Who makes the best barrels?

[catrock54]

Hello,
New to this forum first thread.
I have rem 700 in 243. Iwant to rebarrel to 358 win.
I'm looking for suggestions as to who to use,
Shaw, Douglas, Hart or other?

HOPE YOU CAN HELP THANKS

[FrosSsT]

The word "best" is usually based on opinions, however Krieger makes excellent barrels for bolt action rifles used for long range target shooting and hunting.

[ClydeFrog]

I've heard & read from multiple sources that Krieger makes the best custom rifle barrels.
I've also seen the company website and they say its a long long wait for some orders.:(

For semi auto pistol barrels, I'd say Irv Stone's Bar Sto Precision is #1 but there are a few other well made pistol barrels like KKM, Jarvis, Storm Lake and Lone Wolf Dist.

[catrock54]

thanks for the info but I,am not made of money .
perhaps I SHOULD MENTION THAT PRICE IS A FACTOR
looking to get the best BANG!!-for my buck
and this is a rifle ,not a pistol.

[Brian Pfleuger]

You're best bet is probably a McGowen "Remage" barrel, so called because it fits a Rem700 but installs like a Savage barrel, which means you don't need a gunsmith. It'll run $300 and up.

A traditional 700 barrel is going to run you the same $300 and up but will also require a smith to install it.

[Lucas McCain]

Brians suggestion on the remage barrel is excellent advice. All you need is a head space gauge, and a wrench, and your in business.
If your choice is other then you need to decide on a couple things. Do you prefer a button rifled barrel or a cut rifle barrel. Most premium barrels use those processes. I prefer the Lilja or Shilen button rifling over a cut rifle because they clean up easier and don't foul as bad.
The less expensive barrels are hammer forged and you get what you pay for.
Price wise the Remage is the best. The other barrels will require a smith to chamber then and mount them and I would guess $300 for a barrel and another $300 for the smith.
Good Luck

[taylorce1]

Google IT&D customs they'll install a Douglas barrel for around $400. 6 to 8 week turnaround time in most cases, maybe a little longer if he has to order a barrel in. Another option is to have your barrel, just Google JES Reboring.

[old roper]

You pay for what you get in barrels and there is a reason for the price spread in barrels. Your not going to buy what Kreiger,Bartlein,Hart,Rock,Lilja and others offer at a lesser price.


About the last 10yr been using lot more cut barrels and this is example of what you get and I took this off Bartlein site give you idea what I'm taking about.

Bore Diameter tolerance = +.0005
Groove Diameter tolerance = +.0005
Bore and Groove uniformity along entire length of barrel +.0001/-.0000
Twist uniformity is best in the industry. Twist can be carried out to the 4th decimal point. Example: 11.3642 A Bartlein Barrels Exclusive!
In addition to Standard/Conventional Rifling, we can also do 5R

If you look at Douglas site where they list Chambering at the bottom of the page they list this

NOTE: Our twists are at the whole inch (i.e. 9,10,11, etc.) and tolerance is plus or minus 1/2".

I'm not saying Douglas makes a bad barrel.

In the non cut barrel I like Lilja,Hart.

[Huffmanite]

Topic of best barrel maker is one I've overheard or participated in at range I'm a member a number of times. Gents I regularly shoot with have the inclination/money to fairly regularly have a rifle built or rebarreled. So, quite a variety of brand name barrels have been installed on my shooting buddies rifles. Hart, Kreiger, Criterion, Mcgallion?, Pac-Nor, Shilen, Walther and etc. Me, I've had decent success with Midway's low cost A&B barrels (now Green Mountain) and one Shaw savage replacement barrel for my lowly rifles. Hardly match grade barrels, but I'm not one to put a higher priced barrel on a 98 mauser action.

Basic consensus is you should get a pretty good barrel from any of the better know barrel makers. That it is difficult to say one is that much better than another. Last barrel conversation at range, one gent told of having a Hart barrel installed that just wouldn't shoot accurately and his gunsmith would return the barrel to Hart for replacement....another barrel from Hart solved accuracy problem with rifle. FWIW, my buddies lean toward buying a Shilen barrel.

[Jim Watson]

I assume the Remage will work as well as the Savage.
But to the $299 for the barrel, you must add a headspace gauge, barrel vise, and barrel nut wrench. An action wrench will help but is not necessary.

A Shaw will cost around $400 installed.

I doubt this is for benchrest shooting and the big bucks for a Krieger or Bartlein or Schneider or... would not be justified for a hunting rifle.

[Blackwood]

Lothar Walther barrels are very good:

http://www.lothar-walther.de/3.php

It shouldn´t be a problem, to buy one in the US.

[Brian Pfleuger]

That's probably true to an extent, Jim, but those things aren't all that expensive.

The barrel vise can be made at home with 2 pieces of hardwood and a saw. The gauge and wrench can be bought for about $50-$60 or rented for about $30.

Ultimately, about $400 either way.

[oldgunsmith]

At the old Mashburn Arms Co. in Okla.City we used a 36" Crescent wrench with aluminum or brass shims. Worked better than some of the action wrenches that sell for pretty big bucks. Art never was one to spend money on something he could rig up himself. Most of the rifles that went out had air gauged Douglas or Shilen barrels.

[Geo_Erudite]

I have heard Brux barrels are top notch!

[reynolds357]

I have had best results with Lilja. On the other hand, you are not building a 6br. In the cartridge you are building, I would probably build it with a Douglas.

[old roper]

Geo Erudite, Brux got their start with Boot Obermeyer same with Mike Rock along with Kreiger,Chanlynn but both those relocated out of WI.

Mark Chanlynn out here In Co makes a good barrel also gunsmith by the name of Dave Sullivan who apprenticed under Obermeyer.

[Paul B.]

Have you condered having your barrel rebored? Danny pederson has an excellent reputation as does the fellow at J.E.S.
Pederson's web site is: http://www.cutrifle.com/ and J.E.S. is http://www.35caliber.com/ so you might as well check 'em out. Prices appear to be just about half a new barrel and I've heard othing but good about the quality of their work. If you're going with the .358, tell them you want a 1 in 12" twist. I have three rifles in .358, two have a 1 in 16" twist and the Savage 99 has the proper 1 in 12" twist. Why Ruger and and I think Browning went with 1 in 16" is beyond me. ome of us do prefer 250 gr. bullets for some potentially nasty critters.
Paul B.

[springfield 720]

Savage isn't too bad... then you will have 2 rifles.. its a thought... maybe???