Economy barrel options

mrbeil

mrbeil

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Hey everyone, what do we have for options for a barrel/blank thats more on the economy side of things? I havent had any issues finding precision barrels, but I don't want to spend that much especially since I'm just doing a caliber change on a hunting rifle

Edit: my intent is to rechamber my mossberg patriot from 30-06 to 6.5 swede. I realize that I could probably get better performance with 6.5 Creedmoor, but im weird like that
 
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Check out Green Mountain barrels, site.

bitsofpieces.com can bring them in, as well as the importers on the banner header.
 
If you intend to do the work yourself to "save cost", do not overlook the cost of an action wrench, barrel vise with inserts, and headspace gauges that you will need to remove the old barrel and re-install the replacement barrel without leaving marks on the receiver or the barrel. This is assuming that you find a direct replacement factory take off barrel. Sometimes a bit "fussy" to get the replacement barrel installed to headspace, with the existing iron sights on Top Dead Center, or the scroll stuff on the barrel sitting where you can see them. If you go with a barrel blank, or a barrel from a different series/brand/model of rifle, may end up needing to re-thread the barrel, re-shoulder it, possibly ream the new chamber to spec, most of which pretty much needs a lathe to do, and then to blue or otherwise put a finish on that "new" barrel.

Depending on your preferences and skills, might be easiest and cheapest to just sell what you have and buy what you want - say going from a 243 Win to a 7mm-08, or a 270 Win to a 30-06, or a 7mm Rem Mag to a 300 Win Mag, or vice-versa. An identical rifle - same make and model, same era.
 
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A cheap barrel requires the same amount of work to install as a good quality barrel.

It's like having a mechanic at $90.00 an hour install Chinese mystery parts on your vehicle; no one wins!
 
There used to be quite a few cheaper barrels which were available. In truth, Chromoly barrels from Douglas and Shilen were not too expensive, back in the day. Less than a day's pay (sawmill wages). We bought Star "diamond lapped" barrels, in unturned blank form, for seven dollars ($7, about 1 1/2 hours pay) in the early '70's. Shaw barrels were cheap; as were Wilson and others. Numrich arms always had some bargains. Today, there are few real bargains around unless you just stumble across something. Such is life!
 
'Boo said:
A cheap barrel requires the same amount of work to install as a good quality barrel.

It's like having a mechanic at $90.00 an hour install Chinese mystery parts on your vehicle; no one wins!
Click to expand...

I think that only applies if you are paying someone else to install the barrel. If you can do all of the work yourself and the economy barrel does not work out, you have only lost your time

cheers mooncoon
 
Its a mossberg patriot and I'd like to rechamber to 6.5 swede. I considered using a Creedmoor take off and reaming the extra chamber required, but the Creedmoor is a wider cartridge so im not certain it'll work
 
I've definitely considered that, however I'm already set for reloading the swede and I'm a bit of a hipster/like the idea of having something unique
 
Here are some groups fired with take-off barrels. No worked up loads. Top is a Rem 700 in .300WinMag, assembled in a take-off HS stock. Both groups fired with 155SMKs, 70 and 71.5gr of 4831.
Bottom is a Rem 700 in .223, Hogue take-off stock. 69gr SMK, 24.7gr Varget.
The target rings are 3/8" apart.
Neither barrel required the use of a reamer to install. No bedding, no blueprinting. The .300 did require some swapping of recoil lugs to get tight headspace. Both of these barrels show potential. Because I do my own work, the only cost was for the parts. I did install a Harrell's brake on the .300, which makes it much more comfortable to shoot off a bench.
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