what barrel ?????????

[Michael Eichele]

Lilja uses Carpenter steel.

My former builder who retired (who also built barrels) recommended Lilja after he sold his company until he had a couple of problems with a few barrels. Guess it didn't work out well and then he started using Hart. To this day, that is who he recommends.

Don't really think you'll be unhappy with either, but for now, my money will go to Hart on a button bbl and Krieger or Bartlein for cut. Unless I can get an Obermeyer!

What problems did he have? When did he have them?

 

[jeff 300]

Problem i got is none of the barrel make named precut for a savage action witch sucks. i'm thinking of going with a hart and having it fitted but if i have to go to all the trouble i'll just buy a REM 700 action and be done with it. Has any one had any good luck with a pac-nor???????????????

 

[FEENIX]

Problem i got is none of the barrel make named precut for a savage action witch sucks. i'm thinking of going with a hart and having it fitted but if i have to go to all the trouble i'll just buy a REM 700 action and be done with it. Has any one had any good luck with a pac-nor???????????????

If you meant pre-fit barrels for Savage actions, there's actually quite a few ... and you can start with one of the site sponsors ...

Welcome to Sin Arms

Good luck!

 

[Derek M.]

What problems did he have? When did he have them?

He would not tell me as he likes Dan very much but had a repeated problem with a few bbls in various calibers where the problem was solved when a Hart tube was installed. Dan builds phenomenal barrels but no one builds them 100% of the time.

The one downfall I've experienced with the Lilja tube is the steel sometimes does not cut like other steels like from crucible.

I've had rifles built with the Lilja bbl and the smith did not do a chamber cast once complete and After shipping back to me, I go to the range only to find some cases won't extract without great effort. There were small chunks taken from the steel while chambering that left the brass filling the void with fired case. Allegedly, this was with a relatively new reamer too.

So, my lesson was that (as related to me by the builder) with 2 barrels, Lilja and Lothar Walther, the chambering process should take a little longer or that the steel cuts differently and that Carpenter steel can be more brittle.

Until the day comes where I start building rifles (which is never), I have to rely on the experiences of the builders I choose to help me make informed decisions.

Plus, in my experience and opinion, Hart barrels are the top button rifled barrel style available.

 

[Derek M.]

Has any one had any good luck with a pac-nor???????????????

Yep, got one on my 30.06. Shoots really well. Not my top choice for buttoned bbls though.

 

[Rimfire]

i'm going to start to put together a new rifle in 338rum on a savage target action and need to see what every one thinks for as a barrel goes. Its going to be 28"-30" long in a #6 Contour
What brand of barrel would u buy ???????? Pac-nor, Shilen, douglas, McGowen or what it hard to make up my mind.

You cant go wrong with any of the top cut or button barrels. Take two top smiths and one might like one barrel and the other something else. Stick with one of the top brands and pick one. Broughton hold many records as well as others, and some will tell you button wont shoot as good as cut.
I was also told stay away from push button barrels, that would rule out Hart and if I listened I would not have been lucky enough to have had all the great shooting hart barreled rifles I've owned.

Any one can make a bad barrel not anyone will stand behind it and send a new one. Pick any top company with a good reputation for standing behind their product.

Some will always like Chevys and some will like Fords not going to change doesnt make one better than the other.

To answer your question between myself and friends the last (4) 338 Lapuas and (2) 338 Normas wore Broughtons and I have to say they shoot as god as can be expectd. In the past I shot a Hart Barrel 338 with the same results.

 

[Long Time Long Ranger]

You are going to gain very little velocity between a 28 and 30" barrel. The 28" is stiffer and the one I would use. I have had good success with Hart barrels since the 60's. They have probably won more matches through the years than anybody. Shilen barrels I never used any more because I could rarely find one that would shoot.

 

[IdahoCTD]

He would not tell me as he likes Dan very much but had a repeated problem with a few bbls in various calibers where the problem was solved when a Hart tube was installed. Dan builds phenomenal barrels but no one builds them 100% of the time.

The one downfall I've experienced with the Lilja tube is the steel sometimes does not cut like other steels like from crucible.

I've had rifles built with the Lilja bbl and the smith did not do a chamber cast once complete and After shipping back to me, I go to the range only to find some cases won't extract without great effort. There were small chunks taken from the steel while chambering that left the brass filling the void with fired case. Allegedly, this was with a relatively new reamer too.

So, my lesson was that (as related to me by the builder) with 2 barrels, Lilja and Lothar Walther, the chambering process should take a little longer or that the steel cuts differently and that Carpenter steel can be more brittle.

Until the day comes where I start building rifles (which is never), I have to rely on the experiences of the builders I choose to help me make informed decisions.

Plus, in my experience and opinion, Hart barrels are the top button rifled barrel style available.

10-15 years ago we had the same problem with Hart. A friend and I use to buy around 30 barrels a year from Hart. We did that for several years and the number of poor shooting barrels starting increasing. So we starting shooting barrels from numerous other manufacturers like Lilja and Schneider. I've had some great shooting Lilja's but I also had some crappy ones. I don't recall one Schneider that didn't shoot really good. Of the button rifled barrels I've used the most accurate have been Hart but some of the worse shooting ones were also sporter weight Harts. I'm sure Hart has improved since then as many noted smiths on here use them with good success.

Since that time I haven't used as many barrels but I have been using mostly cut rifled barrels from Brux, Krieger, and Bartlein. All have been sub 1/2" barrels. I will probably continue to use cut barrels from the 3 mentioned companies until I run into issues.

Anyone can build a bad barrel and I'm sure they all have. For me it's the percentage of bad barrels to good barrels. It does seem like the cut barrels have made a huge jump in use for the 1000yd benchrest and F class guys compared to 10+ years ago (granted several of the cut rifle companies were just starting back then) but those shooters generally use a companies barrels they can consistently win with barrel after barrel.

 

[landcbeitner]

I'd go with Benchmark... Fantastic barrel with a little less wait time than others.