Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Shilen Barrels

Now that's a cheery bit of info. If that's the case with custom barrels, gawd knows what the factories are using for mass production.

Paul

Which is interesing because the last years,more than 5 tthough, factory guns have become more and more accurate off the shelf...


Curiously, I don't see that the accuracy was different???? Just barrel life?

But IMHO there have have always been blips like this. I just hope its not an indicator of the future. And God knows I"d pay even more for a barrel if I knew it would last longer.

I know a friend had a Schneider some years ago that was put on a 223 bolt gun and he never shot hot loads in it, and that one was dead for highpower requirements in 1700 rounds or even less as I recall.

Didn't Crucible die a couple years ago? I believe the barrel makers are scrambling to find good steel.

Lol.....

It is a proven fact that the slow the rifle twist you can get by with the longer the barrel will last.

Haha!

My 35 Whelen carries a Shilen barrel; #4 contour, stainless, 25" long. It routinely shoots factory ammo with 225 grain Trophy Bonded bullets into 3/4" at 100 meters. Also, I've been able to get 225 grain Ballistic Tips in handloads into 5/8" at the same distance. Certainly not a target rifle, but then she kicks back at 'cha a bit more than most target rifles do too. I like Shilen barrels.

I have three rifles with Match select Shilens and they shoot great.

25-06AI
7mm-08
260

Recently built a 280AI with a Benchmark barrel and it outshoots the Shilens hands down. Easier to clean and temp doesn't affect it as much. Just a tad cheaper.

The last couple of barrels I have used were Shilen match grade. They shoot every bit as good as the $300+ barrels that I have previously used. I have used Schneider this past year as well. They didn't shoot any better than my Shilens. I really like the ratchet rifling that they have.

I won't, however, use a button rifle barrel on a contour smaller than #4. I have found on HUNTING rifles, that a cut rifled barrel in smaller contours has a tendency to shoot different bullets to the same point of impact at 100 yards and don't seem to wander as much when they heat up. From #4 on up I haven't noticed enough difference to worry about it.

As for the barrels listed, I wouldn't use a Hart or a Lilja if they were given to me on a dare. There- I've said it. Barrel makers tend to be arrogant and these two are by far the worst I have encountered.

And I have two #1 contoured Stainless Kriegers. I talked them into it because I told them I hunt where it's hot. They are both pretty good barrels but not earth shattering.

Seems like when a top name bench shooter does well with a particular piece of equipment, the masses can't get out of each others way fast enough to see who can get their head up his arse furthest. I think that is why you see one barrel brand dominate for a few years and then someone else finds better snake oil and all of a sudden, brand X is not good enough anymore.

One thing is for sure, when building a hunting a rifle, worrying whether to by a Rock or a Shilen or a Krieger or whatever is the least of your troubles- they are ALL better than what a typical hunting rifle can ever shoot. Switching barrel brands is not going to change a thing. Just like Butch, I won't use a select match for a hunting rifle; that's like putting super unleaded in your Yugo- not going to make it run any better.

That about sums it up right there.