gun guys....no mercy, jeepkid etc
 

need a 32" 7mm 9 twist barrel, who makes the best one, gimme your opinions, I have lilja, kreiger, broughton, lothar walther and a couple others. the 9 twist lilja on my 7mm am lasted approx. 600 rounds burning 110 gr. per shot but by god put them where they needed to be, could have it set back but not sure how long the Band-Aid would hold. what say yee
RR

I'm liking Benchmark these days...you probably won't find a 32" in stock but I know Chris will make one for ya...

You gonna do another 9 twist or go with an 8?

9 will spin anything up to 200 gr. just fine, think I'll go with that, 8 would be fine but would lose a bit of velocity over the 9.
RR

I'm a Shilen guy, Kreiger will get my money next in line, Lilja, Douglas, and McGowen fighting for 3rd... If I had 100 rounds difference between a Kreiger and a Shilen 6.5-284 barrel, I can't remember which survived longer.

I've only had one set back, after I did, I mentioned it in passing to Boyd Allen on the phone, he said I should expect around 50% life compared to pre-set back, assuming I did it early enough. Not surprisingly, he wasn't wrong.

I've yet to have anything I'd call a "bad barrel," but I suppose I've paid too much for a few. I try to buy multiple barrels at once so I can get discounts on Shilens. Or maybe I'm not brave enough to branch too far from Shilen & Kreiger and missing out on some amazing barrels...

A Broughton 5c could be worth a look too

I have lilja, kreiger, hart, lothar walther, broughton, kinda torn between brux, rock creek, and a new localguy...hawk hill will take a day to go talk to him soon.
NM, kreigers shoot damn good but a bit slower than button rifled barrels, if you wanna shoot berger bullets cut rifling is rough on them.
RR

Hawks are cut rifled. My buddy had one on a 338 RUM, shot great no complaints.

You thought about carbon yet? I know people are torn on them...mine will be done soon, just needs a trigger and bottom metal.

no carbon, I want the weight, for what I do I like them heavy
RR

Sendero contour?

real close it now wears a lilja #8 contour, weighs 14# with a loopy 6.5x20 mark 4
RR

You keeping the Russo A5 on it?

that's the gibbs, the allen has a Richards thumbhole varminter and it will stay on it

RR

Oh yup yip!

You want to reuse the brake?

One I didn't hear you guyz mention........................

http://www.bartleinbarrels.com/

definitely
RR

I'll second the Bartlein barrel.

http://bartleinbarrels.com/

Obermeyer also has some nice barrels.

http://www.obermeyerbarrels.com/

Brux barrels are often over looked.

http://bruxbarrels.com/

:D Al

Is Kirby gonna do the rebarrel for ya? I know he's a big Lilja guy.

I would lean towards a Broughton 5c for the AM, that's what I was going to do at the time I wanted an Allen Mag.

Bartleins are real nice, they just have very weird contours.

Brux are top notch too.

Or a Benchmark carbon and have them make it on the heavy side :cool2:

Stick with a "B"... :fighting0007:

The current barrel, a 9 twist lilja always put the cold bore shot 1/4 moa above the next 2, is that normal?
RR

anybody heard anything bad about rock creek? only review I ever saw on them said they shot just as well hot as they did cold
RR

Might want to inquire with these guyz......................

http://precisionrifleblog.com/2014/0...-rifle-barrel/

I've never heard of that???

Nothing bad about Rock Creek. They used to be (maybe still are) the liners for ABS/Proof barrels.

Rock Creek used to be cut rifling, are they not any more? Bartlein & Brux too.

well guys I'm looking at running 1 of 2 bullets in this thing, either the 180 berger, or the I think 195? LR accubond, I have 1 box of 200 gr wildcats, but with no forseeable way to aquire more they are out. now my 8 twist kreiger in my gibbs renders the berger hunting bullets unusable so all I can tell you is the fast twist and cut rifling of the kreiger is not suitable for the berger hunting bullets, geys with other 8 twist barrels get excellent results with bergers, 9 twist cut rifled barrels get excellent results, I cripple everything with my gibbs due to almost no penetration, they leave a 1" deep splash even on a onside front leg foreward pretty sunday shot. so I am leery of cut rifling.
reckon I'll lean back towards Lilja
RR

The 175gr ABLR is the biggest they make I believe?

They have a 195gr Berger now. It would be sweet in your AM!

I have about 300 of the 200gr Wildcats and another couple hundred Matrix.

If you liked the Lilja then there's definitely nothing wrong with going with another. I'd just check lead times, I get too impatient, no way I would wait 14 months for a barrel from anyone.

You can also check out Pac-Nor, I forgot about them, my 6.5x284 had one and it was a very nice barrel. Buttoned too.

I've been following this thread and have a question. How is it that your cut rifled barrels are harder on your Berger bullets? If the dimensions are correct then you shouldn't be experiencing any differences. I do know Lija barrels tend to be on the "tighter" side yet you have no problem with your Lija barrel degrading your Bergers? Like Mercy, I am a huge Shilen supporter and have been for a lot of years now.

Good is still good - Right ??

Pick the one you like.................... it's your money !!!

rock creek has a contour listed that is the correct muzzle diameter that I could reuse my existing brake, as does hawk hill, but hawk isn't taking custom orders till further notice, brux doesn't
a lilja blank will run 505.00 for the same barrel that's on it now.
RR

Call up Pac-Nor

forgot about chris, may get hold of him
RR

edit, just done the math, a barrel from chris is..........505.00 for the blank, boy this **** is expensive!

Kirby told me when I first started dealing with him, I'll put any barrel on your rifle you want, but I strongly recommend hart, lilja, kreiger, rock creek, broughton, and later added Lawton to the list, barney Lawton passed away and his company went with him
RR

Kirby has spoken he likes bartlein these days, says they last longer and machine better, and they'll match my current barrel, they are cut rifled but 9 isn't a real fast twist for a 7mm so will probably go with that.
RR

Bartlein is about as good as they get. I haven't had one yet but I bought one for my buddy last year, he's a fan of them.

Why 32" over 30"? Will you gain much?

may stick with 30 on the bartlein, Kirby says they are faster than lilja's, and have ran 160's 3712 fps from the lilja
RR

Check out Butchs Reloading, they may have a Bartlein in stock if you go 30"...

[QUOTE=super_hunt54;4238941]I've been following this thread and have a question. How is it that your cut rifled barrels are harder on your Berger bullets?QUOTE]

I'm interested too?

I've had a ton of success with Bartlein in the Benchrest game. I use the 5R rifling in 300WSM, 6BR and 6 Dasher. My close shooting friends are also using Bartlein but they use 4 grove. At the Ridgway VBR Championship match Bartlein took all the top spots.

It's hard to argue with what wins in the discipline you are going to shoot the most. Long range game seems to be focused around Bartlein, Broughton, and Krieger.

Rock Creek and Kreiger have a pretty good following in the Short range with a few Lilja's and Shillens.

It's all in what you want, $505 for a barrel seems to be a bit expensive. Pretty much buy any Bartlein for $325 and change

[quote=gunnermhr;4239499]I'm pretty sure the $505 is fluted like his current barrel.

I know this, I have a 30" kreiger 8 twist senduro contour on my 6.5 gibbs, If I shoot the orange box bergers this is what I get

that's the entrance, I kept reading great reports from folks on the orange box hunting bergers, but every deer I shot with them, just had a splash wound,I finaly talked with brian litz, after seeing my pictures he suggested I try the yellow box due to me having a fast twist cut rifled barrel was somehow compromising thinner jackets, when I use the yellow box match bullets, I get exactly the same results as most guys get with the orange box, no use debating it, it is what it is.
RR

It wasn't meant as a debate, was meant as the question asked. The only way I can figure you getting degradation of your jackets would be if your groves were too deep or your loads so hot that it is literally tearing your jackets up from "skipping". That in itself wouldn't have anything to do with cut rifling but with depth control.

Lemoyne over on Black Powder made a suggestion to me about twists for our .50 cals that sparked a memory. Have you ever tried a progressive twist? I tried a few on my bench queens and while I saw little addition to my speeds (around 20fps faster on average) one thing I DID notice was a little longer throat life. That suggests to me that you may find one of them easier on your Berger bullets. Just a thought. I do believe Bartlein does it. Maybe give them a ring and ask their opinions on the subject. I honestly can't remember where I ordered those barrels I had from. It's been 20 or so years and my poor old memory aint what it used to be.

just FYI, a bartlein to replace the lilja on it now runs 520.00 for the blank
RR

That's about right for a quality fluted stainless barrel.


You won't be disappointed in any of the big names, just find one that doesn't have a long wait and you'll be happy.