Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting Barrel preferences for long range

I thought I would come over to the long range threads to get your opinion.
Which barrel do you like for long range between Schneider and Bartlein?

And for another question which barrels do you personally like the best from among all the makers?

i own Bartlein, Broughton and Kreiger, they all shoot very well and cleaning is a breeze.
I am not personally familure with Schneider, therefore I can not comment on it.

My favorite barrel maker is Hart

Most of the barrel makers try and do a good job, I have tried most of the custom barrel makers except the lower tier like Shaw and A&B.
The only barrel's I have had a problem with are the long range barrels because you are using a faster twist barrel. every barrel (except 1) that I have had a problem with have been 3 groove barrels and most have been Pac-Nor's the exception was a McGowen that was worst barrel EVER.
Schneider and Bartlein are both great barrel's as are Hart,Broughton,Rock,Shilen (if you get the match select) even Pac-Nor and Lilja are good if you stay away from the 3 groove.
I would have to say that my favorite is Krieger just because everyone that I have had has been great.
B

Not trying to hijack the thread or anything, just curious as to what issues you had with the PacNor 3 groove. I have a 6.5 1 in 8.5 twist heavy palma contour with 450 something rounds through it and it has been great so far.

You may be onto something.
I had a 3 groove Lilja and it would shoot tight little bug hole groups at 100 yards and no better than 7" or 8" groups at 300. One of those mysteries.

26" Douglas Premium has worked very well for me. If you need to, they can even put it with your action for a few extra bucks.

CLB

StrayDog, shot my way to LR high master with Krieger barrels chambered for the good old .308 Win. Those cut-rifle barrels provide good life and excellent consistency. I haven't tried too many others, but a Hart also earned my respect.

At long range, I think it's more the shooter's ability to read the wind and conditions, and hold hard than one premium barrel over another.

Regards, Guy

I have a Broughton, Bartlein, and a Rock barrel - all are high end barrels.

i have a 3 groove s.s. 7mm barrel from benchmark, chambered in 280ai.
it'll eat a ragged hole at 100 and stay at least 1/2 moa out to 500. that's as far as i've tested it.

it's a breese to clean, and since they built the thing, guarentee it. if i was not happy with the way it shot, send it back to them, and if they couldn't get it to shoot to their satisfaction, they would put another barrel on it.

makes me want to do business with them again.
and i will !

I"m not doing it to be ornery... but the best barrel I've found for my long range 223 loads is a pac nor 3 groove. It does everything a krieger can't and I'm a big krieger fan. The barrel shoots ok up close and lights out, further out there. My only negative is barrel life is around 4K shots, but thats a button barrel and they do die quicker by far compared to my cut Kriegers. Cost difference is there though, buttons are cheaper...

Jeff

My three groove, 1x11 twist Benchmark barrel was so-so at 100 yds, but shot five groups between 3.5" and 4" at 1000 yds. It won most of it's matches and set records. I don't think the number of grooves is what makes a barrel good or bad.

Jeff,
I dont disagree with you except when I am shooting long range my 223 is my last choice, If I shot nothing but 222 and 223 at long range I would not badmouth three groove barrels. it's just that the greater the powder capacity the worse a 3 groove becomes.
As far as cost Krieger's are a bargain Bought my last one from Bruno's two months ago $279.95. if a Pacy is 50 cents cheaper it is not a deal.
B

Blaine,
My problems with 3groove barrels have been in 22 cal 1-7" and 1-8" twist in cartridges 22-250AI and larger. 6mm 1-8"twist 243AI and larger. 6.5mm 1-8" twist 6.5x284 and larger and 338 1-10" twist 338 lapua and larger. All had much shorter barrel life than their 4,5or 6 groove counterparts.
You say yours is a "1x11" so I am guessing it is a .308 cal. a 1x11 or 1-11"twist is not an overly fast twist for 30 cal.
B

300 WSM, with just enough twist to stabilize 220 SMks........

Blaine & Splattermatic
Are your Benchmark barrels button or cut rifled?
I couldn't find a website for them, where did you get them and who installs them?

they are button rifled, and they have no web site.
they started out making 22 rf barrels and got quite a rep., with them. won lots of matches. then they added center fire barrels and so far so good. they stand behind what they make. ron, the owner is a great guy.
i sent them a 30-06, that had a rust line in the barrel i bought off a guy. didn't know it til a borescope reveiled it.
it would shoot the first few rounds great, then start throwing them about the paper.
they blueprinted the action, i didn't opt for the bolt fluting, made the barrel to what i wanted. (ron and i talked about the barrel contour for a bit, he asked me what i wanted to do with this rifle, what stock etc.. then suggested a barrel profile. a lilja number 4 stainless with flutes. it balances great, shoots wonderful, and killed a cow elk last december.)
then barreled her up in 280ai,with an o/s recoil lug pinned, test fired, made a stoney point oal gauge out of one of the fire formed cases, and set her home.

great service, awesome como, and a finely made rifle.

what more could you ask for ?

their number is 306-652-2594

tell em mark from new mexico or splattermatic (if you talk to jerry) sent ya.

you won't be disappointed.

here's a link to another, with video. it's a 7mm wsm made by benchmark....

http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f17/7wsm-video-36547/

Thanks, I will be looking into Benchmark.

I chamber 300 plus barrels per year. I highly recomend top end barrel makers over prefit barrels. Most factory barrels are $100.00 or less barrels. They can compete with $350-$450 custom barrels. Quality materials, stress releiving, straight drilling, reaming, cutting or buttoning and hand lapping all take time and cost money. If one looks at the winners of the match shooters they will see a definate pattern. Few hunting rifles are as well made as made as the target rifles. There are many target shooting disciplines and F-class, and Tactical more resmembles long range hunting scenarios.

Currently, for cut rifling Krieger, Bartlein, RockCreek are well thought of and are good performers. For Button barrels Broughton, Lilja, Hart, are hard to beat.

Shilen, McMillian, Schnieder, Douglas, all have been on top at one time or another.

Again I would suggest you look at the benchrest and F-Class winners. They usually are at the top of the technology game using the best barrels available.

I know I have left out a few fine barrel makers and a lot of so so barrel makers.

Do our your homework and remember you get what you pay for.

Gunsmiths are just like barrel makers pick a known winner.

Nat Lambeth

Benchmarks number is 360-652-2594

I ordered a #2 stainless .277 3 groove barrel, we will see how it turns out. Thanks Splattermatic, Blaine and everyone