• Watch Out for Scammers!

    We've now added a color code for all accounts. Orange accounts are new members, Blue are full members, and Green are Supporters. If you get a message about a sale from an orange account, make sure you pay attention before sending any money!

Preferred barrel blanks (the company)

6.5creedmoor

Sergeant
Minuteman
Mar 16, 2013
315
26
Tucson, AZ
Has anyone on here used a Preferred barrel blanks barrel on there rifle if so how did it shoot I'm looking gnat picking up a shouldered pre fit from them in the near future but cant seem to find any reviews on them.
 
I’m wondering the same thing. If I can pick one of their prefits for my tikka I’d be stoked.
 
You gonna pull the trigger on it??
 
Very possibly I messaged match grade machine to see who's barrels they been using cause I think preferred barrel blanks is there in house barrels and they just made a separate company as they both have the same address
 
Oh gotcha, well if you do please post some pictures of it and let us know how the accuracy is!
 
I ordered a 308 nucleus prefit from them a few days ago. Talking to Marshal it’s in the current run of barrels so I should have it in a couple weeks. I’ll update y’all with everything when I get it in
 
I installed a Preferred Barrel, Prefit for Ruger American....6.5 Creedmoor, 26 heavy Palma....here are some picture of breaking it in....
First Pic is a three shot group...would not believe if I had not shot it...but yes that is 3 shots at 100 yards, second is three shots a 100 yards and third is 3 shots at 200 yards

These were Hornady Black 143 ELD-X....2700 fps second.... my handholds of 130 Berger OTM groups were not as good but I was getting 2919 FPS...when I got home I measure the throat and my handholds were jumping a ton...they were loaded for the original barrel, so I think once I seat bullets based on this chamber I should get better groups.... SDs were single digits....I have three other Preferred barrels to put on actions...I hope they are shoot like this...
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1910.jpg
    IMG_1910.jpg
    1.1 MB · Views: 783
  • 59131709269__F7E1A318-59AF-43ED-8F3C-569AFF9FB99B.jpg
    59131709269__F7E1A318-59AF-43ED-8F3C-569AFF9FB99B.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 730
  • 59131713369__34398F1D-7EBE-468F-B4A7-4D6209676B4D.jpg
    59131713369__34398F1D-7EBE-468F-B4A7-4D6209676B4D.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 762
That’s extremely impressive for a Ruger American! I may just have to get me a barrel from those guys now
 
  • Like
Reactions: Widowmaker0001
How’s the lead time on the prefits?
 
Just ordered a tikka prefit heavy palma 6.5 creedmoor 26” 1/8 twist. Now the waiting game starts ?
 
At the price I couldn’t help but order one just to see wtf.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Estes640
.223 27" 6.5 twist ordered on the third.....
 
Go to: https://preferredbarrelblanks.com/pre-fit-gun-barrels/

Click on pre-fit barrels offered; select your action; there will be a menu with windows to fill out allowing for your barrel choices, such as length, contour, chamber, brake or threading.
I ordered the Wylde chamber in 27" 900 Varmint contour with 5/8-24 muzzle thread.
 
Last edited:
If they did AI barrels without having to send the rifle to them, I'd give then a try at that price!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Badfinger
I would try one if they had shouldered origin prefits for that price. But for a barrel nut i will stick with xcaliber or criterion since they are priced so similar.
 
I ordered a 308 nucleus prefit from them a few days ago. Talking to Marshal it’s in the current run of barrels so I should have it in a couple weeks. I’ll update y’all with everything when I get it in
I called these guys to see if they could do a shouldered prefit for a Curtis Axiom. I was told I would have to send the action in which I do not want to do. The man said to me that they won’t send out any shouldered barrel without them having the action first including the Nucleus that they show they make a shouldered prefit for on the website.

Did you send in your action?
 
I ordered a Nuc/Mausingfield prefit as well and didn’t send the action in. My barrel should be done this week if they are true to their turn time.

I will say this.....ordered a Nuc prefit from LRI the same day and it shipped Friday.
 
  • Like
Reactions: jafo96
I ordered a shouldered nucleus barrel no problem from them didnt even have to send in my action
I ordered a Nuc/Mausingfield prefit as well and didn’t send the action in. My barrel should be done this week if they are true to their turn time.

I will say this.....ordered a Nuc prefit from LRI the same day and it shipped Friday.
I figured that would be the case. The man I talked to on the phone was nice but didn’t know what he was talking about. He put the phone down and went and asked the man that cuts the barrels or so he said for the answers he have me.
 
I figured that would be the case. The man I talked to on the phone was nice but didn’t know what he was talking about. He put the phone down and went and asked the man that cuts the barrels or so he said for the answers he have me.

yeah they didn’t need my action. They had one in house is what I was told. my guess is they just haven’t seen a Curtis or had one in hand yet.
 
yeah they didn’t need my action. They had one in house is what I was told. my guess is they just haven’t seen a Curtis or had one in hand yet.
That could very well be the case. The fellow still was clueless as he told me that even with the actions listed on their website in the prefit section with the shouldered option still would have to have the actions sent in. Made no sense to me as it wouldnt be a prefit then. ?. I gave up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Estes640
I’ve been in touch with them about an origin prefit. I may send my action in and they said they would use that to get all the measurements they need to make prefits, I’m assuming with the Curtis it would be a similar thing they have to have one in shop as they told me bighorn won’t releaae the specs to them. I believe American rifle company has their prints in their website so Smith’s can look at that without an action on hand, but I could be wrong. I’ve just been waiting for hunting season to end so I can send it in and I will report back how it goes. Trying a 308 to test the waters and then if that works out well I may look into a 6 dasher and Valkyrie. They told me 3-4 weeks once they get my action and I believe they make all barrels to order with very limited in stock, at least finished barrels.
 
So after a month of waiting I received my tracking info for my barrel. Received the barrel a couple days later and it was exactly what I ordered. Unfortunately the pre fit wasn’t so prefit with my Tikka T3x. Took the barrel to MHSA to have them remove the old barrel and install the prefit to find out the threads weren’t cut deep enough to thread into the receiver. Got in touch with Preferred and had them talk to Mile High and ended up shipping it back under their warranty. Got the shipping label and here it is a week later and just got the email from UPS that it is on it’s way. While frustrating, they got it fixed up (hopefully) in a quick manner and just in time for me to go shooting on my hitch off. After the barrel is installed and I get some rounds on it I’ll update you guys on how it shoots, what it likes and so on.
 
I’m well past a month on mine. Ordered as a curiosity but that ship has sailed.
 
I’m well past a month on mine. Ordered as a curiosity but that ship has sailed.
I’d give them a shout and see what’s up. Or shoot them an email with your order number. Did you have anything special done to your barrel like fluting or cerakote?
 
For the price and the pictures I’ve seen of their groups, it’s worth it. I truly believe the thread issue I had was an honest mistake.
 
Just put an order in for a 6.5creed barrel. With the 3 week lead time, that is far better than the 7-10 weeks of other places.
 
Just put an order in for a 6.5creed barrel. With the 3 week lead time, that is far better than the 7-10 weeks of other places.

Those of you that have ordered from them I'm curious if they were able to offer any specs for the reamer used.
The info on the site is very vague and generic in the order specs column.
The 65CM is pretty simp,e as the SAAMI spec is a known and consistent but 308 win can vary quite a bit from what I've looked at.
 
I would think you could call them and ask. They were very quick at answering the few questions I had.
 
Ordered a 6.5wsm, the chamber neck was way over .6" long! Not .3". Sent it back. Talked to the rep. he said they used a 257wsm for the body and a 6.5 neck reamer and they neck reamed it too far.... well NO SHIT.

Wanted to hunt whitetail this season with it, not now!

I never shot it. Will report back when I get the new one back.
 
  • Like
Reactions: -Time-
Ordered a 6.5wsm, the chamber neck was way over .6" long! Not .3". Sent it back. Talked to the rep. he said they used a 257wsm for the body and a 6.5 neck reamer and they neck reamed it too far.... well NO SHIT.

Wanted to hunt whitetail this season with it, not now!

I never shot it. Will report back when I get the new one back.
Glad I’m not the only one with a messed up barrel lol
 
Last edited:
I ordered a 7mm-08 Ackley barrel two weeks ago, with about another two weeks to go roughly. I'll let you know how mine goes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Krob95
My 27" 6.5 twist .223 came in about 4 weeks. Impressed by the overall quality of work and appearance.
First shots today, blowing out new brass.
 


Got my barrel back again and it threads in nicely to the receiver and everything. Going to try and make it by MHSA to have it headspaced and go to the range to get it on paper on Thursday!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Islas82 and MRiles