Anyone have personal experiance with Broughton 5C Canted Rifled barrels? How about Shilen's "ratchet rifled"? Looks to me to be a sound principal. Should help to keep bullet 'integrity' by NOT hurting the jacket as the bullet engages the rifling.
I've got a Broughton 5C (.308). I've also got a Hart 6-groove Button-rifled barrel (not very many rounds through that one yet).
I'd say that quality of manufacturing and very tight QC is more important than the particular technology. I've heard good and bad about Shilen's barrels, but they do make two categories of barrels (match grade, and select match) which I don't really like since it indicates that their match grade is not as good.
I've heard folks talk about Broughton and Kreiger as being some of the best barrels money can buy and Hart is supposedly in a category below them (but not by far). I've heard that Douglas and Shilen are generally considered to be in the next category down.
I don't really have any way to quantify that, its just stuff I've heard from folks who've used those barrels - I've only got the two to go by and I'm more than happy with both.
Hmmm....Hart a step down??? If you look into how many accuracy records are held and with who's barrels you will find more in the Hart column than almost anyone else's, them and Schneider. Now everyone has their own favorites, and thats cool cause there are lots of great barrel makers out there, but for me Hart is at the pinnacle of barrel makers. Maybe you meant several steps UP! (the last is said in jest as you already know.... cause you already own a Hart.)
Not particularly relevant to this discussion, but I doubt I'll ever be a good enough shooter to notice the difference between a Hart, Broughton, or a Shilen. Maybe a 'smith installed aftermarket barrel over the factory one, but how much true difference is there for even a good (but not nationally competitive) shooter?
Well right there is a darn good question. The answer is, it depends on the type of shooting the person is competing in. If you were a fairly dedicated bench rest shooter, yes it would make a big difference, If you were a dedicated long range f-class type shooter, it would make a big difference. For action shooting, not much difference at all. A rifle that holds 2 M.O.A. is pleanty for 3-gun and action rifle. Now you might "want" more but in actuallity you really don't need any more than that. The rifle I took to Denmark for the Nordic Rifle Championships was a shot out Bushmaster 1X9 and it would barely hold 2 M.O.A. with real good bullets, and in the end the trophy is sitting in my living room.
Matter of fact I quit buying "good barrels" as I found many of the high end barrels were a bit finicky in 223 as to what they would shoot, where as the "lesser" quality barrels all held around 1-1 1/2 M.O.A. with most types of ammo, and you sure don't feel bad about burning a Beta mag worth of shells through one.
While we are on Barrels, does anyone in town have a 5.56x45 reamer, I could borrow or pay to use. I have a fairly tight chambered .223 marked barrel and it will stick rounds every once in a while so I need to open it up a bit. All I need is two light turn with a 5.56 Reamer. Thanks KurtM
Matter of fact I quit buying "good barrels" as I found many of the high end barrels were a bit finicky in 223 as to what they would shoot, where as the "lesser" quality barrels all held around 1-1 1/2 M.O.A. with most types of ammo, and you sure don't feel bad about burning a Beta mag worth of shells through one.
While we are on Barrels, does anyone in town have a 5.56x45 reamer, I could borrow or pay to use. I have a fairly tight chambered .223 marked barrel and it will stick rounds every once in a while so I need to open it up a bit. All I need is two light turn with a 5.56 Reamer. Thanks KurtM
I've chambered most all mentioned at one time or another, exept the Schneider. Kreiger is cut rifled, Shilen and Hart are 'pushed button' rifled, and the Broughton is 'pull button' rifled. I build tactical bolt rifles, varmint rifles, and big game rifles and have a customer who makes about every shoot over at Raton, the NRA Sanctioned matches. I've ordered a Broughton for a back-up but was just interested in knowing if anyone out there had any 'personal' experience with the canted or ratchet rifled barrels as I have never before fit one or used one for that matter. I've always used a conventionally rifled barrel. And yes, that customer CAN shoot well enough to know the difference. I'm considered old and I can tell the difference in a custom over a factory barrel. I don't shoot in the matches but I sure like to varmint hunt, enough that I've worn out a barrel or two. The only barrel I've every sent back to a manufacture was a Douglas. I've yet to fit and chamber a Shilen that won't stick 'um in the same hole at 100yds. Harts are the same way, one holers, as is the Krieger. Any of the custom barrel makers who have been in business for any lenght of time make a quality product. We covet new technology in our electronics, I see no reason not to think that there just might be a new technology in barrel design.
shortgrass, I wasn't saying there aren't people who could tell the difference, but rather posing the question "does the average shooter need a top end barrel?"
Maybe not, but, he may need all the help he can get! Having confidence in ones equipment can make a world of difference.
Not trying to pick a fight, but most folks need to learn to shoot, before they go investing in uberpriced barrels. I have no experience with the upper crust, an like Kurt, as long as it'll stay inside 2MOA it'll do. Now if I'm using iron sights with my bifocals I figure I'm good holding 4MOA, dang targets are hard to see at that range.
