Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats How are Shilen barrels?

I am rebarreling my 30-06 to a 25-06 and I was wondering how the Shilen barrels are? I guess the smith I am using can get them easy. It can be harder to get barrels up here in Canada.

Check the availability on Broughton barrels.

My first one, a SS SM .30 cal., is great. I like it well enough that I have another at the gunsmith right now for a 6MM build.

Listen to your smith.

I have only one Shilen, a CM one on my Dakota 76-.338WM and when I first got this rifle, May, 1994, I was quite disappointed in it's accuracy. I decided to send the piece back to Don Allen, spoke with Norma over the phone and I just wanted some minor issues done, bolt jeweled, etc.

When, I received it back, I did nothing special and just used a load given me by a UBC "prof" I used to shoot with, a warmish, but, issue-free load. The barrel had not been changed,although they had offered to do so and I was curious as to WTF was happening.

So, changing from my longtime standby of IMR-4350 to the then quite "new" RE-22, I worked up to WW or Fed. brass, CCI250, 250NP and 77-RE-22 and WHAMMO, .6-.7" three shot groups at 100M, consistently. That was IT for me and I seldom use any other load, although I used some Fed. Premium 225 TBs my second year with this to dispatch two Van. Island Blacktails and they would shoot close to .5" anytime I was holding well.

Then, I had Ralf Martini install an Hill Country Micky, with some other neat custom mods and the bedding by Jan Kolenbrander is simply outstanding. This was in 2010-2011 and the old rifle now shoots the above load AND the same data with the 250 Horn. IL-SPs to the same p.o.i. and as small groups as before.

Sooooo,would I buy another Shilen,...in a heartbeat and I want one in Fwt-.284 or .257 bore for my last Brno 21 action. Who is your smith as I could perhaps buy a barrel from him?

Lilja, is another that I have found to be excellent and I also like their contours. Still another and highly recommended by Peter Dobson of "Hirsh Precision" when he called me to explain the dearth of Kreigers at present is these "Benchmark" tubes from just south of me in Washington state and there is an importer here in BC.

My smith is very keen on Gaillard, yet another option, but, while I have a custom U/L "sheep rifle"coming with one in 7/08, I have never actually shot one or the Benchmark, either. Just some suggestions as the Shilen is great.

I bought a 1-8" Shilen 6mm tube, it's being twisted on right now and will be Cerakoted. I've got high hopes....

+1 Unless you've got a reason against it or your mind set on something else, use what they prefer.

I will do that...

I had a shilen on a sako 308 shot and cleaned up well !

Here is the zero check target from my .280AI It has a #3 Shilen SS matchgrade barrel on it.


Three shots at 100 yards

What twist you going to run, 1-9?

when building a rifle Shilen is my first choice.

My 338 Federal shoots great no problems just a great shooter

Have a Supermatch SS Shilen inbound to rebarrel my UL Goat-gun in .260. fingers crossed

Just built a 6.5-06 with .294neck #3 contour barrel with Shilen select match 24.5in barrel. Remington XCR action Shoots 127gr "new" Barnes and 140gr Sierra's damn near in the same hole at 100yds. Shoots 160gr Hornady's RN in 1/2 groups. Easy to clean...my opinion top three makers on the market.

Oh, it's that guy.

Well then... X2

Yup, 24" and it will have to be the same contour as my super grade to fit the stock.



Yup that guy

Be sending off soon to him

Super Grade in 25-o6. That's going to be a dandy!

Might wanna hold on to that one, for a change...

Yup this one isn't going anywhere!

I have a half a dozen and everyone I own shoots better than I do. They clean nice, they are easy to get, and are reasonably priced. Great combination in my book. I am quite sure there are many decent barrels, fewer decent gunsmiths, and even fewer really honest good shots instead of Internet magical groups etc. They ave been making barrels a long time.........if they were not good at it I think the market would make them go away.