Opinions and advice on new barrel
I've been looking into re barreling my a-bolt in 25wssm. Its a hunter model, light barrel, 22". Want more accuracy, and a little heavier contour, not a varmint but heavier.
I have looked at Pac-Nor, Shilen and Lilja. I have somewhat settled on the Pac-Nor #4-#6 contour. Most likely 24". This will still be primarily a hunting rifle. Whitetail, Muley and antelope, and some long range coyote and maybe Prairie dogs, although not the primary varmint rifle for me.
Am I wasting my time, it just doesn't put a good group out there. I'd like a 1/2 moa rifle, under 1 moa would work. I may add a lament stock as well. Want some other opinions advise as well. Its not my primary rifle anymore. Have a 204 and a 7mm so I can experiment with this a little. Although still want a usable hunting rifle.
Edit:Thanks for the input, once deer season is over in Iowa, anterless ends last of January. I'll most likely start this project.
I have looked at Pac-Nor, Shilen and Lilja. I have somewhat settled on the Pac-Nor #4-#6 contour. Most likely 24". This will still be primarily a hunting rifle. Whitetail, Muley and antelope, and some long range coyote and maybe Prairie dogs, although not the primary varmint rifle for me.
Am I wasting my time, it just doesn't put a good group out there. I'd like a 1/2 moa rifle, under 1 moa would work. I may add a lament stock as well. Want some other opinions advise as well. Its not my primary rifle anymore. Have a 204 and a 7mm so I can experiment with this a little. Although still want a usable hunting rifle.
Edit:Thanks for the input, once deer season is over in Iowa, anterless ends last of January. I'll most likely start this project.
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skyfish---I've used a lot of Pac Nor Bbls in the past. I live about 75 mi from where they are made. But lately, I've been using Douglas Air guaged Bbls. I think that their finish is now better. And their turn-a-round time is about 1/2 that of Pac Nor. Both are good Bbls. HAWKSHAW 0 -
Doesn't PacNor make barels for Noveske - pretty good company with a reputation for accuracy. 0 -
Since you're leaning towards Pacnor (which by the way is an excellent choice), you can do as follows:
$280 - super match barrel (contoured and polished)
$300 - fitting/chambering barrel to your action (includes
lapping/truing of action) if you have done so already
then bed stock as required.
Similarly for your consideration, Hart Rifle Barrels (http://www.hartbarrels.com/rebarrelingprices.php) provide the same service for around $650.
Good luck!
Ed0 -
skyfish,
The topic of rifle barrels and accuracy can be a touchy subject when folks let personal favorites override common sense.
First and foremost, simply re-barreling is not any kind of guarantee of accuracy. But the quality of the barrel and the straightness of the hole down the middle is of primary importance, yet not the only factors to consider.
Just because a rifle might be used primary as a hunting rifle doesn't mean you should settle for average quality. If you're really looking for accuracy, use an accuracy gunsmith. He will see the project as a whole, as a system, not just a barrel screwed into the action. Let him guide you through the process of blueprinting the action and bedding the action properly. He will know how to get the chamber concentric with the bore and cut a crown the best way. The best accuracy gunsmiths stand behind their work and will help you with your achievable goals.
Buy the barrel of your choice but get the best gunsmith to put it all together properly.
Best.
ADDED:
Many of these rifles need a new barrel simply because the factory used a God-awful reamer design to cut the chamber. You could set the original barrel back and cut a new chamber with a properly designed reamer and then follow through on the blueprinting, bedding, etc. But in the long run though a new, higher quality custom barrel is the way to go for lifelong satisfaction.
As to just getting a new rifle, there are very few manufacturers who made the effort to create rifles for this line of cartridges. Most of them recycled a standard short action with a shorter magazine box, follower and spring in order to save design and production costs. Most of these were commercial failures as we can see from the current marketplace. Had they pursued the project as Winchester did, with a new action style, things might have turned out differently. Winchester's failure was in the lack of follow through on the details of the performance of the action. They needed some tweaking and the factory actions would have been very successful. Unfortunately, the bean counters stepped in again with time frame/budget constraints and allowed a failure to enter the market, essentially dooming the cartridge line.
These actions can be made to shoot with some attention to geometry and magazine design. They feed even better when we worked out a system to use detachable box magazines...
Get a new barrel, use a reamer designed for the best performance of the cartridge and have an accuracy gunsmith do the work.
Best.0 -
I hear Shilen is good. Then there is Hart Barrels (which you might not know). 0 -
At those rates. Maybe shop a new gun. 0 -
There are several good barrels out there, Pac-Nor, Bartlien, Shilin, Hart(right out my back door), Douglas, and several other's. Take the advice of Nononsense. There is more to it than just sticking a barrel on it.
First off, you have to come to grips with a particular weight bullet you wish to shoot...like the 100 to 120grain bullets. There might be a specific twist that a barrel maker will reccommend for your purpose. Then comes getting the barrel chambered and installed. Remember that you have a Browning A-Bolt. Unless you want it to be a very accurate single shot, the throat needs to be taylored to that short magazine length...that is what stinks about the Brownings.
I could go on, but you can see the grand scope of things I hope. putting a good action and barrel in a good stock with a good launching platform will amaze you...and the 25WSSM does have a lot of potential.
Best0
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