Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Pac-nor or Preferred Barrel Blanks

I asked about pre-fits in the hunting rifle section but the follow up question might be better suited here. I have narrowed it down to pac-nor or PBB for the 20 VarTarg barrel. The specs will be a stainless 24” fluted light varmint barrel, 1-11 twist, no turn chamber. The pac-nor barrel is $590 and the PBB is $540. I have used PBB on two rifles and I like them, but I’m leaning more towards pac-nor to try something new.

For those who have pac-nor barrels, what are the pros and cons? Any horror stories? Reading reviews, everything I have found is all positive. Any input is much appreciated!

I’ve used a few of them in years past, always seemed to be accurate and reasonably priced. Have one ordered now, they said 6 weeks for delivery but I’m at 10 weeks and counting. Guess they’re as busy as the other makers these days.

Thanks for the info! She told me 10 week lead time right now with everything I want done.

I have three PacNor barrels. A 17 Rem, a 6x222 and a 25x222. No problems with either. All are accurate.

The only good up I ever had with them is on the 25x222. I sent them a reamer because they didn’t have one. Whoever cut the chamber used a 223 headspace gauge. They made it right. And fast. I sent the barreled action back and they returned it rebarreled and cerakoted in two weeks.

When they had the fire I lost two left handed mini Mauser actions. They were very fair in and prompt in compensating me for my losses.

Over the past 25 yrs I've had P-N build me couple dozen barrels

Had one 'opps' on a 'no throat 6.5x55'

Returned it & they built a new one with very fast turn around

I always asked for -0- free bore...p/dog barrels....Savage pre fits

Usually a straight cylinder..no taper...truck axles so to say..portable table guns

Always bead blast matte (no charge--then)

So P-N gets my vote....ask 'em for tikkanut's snake skin bead blast finish..(:

Vartarg is a great choice...my was a 3G/12 twist and ran 40 V's with no issues

Just received email from them, its on the way!

I've got 4 pac-nor 20 cal 3G11, 2 before the fire and 2 from a year ago all 4 shoot extremely well

I'm hard pressed to believe there is a more premium prefit barrel option than Pac-nor, no matter what others are charging.

I really like my Pacnor barrel.

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Noveske, the high end AR maker chose Pac-Nor for their barrels.
Always good reviews on Pac-Nor barrels.

Sort of…..

John Noveske got his start working as an employee of Pac Nor itself. When he first started Noveske due to his relationship with the management of Pac Nor he was making his barrels using pac nor blanks, on Pac Nor machines in the Pac Nor shop after they closed for regular buisness hours.

I've owned only one. I had a Number 5 Varmint barrel made up in 6mm Remington. I used the 65gr Hornady in it. It was extremely accurate. My best friend and his two teenage boys would meet me and my teenage Godson in Buffalo, WY to shoot PDs out near Gillette. We used a .223 Predator and a CZ Varminter in 204. I let the boys use the 6mm on way out there PDs. Even shooting slowly, after a couple hundred rounds, the throat was showing alot of wear. Sold the rifle before I ruined it, but man was it accurate!

Thanks for all the info! Planned to pull the trigger on one of the barrels this week, likely the pac-nor, and as luck would have it my transmission went out on my truck yesterday evening. That $3600 bill is going to set my plan back a bit. Keep the info coming in the mean time. Thanks!

I've had barrels from both. I just chambered a 9.3 blank recently. Pac- Nor was the only one who would build me a 1:10 twist barrel.
Prefits are a while different thing. I don't know anything about Pac-Nors prefits but PBB sure does a nice job.

I built a 257 Roberts AI using a Pac-Nor 1-10 polygnal twist and it shot 3/4" groups fireforming brass! Look at polygnal twist for your Vartarg won't go wrong.