Compass Lake

[River44]

Just thought I’d share my experience with these guys. At the beginning of the year I ordered one of their uppers in 308. Was a 12 week wait, and anyone who’s ever ordered something like this can attest to, it was a long ass wait. Only good about the wait was that it gave me time to build out the lower. I’ll skip all lower details, it’s all the same quality stuff that everyone uses. The day finally arrives that I can get out to the range and start doing the barrel break-in that is recommended by Compass Lake. I wasn’t really shooting for group sizes during this procedure, but I was hoping to see some tight groups. That’s nothing like what was happening. I had multiple box’s of ammo from various manufacturers in weights ranging from 150 grain to 185 grain. Most of it was march grade ammo and all of it shot like shit. Best group I could get over 3 different range sessions was about a 1.125 group. The following group I shot with the exact same box of ammo opened up to 4". The biggest grouping I had with some Barnes match was about 10" So I called Compass Lake. We’ve all heard of good customer service, that isn’t even remotely what I got. I got OutFuckingstanding customer service! I spoke to Conrad, explained to him what was happening and he said to send it back and they will either fix the issue or replace the barrel. He shot it and basically got the same results that I did. So they turned another barrel and shot it, same thing. Seems as if they got a bad batch of barrels from Krieger. As they say, the third barrel is the charm. I couldn’t be happier with how things turned out. Throughout this whole process, Conrad always took the time to answer any questions, provide updates and express his dissatisfaction with the barrels as well. I’ll post some pics of the test groups that were sent to me, hopefully I can shoot half as good. If anyone is in the market for a quality upper backed by some OutFucking Standing customer service, give Compass Lake a call ! The first two groups were fired before fluting. The last group was shot after fluting to make sure that the fluting process didn’t screw anything up

 

[tsavo303]

Dang! Hard work but great results

 

[Bigjake83]

I'm familiar with your upper, Conrad talked to me about it a few weeks ago. All I'm gonna say at this time is Bartlein, Bartlein, Bartlein!!!

I don't know what's going on with Krieger these days but hopefully they get thier shit together soon. I've got several Krieger barrels that are outstanding shooters but they're all probably from 2018-2020 time frame.

I've advised a few Krieger supporters recently who seem to be out of the loop with the hit or miss barrels from Krieger including @Defender3, hopefully they make the move over to Bartlein because there's nothing more frustrating then waiting for a high-end build just to have issues like those stated above.

Compass Lake absolutely has the best customer service and id strongly encouraged anyone who is planning a Custom build with a single point cut rifled barrel give them a call. There are several members on here who are using my barrel designs/specs that Paul has been turning for a few years now and all are having outstanding results that reflect my own Sub Half MOA results.

 

[Clint H]

I don't know what's going on with Krieger these days but hopefully they get thier shit together soon. I've got several Krieger barrels that are outstanding shooters but they're all probably from 2018-2020 time frame.

Shoot. Just got notice my Krieger shipped from CLE yesterday. Guess I'll have another data point to add on how the Krieger stuff is soon enough.

+1 on CLE customer service, though. It's always a human on the other side of the phone, and they'll take time to talk to you about what you need. Good group of folks.

 

[Bigjake83]

Shoot. Just got notice my Krieger shipped from CLE yesterday. Guess I'll have another data point to add on how the Krieger stuff is soon enough.

+1 on CLE customer service, though. It's always a human on the other side of the phone, and they'll take time to talk to you about what you need. Good group of folks.

Chances are you'll be good to go I know since some of these issues have been arising Paul has been taking a critical look and borescoping every single blank before they start working on them.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Damn most companies would fight you just trying to get them to look at the first barrel and still send it back to you fucked up and say nothings wrong. The fact they replaced a $700 barrel twice until you got a good one is amazing.

 

[Clint H]

Chances are you'll be good to go I know since some of these issues have been arising Paul has been taking a critical look and borescoping every single blank before they start working on them.

Wouldn't be surprised if Paul is doing that. Before I settled on your barrel profile, I talked with Paul about their tactical contour. Didn't place an order at that time or do anything other than say, "Hi Paul, can I talk to you about profiles?" That was in July.

He called me last week before they spun my barrel to ask if I had made a mistake on the order because he remembered our specific conversation from 3mo back about the tactical profile.

Don't know how he recalled that 10min conversation, but the guy goes above and beyond for sure.

 

[stanley_white]

While I am glad the OP is satisfied, to me, outstanding customer service is defined as me never having to speak to customer service because the item bought performs as advertised.

I feel like we have all been screwed over so many times that “arrived broken but fixed in a timely manner” is considered a huge win, when it shouldn’t be.

-Stan

 

[Bigjake83]

While I am glad the OP is satisfied, to me, outstanding customer service is defined as me never having to speak to customer service because the item bought performs as advertised.

I feel like we have all been screwed over so many times that “arrived broken but fixed in a timely manner” is considered a huge win, when it shouldn’t be.

-Stan

Yeah, good luck with that! You oder enough barrels you'll find out real quick no matter how awesome the company is that turns your barrels, shit happens! I've had to return barrels from Craddock, GAP, CLE, Proof...It happens to them all.

 

[FredHammer]

While I am glad the OP is satisfied, to me, outstanding customer service is defined as me never having to speak to customer service because the item bought performs as advertised.

I feel like we have all been screwed over so many times that “arrived broken but fixed in a timely manner” is considered a huge win, when it shouldn’t be.

-Stan

The quality control vs customer service continuum.

 

[B Man]

While I am glad the OP is satisfied, to me, outstanding customer service is defined as me never having to speak to customer service because the item bought performs as advertised.

-Stan

While I’d like to agree with this and do to a point, shit does happen even to top class products at times. I had a BA barrel shot bad it was a rodeo getting them to work with me. When they did it was day or two for answers by email.
Had a Proof carbon barrel give me a fit here recently and had a shipping label before getting off the phone. Second barrel wasn’t satisfactory, they brought my whole rifle in, tested new barrel, sent it all back paid for by them. Never hesitated and had answers before a phone call was over. Quality matters, but so does customer service, especially now days.

@River44 Thats great to hear he got you squared away. Usually that issue is not the case and hate it was this time. Conrad is awesome though, always takes time talking on the phone about things and not once makes you feel like he needs to get off knowing the dude is swamped. Glad it’s worked out and stacking them now.

 

[FredHammer]

While I’d like to agree with this and do to a point, shit does happen even to top class products at times. I had a BA barrel shot bad it was a rodeo getting them to work with me. When they did it was day or two for answers by email.
Had a Proof carbon barrel give me a fit here recently and had a shipping label before getting off the phone. Second barrel wasn’t satisfactory, they brought my whole rifle in, tested new barrel, sent it all back paid for by them. Never hesitated and had answers before a phone call was over. Quality matters, but so does customer service, especially now days.

@River44 Thats great to hear he got you squared away. Usually that issue is not the case and hate it was this time. Conrad is awesome though, always takes time talking on the phone about things and not once makes you feel like he needs to get off knowing the dude is swamped. Glad it’s worked out and stacking them now.

So when an individual building with a barrel I see there could be bad batches of barrels, but bro had the upper built by Compass Lake. Compass Lake test fire should have identified this Krieger barrel problem, not the customer. Compass Lake looks like a fucking clown show in my opinion. I'd certainly hope they would make right what was negligence on their part to protect their reputation.

 

[B Man]

So when an individual building with a barrel I see there could be bad batches of barrels, but bro had the upper built by Compass Lake. Compass Lake test fire should have identified this Krieger barrel problem, not the customer. Compass Lake looks like a fucking clown show in my opinion. I'd certainly hope they would make right what was negligence on their part to protect their reputation.

So did they group test the rifle? Or fire test the rifle? Big difference

 

[Bigjake83]

So when an individual building with a barrel I see there could be bad batches of barrels, but bro had the upper built by Compass Lake. Compass Lake test fire should have identified this Krieger barrel problem, not the customer. Compass Lake looks like a fucking clown show in my opinion. I'd certainly hope they would make right what was negligence on their part to protect their reputation.

You're an fucking idiot!!

Compass lake doesn't test fire the uppers/barrels nor does any other BARREL SMITH, Craddock, Keystone, PF. They turn the barrels to the customers specs, build the uppers and send them on thier way.

Even the companies thst do fully assemble and test fire KAC, SIG, DD, WC, JP still run into the same issues.. you just end up sending the entire rifle back instead.

I had a Craddock complete upper that had the Gas Port Shit the Bed around 300rds, test firing wouldn't have shown shit..so your point is moot.

 

[FredHammer]

So did they group test the rifle? Or fire test the rifle? Big difference

That would be a good question for CL.

 

[Bigjake83]

That would be a good question for CL.

The only time they're going to test fire or shoot for groups is when a custom makes a complaint that the barrel/upper isn’t performing, and half the time it's usually just operator err.

Craddock used to send me his problem child uppers, if I couldn't get it to shoot then he'd replace the barrel.. half the time I received uppers that were reported to have accuracy issues we're due to the end user misaligning the gas block installation, loose barrel nuts or installing 6 o'clock Picatinny rails right under the gas block with the attachment screws pressing against the barrel or gas block.

 

[powdahound76]

Bad stuff happens to every company.

Good CS like that makes a guy comfortable about the $ dropped on a quality upper.


My own CLE barrels have not had issues, and will order another when I need.
Absolute lasers!



Fun to see absolute morons type away and remove all doubt about their lack of cerebral function.

I bet they blame spoons for them being fat asses too!

 

[Clint H]

Not intending to push drama, but interestingly, this thread from 2014 is pretty similar.

Barrel didn't start throwing wide groups until ~40rds, so wouldn't have mattered if CLE tested it or not. The cause was a bur at the gas port due to bad steel in a batch of Kriegers, and CLE tried to make things right back then, too.

BAD BATCH of Compass Lake spun Kriegers

Guys perhaps you can shed some light on an issue a friend and I are having. I bought a Krieger 7.7 spr profile barrel spun and chambered by Compass Lake with their CLE reamer. I got the barrel torqued to approx. 35 ft.lb. in a vltor receiver with a NSR rail. Lower is noveske with a two...

www.snipershide.com

 

[Bigjake83]

Not intending to push drama, but interestingly, this thread from 2014 is pretty similar.

Barrel didn't start throwing wide groups until ~40rds, so wouldn't have mattered if CLE tested it or not. The cause was a bur at the gas port due to bad steel in a batch of Kriegers, and CLE tried to make things right back then, too.

BAD BATCH of Compass Lake spun Kriegers

Guys perhaps you can shed some light on an issue a friend and I are having. I bought a Krieger 7.7 spr profile barrel spun and chambered by Compass Lake with their CLE reamer. I got the barrel torqued to approx. 35 ft.lb. in a vltor receiver with a NSR rail. Lower is noveske with a two...

www.snipershide.com

Isn't funny how all the keyboard commandos attack without any real insight of how things work in the real world?

This is a perfect example of "Shit Happens"

This is from the latest LaRue .308 PredatOBR I'm rebarreling, with a barrel that had no sighs of neglect in anyway.

Barrels are only as good as the steel thier made of, and the issue the OP is having is a perfect example of that. For years Frank wouldn't make 18" Krieger barrels with Rifle Length Gas because 50% of them came back with advanced gas port erosion usually in less than 100rds.

 

[River44]

FWIW, my CLE upper has a 20" SS barrel

 

[River44]

This thread was meant to bring attention to Compass Lakes dedication to theirs customers, not be some bitch fest about what they should have done or not done. If you feel the need to post that type of comment, start your own thread and cry in there.

 

[HerCoStarNTheBeaverPictur]

I placed an order for a krieger from CLE recently. Should I call and try to switch to a bart?

 

[FredHammer]

This thread was meant to bring attention to Compass Lakes dedication to theirs customers, not be some bitch fest about what they should have done or not done. If you feel the need to post that type of comment, start your own thread and cry in there.

Good luck keeping all the replies on an open forum exactly how you would like to see them.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

So when an individual building with a barrel I see there could be bad batches of barrels, but bro had the upper built by Compass Lake. Compass Lake test fire should have identified this Krieger barrel problem, not the customer. Compass Lake looks like a fucking clown show in my opinion. I'd certainly hope they would make right what was negligence on their part to protect their reputation.

You do realize that it would cost more money if they accuracy texted each upper since that’s time and ammo and would extend the lead times, right? Then everybody would bitch because they cost $300 more.

How they do it is standard practice and reasonable.

If you want an upper that comes with a trinket test target go pay GAP or whoever $3K to build you an upper and you’ll get one.

The fact that they gave this guy absolutely no grief about replacing $700 barrels more than once is phenomenal. If you had much experience you’d understand that.

 

[FredHammer]

You do realize that it would cost more money if they accuracy texted each upper since that’s time and ammo and would extend the lead times, right? Then everybody would bitch because they cost $300 more.

How they do it is standard practice and reasonable.

If you want an upper that comes with a trinket test target go pay GAP or whoever $3K to build you an upper and you’ll get one.

The fact that they gave this guy absolutely no grief about replacing $700 barrels more than once is phenomenal. If you had much experience you’d understand that.

Oh I needed a good laugh today, you are always dependable for that. Condescension and deprecation full blast! "Please Sir, May I have another!"

All I did was opine on a subject presented by a poster. I didn't personally attack him, nor anybody else here. I gave my opinion about a company's quality control. Just FTR!

 

[Clint H]

I placed an order for a krieger from CLE recently. Should I call and try to switch to a bart?

I'll be able to tell you in a week or two when mine gets here.

Just a heads-up up, if you do, their Bartlein wait list is much longer than Krieger, and from what they told me, Bartlein deliveries aren't as consistent. Kriegers show up every month, but Bartlein ships whenever they get the inventory, so it's much less predictable.

That's why I went with a Krieger blank in the first place. Trying to avoid a 9mo wait.

I'm reasonably convinced you and I still have a high probability of getting a good Krieger. But they do have occasional QC issues that Bartlein appears to manage better.

 

[striped1]

While I am glad the OP is satisfied, to me, outstanding customer service is defined as me never having to speak to customer service because the item bought performs as advertised.

I feel like we have all been screwed over so many times that “arrived broken but fixed in a timely manner” is considered a huge win, when it shouldn’t be.

-Stan

Congratulations on having the dumbest take on the internet today. Well done.

 

[FredHammer]

Congratulations on having the dumbest take on the internet today. Well done.

I think you got him beat today, since his post was posted yesterday.