Barrel Choices

[Bush Man]

I'm in the process of getting a build started. I'm starting with a Rem 700 SPS .243. I am looking into a Manners MCS-T1 stock (A-5 clone). But I'm stumped on what to get for a barrel. I remember there is a Saskatchewan barrel maker, but I can't find his site anymore.

What would you recommend for a varmint contour blue barrel to match the SPS action.

This rifle will hopefully be used to 1000yds for paper punching, but not for competition. And for long range gopher slaying. I'm new to the precision game so give me a little help.

 

[Jamie]

shoot your stock barrel till its toast......then switch to 260 remington or 6.5x47

 

[c4pyro]

Then Get a Rock creek or a kreiger...I know there are canadian barrel makers, but have not experience with them. From what I have heard the are equally as good.

 

[tiriaq]

Yes, they are, the prices are attractive, the quality is just as good, and there is no border to cross. The SK maker would be Ted Gaillard. Most custom barrels are stainless. These could be coated for colour. CrMo barrels can be had, of course.
Shoot your .243 a lot, and before you know it, it will be time for a new barrel.

 

[Yoteboy]

Ted's website:

 

[Obtunded]

Ted makes fine button rifled barrels, as good as any you will find and I've owned a few. I've not seen him on this board that I know of. For cut rifled, I have to second the Krieger Barrel suggestion

 

[Bobby B.]

Ron Smith in southern Alberta makes cut rifling barrels. He's done three for me, all wildcats with a gaintwist. One, a long necked 7RM grouped 4 shots into 1/4" at 100 yds. The other two were short necked, blown out 6mm which grouped 5 shots into 1.5" at 300 yds. His number is 403 631 2404 in Wimborne.

Bobby B.

 

[Splatter]

I'm not sure that 6.5-by-anything would really be the best choice for gopher blasting, Jamie.
To get the fragile bullets you end-up with those 85-90 grain pills which are pretty short. I like his current choice of the .243, although the .22-250 would probably work for him too.

 

[Jamie]

I'm not sure that 6.5-by-anything would really be the best choice for gopher blasting, Jamie.
To get the fragile bullets you end-up with those 85-90 grain pills which are pretty short. I like his current choice of the .243, although the .22-250 would probably work for him too.

but he also said 1000yds for paper punching


I would guess a 123gr Scenar out of a 260 would kill a gopher

the 260 will have a better barrel life over the 243 and could be used on deer too

 

[roberti11]

I own 5 custom bbls, 2 are Lilja, 3 are Gaillard.

I would be hard pressed to comment on a significant difference. Given that a Canadian bbl maker is easier and cheaper to deal with, for me the choice is obvious.

 

[Obtunded]

I own 5 custom bbls, 2 are Lilja, 3 are Gaillard.

I would be hard pressed to comment on a significant difference. Given that a Canadian bbl maker is easier and cheaper to deal with, for me the choice is obvious.

I agree that our Canadian barrel makers produce good barrels and their best barrels are as good as the best barrels of any maker! I'd even say Mick McPhee makes the best 30 cal barrels in the world; he certainly has some interesting first hand observations about some of the barrels I thought were reputed to be good from the US!

Bottom line, the customer is always right, but for what it's worth, not all non-Canadian precision barrels are more expensive and I know that in my own case I have striven to try and make ordering and paying as easy as possible. If you have any suggestions as to how I can make that easier, I'd sure love to hear it whether I ever sell you a barrel or not! Generally you tell me what you want, give me a credit card number or EMT and I send the barrel to your house. (Sorry, I hope that didn't sound snooty, because I really was trying to be quite sincere without being derogatory) I am really interested in your comments because they represent some very interesting feedback!

None of the Canadian barrel makers I know responds to emails or takes credit cards and only one has a website. From what I've had to pay for cut rifled barrels from Canadian makers, I can't say they were cheaper either, but maybe they saw me coming... I don't know.

Choice and brand loyalty are extremely important, and personal taste is something I couldn't possibly influence. I reiterate, our barrel makers all make great barrels, but so do many others. Above all, buy the barrel you want and you trust.

 

[Goose25]

I'm new to the precision game so give me a little help.

I'm at the same place as you are. Same gun, same calibre, same project.

I have one question.... do you reload? If not, I would look into that before upgrading your barrel. I'm getting 0.25moa @100m with my factory barreled .243 SPS varmint and handloads.



*** edit*** thought I read you had a SPS varmint.... my bad .... Now you need a barrel AND reloading gear

 

[Jamie]

I'm at the same place as you are. Same gun, same calibre, same project.

I have one question.... do you reload? If not, I would look into that before upgrading your barrel. I'm getting 0.25moa @100m with my factory barreled .243 SPS varmint and handloads.



*** edit*** thought I read you had a SPS varmint.... my bad .... Now you need a barrel AND reloading gear

you are getting .25 groups how many shots?got any pics?

 

[roberti11]

I agree that our Canadian barrel makers produce good barrels and their best barrels are as good as the best barrels of any maker! I'd even say Mick McPhee makes the best 30 cal barrels in the world; he certainly has some interesting first hand observations about some of the barrels I thought were reputed to be good from the US!

Bottom line, the customer is always right, but for what it's worth, not all non-Canadian precision barrels are more expensive and I know that in my own case I have striven to try and make ordering and paying as easy as possible. If you have any suggestions as to how I can make that easier, I'd sure love to hear it whether I ever sell you a barrel or not! Generally you tell me what you want, give me a credit card number or EMT and I send the barrel to your house. (Sorry, I hope that didn't sound snooty, because I really was trying to be quite sincere without being derogatory) I am really interested in your comments because they represent some very interesting feedback!

None of the Canadian barrel makers I know responds to emails or takes credit cards and only one has a website. From what I've had to pay for cut rifled barrels from Canadian makers, I can't say they were cheaper either, but maybe they saw me coming... I don't know.

Choice and brand loyalty are extremely important, and personal taste is something I couldn't possibly influence. I reiterate, our barrel makers all make great barrels, but so do many others. Above all, buy the barrel you want and you trust.

Obtunded, perhaps that should me my name , so let me start by saying... Where have you been all my life!... I am sorry if my terse comment came accross as negative towards your business, what I really should have said is that a good Canadian source for bbls makes things easier! Until very recently I had never seen your site!

I have been shooting and building precision rifles for 4 years (so I am very new at this), my bitterness towards US makers is rooted in my early problems. My first Lilja took 6 months, my second more than a year, and cost 50% more than if I had lived in the US. When I came across Ted's bbls I thought I had found Nirvana.. no hassle, at my doorstep in 6 weeks, and they were great.

Having said all that, I really did want a Kreiger short chambered bbl for my M14 build, after 9 months I gave up, and got a good used Douglas bbl from Morpheus in the EE. Had I seen your product line I would have jumped at one of yours.

I am glad that you are offering this excellent line, I can assure you that your site will be the first place I look for my next product. Thanks for bringing these products into the practical reach of us north of the border.

 

[Obtunded]

Ya know, My experiences were very similar to yours. I wanted a Krieger and I had to wait 6 months, it had to go through 2 middle men to get here and it came with a $750 price tag!! I thought, "That's Cr*p!" and went to work to change it.

Thanks for the kind words, and trust me, nothing you said was perceived as anything except your own valid opinion!

Cheers!

 

[Bush Man]

*** edit*** thought I read you had a SPS varmint.... my bad .... Now you need a barrel AND reloading gear

I should have made this more clear, this is a hypothetical build. So far I only have a scope and MOA base. The gun hasn't been bought yet.
I will probably stick with the stock barrel for a while, before upgrading.

I'm just asking this to get some feedback before I plunk down money on something I shouldn't have bought. I like everybody's input, don't be afraid to steer me a different way.

I chose the .243 basically because it's fairly fast/flat and the biggest thing is common. Easier to find brass, and factory ammo if needed. I really have no experience in 260 or 6.5 which is why I didn't choose it.

But I have planned to reload by summer hopefully. I'm moving into a house so I get an extra room for a bench.

 

[Goose25]

you are getting .25 groups how many shots?got any pics?

My .243 SPS varmint

5shots @ 100m

Jamie did you ever get that .243 sps varmint you were considering buying a while back?

 

[Eagleye]

My .243 SPS varmint

5shots @ 100m

Jamie did you ever get that .243 sps varmint you were considering buying a while back?

How many groups like that? One only or several in a row? I had a 5 shot group that small from a 30-06 I owned, but it was about a 1" rifle on average. Eagleye.

 

[Jamie]

. 5 is alone way off of .25 but that is still great shooting!!Never did a 243 but I am doing up a 260AI

 

[Goose25]

How many groups like that? One only or several in a row? I had a 5 shot group that small from a 30-06 I owned, but it was about a 1" rifle on average. Eagleye.

It happens more often than not, I try to do my part, but I ain't perfect.

**edit to add** I'll get some more pics this season for the nay-sayers.

. 5 is alone way off of .25 but that is still great shooting!!Never did a 243 but I am doing up a 260AI

Did you forget to do the math,

.504 - .243 = 0.261"