JC Custom Barrels vs Benchmark or Krieger

[calvados.boulard]

Hi everyone,

I'm debating going with a JC Custom barrel for a 223 build. For those of you who have JC Custom barrels, how do they compare against the big boys Benchmark, Krieger, Bartlein etc? Now that you've used your JC barrel for a while, would you buy another one? If not, why not?

Thanks everyone,
Cal.

 

[MrSharp]

Don't have the latter to compare, but I was happy enough with one .308 that I bought another in .223 and had him true and install on my receiver, his work is outstanding as far as I can tell, wouldn't look any further if I ever need another.

 

[calvados.boulard]

Don't have the latter to compare, but I was happy enough with one .308 that I bought another in .223 and had him true and install on my receiver, his work is outstanding as far as I can tell, wouldn't look any further if I ever need another.

Thanks MrSharp.

Do you have any other aftermarket barrels that I didn't list you can compare to?

Thanks again,
Cal.

 

[Fire306]

I have a JC Custom RPR barrel in 6.5x47L that so far, (approx 300 rounds) has been superb. Nothing I have put through it I would call inaccurate, everything shoots well. Workmanship is flawless.
I have or have had 3 Krieger barreled rifles I have put together and they have all been good too. The JC barrel though, I would call excellent.

 

[MrSharp]

Thanks MrSharp.

Do you have any other aftermarket barrels that I didn't list you can compare to?

Thanks again,
Cal.

Just Dlask and McGowen 10/22 barrels, so not a real fair comparison, the outer finish off the JC barrels is better than both of those, and the inside must be nicely done too as they don't get very dirty, bit of powder residue is all I ever get out of them when cleaning, no real copper fouling.

 

[calvados.boulard]

Thanks for your feedback everyone. Decisions decisions...
Cal.

 

[peterdobson]

First, JC uses cut-rifling which is superior to button rifling. Simply look at all official centrefire BR records and placings in the world. Utter domination by cut-rifling barrels and the same for FClass. Krieger is the dominant manufacturer in the world for top barrels but we desperately need Canadian manufacturers and JC has the attention of the great Boots Obermeyer who taught Krieger, Dr. Kolbe and many others how to make barrels. Boots called JC-designed barrel making equipment as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

We have 5 of JC's barrel and 88 Kriegers, and there are many using the latter, so it's too early to say how they stand up against the world's best, but we do wish him well!

There has been feedback from BR and FClass shooters on JC's barrels, all positive.

It would be more than informative if the Chous would evaluate - you would only get truths from them.

Best regards,

Peter

 

[SND]

Have it be a JC, Krieger, Bartlein, and a few others, if it doesn't shoot, its usually not because of the barrel.

 

[BadAsMo]

You know... I've had barrels from most of the above at one time or another and I am of the opinion that the barrel hanger has more of an influence on how the rifle will shoot than who made the barrel.

That's assuming the barrel maker was any of the good brands.

When you get into detailed technical discussions with some of these pipe fitters, you sometimes find they have delved in deep and have an excellent understanding of the subtleties it takes for a rifle to shoot well.

And then there's the strutting peacocks who are all feathers and no meat. The more questions you ask the faster they want you off the phone... These are the guys you need to identify and avoid, but you need to educate yourself on the questions to ask and answers you expect to hear.

Google bolt nose clearance for a target rifle for example. Some guys just use a Brownels standard counter bore tool on your $600 Krieger, and then blame you when it wont shoot. Good guys want virtually zero clearance on the diameter.

If you just want 1 MOA, then any shmuck will do. If you want any chance at 1/8 MOA then do your home work... but hey... I'll make it easy for ya...

My advice is to send your rifle to Dan Dowling. Find a way and get it to him. You will not regret it.

Dan Dowling
Accuracy Gunsmithing
260 Road 33-1/2
Palisade, CO 81526
Phone: (970) 434-0525

Or any of these guys...
http://www.6mmbr.com/gunsmiths.html

Dan did my 6x47 Lapua and it was a solid 1/8 MOA gun... that was with a Gary Schneider barrel

I can also recommend Hart Barrels and have them fit it for you. I think it might be Chandler who uses Hart barrels and barrel fitting for their legendary M40A1. Oh ya.. and Hart can cryo stress relieve it for you... recommended also.

 

[Pesky ab]

I wish I would have had your solid 1/8 th moa rifle at the Shamrock yesterday , It would have been a cinch to clean house , you should take up br you would win set records everything in the world ,

 

[Shawn_338]

Here is a 5 shot group out of my new 6xc wearing a benchmark barrel

And another one just in case somebody wants to see if it's repeatable.

I've used a lot of the major barrel makers out there and my benchmarks have been very consistent. There are lots of others that are just as good in sure but these barrels just seem to work for me so if it's not broke I don't fix it.

And for the record those groups were shot off a bipod with a rear squeeze bag at 100 yards and were shots 10-20 out of a brand new barrel. No cleaning between shots or any voodoo break in process.

 

[BadAsMo]

I wish I would have had your solid 1/8 th moa rifle at the Shamrock yesterday , It would have been a cinch to clean house , you should take up br you would win set records everything in the world ,

I'm sensing a little sarcasm here... I won plenty with that rifle until the barrel was shot out. The next barrel was a broughton and was put on by a more local guy but never shot that well... hence my recommendation of proper gunsmithing.

I do still have that great but shot out barrel and might have it set back one day and mounted again for a second life.

In all reality 1/8 MOA is no big deal in the 100 yard bench rest circuit. It's good but they don't take a second look until its under 0.1 MOA, but for F-Class (which is what it was built for) it was excellent.

Considering that the rifle I mentioned had a 1:8 twist barrel, running 115 grain DTACs and getting such good accuracy was quite a thing, as 100 yard bench rest guys run slow twist barrels and very light bullets for such accuracy.

Chasing that kind of accuracy and performance is an expensive and short lived proposition though.
You can do it "all day long" if you know the right people and if you're willing to pay the bill... pony up, or pony off.

 

[SND]

There's been plenty of match winning rifles built by Canadian gunsmiths, and some by shooters who put their own together. Just got to send it to the right guys.

 

[Pesky ab]

I'm sensing a little sarcasm here... I won plenty with that rifle until the barrel was shot out. The next barrel was a broughton and was put on by a more local guy but never shot that well... hence my recommendation of proper gunsmithing.

I do still have that great but shot out barrel and might have it set back one day and mounted again for a second life.

In all reality 1/8 MOA is no big deal in the 100 yard bench rest circuit. It's good but they don't take a second look until its under 0.1 MOA, but for F-Class (which is what it was built for) it was excellent.

Considering that the rifle I mentioned had a 1:8 twist barrel, running 115 grain DTACs and getting such good accuracy was quite a thing, as 100 yard bench rest guys run slow twist barrels and very light bullets for such accuracy.

Chasing that kind of accuracy and performance is an expensive and short lived proposition though.
You can do it "all day long" if you know the right people and if you're willing to pay the bill... pony up, or pony off.

That was not sarcasm I was serious

In reality a 1/8th moa agging rifle is a huge deal , that would have won every sanctioned sbr shoot in North America and set records last year .
A rifle that aggs under .1 has not happened as of yet except for once in unlimited . It is a pretty common occurrence for .125 agging rifles to agg .5 in actual sanctioned competition .

Chasing that kind of accuracy is not any more expensive or short lived than any other discipline and in many cases it's cheaper to compete in sbr.
Just requires a desire to learn And a dedication to practice , knowledge and experience win the day, not money

 

[BadAsMo]

That's surprising... I thought it was common place in BR.

I don't spend much time with the BR guys... I shoot mostly long range.

Pesky... Have you ever tried shooting with two scopes?
If you're into BR you might consider giving that a try.
Align one riflescope on a tripod so it aligns left of your rifle mounted scope, so you can see one image with each eye... like binoculars.

This way you can watch the target shifting from mirage and not fall for the refraction movement. Always aim for where the tripod scope is pointing no matter what mirage refraction does.

Just make sure when the rifle recoils, that the tripod mounted scope does not move.

I have a tripod I welded up for this with spiked feet so it goes into the ground when I shoot prone with a camera joystick head for alignment.
Here's the tripod setup... one day I'll post a video shooting with it.

 

[Pesky ab]

groups in the .050 - .100 range are fairly common . Aggs are another story and you need to be able to agg to win , teen aggs are not uncommon but they are more in the .150 .190 range , a small amount but at some shoots that will separate the top 20+ Competitors , good competitors don't really suffer to much from mirage issues in sbr , looking through another scope would take away from what's happening with the wind flags which are way more important than mirage

 

[peterdobson]

Pesky ab, how do you rate the barrels, i.e, what are top 5 or so? Do you have experience with JC's barrels, for which the OP is seeking information?

Talk soon,

Peter

 

[Pesky ab]

It Would no longer be fair for me to comment on an open forum Peter if you like ,email or call and I would be happy to give you a rundown , I have no experience with JC's barrels but the feed back seems to suggest that they are fine

 

[andyyak1]

What process does benchmark use to make their barrels. I couldn't find it on their website.

 

[andyyak1]

First, JC uses cut-rifling which is superior to button rifling. Simply look at all official centrefire BR records and placings in the world. Utter domination by cut-rifling barrels and the same for FClass. Krieger is the dominant manufacturer in the world for top barrels but we desperately need Canadian manufacturers and JC has the attention of the great Boots Obermeyer who taught Krieger, Dr. Kolbe and many others how to make barrels. Boots called JC-designed barrel making equipment as the greatest thing since sliced bread.

We have 5 of JC's barrel and 88 Kriegers, and there are many using the latter, so it's too early to say how they stand up against the world's best, but we do wish him well!

There has been feedback from BR and FClass shooters on JC's barrels, all positive.

It would be more than informative if the Chous would evaluate - you would only get truths from them.

Best regards,

Peter

Sir - that is really good news. Another barrel maker in Canada! Bravo.