Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Douglas Barrels

Considering a Douglas barrel for a 308 custom build. Anyone have any experince with a Douglas.

I had one on a .250 AI and on a 25-284. They shot as well as my Hart of the same contour. They might have fouled a little more...

John

Did you have chrome moly or stainless?

Stainless.

John

I have several CM barrels and they all shoot better than I can hold. Folks here on the campfire don't seem too high on them, but the ones that I have work fine for me...

Ok thanks. They have been getting some bad press here on the Campfire?

Douglas is a good barrel, but not a great barrel. better than factory but are second tier like E.R.Shaw, Pac-Nor, McGowen etc. If you want a great barrel for a couple dollars more try a Kreiger, Broughton, Hart, Bartlein, even a Shilen select.
B

4200,

I've had experience with three Douglas barrels - all in 35 caliber. Two CM, one SS. Wondering how a Douglas barrel that fires a 3/4", 3 shot group on the 4th, 5th and 6th shots out of the new barrel is second tier, but it must be so.

IIRC Melvin Forbes uses them exclusively on his NULA rifles. Might call him and ask, he's probably got more experience with them than anyone else.

I have a SS on a Rem 7 in 25 cal, two CM 35's on Winchesters and a CM 7-08 on my NULA. All shoot very well and are no harder to clean than my Shilen's and Lilja's. Would buy more.

I have had 3 Douglas barrels: 7mm #1, 338 #2 and a 375 #4. All are CM and all shoot <MOA. I have no complaints at all whether shooting or cleaning. They are all clearly better than factory barrels.

RH

One of my best friends has a Ruger 77 tang safty with a 26" douglas ss in 25-06.Trigger adjusted and action faced squared. Gun typically shoots 3 shots wit 117grn sierras under 1/2' if he does his part.Cleans up quick......kills deer just fine. very good barrel if you ask me!

One of my best friends has a Ruger 77 tang safty with a 26" douglas ss in 25-06.Trigger adjusted and action faced squared. Gun typically shoots 3 shots wit 117grn sierras under 1/2' if he does his part.Cleans up quick......kills deer just fine. very good barrel if you ask me!

I've used several CM barrels from 25 to 30 cal........if installed properly they are just fine.

I'd use more of them.

MM

What do you plan on using it for?

I have a Douglas on a long range match rifle. It shoots Master class scores from prone with a sling and irons. No telling how much better it might be with a scope off of bags and a bench!

I either currently own, or have owned, probably 20 or so of them. Also own/have owned Hart, Pac-Nor, Lilja, and Shilen.

For a hunting rifle, shot under field conditions, you will never know the difference in any of them.

I've got a stainless #3 in .223AI, stainless #3 in .358, and stainless #2 in .308. All are good shooters. I have no problem with Douglas barrels.

One note on the .308 barrel...I'm not sure if it is the #2 contour or if it has something to do with the .308 caliber, or both.....but if I run my hands up the outside of the barrel I can feel noticable "steps" in the change of the outside contour.... At first I was worried I had a bad barrel, but it shot so well that I knew there was no problem with the inside of the barrel. I guess it's just a result of where it rests when the barrel is being contoured.... After shooting it I gave it no thought..

JCM

I sure wouldn't group Pac-Nor as a second tier barrel. Shaw, A&B, McG perhaps, but not Pac-Nor.

I'm a big fan of Douglas barrels. Bought my first one in 1960 for a 22-250 build, and have stayed with them ever since, for CM builds. Have never had one issue with Douglas barrels. For SS builds, I use Hart bbls. However, to be perfectly honest, I did buy one Douglas SS barrel to evaluate it. It's a 22 BR now, and shoots very well; three shots into a 3/8" group at 100 yards. I'm a tester at heart.

Melvin Forbs sure likes em and the NULA's are highly thought of here but seems few want to re-barrel in one. Im giving one a go on my next project, I have talked to a few smiths just this week about them and hear good things.

YMMV

I seem to recall Mr. Coleman likes the Douglas as well.
dave

??? Pac-Nor 'second tier'??

Not hardly...

Yep.. That's my only beef with Douglas - the outside finish is horrible; it takes about a half-day just to polish away those 'steps' and make it look like a barrel..

That's the only reason I stay away from Douglas barrels - and if a customer truly wishes to have one, I'm going to charge a higher fee to install it to cover the extra work involved...