Best heavy replacement barrel for R700 .308

[Smurph_]

I am curious what everyone’s opinions are on barrel manufacturers. I am looking to re-barrel my R700 action and I believe I have a smith that will do it well. I’m looking for a heavy M24/M40 profile barrel. What manufactures are good for that type?

 

[Bakwa]

Bartlein, Kreiger, Rock Creek, Proof, etc...

 

[Cr1775]

Kreiger or Bartlein my first 2 choices

 

[_Windrider_]

All of them. But the question is, are you going to be loading and shooting like you are competing in a bench rest match? Do you need a $350 barrel blank? Or would your style of loading and shooting still not wring the accuracy potential out of a quality button rifled barrel like McGowen or Criterion?

Not trying to be elitist about how you choose to shoot. I just think we shooters often think we have to have the best barrels on the market when we completely under-utilize them and pay more than we need to.

given that its a 308, i would go bartlein, spend the extra money because after 10000 rounds it will have been worth it. i get a 6 creed barrel it costs 800 and i get maybe 1500 rounds. you get a 308 for the same price and get 10000 or more. seems like you are getting a hell of a value there. There are also a few 30 cal bartlein blanks in the PX right now.

 

[_Windrider_]

10K is a bit of a wild stretch. Class after class of M24's demonstrated 5-8K on the industrial scale. And that's with the load being a controlled variable of 2600fps. You start loading 178's at 2700 and you're going to run a good chance of not getting to 5K. But yes, the extra $70 does amortize over longer barrel life nicely. Fair point.

get the new 400MOD steel and you could get that based on what Frank has been sharing. But thats 200 more. still a great deal when amortized but thats a personal choice at that point.

 

[_Windrider_]

LOL, and again we talked ourselves into a $1200 barrel for a $400 R700

Hahaha. Yep.

 

[jakelly]

All of them. But the question is, are you going to be loading and shooting like you are competing in a bench rest match? Do you need a $350 barrel blank? Or would your style of loading and shooting still not wring the accuracy potential out of a quality button rifled barrel like McGowen or Criterion?

Not trying to be elitist about how you choose to shoot. I just think we shooters often think we have to have the best barrels on the market when we completely under-utilize them and pay more than we need to.

It’s hard to justify the savings when chambering costs what it does. That’s the logic that continually has me buying $350 barrels.

Now, I think one area where the questions/logic you posited really shines is in the prefit arena (makes sense as I’ve seen your rifles). When accumulating multiple barrels for the same rifle, it makes absolute sense to save the money on some of those barrels. I don’t need metallurgic perfection in the blank of my .223 trainer barrel, the round is limited by it’s nature. Pouring more money into the blank isn’t going to net me much.

This line of thinking has real merit to newer shooters. Particularly with regard to choosing an action.

 

[acudaowner]

non tapered no messing with tapering at least that's my next barrel contour choice .

 

[swampbuck]

There are many ways people go about selecting a barrel. One way is to ask your smith. In the case that your rifle doesn't shoot as well as expected you don't want your smith to say that you didn't use the product that he recommended. Most smiths will guarentee accuracy from any of the top makers. So this puts the choice back in your hands. When looking at barrel choices I always refer to the Williamsport benchrest scores and equipment list. Benchrest shooters are the most precise of all shooters and squeeze the very most out of their equipment. A quick look will show you that Krieger and Bartlein have been dominating benchrest in recent years. I have and shoot both. BTW I have a 30 cal of both in the for sell forem. Pm me for a deal.

 

[Mike Casselton]

A good/great gunsmith will machine a barrel to shoot its best.

An okay or mediocre smith can screw up a great barrel.

Choose your smith as carefully as you choose your barrel. Now is not the time to save $50 in gunsmithing costs.

 

[DukeGSP]

in my honest opinion i would spend the desired amount of money that you want to spend that you can justify for the use of the rifle. i also firmly believe in buy once cry once. if you're like me, i like spending the extra coin if it's going to help with resale in the future because i don't typically hold on to rifles long.

 

[ghaffke0616]

I like Schneider barrel blanks. He is making Barrels for the USMC for a very long time .Last year his blank was $350b shipped -heavy target barrel.
I love the quality - have 4

 

[NukeMMC]

I am curious what everyone’s opinions are on barrel manufacturers. I am looking to re-barrel my R700 action and I believe I have a smith that will do it well. I’m looking for a heavy M24/M40 profile barrel. What manufactures are good for that type?

Nothing wrong with a 700P barrel. I had a 700SPS-V that I had set back 3/16" and re-chambered with an M852 reamer. Cut it down to 22" and it shot 1/2moa or under.
@MikeRTacOps used to do a 700P tune up that included his 1/4moa guarantee if he bedded it in his stock. Seems those barrels do shoot pretty well if they're installed right.

 

[Frank Green]

in my honest opinion i would spend the desired amount of money that you want to spend that you can justify for the use of the rifle. i also firmly believe in buy once cry once. if you're like me, i like spending the extra coin if it's going to help with resale in the future because i don't typically hold on to rifles long.

What he said! You get what you pay for as the saying goes!

I tell guys you can have a mediocre action and put a good barrel on it with good gunsmithing work and bed the stock properly...the vast majority of the time you end up with a great rifle!

You buy the most expensive/best action and stock etc...cut corners on the barrel and usually you end up with a mediocre rifle.

Yes at times you can have a factory type barrel tuned up per say and or can shoot great out of the box....but the law of averages works against ya here.

Later, Frank
Bartlein Barrels

 

[FisherT&C]

Front Range Precision www.frontrangeprecisionllc.com has a killer deal on Proof barrels right now, add to cart to see the full discount. I have used Proofs on several builds and they all shot really well. There is a lot of other great barrels out there but you might as well take advantage of a great deal.

 

[spife7980]

Dayum, that is a good price. I got a 6 creed origin inbound, thanks!

Front Range Precision www.frontrangeprecisionllc.com has a killer deal on Proof barrels right now, add to cart to see the full discount. I have used Proofs on several builds and they all shot really well. There is a lot of other great barrels out there but you might as well take advantage of a great deal.

 

[Smurph_]

I appreciate everyone and all of your wisdom. I decided on a bartlien M24/M40 profile blank. I got in touch with a precision gunsmith within driving range (he’s expensive) and I plan on making an appointment with him as soon as the barrel comes in.

 

[YAOG]

LOL, and again we talked ourselves into a $1200 barrel for a $400 R700

Which seems silly because for $1,600 you can by a BadRock South Fork barreled action. For those who don't know BadRock Precision is Defiance's completed firearm company. A very solid deal, for $2K you get a competitive PRS rifle based on a Defiance action, TT trigger, match grade barrel in a KRG Bravo chassis or MDT lss XL gen 2 chassis. Thought to beat IMO.

 

[HogsLife]

Bartlien, Kreiger. Are typically my go tos. Proofs are great, but they seem to be
On the slower side. Like to try the Bartlien Carbons next . I’ve run Hart, Douglas. Schneider, Rock Creel and they all shoot.

decided to give the McGowens a shot per @reubenski so we’ll see how that one works out in the 270.

 

[Rickybobby44]

Bartlien, Kreiger. Are typically my go tos. Proofs are great, but they seem to be
On the slower side. Like to try the Bartlien Carbons next . I’ve run Hart, Douglas. Schneider, Rock Creel and they all shoot.

decided to give the McGowens a shot per @reubenski so we’ll see how that one works out in the 270.

If you could let me know how that McGowen works for you that would be great. I'm also considering getting a McGowen in 270 winchester

 

[HogsLife]

If you could let me know how that McGowen works for you that would be great. I'm also considering getting a McGowen in 270 winchester

Yeah will do man. Hit up @reubenski too sounds like he’s used quite a few and witj good results

 

[Rickybobby44]

Sounds good. Thank you

 

[Holliday]

I have done 3 Criterion prefits in the past couple years. All sub .5 MOA with handloads.

 

[Rickybobby44]

I have one criterion in 223 AI and it shoots awesome. I thought I read on McGowens website that they do pre-fit shouldered barrels and that's what I was looking to try out. I could be wrong on that. I would have to read it again

 

[4thandbleek]

I got a krieger barrel on my rifle build. I constantly hear krieger one of the top barrel makers..so that is why i got it.

 

[Holliday]

I have one criterion in 223 AI and it shoots awesome. I thought I read on McGowens website that they do pre-fit shouldered barrels and that's what I was looking to try out. I could be wrong on that. I would have to read it again

That’s a rifle caliber I’d like to build.

 

[Rickybobby44]

It's a lot of fun for sure. And a heck of a lot cheaper to reload as well