Would someone have any information on these two brands of barrels. Is the grade and quality of steel the same or is there a considerable amount of difference between the two? I have placed an order for a barrel and they are having problems with Shillen barrel blanks so they offered the Douglas barrel instead. Is this a good move?

I had trouble with Douglas years ago. I used to live down the road from the plant in Charleston, WV. So they made right on it. It was rougher than a cob, and rifling was rounded near the middle of the barrel looking with a hawkeye borescope.

Melvin Forbes from NULA's uses them. So they must be good. there is alot of gunsmiths that refuse to use Douglas.

I like Shilen, Lilja, and recently have been using Krieger. The Krieger have very nice uniform rifling. People are amazed including myself when cleaning a nice match barrel compared to factory. I used to push a tight patch thru a factory, and you could feel different uniformities thru the barrel, but not with Lilja or Kieger.

More imporatantly is the chamber job from your gunsmith IMO.

Itss all in the chambering job as BC says although I am sure a bad one slips out of all those makers plants every once in awhile. Gunsmith friend of mine in Alabama that's all he uses(Douglas) and they work every gun I have shot built by him has been a serious shooter . I am betting Mr Forbes gets the best of the best from Douglas though since he's probably their biggest customer.

I've used both Douglas and Shilen barrels with good success. There's others out there that are highly praised and command a ferw extra bucks.

Douglas has never let me down.....They are my number 1 "go to" barrel.

I would go McMillan. They have great customer service. Best I've ever seen and their barrels are second to none I have 3 barrels from them. 2 super match grade and one match grade. The prices are about the same. The last barrel I bought was 26" #8 contour already chambered and threaded for the pre 64 model 70 in 30-06. The thing was that it was in their clearance box on their web page. counting shipping I paid $97. I was supprised to find it was target crowned already.

The customer sevice guy (I forget his name) emailed me 2 times to make sure it got to me and was what I wanted. He gave me his phone # so I called him and he answered all my questions even the ones not pertaining to barrels.

bigcountry You spoke volumes.
I was amazed at how easy it is to clean a match grade barrel compared to a factory barrel.
I highly recommend a Lilja barrel. Dan Lilja does great work. IMHO

I understand that Shilen barrels are excellent, but so are Douglas Premium Grade barrels.



This is a 100-yard, 5-shot group fired with a 6mm/284 with a 26" Douglas Premium Grade medium sporter weight barrel. 100-grain Sierra bullet, 53.5 grains of old original H4831. Many groups fired with this barrel were similar, using both 85-grain and 100 grain Sierra bullets, but this is the best one.

I have only had expirence with Douglas but I have had very good results with them.

Thanks for all the information. The manufacture said that Douglas barrels were good but I just wanted some reassurance. I have never ordered a custom barrel before.
They had only offered two choices and it was between Shilen and Douglas barrels. Decided on going with the Douglas barrel. I could have waited for the Shilen barrel but it would have been August before seeing it. With my luck the barrel would only be here after hunting season. Thanks again..