Custom Rifle Barrels
I recently picked up a Remington 700 Mountain Rifle that looks great on the outside but the barrel is pitted, crown is dinged and pretty worn rifling. I want to replace the barrel with a similar contoured barrel in 280REM. My question is what are your opinions on the various barrel makers out there - primarily Douglas, Shaw, and Shilen - They are in my price range. I haven't made up my mind to ship the action to the barrel maker and let them do the gunsmithing or let a local one (Marietta/Atlanta) do the work. I'm not looking for benchrest accuracy just a MOA barrel. I handload so I'm not limited to factory ammo. Any and all suggestions are welcome.
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I rebarreled to change caliber using a Shaw barrel. Work was done by Der Gebirgsjager and is fantastic. The barrel will probably do better, but my best is 1.5" at 100 yards. I am satisfied. I suppose a Lilja would have been better, but I figure I am not so why bother. 0 -
ive used douglas air gauged barrels on three rifles. all will do less than 1moa. im very pleased with the douglas barrels. all three had differant gunsmiths install them. 0 -
Ever hear the old saying "You get what you pay for"?
Shaw/A&B = cheap (for a reason), if all you want is low end factory grade tube, than go for it.
Douglas = Entry level of the premimum barrels, their "low grade" tube is better than 98% of factory barrels.
Shilen (and Lother Walther, Lilja, Hart, Broughten, etc) = the higher end of the custom barrels.
As stated above, having ANY barrel installed by a top gunny will bring out the best in that barrel, just by installing it streight, concentric and square to the bolt with a properly cut chamber/throat (conversly, "Bubba with his Makita" installed tubes and slop hole chambers won't ever reach there potential).
Another advantage to the Douglas and better barrels, is customer service. A friend of mine had a E-barf Shilen tube installed by a local smith, and it tended to foul. One call and Doug Shilen told him to send it back for evaluation. When they couldn't get it to stop fouling they installed a new barrel for him, at no cost. Personaly I've called Shilen and Lilja on a couple occasions (seeking advise/suggestions) and my questions were answered by Doug and Dan personaly.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
I have used both Douglas and Shilen barrels with very good results. I have never used a Shaw barrel so no comment on that maker. If you have a good gunsmith nearby that might be your best bet. Good luck. Jim 0 -
I have tubes by a handful of makers. I have found that PacNor barrels have been very predictable and break in quite nicely. They also get very high ratings by those who have had them barrel their action and do the truing etc.
Anything by Hart, PacNor, shilen, kreiger, mike rock, lilja, schneider, lothar walther, obermeyer, border, broughton etc
why chase the game when the bullet can get em from here?....
Got Balistics?0 -
i have a mauser custom with a short heavy hart barrel in .243 that is great and also have a remington 700 with a 28" heavy clark premium barrel on it that is a tack driver in 22-250...they are the only two i have experience with...tom 0 -
Douglas makes a very nice barrel for the money spent, Pac-Nor also makes a very, very nice barrel, (I have more of them than from any other maker) you just have to spend a bit more money to enjoy one of them. Either way it's money well spent, and both do a excellent job installing a barrel.........
Gun control is hitting what your aiming at.0
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