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Proof barrel issue

Damn that sucks! I can guess the smith just by the engraving and if I’m right, they have cut me 3 Proof barrels for my vector. Zero issues and they will take care of you.
Ive had 2 Proof SS barrels done by the same smith if were thinking of the same guy. They’ve been hammers from the get go. He’ll make it right, I’m sure
 
Berger 180, 184, 190
Hornady 162
Hammer 177
Cayuga 170
None will shoot
I think the throat is too long, here is a pic of one touching the lands and one that is mag length
View attachment 7495522
what is the actual OAL of those?
Chamber freebore?
Did I read right on the 1-7 twist?


I literally load up 100 of a known mild load for a new barrel and just shoot steel with them to get barrel up to speed before load development, they are plenty good even at 1000+ targets.


I am only loading them to mag length because the barrel has a useless otherwise

That is in no way stopping you from a jump test.
Load them .050 shorter than mag length and work up in .003 increments for 4-5 increments.
That still leaves you room for future tuning.

I think a proper jump test will really help you out.

I jumped 180 ELD and hybrids almost a tenth of an inch and it shot awesome for the first 1000 rounds of my last barrel after I got it up to speed as I above.
 
My proof on my 7 SS isn't past 200rds yet and was shooting cloverleafs day 1. Can it be set back at all or cut to get closer to the lands? Also as noted 1:7 isn't helping your case, but that jump is monstrous for a custom.
 
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I am really hoping this isn't the case, I bought the barrel from a member that has been registered on here since 2013 and the smith is well know. The smith offered to take it back and give me a new barrel and rechamber it but I have to wait for a new barrel from Proof.

I would take the smith up on his offer at this point. The seating depth to the lands seems way to long. Even reputable smiths have an issue from time to time, but they correct them when made aware.
 
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That is in no way stopping you from a jump test.
Load them .050 shorter than mag length and work up in .003 increments for 4-5 increments.
That still leaves you room for future tuning.

I think a proper jump test will really help you out.

I jumped 180 ELD and hybrids almost a tenth of an inch and it shot awesome for the first 1000 rounds of my last barrel after I got it up to speed as I above.

I did a jump test with the 180 vlds and it worked the best at mag length but still nowhere near what it should be shooting.
 
I did a jump test with the 180 vlds and it worked the best at mag length but still nowhere near what it should be shooting.
It could just not like that bullet, that happens.
I’d try it with another bullet.
Really if you can’t get it shooting after 200ish rounds it might be time to investigate with the smith on if it’s a bad barrel.
They are very rare in high quality barrels but do happen.
You do have to do your part with load development.
What reamer did they use?
Saami or LA?
 
I suspect this barrel has a bit more history than we know. Might not be on the builder. It's just a mess and it sounds like the smith is willing to make it right.
 
I suspect this barrel has a bit more history than we know. Might not be on the builder. It's just a mess and it sounds like the smith is willing to make it right.
I agree and am going to report the seller to the mods, I hate to be that guy but the fact he won’t take it back and deal with it and that I believe there is more to the story gives me little choice.
 
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I am really hoping this isn't the case, I bought the barrel from a member that has been registered on here since 2013 and the smith is well know. The smith offered to take it back and give me a new barrel and rechamber it but I have to wait for a new barrel from Proof.
If you bought it as a blank, I highly doubt the seller of the blank has any fault in how the finish product shoots.
 
I'm only on my second proof carbon barrel and both shoot clovers from day 1. The only disappointment is on the second barrel, its has .2 mil cold bore shift low at 100 yds. Other than that they are every bit as accurate as the Kreigers and Bartleins Ive had in the past.
 
I have a proof barrel chambered in 7 SAUM. I have not been able to get it to shoot any better than 1-1.5 moa at 100 yards. I called the smith who chambered it and he is telling me that I need to do load development in order to get it to shoot. I have tried 6 different types of bullets with various charges and seating lengths and nothing shoots. I was also told by him that at 200 rounds it should just start to shoot. Now I have never owned a proof barrel in a centerfire before but that just sounds crazy. All of the other cut rifles barrels I have ever used have shot great out of the box. Am I missing something here?
Try a Barrel tuner.
 
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As a builder I never guaranteed accuracy on CF barrels no matter who made them, end of story. I had some that came out great and others that shot like a crappy Savage. It’s like playing roulette.
Secondly the tennon length sometimes needs to be trimmed to fit a stock inlet, however the steel profile under the carbon should be just fine for a saum. Thirdly those threads and lug relief look like shit but if its torqued it would still be fine unless it was dangerously undersized. I can also say a bullet that jumps 3” can still shoot one whole groups so there is that. What do you guys think happens to 6mms in comp guns..... If it is a carbon barrel and doesnt shoot in the first 50 rounds then you likely have a turd. I always advise to get a light weight stianless cut rifled barrel and forego the carbon. Saves 60% and weighs about the same.
 
I purchased a .30 cal carbon fiber proof barrel for a custom build, about a year ago, I think a year ago...with COVID everyday is like the movie Groundhog Day.
I handed everything over to my smith who is very anal and slowly turned the barrel as he ran a micrometer down it. Long story short he found a few imperfections not visible to the eye or touch. He called Proof Research and after sending them video they made a new barrel. Might check that out.
My build with the new in spec barrel is lights out.
 
My .02, I don’t think a well know smith would let that leave the shop. Nobody cuts that much off the shank of a proof unless they screwed up.

Here is my far fetched theory: somebody wanted it throated a little longer and had a little accident with a throating reamer and cut WAY to deep. The only way to even keep a bullet in the neck and touch lands was to rechamber and cut the tenon threads again to somewhat catch up to the throating accident. This could have happened well after it left said well known shop.
 
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I haven’t done anything yet. The more I think about it the more pissed off I get. I buy a barrel from a member who seemed gtg chambered by what I thought was a reputable smith. I reach out to the seller and he seems helpful until I ask for my money back where he tells me to pound sand. I reach out to the smith and he insults me by giving me a lesson on load development and then tells me the barrel needs at least 200 rounds through it before it will start to shoot, which I find amazingly hard to believe. I post this thread up on here and after many of the comments I realize that I have been taken for a ride for sure.
 
I haven’t done anything yet. The more I think about it the more pissed off I get. I buy a barrel from a member who seemed gtg chambered by what I thought was a reputable smith. I reach out to the seller and he seems helpful until I ask for my money back where he tells me to pound sand. I reach out to the smith and he insults me by giving me a lesson on load development and then tells me the barrel needs at least 200 rounds through it before it will start to shoot, which I find amazingly hard to believe. I post this thread up on here and after many of the comments I realize that I have been taken for a ride for sure.
i think I found the ad where came from. What a joke man, that really sucks when you think youre getting something good and it turns out to be fucked.
 
Who was the “Member” and the “Smith”. At this point you can help others avoid similar problems.
 
Who was the “Member” and the “Smith”. At this point you can help others avoid similar problems.
It may not be either of them. I was at the range yesterday trying to figure out which grain bullet works best in my Proof barreled 308.

I tried multiple grains from Hornady, Federal, S&B, Aguilla, Browning, and evem some hunting rounds, and nothing grouped better than 1.5. The Hornady match was all over the place.

Could it be that Proof quality is going down so they can catch up with their supply for their OEM relationship with Savage?

I think we need an answer from Proof Research. Mine is a $475 stainless 308 barrel from Optics Planet. My $65 Anderson Bull shoots bugholes with the Browning ammo, so I know its not me.
 
I haven’t done anything yet. The more I think about it the more pissed off I get. I buy a barrel from a member who seemed gtg chambered by what I thought was a reputable smith. I reach out to the seller and he seems helpful until I ask for my money back where he tells me to pound sand. I reach out to the smith and he insults me by giving me a lesson on load development and then tells me the barrel needs at least 200 rounds through it before it will start to shoot, which I find amazingly hard to believe. I post this thread up on here and after many of the comments I realize that I have been taken for a ride for sure.

Man, I feel for you. My opinion, there’s a lot of what you’re being told is bullshit. We’re seeing the quality of character of both seller and smith. For me it would be hard to decide which way to go next, at least in a positive manner. You could throw them under the bus, and let the community put heads on pikes figuratively, but your still stuck with a trashed barrel that‘s useless to you. If it’s a known smith, he might be more inclined to actually help solve the problem to avoid his reputation being destroyed. That “200 round load developmeant” crap is a total cop out answer, he should at least offer to inspect it and go from there.
 
So question for your guys, the throat is 3.03 and mag length is 2.95 is that too far of a jump?
Jumping almost 100thou. Seems kinda far. Almost like a factory R700 barrel. It’s possible you might find a load that shoots a tenth off the lands. VLD’s are a bullet that may work.
 
Well shit man. This is for a SA right? So there’s no way this could work on a LA?
 
Both of my Proof barrels have grouped fine since the first round.

Not that it matters but I can kind of see why the seller wouldn't want a barrel he sold as new back after it has been shot. I feel like the smith should make it right. The tenon has obviously been shortened.
 
I had a proof barrel that wouldn’t shoot either especially with a can on. The smith had it back and shot good for them. Came back to me and shot the same crappy poi shift every round with the can on. Went out to proof and bam it’s a hammer now. They told me they separated the barrel from the action and re torqued it to a different weight than the smith. Shoots fine now anything I put through it. Federal Berger hybrid ammo are 1 hole.
 
Someone sells a barrel unfired, it is pure speculation they knew this or that. Maybe he knew, maybe he didn't. The smith gave you an out. Just tell him you put 200 through it and no dice still. Or put 200 through it and see what it does.

Calling out another member with a thread like this might lead to you both being banned.