Who makes the best barrels?

Who makes the best quality custom rifle arrels?

  • Ron Smith

    Votes: 7 6.9%

  • Rob MacLennan

    Votes: 9 8.8%

  • Mick McPhee

    Votes: 6 5.9%

  • Ted Gaillard

    Votes: 17 16.7%

  • Krieger

    Votes: 28 27.5%

  • Lilja

    Votes: 4 3.9%

  • Pac-Nor

    Votes: 3 2.9%

  • Hart

    Votes: 9 8.8%

  • Shilen

    Votes: 5 4.9%

  • other

    Votes: 14 13.7%
  • Total voters
    102
I've had a few custom rifles done for me using Shilen, Douglas, King, MacLennan, Lilja and Kreiger barrels. So far the barrel that required the least load development has been the Kreiger. Will be trying a BRUX barrel that Guntech has just chambered for me in 260 Rem. Should have a range report by the end of August.
 
You forgot Obermeyer, Broughton, Schneider, Mike Rock, H-S Precision etc... I have a 22" Rock 5R M-24 contour barrel and it is a tackdriver and cleans up with spit. I can't shoot good enough to wring it out to it's potential. There are so many outstanding barrel makers out there that make tubes that 99% of shooters can't exploit to their potential, although their egos would say oherwise. My point is when it come to these custom barrel makers mentioned, they are all good and I don't think there is such a thing as best.
 
All the named makers in your list and many others in the BR game make excellent pipes. They will all supply barrels that properly installed, shooting quality match ammo can drive them in the 2's all day long. If a barrel shoots worse, the maker will likely offer support but chat with them first before buying.

Most of the barrels will shoot in the 1's and 2's on average. That is competitive.

The rare barrel, based more on luck then maker, will shoot in the 0's and 1's. These rare hummers are gems to experience.

Unfortunately, there is no maker then will ensure hummer performance. Big reason why top competitors buy a whack of barrels, keeping the few that shoot best. helps if you have sponsors or really deep pockets.

A barrels ultimate accuracy is determined at time of manf. The most we can do is extract what is there. Lots of effort and money is spent by shooters trying to drop accuracy down that last tenth. About the only thing that is accomplished is wearing out the barrel faster and getting WORSE accuracy.

The best accuracy of any new BR pipe is in the first 500 to 1000rds. If a pipe is going to shoot, you should be able to determine that in the first 50 to 100rds. If it doesn't do what you want, sell it off to a less needy shooter and buy another.

Jerry
 
Every one on the poll makes great barrels I have several Krieger barrels as well as a Ron Smith barrel , Mick Mcphee and a Shultz and Larson and i am not dissappointed in there performance
 
I was tempted to ask which barrels people have had poor expereinces with instead, but thought that would be inflammatory.

The numbers are interesting. i bet if Mick McPhee made more than just 30 cal barrels, he'd be THE barrel maker to beat.
 
prosper said:
You can't go wrong with any of them. Unless you are a world-class shooter, I doubt you'd be able to tell the difference
Click to expand...

Comparing the best of each, I think you're absolutely right. I have one 6BR with a custom barrel that i have blown over a thousand rounds of load development just trying to group under 1/2 MOA and it won't. I've had the gun re-worked and that barrel is simply a piece of crap. When blowing nearly grand on re-barreling, I want to invest in something with a reputation for CONSISTENT high quality. I know this particular maker produces some excellent barrels because I've used them with spectacular results. I just hate getting stuck with a dog.

I have personally found whom I believe to be the most consistent... I was wondering who everyone else endorsed. I would have given more options, but the poll maxes out at 10 choices
 
Obtunded, this is an example where I would have contacted the barrel maker right away. There is no issue making a 6BR shoot nowadays. If it didn't work with known components and the barrel was properly installed/concentric chamber, I would have talked to the barrel maker around rd 50.

Hope you can find a solution to this problem.

Jerry
 
I guess I don't have your self-confidence Jerry, The first problem I suspected was me; it was a new build (New Nesika Action and new stock) and a lighter trigger than I had ever used. I wanted to rule out the pilot before I ruled out the airplane.

Anyway, it's a done deal now.
 
Obtunded, after spending that much money on quality gear, not having it shoot bugholes would be very disappointing. I hope you have found a resolution.

Every maker makes a lemon now and then. The good ones will stand behind their stuff and replace. We don't buy BR pipes to get factory accuracy.

Just received a replacement Pac Nor. The first one had a fair amount of roughness in the last 1/3 of the barrel. It shot inconsistently. Sent it back, they inspected and a new one has been made. Will clean out the grease and see what I have.

Install and shooting should happen over the next few weeks. Let's see what we get.

Jerry
 
Good luck! I understand Pac-Nor are good about cross-border shipping. I'm just waiting for the last of the paperwork to import a large number of Kriegers.
 
One of the Canadian team that went to Ireland earlier this year (Thom Fripp) broke in his Border Barrel shortly after he got it but I have yet to see him shoot it as he has been off doing other things recently.
 
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