Any one rebarreled with a shilen lately?

[DJ Fergus]

Have any of you fellows purchased & ran a shilen barrel in the past few years? How did it work out. I may be able to get a good price on one. I'm running a brux, bartlein, proof and x-caliber. I'm nothing but pleased with them but I know the Chambers were done right on those which I feel is the biggest lender to accuracy. I think even a mediocre barrel has good chances of shooting great with the chamber work done right.

 

[adam32]

Shilens are still great barrels.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I talked to an older gunsmith recently who was known for bolt action work. He hasn't done any gunsmithing in few years now. I assume he's retired. He told me that he would always barrel one of his rifles with whatever new barrel came out but he always went back to shilen select match. Anyway, I know it's pretty common for most to have their favorites. I think I would try one for the right price.

 

[Memberberries]

I've only got proxy experience with shilen, my coworker has a 26" 338 win mag and it's a shooter. Groups are tight and he has light and heavy loads that it seems to like. He had them throat it long for heavies but it still seems to do well with some jump on the lighter stuff.

 

[Bob Wright]

Have one on a 98 Mauser in .270 Win. Very accurate hunting rifle.

 

[johnnyk]

I purchased a 26" Shilen pre-fit, 6mmBR Norma, 8t, on clearance from Northland Shooters Supply in March for $279.
I am well pleased with the purchase and it averages in the .2-.3's with most every weight bullet I've tried in it so far (70-108gn). Highly recommend!

 

[Bravo 4]

Just put one on a Savage for a buddy chambered in .300 RUM, shoots great out to 1000 (as far as I've taken it).

 

[J E Custom]

Shilen makes 3 or 4 grades of barrels and I recommend the Select Match. It has the tightest tolerances and has proven it's self to be a performer. If the seller can prove it's a Select Match, it could be a good deal. If Not, I would pass and order the one you want.

People will tell you anything, especially when there is a big cost difference. Better safe than sorry.

J E CUSTOM

 

[adam32]

Shilen has always had two grades; match and select match. Both are great bargains.

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

it pretty much comes down to turn around, it seems most do as caliber runs , if their doing 284 this week and you want 28nosler , get your order in quick or wait for 4-6 weeks to get back to 284's again ...

northlandshooters has a clearance section , i believe they are shillen's ?? http://northlandshooterssupply.com/clearance/

 

[entoptics]

Over the last 18 months, I've put about 16lbs of H1000 through a 300WM Savage pre-fit, Select Match, from NSS. It shoots good, cleans easy, and other than throat erosion, is still shooting about the same as it did out of the box.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy another.

 

[johnnyk]

Mine was also a Select Match and also "cleaned" up well but I've stopped cleaning it until accuracy starts to fade. Great barrel.

 

[Whiskey_Tango]

Put a prefit from NSS on a Savage steel match gun last year. Shoots about .4 moa.

 

[J E Custom]

Shilen has always had two grades; match and select match. Both are great bargains. View attachment 155551

I guess I am out dated with my shilen barrel grades because I still own one that is not a match or select match and one that Is long gone. These were bough when Ed Shilen was still in it and I have talked to him personally several times about the difference in the grads and there prices.

He told me that they made barrels and after completion they were graded depending on where they fell in the tolerances. the prices were inline with the quality. being a bench rest shooter, he recommended the select match if accuracy was your primary goal and the match if good accuracy was required with reasonable cost. For other applications where distance and accuracy wasn't all governing the other barrels were plenty good (Still better than the current factory barrels) and many of these barrels were sold to other arms manufactures that didn't need the accuracy and didn't wan't the cost.They were still within normal tolerance. At one point I decided the select match was not that much more in cost for the increase in quality that I started ordering the select match and could see a difference it the match and the select match accuracy. The barrel is the heart of an accurate rifle So the select match was my first choice of the Shilen barrels and many years ago I started buying only the select match.

It is good that they only make two grades of barrels now but I still recommend the Select Match to those that want a Shilen barrel because I have had nothing but good luck with there best. I use other barrels and do the same in my selection. I buy the barrel with the most stringent requirements and tolerances.

No place to save pennies.

J E CUSTOM