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Krieger vs Bartlein

Had a long conversation with Tim North, owner of Broughton barrels recently. He’s shut the doors for good unfortunately. I thought it interesting that he recommended Krieger and Pacnor for my future purchases. Yes, he knows pacnor burned, but they’ll be back.
Broughton is out?!
 
interesting. Makes sense. I only have experience with Bartlein and Proof. I have a Bartlein on my hunting rifle in a 7mm mag, but haven’t shot that one out yet. It gets very little use. But I’ve had 3 barrels fitted to my 6CM. All have been Proof. Like you said, I’ve been impressed with the groups every time so I just never changed. Never had the need.

I’m willing to bet you could take a proof, bartlein, krieger, mullerworks, hawk hill (or any other reputable barrel), tell a shooter it was a bartlein or any other name in the list that the barrel is not.......and they wouldn’t be able to tell the difference from shooting them.
 
Had a long conversation with Tim North, owner of Broughton barrels recently. He’s shut the doors for good unfortunately. I thought it interesting that he recommended Krieger and Pacnor for my future purchases. Yes, he knows pacnor burned, but they’ll be back.

You don't know the rest of the story!

Also your only hearing what Tim wants to tell you!

He has also been calling some of our customers and telling them not to buy from us. I've been called and told this directly!

This is BS and I'm getting ready to call Tim on the carpet! Again!

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels
 
You don't know the rest of the story!

Also your only hearing what Tim wants to tell you!

He has also been calling some of our customers and telling them not to buy from us. I've been called and told this directly!

This is BS and I'm getting ready to call Tim on the carpet! Again!

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

Rut Roh Raggie
 
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You don't know the rest of the story!

Also your only hearing what Tim wants to tell you!

He has also been calling some of our customers and telling them not to buy from us. I've been called and told this directly!

This is BS and I'm getting ready to call Tim on the carpet! Again!

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

I’m sure there’s more to the story, there always is. I called to order several barrels for a customer, and he told me he’d shut down. Bummer.

fwiw, he never said a bad word about you or Bartlein, and never made any attempt at steering me away. I asked who he liked after his own, and he said Krieger and Pacnor.
 
You don't know the rest of the story!

Also your only hearing what Tim wants to tell you!

He has also been calling some of our customers and telling them not to buy from us. I've been called and told this directly!

This is BS and I'm getting ready to call Tim on the carpet! Again!

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

Sorry to hear that Frank I'm sure you will handle it ;)


Mike R.
 
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I've shot Krieger, Hart, Obermeyer, Blackstar (remember those? They were HARD) and Douglas in service rifle M14s, have a 22" Krieger in 308 from @MikeRTacOps, shot a couple John Holliger PacNor 1:6.5" and CLE 1:7.7" Krieger AR service rifles, have a couple Tooley Bartleins for my AIAX, a Kreiger 300wm from RW Snyder. They all shoot extremely well. As has been said, a good smith has more impact on accuracy/precision than the barrel manufacturer, assuming a quality blank is used.
 
Quality between the two? , I don't think it matters, 3,4,5 groove who knows!, I went Bart simply because I could get left twist 1n9 to 1n81/4 for my last build. I had to wait a while but I planned ahead and like others have said a lot has to do with the quality of work by the Smith , WTO is GTG!
 
I've shot Krieger, Bartlein, Lothar Walther, Benchmark, Hawk Hill, K&P, Green Mountain, and a Proof stainless in 6 Dasher, 6.5 Creedmoor, 308, 6XC, 25 Creedmoor, 6 Creedmoor, 300WM, 338LM, etc. Honestly, I can't tell the difference between any of them. They all shot remarkably well, most likely because whomever chambered them did a great job. The only difference I've noticed is the button rifled barrels haven't lasted as long as the cut rifled ones, but even the buttons shot tiny little groups and the life difference wasn't more than 200, from what I remember. All my 6 Creedmoor barrels have been buttons because their life expectancy is short to begin with, so I don't bother spending the extra $200 or so on a cut rifled barrel that'll only last maybe an extra 100 rounds
 
I’ve had and still have both and both have always been excellent. Built my son a rifle for his 12th birthday and when I called Krieger to ask about a custom contour, they loved the idea and went above and beyond making a custom contoured and finished barrel for my boy’s rifle. Awesome people to deal with.
 
Both are excellent, if you’re referring to their cut-rifled blanks. Pick which one has the twist rate and contour you want, and rest easy knowing it’s going to be a shooter, provided the smith pulls his weight.
 
Krieger and Brux are my "go-to" these days.
Why?
I prefer 4-groove and .236 bore for my 6MM barrels (mostly what I buy now).
Lately I've picked up a couple Hawk Hill barrels because they were there.
Had good luck with them in the past though.
All that said, I will say I have never had a bad Bartlien and Frank has always treated me well.
 
4 groove Krieger is the way, never bought into the 5R hype.

I've got a steel plate rifle in 6 BR .237 that shoots low to mid .1's every time I put it on paper.
I have several other rifles sporting Kriegers that are freaks in the precision department.
 
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I shoot bartlein for 7 and 30 cal. Krieger for 6.5 down. That was the general consensus of our f class club
 
I am a Krieger fanboy, but I also own two Bartleins and a Brux if we're talking cut rifled. Truth is that I wouldn't know which is which if I didn't know and were doing a blind test.

Some of the builders that I respect most almost exclusively use Krieger. And some almost exclusively Bartlein. I think that says a lot about how close they generally perform.
 
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