Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Barrel-makers

Wondering if the recent ruling by the AIC re: definition of 'manufacturing' has affected the barrel-makers.

Reason I ask is that I ordered a barrel from Pac-Nor on 9/17 and it's on the way here by 10/14!!!! Under a month? Usual wait times are at least 12 weeks - for ANY maker.. WTH?

Anybody else experiencing faster-than-normal ship times?

It took six months to get a Bartlein 30 cal 11.25 twist. Shilen and Douglas come quickly from Brownells. Two Krieger 224 barrels took three months from order to delivery. I don't know if the specialties manufactures are that busy or something else is involved.

I routinely get Shilen barrels in less than a month, just got in a 7mm in about 2 weeks, direct from Shilen. Krieger orders have been 6-7 months normally. I won't buy from Pac-Nor.

There are quite a few Bartleins ready to be shipped at Grizzly Industrial. I got the two I purchased within a week each time.

http://www.grizzly.com/search/?q=(rifle+AND+barrels)+OR+(rifle+OR+barrels)

The gun smith I ordered me a Kreiger last spring, it took 4-5 months. It was a 20 cal.
It turned out to be an excellent shooter.

I've suspected that the barrels Shilen ships to Brownell's are their 'seconds'.. They shoot OK to date, but every one I've had in had pretty bad runout near the middle when spinning between centers. I use those only when speed is of the essence.

In 18 years I've had exactly TWO barrels that wouldn't shoot; one Pac-Nor and one Krieger.. The guy with the Krieger told me just to round-file that one and replace with a Lilja.. Problem solved.

Pac-Nor wanted theirs back for inspection. They found a problem, shipped me a new barrel and paid to install it.. Good stuff IMHO..

Only barrels I stay away from are those from Douglas, Wilson and Shaw..

I highly doubt the Shilen barrels Brownells sell are seconds. Wade Hull that owns Shilen barrels tells me he makes 25000 barrels a year. Shilen's low end barrels (seconds) are sold under the name of Lone Star barrels.
I will install any barrel the customer wants, but I only keep Shilen and Krieger in stock. I never had to take a Shilen off that wouldnt shoot to the owners satisfaction.

Exception to that is one local prairie dog shooter that shoot his barrels hot then shoots CO2 down the barrel to quicky cool. Only has half the life of normal barrels. I believe this screws with the metallurgy of the barrel steel.

I just ordered a Hart barrel a few weeks ago and was quoted their normal lead time of 12-14weeks.

David

I have also talked to Wade from SHilen, they do not send out "seconds". I have had two barrels from Pac-Nor; both had loose spots in the bore, could feel it with a tight fitting patch. Sent them both back, they would not replace them, ssid nothing wrong. I don't use them anymore.

Good to know.. Perhaps I've just been unlucky re: the ones I've gotten through Brownell's.

Shilen hasn't offered Lonestar barrels for at least 15yrs.

And now even the Cro-moly barrels come hand lapped.