Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Single Shots Belm, Bullberry or JDJ?

If you were going to have a 21" 30/30 AI barrel built who would you use?

Tracy

You must be wanting a barrel for a TC encore or contender? From my understanding Bellm only uses the Bergara barrels, not that it's a bad thing, and the only way he will do a barrel is to face the barrel and then you have to shim out your firing pin in order to get the correct head spacing to shoot that barrel, he will not do it any other way. He has a my way or the highway attitude.
I've heard a lot of good things about Bullberry, have never dealt with them.
I have never done business with nor talked with anyone that had JDJ do a barrel for them.
Also you may want to check out Jim Hendershot, I believe he is in Oklahoma somewhere. I have heard he is a go to guy as well.
And there is MGM, that used to be virgin valley barrel's, in Utah. And I have also heard good things about Gary Reeder at reedercustomguns.com
Good luck

mgm barrels, i got two, 6.5 creedmoor and a 20 vartarg. i'm considering a thrid barrel in 257 roberts ackey improved

JDJ - no question a master of the art. Great barrels - a great guy - and great rifles, his personal Ruger #1 chambered for the .577 is a joy to shoot - the accuracy is minute of mosquito's backside - and JD sometimes forces gun writers to shoot six or eight rounds so that they can report truthfully on the lack of recoil due to JD's muzzle break.

Terry

Oh yes its a contender, and thanks for the info. Any one else?

I had Bullberry make a couple barrels for me quite some time ago. They did a 20" 45/70 and a 22" 6mm Bullberry. I also had them replace some springs in a Contender. I was very pleased with products and service.

I'm sure some of the others are also great to work with but my experience thus far has been with Bullberry.

I've actually done business with all of those mentioned, except JDJ and Jim Hendershot. I live in OK but have never heard of him. There is a guy named David Smith who does work in the manner of Mike Bellm. The last 2 barrels I had built were from MGM, who I believe does excellent work.

Mike B is very, very knowledgable but is a bit eccentric. Before you do anything, go to all the websites and read. You'll be a while at Bellm's and will learn a lot about the TC family.

Good luck.

I have had over a dozen barrels built by SSK. All have been one hole accurate. J.D. can be grouchy from time to time but the shop turns out excellent work. I have had: 6.5 JDJ, 309 JDJ, 270-06 JDJ, 280 JDJ, 30-06 JDJ, 35-06 JDJ. All are top level performers.

No complaints.

I have dealt with and will not use again: Mike Bellm, David Smith.

No experience with the others mentioned.

How are the factory G2 barrels? I may get a 30/30 and then later have it punched out into a 30/30 AI

Hendershot is in Oregon I believe.

I have had Mike Bellm do chamber work for me and help me resolve TC problems and he is excellent to work with and does a quality job. He does have his own ideas but they are based on years of experience. Bellm does not make barrels, he re-chambers them. He uses Beragra barrels for the Encore, but Beragra does not make Contender or G2 barrels. If you want a Contender / G2 barrel from Mike you will have to provide the barrel to be re-chambered or use one he may have in stock, or have MGM drop ship an un-chambered barrel to him for chambering. If you had something like a 30 Herrett or a 30-30 barrel and wanted it opened up to 30-30 AI mike would be the way to go.

I have great experiences with both Mike Bellm and Bulberry. I also like Dave White: http://www.dandtcustomgunworks.com/

If you have a barrel to rechamber, use Mike. If you want to a brand new barrel use Bulberry. I love my White barrel, but did not deal with him personally.

30-30 Ack Imp is not one of mike's favorite re-chambering options because he prefers to get rid of the original T/C throat. He really likes doing things correctly so that the customer gets everything they expect, and he is busy enough to pass on work that won't really accomplish all the goals.

Personally I think a new 30-30 AI is a great idea, and I would go to Bulberry for it, or to Dave White.

No matter what you do, read Mike Bellm's web site through and through.

JDJ - no offense but I just did not like his attitude, might be my problem not his. I know he was unloved on this forum to a huge extent at one time.

i would go with bulberry, great work on barrels, great service, fred smith, and his wife and daughter run bulberry, really good people. rio7-

JD is an aquired taste but he delivers the goods and that's all I really ask for. His work has been stellar.

All of the above is the right info.
I have or have had barrels or work by most of the above. SSK is at or near the top. As for imping the 30/30 you could, as I have, use factory T/C s reamed to 30/40 Krag in 14,20 and 22" Most excellent! My prime barrel is an SSK 25/20 six incher. I no longer own a 22 rimfire, brilliant, since the ammo mess.

What do you guys think about EABCO Custom Contender Barrel?

I've had good luck with Bullberry and MGM.

I've had work done by Bulberry and it was excellent but slow.

My go-to is MGM; excellent and fast. I have both rifle and shotgun barrels for my G2 from them, centerfire and rimfire.

I had a Ruger #1 rebarreled to .22 Hornet by EABCO. They did a wonderful job but it took a while. Worth it, tho.

Jim Hendershott is located in Grants Pass Oregon....

Mike Bellm use to live here until he ended running out of patience with the local politicians.. and their BS...
I know Mike personally... you can call Mike eccentric, but he is also meticulous and focused on what he is working on immediately.

I've also been to Jim Hendershott's shop and run into him at the range at times...also a very meticulous individual...

therefore I can recommend either gentlemen for excellent work...


Sadly some really good gunsmiths have called Grants Pass Home...
Chick Donnelly who has passed away, Mike Bellm who left due to local Politics, and John Noveske who died in a car accident in January...but they are now gone...

we still have Kevin Wyatt over in Medford tho, who is a highly talented gunsmith...

Why does Gary Reeder down in Flagstaff, AZ get no respect?
Reeder does excellent work at excellent prices and does it faster than most.
He remarks the barrels better than anyone else to boot!
My vote goes to Reeder to do the work.
Check out his stuff, of course he can turn an Ackley shoulder!
http://www.reedercustomguns.com/information/GNR_cartridges.htm