How do Douglas barrels rate for a hunting rig compared to other barrel makes out there? Is there any truth that cut rifle barrels are faster then button rifled barrels?
I have two 6mm BRs, one has a Kreiger and the other has a Hart barrel. There is about 150 FPS diff. between the two.
They shoot almost the same load, but I will amit that the faster one does have .2 tenths more powder.
Some barrels are faster than others and that is facts, even from the same maker.
I have several makes of custom barrels and can not tell you one is better than the other. I do like some makers better than others but can't tell you why.
I may not be smart but I can lift heavy objects
I have a shotgun so I have no need for a 30-06.....
I have a # 4 SS Douglas chambered in 6BR that will consistently shoot sub 1/2 inch groups (.2's) if I do my part.
As others have said, all barrels will show velocity variances . I think the arguments over cut vs button rifling is mostly theoretical.
Consider this. Both Mickey Coleman and Melvin Forbes, gunsmiths renowned for producing extremely accurate rifles, use the Douglas as the "house" brand for their creations of rifled perfection.
HBB
Member: Clan of the Turdlike People.
Courage is Fear that has said its Prayers
�If we ever forget that we are one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.� Ronald Reagan.
I am probably one of the few who have not had good luck with Douglas barrels. Never had one that would shoot as good as I thought it should. Mine fouled considerably more than higher end tubes.
Cut vs. Button really comes down to personal preference. My current favorites are all cut, but that could be due to the fact that I personally like the guys I buy from, and they all make cut rifled barrels. Most cut rifled barrels come from small one man shops. The guy whose name is on the shingle hanging out front usually has a much bigger stake in making sure that the product is superb.
It all plays out in the fact that I have nver heard of a single instance of a bad barrel coming from a cut rifled shop.
Button rifled barrels have dominated BR for a while now (though Krieger is making inroads), so an argument could be made that buttoned barrels are more accurate.
I've tried most makes of barrel available today, and have observed that cut rifles tend to shoot more loads well, for a longer life. Buttoned barrels tend to shoot their favorite loads marginally more accurately than cut rifled barrels, but they seem to be a bit mroe finicky about specific loads and load changes.
The differance in price is small, so why not get a top of the line barrle from a company like Lilja, Broughton, Kreiger, etc? My smith wont touch a Dougals barrel and he has more than a few guns in the Benchrest hall of fame. BTW take a peek at the equipment list for one of the mjor benchrest matches and I think it will be a eye opener.
I have a custom rifle in 270 Wby, that is built on a 98 Mauser with a twenty-four inch Douglas Supreme barrel. The rifle was barrelled up more than forty years ago. It has shot extremely well from the day it went to work.
It gets over 3500 fps with 130 gr Speer, Hornady and Nosler bullets, and will still put all three brands under an inch at 100 yds.
This in an eight pound, scoped, walnut-stocked hunting rifle.
Cut or button...and add in "hammer-forged" for good measure! Which is better? I have no idea! I am personally leaning toward the "cut" rifle barrels these days. I recently had the opportunity to visit with Dan Pedersen of Classic Barrel and Gun Works (www.cutrifle.com) in Prescott, AZ. He does "cut" rifle barrels and also re-boring on his Pratt & Whitney Sine Bar rifling machine. Here is a pic of Dan & I standing behind the machine (Dan is on the right). A really fine gentleman and a great machinest!
Ol' John
Last edited by HondoJohn6508; 05/06/06.
Near the Llano River in Castell, Texas Mark Twain was right..."There is no such thing as too much good whiskey!"
Cut or button...and add in "hammer-forged" for good measure! Which is better? I have no idea! I am personally leaning toward the "cut" rifle barrels these days. I recently had the opportunity to visit with Dan Pedersen of Classic Barrel and Gun Works in Prescott, AZ. He does "cut" rifle barrels and also re-boring on his Pratt & Whitney Sine Bar rifling machine. Here is a pic of Dan & I standing behind the machine (Dan is on the right). A really fine gentleman and a great machinest!
Ol' John
Near the Llano River in Castell, Texas Mark Twain was right..."There is no such thing as too much good whiskey!"
I haave a win model 70 factory gun thats shoots under .75 inch with a few loads, but that doesnt mean Winchester barrels are the be all and end all of barrels. Day in day out I believe other makers turn out a higher quality product than Douglas and like I said before the cost differance is min in the scheme of things.
Maybe that grade of hunting accuracy ain't good enough for some. It's plenty good for me.... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
James
But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines, the commandments of men. Mt 15:9
The cook is very important no doubt, but you cant polish a dog turd. The best smith use the best components, just like the best chefs use the best ingrediants.
I guess some pretty crappy smith's have put together my rifles. Imagine them silly bastard's using Douglas tubes on my rifles. Wonder if I can return them....
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