In Canada, thanks in part to American export regulations, all barrels are expensive and there are few bargains to be had. Long gone are the days when one could by a barrel for an hours pay (Dennis probably remembers the Star Diamond lapped blanks. I think they came from Numrich). In the mid-seventies, a Douglas premium barrel cost about four hours in union sawmill wages. Today, in Canada, it takes about two days (closer to three, after taxes) to buy the same barrel. Barrels are spendy enough, for the last few years, I prefer to let the customer buy the barrel himself. That way, he wouldn't blame me for the expense. The prices are high enough that there is simply no room for the gunsmith to make a profit on the barrel unless he is more ruthless than I.
From a performance standpoint, I don't have a real preference but, I must say, I have seen more poor barrels in the last six years than in the previous thirty-five.
