Gunsmithing Factory vs aftermarket barrels?
- Thread starter Timmymic
- Start date
In my experience with 20+ factory barrels, many of them are ok for 1-3" groups with load development. It can be a gamble, if you are buying a random pull off barrel chances are it is just average. With a aftermarket barrel you should be getting at least 1.5" all the time for something less than the top grade of barrels. For a best quality barrel and you have everything else done correctly, you should be getting 1" or less consistently. I am impressed with tikka/ sako, not really that impressed with remington.
i have an SPS-V in 308 that shoots excellent with handloads. was thinking of rebarreling to the Creedmoor and was gonna go with a Krieger in a #7-#9 contour. although i have had a few people tell me at the range with the groupings i get to leave the rifle alone. if i want Creedmoor build another rifle. i highly suggest working up a good load with a 168 gr bullet and see if a barrel is must. how good is your glass, have you gotten a nice trigger... ?
I havent bought it yet I am deciding weather I want to get the sps varmint or if I want to try to find a used action and get it barreled. My problem is that I am left handed so the chances of me finding a decently price used 700 action is rough. I was planning on putting on the vortex hs-t for class and trying to get the xmark trigger polished? Are any of those ideas good?
Sounds like on the right track. If work the x-mark trigger can get them good. What I would do in your shoes is get the rifle. Set it up and see what it will do. If not happy with it. Then look for a rock or bartlein and someone to chamber it. And if want to go to a different caliber that would be the time.
Ok that makes sense thats what i was originally planning to do but didnt know if it would have been a waste of many to buy something new if i was going to toss the barrel anyway but if it has the chance on being good i will prob do that and see how the factory barrel holds up!
The Remington's don't have an outstanding rep on their rifles or barrels but get lucky sometimes and it all depends on your expectations. The Remington is something can build off as you want and can afford. Another route is savage and can change it out as progress and they tend to be more accurate right out of the box. Personally i would stay away from the accutrigger but some guys like them.
But a lot more options with the Remington as everyone makes everything for them.
But a lot more options with the Remington as everyone makes everything for them.
I have been lucky and gotten some pretty accurate factory guns. I just received an HS Precision stock from songdogslayer (great guy, by the way) for a SPS w/ the factory tube. It does about .75moa with tailred ammo and sometimes better. But I just sent a Bartlein barrel and a 700 action to Moon @ Crescent Customs for him to work his magic. Top drawer custom tubes versus factory- no comparison. Have a few rifles done up with Douglas barrels that shoot around .5moa and Douglas barrels are considered by some to be the low rung in the custom game.
With a 20" fiber optic attached to a flashlight with an LED for a bulb, put in the breech, with magnification I can see the bore. It is not like with a borescope, but I can see an inch of the muzzle of it very well.
Amazon.com: Nite Ize Fiber Optic AA 20: Sports & Outdoors
There is a world of difference between a lapped barrel and a factory barrel.
I have barrels in my shop from Krieger, Hart, Shilen, Pac Nor, Lilja, Parker Hale, and Lothar Walther that are obviously all lapped.
Then I have the Douglas, the Win take off, the Rem take off, the Ruger take off, the Marlin take off, the Savage take off etc that are obviously not lapped.
Of the not lapped barrels, Remington are generally the best.
I paid $1600 for a rifle this week that arrived with a Miroku barrel that is rough as a cob inside.
Amazon.com: Nite Ize Fiber Optic AA 20: Sports & Outdoors
There is a world of difference between a lapped barrel and a factory barrel.
I have barrels in my shop from Krieger, Hart, Shilen, Pac Nor, Lilja, Parker Hale, and Lothar Walther that are obviously all lapped.
Then I have the Douglas, the Win take off, the Rem take off, the Ruger take off, the Marlin take off, the Savage take off etc that are obviously not lapped.
Of the not lapped barrels, Remington are generally the best.
I paid $1600 for a rifle this week that arrived with a Miroku barrel that is rough as a cob inside.
The first time I cleaned a Rock barrel with less than five patches it was an epiphany. Custom barrels not only shoot much better, they clean up really easily and will go much longer in between cleanings. I would rather have douglas barrel installed by a good smith than the best barrel Remington ever produced.
+1 on the buy it complete and shoot it. Sometimes you get a factory shooter - sometimes you don't. If you get a shooter - leave it alone. If not, I prefer Pacnor and Lilja barrels, nothing wrong with Shilen either. Mcgowen, Douglas, ER Shaw, Wilson will be an improvement over a factory non-shooter, but may not shoot any better than the best factory shooter. If you want easy clean up, try a polygonal rifled barrel from Pacnor or Lothar Walther!!
I got lucky too, 700 sps 7mm-08, one ragged hole groups. Had to change out the crappy stock for a B&C Medalist, love it. Currently working on a 7mm Mag build with a Pac-Nor barrel. Working good so far. Not happy with the Knox blackhawk, but it looks cool, will probably get another medalist this winter. Most factory barrels are ok given a chance to settle/break in. 100 rds will tell you if you have a shooter.
My 20" SPS would shoot within a dime at 100 yards with the SPS Varmint stock bedded. I have since bedded it in an HS precision 5R take-off. No real measurable change, but the HS makes for package with comfort, balance, and fore end support.
I won't go to a custom barrel until this one is shot out.
I won't go to a custom barrel until this one is shot out.
Only rarely have I encountered a factory barrel that would not respond to good load development. What's good, what's not is often a matter of opinion/speculation. If you're looking for BR performance, you'll almost certainly end up springing for a precision aftermarket barrel. If you need a rifle that will harvest that critter, or score decently on an NRA Highpower target, then a factory barrel with Matched handloads will very likely serve your purpose. Some may even be capable of more accuracy than their shooter can manage.
Trigger adjustment, stock bedding, crown refreshment, proper ergonomic fit, and good optical parallax compensation are other factors that may deliver more accuracy improvement than a rebarrel.
Greg
Trigger adjustment, stock bedding, crown refreshment, proper ergonomic fit, and good optical parallax compensation are other factors that may deliver more accuracy improvement than a rebarrel.
Greg
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Thats prob the best advice that I have gotten so far. Thank you very much. Special_KG- Thanks your giving me alot more confidence in my purchase idea!
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