Where to find rifle barrels

castnblast · November 25, 2010, 11:21 AM

Does anyone know where or what sites to look at to find a rifle barrel? Specifically, I'm looking for a 1:10 -1:9 twist rate for a 22-250 so I can shoot heavier bullets. I have a howa 1500. My current twist is 1:14. I'd like to shoot 65-70 gr bullets for hunting applications. 1:14 is ok, but a little loose for my likings on 60-65 gr. bullets.

Thanks

Jim Watson · November 25, 2010, 12:17 PM

Look them up by brand name; Douglas, Hart, Pac-Nor, Shilen, Krieger, Bartlein, Broughton, Rock Creek. Probably some more. Note that they make blanks; you will have to pay extra to the maker or a gunsmith to have the barrel threaded, chambered, headspaced, and blued.

mapsjanhere · November 25, 2010, 01:53 PM

Check E R Shaw for very reasonably priced barrels.

Buzzard Bait · November 26, 2010, 09:50 PM

I like my Douglas some barrel makers offer a short chambered barrel which you would finish by using a finishing reamer that you hand turn to set your head space. Douglas will sell you a barrel that the chamber is ready to go and the shoulder is about .0010 too long so you screw on the barrel and use a chamber go gage and measure how much of the shoulder needs to be cut back for a proper fit. I never felt good about hand turning the chamber reamer to set the chamber depth I did not trust what I would have for the lead into my rifling that way. My Douglas xx select stainless is scary accurate.
bb

Jim Watson · November 26, 2010, 10:39 PM

Yah, my gunsmith goes back to the day when nearly all replacement barrels were like that. You could fit any caliber with just a headspace gauge. But that was when any gunsmith worthy of the name had a lathe. Now we get a lot of people working out of their kitchen and they want a short chamber that they can hand ream without the expense of a lathe. But they have to have a reamer for every caliber of interest.

**Unclenick** · November 26, 2010, 11:03 PM

Note that Douglas and a number of the other makers will also install the barrel and set headspace. Whatever additional work you need adds to price.

Another famous barrel maker that come to mind right off is Obermeyer. There are actually quite a number of less expensive makers. Green Mountain and Adams and Bennett, to name a couple.

LongRifles, Inc. · November 30, 2010, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Now we get a lot of people working out of their kitchen and they want a short chamber that they can hand ream without the expense of a lathe. But they have to have a reamer for every caliber of interest.

Not at my shop.

Chad

hootey · December 1, 2010, 12:20 PM

Impressive for sure!

castnblast · December 5, 2010, 05:50 PM

Thanks for all the replies. I have some more homework to do now, but I think I know the direction I'm going. I'm not doing this one myself. Going to have the pros install - that was never an option. Just didn't know where to start. Thanks for all the advice!

Buzzard Bait · December 9, 2010, 04:28 PM

So how do they stack up? I have seen some reports/stories about fast twist barrel 22-250s firing a long Scirocco bullet maybe 70 or 75 grain a very streamlined bullet, as a highly accurate low recoil deer rifle which is what I think you are looking at. But I wonder why not a similar weight streamlined 243 bullet? I can make more velocity with the 243 do to more area on the rear of the bullet to push on while the 22 bullet has a better BC and will hold it's velocity better. But says me the advantage of the slimmer 22's higher BC doesn't make much difference until the range gets a little longer than I'm going to shoot at a deer. Also with the 243 I can load a heavier bullet if I want to shoot something really big. What says you guys?
I once new a older guy that hunted deer in Texas and elk in I think Colorado he was often successful his two guns, a rem 600 222 for deer and a savage lever action 243. I don't think he ever thought he was under gunned and don't think he lost any cripples all one shot one kill.
bb

Clark · December 12, 2010, 02:34 PM

I read on the internet that Howa 1500 receivers have metric threads.
"thread pitch. 1.5 mm the major diameter of the thread shank is 26mm. 17 threads/inch will work if you cannot cut metric"

I have not taken the barrel off my Howa 1500, but if I do I will very the threads.

I wish little elves would come in the night and make my shop look neat like Chad's.

November 25, 2010, 11:21 AM	#1
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	Where to find rifle barrels Does anyone know where or what sites to look at to find a rifle barrel? Specifically, I'm looking for a 1:10 -1:9 twist rate for a 22-250 so I can shoot heavier bullets. I have a howa 1500. My current twist is 1:14. I'd like to shoot 65-70 gr bullets for hunting applications. 1:14 is ok, but a little loose for my likings on 60-65 gr. bullets. Thanks __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

November 25, 2010, 01:53 PM	#3
mapsjanhere Senior Member Join Date: August 6, 2009 Location: Albuquerque Posts: 2,832	Check E R Shaw for very reasonably priced barrels. __________________ I used to love being able to hit hard at 1000 yards. As I get older I find hitting a mini ram at 200 yards with the 22 oddly more satisfying.

November 26, 2010, 09:50 PM	#4
Buzzard Bait Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 502	Douglas I like my Douglas some barrel makers offer a short chambered barrel which you would finish by using a finishing reamer that you hand turn to set your head space. Douglas will sell you a barrel that the chamber is ready to go and the shoulder is about .0010 too long so you screw on the barrel and use a chamber go gage and measure how much of the shoulder needs to be cut back for a proper fit. I never felt good about hand turning the chamber reamer to set the chamber depth I did not trust what I would have for the lead into my rifling that way. My Douglas xx select stainless is scary accurate. bb

November 26, 2010, 11:03 PM	#6
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	Note that Douglas and a number of the other makers will also install the barrel and set headspace. Whatever additional work you need adds to price. Another famous barrel maker that come to mind right off is Obermeyer. There are actually quite a number of less expensive makers. Green Mountain and Adams and Bennett, to name a couple. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

December 5, 2010, 05:50 PM	#9
castnblast Senior Member Join Date: July 2, 2006 Location: Corpus Christi TX Posts: 1,148	Thanks for all the replies. I have some more homework to do now, but I think I know the direction I'm going. I'm not doing this one myself. Going to have the pros install - that was never an option. Just didn't know where to start. Thanks for all the advice! __________________ VEGETARIAN...old indian word for bad hunter

November 25, 2010, 12:17 PM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,545	Look them up by brand name; Douglas, Hart, Pac-Nor, Shilen, Krieger, Bartlein, Broughton, Rock Creek. Probably some more. Note that they make blanks; you will have to pay extra to the maker or a gunsmith to have the barrel threaded, chambered, headspaced, and blued.

November 26, 2010, 10:39 PM	#5
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,545	Yah, my gunsmith goes back to the day when nearly all replacement barrels were like that. You could fit any caliber with just a headspace gauge. But that was when any gunsmith worthy of the name had a lathe. Now we get a lot of people working out of their kitchen and they want a short chamber that they can hand ream without the expense of a lathe. But they have to have a reamer for every caliber of interest.

December 1, 2010, 12:20 PM	#8
hootey Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2009 Location: Greater Northwest Posts: 244	Impressive for sure!

December 9, 2010, 04:28 PM	#10
Buzzard Bait Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Republic of Texas Posts: 502	22-250 heavy vs 243 light???? So how do they stack up? I have seen some reports/stories about fast twist barrel 22-250s firing a long Scirocco bullet maybe 70 or 75 grain a very streamlined bullet, as a highly accurate low recoil deer rifle which is what I think you are looking at. But I wonder why not a similar weight streamlined 243 bullet? I can make more velocity with the 243 do to more area on the rear of the bullet to push on while the 22 bullet has a better BC and will hold it's velocity better. But says me the advantage of the slimmer 22's higher BC doesn't make much difference until the range gets a little longer than I'm going to shoot at a deer. Also with the 243 I can load a heavier bullet if I want to shoot something really big. What says you guys? I once new a older guy that hunted deer in Texas and elk in I think Colorado he was often successful his two guns, a rem 600 222 for deer and a savage lever action 243. I don't think he ever thought he was under gunned and don't think he lost any cripples all one shot one kill. bb

December 12, 2010, 02:34 PM	#11
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	I read on the internet that Howa 1500 receivers have metric threads. "thread pitch. 1.5 mm the major diameter of the thread shank is 26mm. 17 threads/inch will work if you cannot cut metric" I have not taken the barrel off my Howa 1500, but if I do I will very the threads. I wish little elves would come in the night and make my shop look neat like Chad's.