once when I asked him which barrel he thought was best. He said "flip a coin, you can get a bad one from them all but most are good. Real accuracy of a barrel depends on the gunsmith most of the time. The way the barrel is mounted and chambered can make or break the accuracy of a barrel."

This is exactly right! My Uncle has been a gunsmith for over 40 years and he says the exact same thing, its all about how true your threads, chamber, and work is. A bad smith can make anything shoot like crap, but an excellent smith can make one of the "low end" barrels shoot lights out!