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prefit barrel for savage, lothar walthar or shillen carbon?

LongArm

Problem Solver
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 30, 2007
1,206
21
Corpus Christi, Texas
I am helping build a rifle (savage) for my son to start shooting long rang competitions with me. I need a Savage prefit barrel. I have found a lothar walthar and a shillen chromoly blued barrel in stock. I like the LW but its 28" long and I wanted to finish it around 24". Does anyone have any thoughts on which is best for prefit barrel. I wanted a cut rifle barrel but have not found any in stock.

This rifle build will be done with a prefit because he is paying for it.

Thanks,
LongArm
 
Ihave a lw prefit and i have had shilen prefits. My lw is stupid accurate in the .2s is the norm off a bipod and bag. It is a 28" 243 1-8 varmint contour. I do not find it heavy or cumbersome at all. I prefer that length and contour over a 22" mtu or other bull profile . Criterion makes a damn good prefit. I got one in 6 br 1-8. It's on a savage 4.4 in an AICS folder. Boring accurate, 105 Berger hybrid at 2925 fpspunches .170-.250" groups prone with bipod and bag. It is 26" varmint contour, also way easy to shoot positional thebn a fat medium length.
 
I need it threaded and re-crowned. I am leaning towards the LW50 barrel. I just don't know if my smith will cut and re-thread it. The guy from lothar said it needed to be re-lapped after it was recut????
 
I have a Shilen Ultra Match pre fit that is extremely accurrate. One ragged hole at 100yds and typically a 1.25" group or less at 300yds. I don't think you can go wrong with either Shilen, Criterion, or Lothar.
 
Lw50 is damn hard steel, ur smith will need to know how to work with that stuff. I chose it for my first 243 fast twist about 7 yrs ago. Built a couple more since that one to save it, it shot almost to scary good to burn up. what caliber u doin, if a hot rod and ur smith can work that steel, it is a good choice. If 308 any barrel listed here will work fine. Shouldn't need to relap if cut and then crowned with single point cutter, no live pilots in bore when lathe is spinning. LW can be little notorious for claiming things in stock and then telling u a week or two later it is actually6-10 weeks, plus unless things have changed with LW in Georgia they do check or MO only, no C.C. or debt/check card. Makes it hard to cancel order or get recorse if u get hung on the instock but not, wait 10 weeks. I found out the hard way on another barrel from them. It is hard to pass up Jim Briggs at NSS, carries, trued lugs and trued custom barrel nuts.
 
I have bought two savage barrels from Jim Briggs, he is a great guy. Both are shilen[[I was testing at the range yesterday and shot a ".780 inch group at 300Y with my .223 wylde shilen barrel]
 
I am building a 260 rem. I think the LW would be good but not sure if my smith can cut it, he is retired and has down sized his shop. He is also shooting in the nationals this month.
 
+1 On the McGowen barrels. They are not cut-rifled, but the barrel I put on my rifle is simply amazing!!
 
I was fixin' to start another thread with the same questions. I have a 10PC in .308 that I would like to rebarrel to 6.5CM. I found most of my answers here and gave Jim a call but had to leave a msg.

Thanks guys!
 
Criterions are great. Mine has won at 600 yard fopen competition. I think they are on par with shilen select match but cheaper. I had a bad chamber job from mcgowan but I here they have turned things around the last few years.
 
+1 On the McGowen barrels. They are not cut-rifled, but the barrel I put on my rifle is simply amazing!!

Another vote for mcgowen, Dan Wynn did a great job on my last one. 28" 7rm that shoots tiny little groups.
 
I vote for the Lothar Walther of the two choices you gave. Considering all of the choices listed in this thread Mcgowen would be my last choice. With LW, Shilen, and Criterion prefits any of them should be gtg. Any problems with accuracy with those 3 would probably be more shooter error than barrel related unless your son can already make one hole shots.
 
That's a good call. I have seen 3 separate issues with the pre fit Shilen barrels. The Shilen balnks seem to be ok (not the Shilen of old) but their chambering blows... You also may want to look at Pac Nor pre fits, I have seen a few of them do well.