Came across an older Jarrett rifle (1987)built on a 700 action,Hart barrel 280Ackley.Anybody own one?

You might find this of interest

http://forums.accuratereloading.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/7971019521/m/7281052621

Could be 1 of my old rifles, around Augusta they sell for $1,2500-1,800 at that price they are a deal.

I had one in 280AI back in the '90s. Nice rifle and it shot well but I never fell in love with the cartridge as some do...my friend's 7mmSTW did everything better and he could buy factory ammo. I should have just had the gun rebarreled but I sold it instead. I kept it's brother, a 300 Jarrett, for many years after and it too was a great shooting rifle.

Wow... a jarret rifle and he's killed some deer at 200 yards... I can do that with my iron sighted ARs, muzzleloaders etc..... probably with my 44 mag pistol if I practiced enough....

The general idea I always heard was if you get one stupid cheap - great but don't kill yourself or wallet getting one.

Same performance can be done at a better price by more than one guy type of thing...

Same can be said for H&H and other high end builders. But come sale day, the name on the barrel will bring more dollars back.

I once tested 3 Jarrett rifles extensively, including loading for them myself. They were the most accurate big game rifles I have ever fired.

Two things must be added, however:

1) The rifles I shot were after Kenny started making his own barrels.

2) Please note the I did NOT say Jarretts were the most accurate rifles made--but the most accurate I have ever fired. I have, however, shot quite a few rifles from very good makers.

How accurate were they? Group size....

Three shots touching at 100 yards, almost every time--in other words, well under .5". And with a variety of bullets as well, not just "accuracy" bullets. Just very, very consistent fine accuracy.

I have written about my Jarrett rifle many times on this forum and am still in love with it after 25 years or so. It is now on its third barrel, chambered in 280 AI. To say it is accurate would be a gross understatement. It's first barrel was a Hart and it would group in the teens...little ol bugholes. I can't tell you how many groups it shot measuring .135, .150, .160, etc....she was a hummer. Being a Hart barrel, it didn't last forever and was soon replaced by another which eventually shot out as well. This year she got a third barrel from Kenny and the old rifle has not missed a lick, shooting in the teens again. The first shot I fired with the rifle with its new barrel (other than sighting in) was at a very nice 8 pointer at a verified 610 yards away. I watched him feed for about 20 minutes in some peanuts and when conditions were right (no wind, good rest, buck broadside and still) I squeezed off the shot. The shot took out his heart and a chunk of lungs and he was dead right there. The second deer shot was a doe at 475...same stand, same results.

I always bragged that the rifle was magic, as it has yet to miss a deer for me. I wish to point out that three barrels in 25 years might raise some eyebrows, but it has been used extensively for legal culling operations and given the number of shots fired over the years, barrel wear was quite normal.

Like Mule Deer states...they are a very fine rifle and very very consistent from shot to shot. My longest shot with this rifle was a one shot kill on a nice buck at 719 yards...anything longer than that and I can't attest to its accuracy!

I also love the 280 AI caliber...I am averaging 3213 fps with a 140 grain bullet.

Good luck should you decide to purchase it.

Sounds like I have to make room in the safe.Thanks J.B.

Interesting, I would have thought that Charlie Sisk's rifles would would have shot at least as well.

I don`t want to hi-jack this thread, but it moves in a direction I`ve always had interest in.
In your opinion, what factors make these rifles shoot so well.
If time allows, please elaborate.

jwp,

Charlie's rifles shoot very well, as do those of any of any number of other makers. But the Jarrett rifles I tested shot a little better, and more conistently with a wider variety of bullets.

Hey John-were any of those rifles lightweight (say sub 8?) or were they heavier and in the 8 plus to 9 range? Also are the barrels he's making cut or buttoned?

Thx
Dober

CGPAUL,

Darned if I know what factors make Jarrett rifles so accurate--and Kenny claims that some of his techniques are secrets.

I do know that when he was getting his barrels from other manufacturers, he often put several barrels on one rifle before finding one that would shoot the way he wanted. Which is the big reason he started making his own barrels. He says that now most his rifles shoot the way he demands with their first barrel.

OK..just wondered if you had a chance to "take them apart" so to speak.
I`m just a basement mech. who like working on guns that don`t shoot. I do not do any metal work, but do consentrate on how the rifle is assembled, in particular it`s bedding. I started doing this when I was 15, my own firearms...I`m now 67, and have learned a few things along the way.
The most important is the guns bedding, IMHO, which includes the floor plate and mag box. I would think Jarrett knows this too, but probably not apparent in the guns looks, only it`s overall performance, as I have found one of your statement to be very true. A well set up firearms will shoot all bullet weights consistently well.

Mule Deer, you didn't mention the calibers, but were any of them 7 STW or 7MM Rem. Mag?

The reason I asked, if they were, did you have any problems with erratic pressures as mentioned on other threads with some of the 7MM mags?

I read, somewhere, that one of the custom makers refuses to built a rifle in one of the 7MM cals., the 7STW I think, because of the difficulty of getting it to shoot consistantly, but I am not sure of this.

On the subject of 7 MMs, do you think it could get any better than taking the 7 WSM case and lengthened it 1/2 inch, or else take the 7 RUM and making the case about 2.5 inches long?

In my imigination, I have always thought that a 7mm in either of these configerations would be ideal.

I have been using a 7 MM Wby. since about 1963 and I always felt this was the best thing going for North America, but I wouldn't turn down a rifle built on one of the other cases mentioned.

A 160 grain or thereabouts 7mm bullet at about 3250 FPS should be awesume.

Mark,

One was a fairly light rifle in 7mm-08 AI, as I recall under 8 pounds all up, and the other two were .300 Winchester Magnums that weighed in the 8-1/2 pound neighborhood with scopes. The scopes were bigger Swarovskis so weren't exactly lightweight.

The reason I got to test two .300's was that the rifle they originally sent was one that was ready to be shipped to a customer. I had shot it some when the folks at Jarrett called and asked me to send it back. They sent another, just about identical rifle that I got to shoot some more.

They will build any style rifle you want, including lightweights.

1234567,

As mentioned in the post to Mark, only one of the rifles was a 7mm and that was a 7mm-08 AI.

Personally I would probably just stick to a 7mm Wby., or if you really want the extra zip go with a 7mm RUM.

I had one of his earlier Rifles.I bought it used and was told it was a Kreiger barrel.It was a 280AI with a 28" tube.An early beanfield rifle.It shot lights out dead on 3/4 " groups at 200 yds.Problem was the weight,too dang heavy for walking around.A fine Rifle for what it was intended.

This one was built for Grit's Gresham around 1986.Weigh's around 9 lbs.complete with 3x9 Zeiss,Hart barrel,McMillan stock.He had said the last time he shot it ,3 shot group with 150 Partitions was .015".Even say's "Custom built for Uncle Grit's" on the barrel.I'll send a few cases to Redding when I get it so it'll be a while before I sit down with it.

A dedicated long range rifle is and should be heavy, makes them easier to shoot accurately

I'd agree with MD on this. I have owned 3 Jarrett Series rifles and wrung out others for a friend. The loads Jarrett sent with each gun were excellent but I prefer to do my own load development. With 2 different 300 Jarrett Series rifles on 700 actions and 1 Jarrett Windwalker on a Jarrett action & barrel I had an easy time with 165, 180, or 200 Accubonds or Partitions. Around 1/2 inch was the easily obtainable norm. I also had a Jarrett Series rifle in 280AI which shot 140 Accubonds into tiny little 1/4 inch clusters and killed deer like a lightning strike. I'd have to say I prefer the older series rifles built on 700 actions to Jarretts own action but that is just me. I have owned, handled, shot, & done load development on many of the high end custom rifles. Of those I'd rate the Jarrett in the top 3 or 4 as far as being consistently high quality and superb accuracy. I've never heard of a Jarrett that wouldn't shoot and probally wouldn't believe it if I did. Just my $.02

He makes some good rifles in interesting chanberings, but they sell for more money than I want to put into a rifle. I would rather spend the bucks on hunts.

jim

Agree completly. I did state earlier that I'd rate the Jarretts in the top 3 or 4 as far as being consistently high quality and superb accuracy. Of those 3 or 4 top custom rifle builders I would rate all of the others higher than Jarrett in terms of value for your hard earned $$$$. I think new Jarretts are way over priced and I have never bought a new one. Each one I owned I bought used for less than half the cost of a new one. They did hold their value well and after playing with em for a couple years I sold em for about what I paid for em without much trouble. Kenny Jarrett has done a great job marketing his rifles and he finds people to buy them even at the top prices he charges. If he can get the $$$$$ he asks for em I can't say I blame him for doin it. I've spoken to Kenny several times and I don't think he's too interested in selling a bunch of guns just a few of the very best he can possibly make. I think he has stuck to that all along and that is why he consistently turns out the high quality product he does. YMMV 163bc

I have been hearing the words "underpriced" and "overpriced" for years now concerning firearms (and other stuff). Aside from the fact there are ways to get deals on just about anything--including buying used rifles--I usually keep my opinions to myself about price, figuring that if a certain product sells consistently for a certain price then obviously quite a few people think that's a fair price.

Price is something that is always a selfish thing. I am sure there are members that have 10 or better rifles....I know I do!!! But I also know that you can only hunt with one rifle at a time and some become the owners favorite and more often than not these become the "Go to" rifles.


So if that is what YOU want then by all means have at it!!!

He has some pretty well heeled clientelle.Schwartzkoff,Yeager etc.I once read somewhere Dale Earnhart bought 6 or 7.

Much like real estate

don't buy a custom for accuracy I made that mistake, I have 2 full on custom rifles that I bought for accuracy, and they are very accurate, but only with their preferred loads.

you guys are going to think I am crazy but if you want an accurate rifle just buy a tikka. I have 3 of them, the only 3 I have ever shot and all of them shoot sub .5 moa, with RANDOM loads and factory ammo, never bothered to wring them out with ladder testing.

custom rifles are for it you want a stock to fit you a certain way, or if you want some hot rod wild cat.

MD I agree for the most part but the thread title here says "opinions on Jarrett Rifles" so I gave mine as honestly as I could. That includes the fact that I think that as new they are over priced. Anyone can look at Jarretts prices listed on their web site and form their own opinion. I didn't say no one should buy one or that I would never buy one. Quite the contrary. I am a fan of Jarrett rifles and think they make a superior product. I also think Kenny Jarrett has been a trailblazer and trend setter for custom rifle builders of today. Some have said some harsh things about Kenny but I have talked to him at lenght several times and found him to be very interesting and quite willing to take time to discuss rifles, ballistics, scopes, hunting, and whatever else I asked him. If someone sees the value, has the means, and wants to own something that is perceived as the best there is I'm all for it. What it all really comes down to is that the only opinion that really matters is that of the buyer. 163bc

My mileage varried. Mine's a switch-barrel on a 700 action. Never did shoot with any of the three barrels, or of the next three barrels. Would consistently put two rounds touching at 100 yds. with a flier sometimes 3/4" out and other times 2" out.

Calibers are 7stw, .338 Jarrett and .416 rm. I sent it off to another 'smith to have it trouble-shot, as I did not trust Jarrett anymore and refused to line his wallet further.

The new 'smith said the receiver was not true and the lugs were not making full contact. The recoil lug was welded (they don't do that anymore, to which Kenny said, "well, there was a learning curve") which caused the receiver to have hard and soft spots making it very difficult to true up due to the chatter.

Kenny was not interested in making good on it. Said he had just had a hip replacement when the work was done and his stocker, John Lewis went "nutz" on him about the same time and left. Due to the surgery he had to rely on others to do some of the work, but admitted to "trueing" the receiver himself.

I had it rebuilt from the ground up with a new Borden Timberline action, HS Precision stock and three Krieger barrels. It now shoots bugholes.

I would never say that Kenny doesn't build an accurate rifle. He wouldn't have the reputation that he does if that were the case. I'm just saying he did not build one for me.

1flier

IOW,you bought another rifle.

Absolutely. The only component from the original Jarrett is the Jewell trigger. There was nothing wrong with that.

1flier

When Jarrett first started to get the publicity I had him do a .280AI. It shot great, but I no longer shoot it much. To heavy for walking around hunting.

The rifles kept climbing in price. I used to stay in touch and one time I asked when he thought that would level off. His reply was that he could only make so many rifles per year and that as long as people where willing to pay more dollars the price would continue to rise.

I think he should be given credit to be the first to see a market for an above average accurate hunting rifle and figure how to capitalize on it along with giving someone a rifle they could feel was unique. We see it every day here. Others have certainly copied and found they could do it for less dollars or even better in some cases.

Like his rifles or the man, that's up to the individual. It still seems he sells all he can make.

I know both John & Kenny,Cowden is across the river from the upper end of the farm I hunt on. I have had several Jarette & Lewis rifle. I have found both stand behind their product. I am not as good a shooter as most here and have only had 1 beanfield rifles so I am content with the 3/4-1/2" groups I am capable of reloading & shooting with their rifles.

I do indeed buy custom rifles for the accuracy and if I have one that is finicky I will send it back to be corrected. Unless I am buying a work of art I expect it to shoot and shoot well with a varity of bullets and loads.. I believe that with a quality match grade barrel and a propper smith that a custom should shoot .5 MOA and do so with a varity of loads and of coures shoot even better with a taylored load.

Jarrett bought his barrelmaking equip from Harold Broughton. Harold was making new equip. for his barrelmaking and he sold his old stuff to Kenny. Kenny and Harold were buddies. His barrels are button rifled. Harold taught Kenny the barrel making business. After Harold passed away the family sold the business to somebody in Montana or Wyoming or that part of the country. That didn't work out and the presentguy has it now. I understand he makes decent barrels. Making an accurate hunting rifle is not rocket science. Kenny is a marketeer and I believe he put a couple barrels or 2 on his to guarantee the accuracy.
Butch

How much is a Jarrett rifle, say 30/06 or 7 Mag sporter?

Around $5000 - $6000

A Jarrett costs more than an NIB Ed Brown Savannah. About the same as a really good used (Don Allen era) Dakota 76, or Empire Mauser.

Those endorsing his firearms write of 500+ yard shots. I've no desire to hint with those guys, but YMMV.

Draw your own concluions. HINT: Ed Brown.

My Jarrett .416 is the most accurate big bore rifle I've ever fired. It consistently shoots ragged holes with Jarrett's 400-grain TSX load. It shoots the 400-grain banded solid to the same POI. It's an expensive rifle, but it would be darn tough to beat for a rugged, accurate working gun.

I have been to three of Kenny's symposiums (or symposia if you prefer), and he is very worth listening to if you have the opportunity. I especially like his stories on how he came to build his own barrels, and how he developed his techniques. He does label some of his bore internal dimensions as "secrets".

jim

Well his customers seem to like them, or he would not have stayed in business as long as he has. So its a moot point on the subject of under priced or over priced. Would I write a check that big for one? Nope I would write the check for a NULA 28 in 7mm RM and take the difference to go hunt in the Missouri Breaks. But since I have a pretty good rifle in that chambering. I would just take that money and go to Namibia, Can shoot a lot of stuff there for the price of a Jarrett Rifle. To each is own on this. I was just looking at some eye candy on the Griffin and Howe sight, they got a very nice 20 ga. Side by Side Hammer gun, its 52,894 British Pounds or almost 80K USD. You can really go nuts if you want too!

If anyone would consider your or know where there is one for sale please send me a pm Thanks

2 things I know about Kenny. I spoke to him when the 7mm STW was wet, and asked if he would rechamber my 700 factory adl I put in a Mcmillan. He said shoot her first, and if it gets 3200 fps or more w/ 140 grn, and accuracy good enough, rechambering may well hurt accuracy and may not increase velocity as some STW's were slow. So I saved my money once I developed loads for my 7 rem.


Story #2, in the mid 90's a friend who had money to send many guns to many gunsmiths, decided he wanted a 257 ackley improved. He got a fireformad brass and seated a hvy bullet long, sent it and the gun to Kenny and instructed him to get a reamer made and build the gun for a hunting rifle. Initially got it home and fired some handloads, decided it was GTG and proceeded to ATTEMPT to load several rounds in the magazine, only to find out the magazine wasn't opened up to accept the ammo the chamber was cut for. Boxed it up and said gimme my money back, not sure if Kenny gave him the action back or not.....


One thing I know, he could have accepted my request and gotten to rechamber my gun, but offered a real suggestion before I sent her his way. Very honest, IMHO. Seemed like a good guy to me.

Allen

I have a Pro-Hunter in 375H+H....cloverleaf accurate.

Kenny seems to be polarizing,frankly this may be the first thread I have ever seen with so many positive comments.They hate the guy on AR.

I like the guy,YMMV.

Worth the money? Hmmmm,I don't know.I had most of my gun except for the scopes paid for by a client as a tip on a job.I just bang nails for a living,what do I know? LOL

Fits me great,tough as nails stock and finish on the barrels.Hunted for 3 weeks in Africa and shot a pile of animals out to 325yds or so.Knowing the gun was good gave an eastern hunter like me confidence to make them(whitetails near me are shotgun slug close at 10-60yds)and a bunch of practice before I went.

That's all I got.

"A Jarrett costs more than an NIB Ed Brown Savannah. About the same as a really good used (Don Allen era) Dakota 76, or Empire Mauser.

Those endorsing his firearms write of 500+ yard shots. I've no desire to hint with those guys, but YMMV.

Draw your own concluions. HINT: Ed Brown."

I could not let that reply go on without a rebuttal....Hell yeah it costs more than an Ed Brown Savannah.....I have never ever seen one of his rifles that could keep up with Kenny's in terms of accuracy! As many folks have noted on this thread, Mule Deer included, Kenny's rifles are/were the most accurate rifles they had ever fired. So true. I have seen review after review of Ed Brown rifles in magazines and they appear to be a fantastic 1 to 2 MOA rifle for all that money....and the ones I have shot have certainly lived up to that reputation!

In my opinion you are comparing apples to oranges with those two riflemakers.

Regarding the 500+ yard shots on animals and your desire NOT to hint (sic) with those guys..well, so be it. Where I hunt, not all shots are 500+, but you dern well better be prepared to make that shot should the opportunity arise. Practice like you should, and choose your shots, good rest, no wind, etc, and 500+ is not a problem.

Back when Jarrett's beanfield rifles and the .257 100gr Nosler Btips were both fairly "fresh", read an article that mentioned how fond he was of that bullet in his 25-06 rifles. He professed that combination was #1 in his book, for one shot kills on whitetails/shortest distance of travel after being hit.

Kept that article in my truck for some time, primarily because I had several buds that thought the 25-06 might make for a passable rodent rifle, in a pinch.

Just a few years before that article appeared, I'd built a 25-06 on a M98 action, with a 24" #5A Douglass barrel. Been shooting nothing but 100gr Btips in it, since they hit the market. Unlike Jarret's 25-06 rifles, mine cost a mere pittance, but it still does what it was "designed" to do: Be consistantly accurate and consistantly kill things a fur piece off. ;O)

I have seen one Jarret rifle in my lifetime. It was a beauty and the guy that owned it, thought the world of it.

It would be ideal. It is known as the 7mm Dakota. And, I am sure that soon there will be a 7mm Ruger from the 375 Ruger case.

I am just curious if anyone knows how he does the finish on his rifle stocks? It is very granular. Take a look at his website and you will see what I mean.I do not know of any other smiths that uses this type of finish. This is one of the reasons I like his rifles so much

The finish coatings done on the stocks and metal are products made by the commercial coatings division of Sherwin-Williams Co.Application and curing equiptment are on a job specific design.

I attended a seminar for cabinet finishing and talked to the district salesman who covers SC and Ga.;and have talked with Mr.Jarrett about it as he also has an interest in woodworking.

The finish is terrific for handling, very comfortable for grip.

Sometimes I shoot with the brake,sometimes with out.Where I expected longer shots or multiple quick ones(baboon hunting) I screwed it on to give faster follow ups if required....it helps me alot.PH was cool either way and I hunted just with a PH so he could plug his ears and know it was coming.

Black with green fleck,green metal finish.

Thanks for the info

Dinsdale,

Kudu Bellisimo !!!!

Beautiful 375

If the opportunity ever presents itself and a nice used Jarrett is available I have a spot in the safe. In case a man hits a lick on an investment and is blessed to enjoy a nice profit a trip to SC would be in order to obtain a new one.
Have had the pleasure of seeing a 240 Catbird in action and of using a friends 300 Jarrett several years back on a Mule Deer hunt in NW CO. I cannot imagine anyone producing a rifle to hunt with any better than either of the two I have been around. The 300 would shoot 150's, 165's, and 180's into cloverleafs at 100 yards and I shot a Muley with it at over 400 yards across the sage flats sitting with elbows on knees and backed into a sage bush. Got to see the sweat halo when the rifle cracked with the brake on it. The Catbird would shoot 85's real fast and accurate. It struck like lightening right where it was pointed.
Kenny's guns are awful nice IMO.

Dave

Thanks...credit the PH as I just pulled the trigger

I took that gun on 20 days of plains game in SA and Namibia as a tune up for a cape buffalo hunt.

I have to admit when I shot an Eland,it was the first time I ever felt undergunned...damn they are big.Put him down in two shots;first a little low and broke his shoulder second thru the heart when he turned.That and a warthog were the only two that required more than one shot of 20+ animals and some management shooting.

I tried to get too cute and put the first one low and left;what a dope.Hit him on the other side mo' better;



Was very pleased....now I just need some work to get a buff hunt going!

I have a .280 AI Beanfield rifle built in 1995 and a 300 Win Mag Series rifle built in 2000. Both are very accurate, sub .5 MOA. Both shoot better than I can hold. Are they worth what I paid Jarrett for them? For me yes. I could not be more pleased with the quality and accuracy. If either were stolen, I would order another one from Jarrett as soon as I settled up with my insurance company.