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Joined: Aug 2010
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OP
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What's your favorite barrel company for a hunting rifle? I'm planning to have a 7mm Rem Mag built. I'm thinking about a Hart.
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Joined: Sep 2011
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
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All the barrel makers make good barrels.
You need to narrow your choices down by some other factor.
You want a normal or lightweight weight stainless barrel? Krieger is out, the smallest barrel Bartlein will make for you is a #2B, about like most others' #3. Rock Creek, Shilen, Lilja, Pac Nor, Douglas, Obermeyer, I think a maker in Arizona I can't think of now, a guy in Iowa...
You want a chrome moly barrel so it can be blued? Hart and Rock Creek are out. Kreiger, Bartlein, Pac Nor, Shilen, Douglas are in.
You want the barrel maker to install the barrel? That narrows it down more.
You may want to consider price, whether you want specified air gauges, whether you want lapped...all those factors will weigh towards one maker or another.
Do you prefer cut rifled or button rifled?
I'll assume you want a stainless barrel, not too heavy a contour. Let's assume you want the barrel company to do the install. Your choices are Hart, Pac Nor, Bartlein if a #2B isn't too heavy, Douglas...
I've had 2 Rock Creeks, 2 Bartleins, 2 Liljas, 1 Obermeyer, 1 Pac Nor on the way.
If you think of some characteristics of the barrel you might get better suggestions.
Last edited by joelkdouglas; 10/01/16.
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Joined: Sep 2014
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Campfire Ranger
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What do you want to pay? Be honest with yourself, what is your accuracy requirement? These questions are easy, make an honest list of what you wnat. The answer becomes more clear. Match this with the above post, and you should be good to go.
Parents who say they have good kids..Usually don't!
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Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
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Krieger, Brux, or Bartlein
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Pretty hard to beat a Douglas SS air gaged. dave
Only accurate rifles are interesting.
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Joined: Aug 2016
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Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
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What's your favorite barrel company for a hunting rifle? I'm planning to have a 7mm Rem Mag built. I'm thinking about a Hart. Back in the day Hart was one of the few barrel makers and were the "go to" barrel for custom builds................IHO I believe there are better match barrels to be had like Kreiger and Bartlein..........lately more Bartlein barrels are used "for good reason" by match shooters than any other barrels. Bartlein 5R rifling and never look back.
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Joined: Sep 2008
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Campfire Tracker
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jim borden of borden rifles and mcwhorter rifles use hart barrels and have for years if they put their reputation on building rifles that have hart barrels i would have no issues using one in fact i have used four or fie of them and they are all shooters
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Krieger, Brux, or Bartlein Yes.
The 280 Remington is overbore.
The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Campfire Outfitter
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For a hunting rifle, its hard to beat Douglas or Shilen.
Last edited by 338rcm; 10/01/16.
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My last four have been built with Bartlein's, I see no reason to change that.
As another poster mentioned, in 7mm the smallest contour bartlein will make is a #2B. That's what I have on my M70 7mm rem mag at 24" and it's a very nice contour for a hunting rifle.
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I'm waiting on two custom spec Hart barrels pre-fit for AR's, already have two others, no three, as Hart barrels were used by Remington's Custom Shop for the 40X when I bought it. Absolutely top drawer barrels and work, just prepare to wait - same with others. http://www.hartbarrels.com/Pac-Nor Barreling is another, especially their Super Match stainless, with polygonal rifling, extremely accurate, easy to clean, and they make them with barrel nuts for Savage or Remington 700 drop-in installation. They also do the installation. Any contour, twist rate, number of lands and grooves, have it your way. I have many barrels from them all shoot .5" or better, some rifles have swap barrels in different calibers for varmint hunting. Never got a bad one yet. http://pac-nor.com/Shilen, I rate these right up there, and they make them to your specs. Also make Savage pre-fits, actions, triggers and stuff. http://www.shilen.com/Brux Barrels, cut rifling, good barrels, great accuracy, no problems. http://bruxbarrels.com/ Krieger Barrels, cut rifling, great accuracy, no problems. They also have an inventory of popular calibers in stock. https://www.kriegerbarrels.com/Gary Schneider Rifle Barrels, these are among the best, used by David Tubb, and mine proved very accurate. Makes polygonal rifling in certain calibers. http://www.schneiderriflebarrels.com/Also, if you want to avoid the wait for a Shilen or Krieger check here, should the caliber, twist rate and contour you want be in stock, it will arrive in a few days, the last Krieger I ordered took just under a week. http://www.brunoshooters.com/category/barrels.htmlFinally don't forget about Criterion Barrels. Formerly owned by Krieger, these buttoned rifled barrels are good quality. I ordered one in .25-06 Remington, a pre-fit for the Remington 783, in stainless, it arrived in slightly less than 8 weeks, cost was good, impressive quality and accuracy. Sold by: http://northlandshooterssupply.com/
Last edited by WranglerJohn; 10/02/16.
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I have Shilens, Harts, Kriegers, and Broughtons. They all are superbly accurate with the right loads. More importantly than the barrel manufacturer to me is the craftmanship of the smith. Squaring the action and bolt face as well as the bedding job and lapping of the lugs is very important. Those things being done property, any custom barrel screwed on should create an excellant rifle
NRA Life Member
"You might as well be wrong, as be right and not know it"
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Campfire Ranger
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Don't forget new guys like Hawk Hill. Couldn't be happier with mine.
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Faith and love of others knows no mileage nor bounds. That's simply the way it is. dogzapper
After the game is over, the king and the pawn go into the same box. Italian Proverb
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Whatever you can get the quickest. There is no best barrel maker when you are buying from the top tier barrel makers. They all make good barrels, and they all make some duds, sometimes you'll get an outstanding barrel. Buy any barrel listed above and you'll be happy.
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Joined: Dec 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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Lots of good options. My 7mmRemMag wears a #3 Lilja SS and shoots really well. I only went that route because Midway had them on a big-time markdown at one time and I snagged one. Bet I'd have been happy with Hart, Pac-Nor, Schneider, Rock Creek, Bartlien, Brux, Broughton, etc......
Now with even more aplomb
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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What's your favorite barrel company for a hunting rifle? I'm planning to have a 7mm Rem Mag built. I'm thinking about a Hart. Weight was of paramount importance when I chose my last three barrels. I wanted to match the contour of the lightest 24" .25-06 Weatherby. Only Pac-Nor would do it. Not only that when I asked if they would add a couple inches to it and flute it they did. After those three I asked if they would cut a new one 24" long and dd .050" diameter to the thin section so they did. It's still 5.8 pounds without the scope.
"Only Christ is the fullness of God's revelation." Everyday Hunter
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
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What's your favorite barrel company for a hunting rifle? I'm planning to have a 7mm Rem Mag built. I'm thinking about a Hart. Lotta good makers. Roll with the Hart if that is what ya want. No reason not to. Pick a bullet you want to use. Twist accordingly......
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Joined: Sep 2004
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All the guys I know around me that shoot benchrest, shoot Hart. They are probably overkill for a hunting rifle, but my new Hart barrel is waiting to be installed on my Montana. Just figure if I'm going to do it once, I'll do it right and if I miss game with it, it will be my fault.
That said, I also have attended Friends of the NRA and other events and Hart has made significant donations to all (the Friends dinner receives a Hart Rifle every year for a separate raffle). They are good people, still family run and have their name on the barrel and their name behind the barrel as well. For those reasons, I didn't look at another barrel maker.
Talent is what you're born with, skills are what you earn. - Rod Smith
Time flies, but remember, you are the pilot!
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Campfire Outfitter
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Out of 5 Harts not a single bad one...........
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