Thompson Pro Hunter Barrels

[Russmonell]

Guys im looking for a new barrel and wanted to see if anyone had ideas, I need a 28" Barrel for my pro hunter in 7mm rem mag? any brands that stand out or are most accurate? I want this for long range, shooting 180 grain berger VLD hunting rounds.

Thanks Russ.

 

[KMG]

I have a 28" pro hunter in 300 win mag bought for the same purpose. I had the barrel threaded for a Schuler 4 port muzzelbrake, had the trigger reworked, it breaks at 2.25#, I also took the forend & pillar bedded it. It is a 1/2 minute gun all day with 208 Amax's & H1000. I know factory mass production battles like these can be crap shoot, pun intended, but sometimes you get lucky. Mine out shoots my buddies 300WM Sendero, groups & velocity.

 

[RT2506]

Check out Match Grade Machines (MGM). They will make you what ever you want and use barrels like Shilen select match. I had them make me a 14" 30-30AI barrel for my Contender pistol using a Shilen select match SS blank and it is a real shooter. Cost was not much more than a factory barrel. For what you want I would not roll the dice on a T/C factory barrel.

 

[Russmonell]

Thanks guys for the help, I will check them out. What are your thoughts on a scope? I was looking at the night force nsx 5.5x22x56mm are they over rated?

 

[450hunter]

I have a Custom 358 STA barrel from MGM. First, I would never buy another barrel from them again and there customer service is very poor. Second, the chamber looks like it was cut with a butter knife. I sent the barrel back to the them after I noticed the brass was getting all marked up and you could feel the marks in the brass with your fingers. They told me the warranty was voided because I had a KDF installed. When I asked them what did having a KDF installed on the other end of the barrel have to do with a poor cut chamber on the other end. His reply was that the person that made my barrel no longer works there because of issues. I asked him to replace the barrel and he said he couldn't. He said he could clean everything up but I would need a custom set of dies afterward because it would take a lot to do that and of course they would not pay for the dies. He suggested that I just shoot it like it was and the brass shouldn't crack around one of the crazy rings around it that you could easily feel with your fingers.

I haven't really shot it much since I got it back but I did have a local smith polish the chamber to the best he could without causing any issues. The other problem I have with this setup is it shears the forearm screws(8x40) off with in 7 shots on the bench. The 358 STA is a power house but I need a cure for the screws shearing off. I really like the cartridge.

Take this info however you like, its just my experience with MGM. Thanks

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I have a Custom 358 STA barrel from MGM. First, I would never buy another barrel from them again and there customer service is very poor. Second, the chamber looks like it was cut with a butter knife. I sent the barrel back to the them after I noticed the brass was getting all marked up and you could feel the marks in the brass with your fingers. They told me the warranty was voided because I had a KDF installed. When I asked them what did having a KDF installed on the other end of the barrel have to do with a poor cut chamber on the other end. His reply was that the person that made my barrel no longer works there because of issues. I asked him to replace the barrel and he said he couldn't. He said he could clean everything up but I would need a custom set of dies afterward because it would take a lot to do that and of course they would not pay for the dies. He suggested that I just shoot it like it was and the brass shouldn't crack around one of the crazy rings around it that you could easily feel with your fingers.

I haven't really shot it much since I got it back but I did have a local smith polish the chamber to the best he could without causing any issues. The other problem I have with this setup is it shears the forearm screws(8x40) off with in 7 shots on the bench. The 358 STA is a power house but I need a cure for the screws shearing off. I really like the cartridge.

Take this info however you like, its just my experience with MGM. Thanks

are you using a bi-pod on the rifle?
we are using very stout charges in out 50 cal encore rifles and haven't had any issues with screw shearing. I could see a bipod putting enough load on the fore end in a hard kicker to do damage.

 

[parker300]

I have 5 pro hunter barrels 22-250 270 7-08 30-06 and a 50 muzzle loader. all of them shoot under a inch two of them under a 1/2 inch the 22-250 and the 270 the only problem I had was with the rings and base's but once I went to a one piece ring and base I had no more problems

 

[450hunter]

Lefty7mmstw,

No, I'm not using a bipod. I shoot my 416 Rigby, 405 Win, 300 Win mag in the same set up with no problems.

 

[etisll40]

Sorry to hear the experience on MGM barrels. I have one in 6.5x284, it shoots a half minute all day with 140 GameKings. They are the only barrels that command excellent retail prices on used barrels that I see. I am going to get another one shortly in 460 S&W, a woods gun.

 

[midwesthunter]

I have heard that the pro hunter barrels accuracy can be a crap shoot, some blame it on barrel whip.

Here is an article about it.
Barrel Length v. Accuracy Test

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

Lefty7mmstw,

No, I'm not using a bipod. I shoot my 416 Rigby, 405 Win, 300 Win mag in the same set up with no problems.

K, thought I'd ask...