Shilen Rifle barrels

[ez bake]

My 700 wears a Shilen. It is more accurate then my old one with a Hart barrel.

Really? That one is a standard Match-grade right? That's good to know.

Maybe I need to re-think this whole "have to have select-match grade" for my son's rifle.

I'm leaning on either a Douglas or Shilen because I don't have Broughton money for his build.

I've got a Broughton on mine - it wears a GAP logo on it so I believe that means that it was a Broughton blank and GAP did the machine work - its dead-nuts accurate for everything I do with it.

 

[Josh-L]

I believe it is just the standard match but I really can't remember.

 

[shortgrass]

If you dig on Brownells sight you can find a Shilen Select-Match Grade barrel for only a few bucks more (they are also very rough blanks though, you'll have to have them cut/crowned/threaded/chambered by a good smith).

Steve Baldwin raves on the Select Match grade, but says that the standard Shilen Match-grade barrels are a bit pricey for what you get.

You can't go wrong with a Broughton - a better value than the Shillen is the Douglas Air-gauged.

Do not buy a 1 1/4" unturned blank unless you intend on leaving it that diameter and just polishing it. The cost to have it contoured outside of the factory will be more than the cost of the blank. I do prefer the Shilen over the Douglas (when buying a contoured blank) because the Shilen is polished to about 180/220 git whereas the Douglas is rough turned. The only barrel I have returned to its' maker in the last 15yrs. was a Douglas, she just wasn't gona' shoot. I'll agree with josh, there's nthing wrong with Shilens' match Grade. When it comes to barrels people seem to prefer what they already own, kind of like asking which AR is the best, they are justifing their purchase.

 

[ez bake]

Do not buy a 1 1/4" unturned blank unless you intend on leaving it that diameter and just polishing it. The cost to have it contoured outside of the factory will be more than the cost of the blank. I do prefer the Shilen over the Douglas (when buying a contoured blank) because the Shilen is polished to about 180/220 git whereas the Douglas is rough turned. The only barrel I have returned to its' maker in the last 15yrs. was a Douglas, she just wasn't gona' shoot. I'll agree with josh, there's nthing wrong with Shilens' match Grade. When it comes to barrels people seem to prefer what they already own, kind of like asking which AR is the best, they are justifing their purchase.

Damn - I just found that 1 1/4" blank, no that's not what I was talking about (the #7 was the one I was referring to). That's a friggin chunk of steel there man! I can't imagine what the shipping on a 1 1/4" blanks is.

With Douglas, the Air-gauged barrels are just a few bucks more and I've heard well worth it, but its good to know that you had to return one - I'll definitely take that into consideration.

 

[shortgrass]

Why not go straight to Shilen, you can get that 'Select Match' in any contour they turn, not just #7. That's the way 'barrel blanks' come, not threaded, chamber, or crowned. "Rough" refers to the finish on the outside of the barrel, some are just turned, some are turned & polished. I just got a 1 1/4" unturned blank from Montana Rifle Co., cost $12.50 for shipping.

 

[ez bake]

Why not go straight to Shilen, you can get that 'Select Match' in any contour they turn, not just #7. That's the way 'barrel blanks' come, not threaded, chamber, or crowned. "Rough" refers to the finish on the outside of the barrel, some are just turned, some are turned & polished. I just got a 1 1/4" unturned blank from Montana Rifle Co., cost $12.50 for shipping.

That's my bad - I guess I did use the word rough. I didn't mean "rough blanks" I just meant that they weren't chambered, threaded, or pre-cut to standard barrel lengths.

Here's the one from Brownell's that I was talking about:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=12416/Product/SELECT_MATCH_BARREL

I prefer #7 contour - I guess you could get it in any contour you need.

 

[Donald]

I shoot 100/200 yard Benchrest. I have two custom full race competition rifles. Both have Stiller's Viper actions. One is a Rightbolt, leftport, righteject. The other is a drop port. The first uses a coned bolt face and the drop port uses a Remington type bolt fact. So cant change barrels between actions even though they are all chambered for the 6ppc cartridge. Of the 7 barrels I currently have for these rifles, 3 are Shilen, 2 Krieger, 1 Bartlein and 1 Brux. All stainless light varmint contour and all of course are select match grade. The Shilens are button rifled, the others are cut rifled. I think the cut rifled barrels shoot a tad better than the button rifled ones, but it depends on the conditions, and I can't prove it either. The Kreiger and Bartlein are the more expensive, running around $280-$300 for a contoured blank 26 inches long. The Brux is $265 and I think you can get the Shilens for around $240 or so. There is a guy in Texas, known as "The Barrel Man" that has been selling the match grade Shilens for $240 + shipping. For my use, if the barrel will not shoot 5 shot groups at 100 under 0.250, I have little use for it. If you want a good chrome moly barrel try the Brux. I think they are $225. Brux only makes match grade barrels, cut rifled, double lapped, both CM and SS. They have a web site. They have been kind of unknown for a while but they are getting more popular and waiting time is around 4-5 weeks now. Their CM barrels come in the white, so you would have to have it blued, if you wanted to. I put the Brux on my drop port, went to the range to test it. Shot 2 fouler shots then a 3 shot group. That group, shots 3,4 and 5 out of that barrel went into 0.084". It is somewhat particular to the bullet it likes. I only shoot match grade bullets thru them. Bruno's, Bart's, Cheek's and Gentners. Most are 65-68 grain 6mm, running around 3320 fps. Some flat base some BT. If you buy a cheap barrel don't expect it to shoot like a match barrel. Brunos Shooter supply in Arizona usually has Kreigher, Shilen, Hart in stock. To get best accuracy you need to decide what bullet you want to shoot and select the twist rate best for that bullet. Doesn't hurt to go a bit faster twist than needed but don't expect a 1/12 twist 224 barrel to stabilize the long 77-80 grain bullets. Look up Berger Bullets web site, they have a suggested twist rate for each bullet they make. Believe me the match grade bullets shoot better than the factory made ones. I use Nosler BT for fireforming cases. You will of course not be able to tell the difference in bullets unless you are shooting a match grade barrel on a match grade platform.

Donald

 

[sharkbait]

I have no firsthand experience with these guys (yet) but they have a good rep on the Savage forums and they will cut you a ready to mount Savage barrel for $305.00

http://www.sharpshootersupply.com/

Check 'em out.

 

[Big Jim]

If you are going to spend the money to screw a new tube on get a premium match-grade and have it hand-lapped ,it will clean up so much easier and wont take as long to break in.

 

[Thorgrim]

I don't know of any "Premium Barrel Makers" that want you to hand lap after they finish a barrel. Info?