Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles World's best factory barrel

I thought it might be fun to get opinions on this subject. I have an opinion, but will keep it to myself for now. Who do you think makes the best, most consistent factory "hunting" barrels for their rifles? Lets keep it focused on the bigger rifle makers, not some small firm that makes them by hand. I am talking Winchester, Remington, Savage, Marlin, Kimber, Weatherby, Howa, Sako, Tikka, etc.

I would say Sako, with the 5-shot MOA on their rifles as listed for the new A7 package.

My Sako m75's I have shot under 1" with factory ammo, and bst is under 0.25" with reloads.

My Tikka T3's are the same with best @ 0.217" for 5 shot group @ 100m with reloads of 140gr Accubonds in my 270WSM.

Just my opinion.

Does Cooper qualify? I've never heard of a bad one even though I've never owned one. A friend had 2 or 3 of them & they all were very accurate out of the box. Bear in Fairbanks

I am going to go with Steyr-Mannlicher and their hammer forged barrels. I also like the barrels with the hammer forging pattern showing on the thicker portion of the barrel. They shoot well, and look good too.

With that said there are some really excellent barrels from the makers today, much more basic accuracy than when I was first shooting (3" or under and 100 yards was acceptable accuracy).

jim

Savage is known for accuracy, even though the rifle as a package isn't of the highest quality...

+1 on those . I don't think cooper builds their own barrels

+2.

Yea, I would say they have to make the barrels themselves to qualify.

Ditto for the Steyr and Sako.

Probably Sako, although I've found the ones on my Tikkas even more accurate than my Finnlights (which have been quite accurate as well).

My Sakos are and have been consistent at .75 MOA with several loads, while my Tikkas have shot just about anything under an inch and have drilled a lot of stuff under .5 MOA. I only have a sample of 4 Tikkas and 3 Finnlights to draw from, but I'm wondering if the stiffer action on the Tikka gives it an edge, all else being equal since they both sport Sako barrels.

DJ

To be clear, the Sakos have not been finicky, but the Tikkas seem almost unable to discriminate on the basis of ammo altogether.

My 270 even shot some Academy serbian who-knows-what 130 grain soft points under .75, but I was nervous it might be corrosive - so I scrubbed it after shooting the 1 box and haven't tried any more.

DJ

Every Steyr barrel I have had has shot every kind of ammo, even cheap military stuff, sub MOA.
FR-8 Mauser, Steyr FAL, 1950 Mannlicher 6.5x54, 1952 .30-06, SSG-69, Model M .270.

I had a couple of Sako 75's in 30-06 that went down the road. The barrels were superb, excellent accuracy. I just hated the weight and the bolt design.

I am suprised no Remmy fans have spoken up yet. Considering the huge quantities of barrels they make, and the day in and day out accuracy of the model 700, thought I'd see some votes.

I vote that the worst in that damn ruger no.1 7mm rem mag I just got rid of and lost my butt on. lesson learned the hard way.

Remington

I've personally shot many rifles and I have to say, hands down, the weatherby is the best. Smoothest shooting, free-float barrel, puts one right in the other. I also like how they guarantee accuracy and the gun comes with a target. If the gun doesn't shoot 3 shots w/in, I think it's 3 inches, of eachother, they send it back to the factory and reassemble it. Weatherby has my vote.

Are you talking regular Weatherby, or the Kreiger barreled models? Wouldn't be fair to count those models in.

Don't know about the WORLDS best but if Howa is still making their barrels the way they made them when I bought my S&W in 83,their up near the top! I was going to replace the barrel back then with a 26" one plus have some chamber work done. Gunsmith calls a few days after I drop it off to tell me the barrel is too good to replace. He had already removed the barrel so could have sold me a new one and I would have been none the wiser. This was and still is my go to rifle for everything. I've only had to increase cartridge OAL by .024" in almost 25yrs due to throat erosion. Hope their still as good!

til later

I have to cast a vote for Husqvarna. I love that little gun. when I do my part (by not dropping it out of trees and such) it'll stack 'em, no matter the load.

I'm just talking about regular weatherby's. I'm yet to miss with one.