Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Kreiger vs Bartlein

I've seen these type of questions asked before and the answer is often "either one".

Here is why I am asking:
- kicking off a custom build
- Historically, have seen Kreiger portrayed as the gold standard of cut rifled barrels.
- However, recently the precision crowd seems to have really switched from Kreiger to Bartlein.
- And I've heard that Bartlein was founded by a bunch of guys that used to be at Kreiger

Wondering if the answer is still "either one" or if something is changing?

And along with Mike Rock, all trained under Boots Obermyer, which is still making barrels..Lots of good ones out there.

My first Bart is being chambered right now, and I bet I like it.

No one is leaving Krieger for Bartlein.At least among the match shooters I know.You hear this from some individual shooters but Kriegers are still very much present on the line among the people I talk to about it (recently as this past week).Match shooters are a finicky, fickle and funny bunch.

One close pal and active match shooter says he has a Bartlein 6.5/284 that has been a headache. He will rebarrel to a Krieger....Another pal went from Krieger to a Hart.

Any barrel maker is capable of producing a lemon or maybe the smith screwed the pooch a bit (who knows?). But for we poor slob hunters anyone should be comfy with a Krieger or a Bartlein,either one and have been shooing Kriegers longer than I can remember. I doubt most hunters will/can tell the difference.

I'd worry more about who is putting the rifle together than any difference between these two tubes. Me, I just bought another Krieger. I need a 7mm 9 twist #2 Krieger for backup. Next!

True, the plumber is very important. You never know with all the variables. I've got two .243's plumbed by the same guy,at the same time, same reamer..one with a lilja, the other a krieger..the Lilja stole the show initially,however after 500 rounds the Krieger is whooping on the lilja..Thats actually been a common theme for me in the cut vs. button scenario, which makes me lean to the cut side.

Bartlein was used by 30 out of 50 of the top shooters in the Precision Rifle Series. These are the major leagues of sniper-style competitions, with targets typically in the 300-1000 yard range.
http://precisionrifleblog.com/2014/11/18/rifle-barrels-what-the-pros-use/

Tucson's most noteworthy gunsmiths Dave Miller Co and P.O. Holehan only use Kreiger.

I recently chambered a 5R Bartlein in 6 BR. Looking at the new rifling with a borescope was darn near impossible. There was only a hint of a shadow representing the land/groove junction.

I can't imagine either brand of barrel would be a poor choice.

Either will be good. Yes, Frank Green and Tracy Bartlein came from Kreiger.

the gunsmith im using to have a rifle built at the moment uses only bartlein and kreiger barrels. they pick the contour, cal and twist and then order from whoever has the blank in stock. I think either way a good choice. my barrel will be a bartlein

I think doing a smallish contour blank in stainless befuddles both of them.

Bartlein will do a slightly smaller contour than Krieger. I have a #2 bartlein 6.5mm & a #2B 7mm (same as everybody else's #3). Krieger started that stupid no skinny stainless policy & several other makers followed them.

The Bartleins I have inspected looked as good as the Kriegers. Both look better than Brux. GD

I lean toward selecting the smith I want to use and going with his barrel suggestion. His rear end is on the line as much if not more than the barrel maker.

IMO.

DF

Wondering about choosing a Kreiger or Bartlein because of what the precision shooters are doing is like a 20 handicap golfer choosing a set of clubs because that is what the Pros are using at the moment.

You're gonna always have some of that, which isn't all bad.

I have Kreiger, Brux, Hart, PacNor, Broughton and Shilen tubes. For hunting guns, probably not enough difference to worry about.

My latest build, a 26 Nos on a 7RM 700 BDL, the smith was able to get Shilen Match tubes very quickly, so that's the way my pard and I went. Both are half MOA hunting guns, so what's not to like. And, we had them back from the smith, in their stocks, scopes mounted, ready to shoot in just a few weeks, not months or even a year, like some.

DF

Yep. For a hunting rifle I'd phone around and see which good barrel maker had the twist/contour I want in stock, or soonest to be in stock.

Agreed me too.

Crow Hunter, Those will be very short barrels after chambered-22"

I will likely never have a Krieger unless it's CM because Bartlein, Rock, Lilja, Pac Nor, Hart, Shilen, Brux, Obermeyer, and others I can't think of now will make a stainless barrel in a hunting weight contour. That doesn't mean Krieger doesn't make a good barrel though, just not what I normally want.

If I ever desire a target barrel I would be happy to use a Krieger.

Of the list above I have had a Brux, two Rocks (before Rock left, don't know if that makes a difference), and two Bartleins. From a pure accuracy standpoint the "heavier" barrels, heaviest being a 6 BR in a Brux #3, second heaviest a 30-06 in a Bartlein #3, shot best. The difference hunting is imperceptible.

If I had to purchase a barrel and had a timetable I would find what I wanted from Lilja's in stock barrels. They will also turn down an in stock barrel to a smaller contour for a fee.

The last time I ordered a barrel it was a Bartlein, in CM. It will be blued. It will shoot well enough to hunt.

Wondering if Bartlein will a 2b that will finish @ 24"

Mullerworks is the same story. And my Muller shoots wonderfully.

My Krieger will out shoot my Bartlien 50% of the time.