The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What exactly makes a M1A barrel National Match?

Swampy1 · March 15, 2008, 08:08 AM

surg,

Walt is telling you straight... but I'll add that these days when picking a barrel for a "NM" rifle build you want to pretty much go with the barrel maker that has the rep for the accuracy you want.

Kreiger has always been there, as has Douglas-Barnett. Obermeyer, Hart, and Shilen all have good reps but prepped barrels are not commercially available. You need a good M14 or M1 'smith who will acquire the blank and turn it to the correct contours and install it for you.

Sometimes you get lucky..... A few years back I had an old M1 fitted with a new Wilson .308 barrel. This was in the days of cheap milsurp 7.62 Nato and I wanted a "plinker" M1. Wilson makes probably the least expensive M1 replacement barrel on the market... but that's not to say it's a "cheap" barrel.....

This rifle with the Wilson tube was so accurate with milsurp ammo that I decided to go ahead and "Match it Out". I bedded and unitized, added NM sights, trigger job... etc.... all done myself and turned it into a full blown "National Match" M1.

This has turned out to be the most accurate M1 I have ever shot. It now has 4500+ rounds (logged) down the bore and still brings home the bacon at the long line. At last October's Missouri State NRA 600 yard Championships I ended the event as the "Service Rifle Champion" with a 774-29X shooting this rifle and barrel.

Just my 2 bits....

Swampy

Garands forever

March 15, 2008, 08:08 AM	#3
Swampy1 Senior Member Join Date: August 22, 2007 Posts: 130	surg, Walt is telling you straight... but I'll add that these days when picking a barrel for a "NM" rifle build you want to pretty much go with the barrel maker that has the rep for the accuracy you want. Kreiger has always been there, as has Douglas-Barnett. Obermeyer, Hart, and Shilen all have good reps but prepped barrels are not commercially available. You need a good M14 or M1 'smith who will acquire the blank and turn it to the correct contours and install it for you. Sometimes you get lucky..... A few years back I had an old M1 fitted with a new Wilson .308 barrel. This was in the days of cheap milsurp 7.62 Nato and I wanted a "plinker" M1. Wilson makes probably the least expensive M1 replacement barrel on the market... but that's not to say it's a "cheap" barrel..... This rifle with the Wilson tube was so accurate with milsurp ammo that I decided to go ahead and "Match it Out". I bedded and unitized, added NM sights, trigger job... etc.... all done myself and turned it into a full blown "National Match" M1. This has turned out to be the most accurate M1 I have ever shot. It now has 4500+ rounds (logged) down the bore and still brings home the bacon at the long line. At last October's Missouri State NRA 600 yard Championships I ended the event as the "Service Rifle Champion" with a 774-29X shooting this rifle and barrel. Just my 2 bits.... Swampy Garands forever __________________ Pres-CEO Swampworks Inc. / JLK Bullets http://www.swampworks.com The difference between a Hot Dog and a Weenie is a very fine line. Never underestimate the power of human stupidity.