My Seekins Barrel Shit the bed! Re-barrel Recommendations please.

[Saf3sh00t3r]

Anyway, I went through about 4300 rounds and my barrel has finally been shot out. Seekins barrels man, it shot great and went south from one day to the next.

Anyway am not going to chase the lands or anything like that.

I don't want to replace my own barrel, too busy at the moment.

Am looking for recommendations for smiths, I reached out to Jeff Hayes at Riverbend and will also contact Gap just to give you an idea.

If you can please mention customer service, timeline to deliver and cost that would great.

Any help would be appreciated...I don't want to do the work myself.

 

[bigjake83]

Call up Compass Lake, Frank and the guys can get you a custom Bartlein made for you in less than 30 days, and at $500 with a JP barrel exstenion

Or You Could Just Slip In a JP Barrel With Bolt.

Do you have a friend that can rebarrel your SP10?? It sucks to pay people to do work that just about anyone can do.

 

[bigjake83]

Jeff is definitely a top choice, but I really feel like the top barrels makers are just charging to much for the work they do. If you're paying $600 for a plain barrel Your paying to much, and If you add Fluting, Paint, treads..you can get up to $800 quickly.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

You really don't have 30 minutes to change a barrel? You'll spend more time reading this thread and driving to a smith than that.

 

[Saf3sh00t3r]

You really don't have 30 minutes to change a barrel? You'll spend more time reading this thread and driving to a smith than that.

I guess you're both right. I have all the tools, go/no go guages. Maybe am being a bit whiny about making time.

Thanks!

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I guess you're both right. I have all the tools, go/no go guages. Maybe am being a bit whiny about making time.

Thanks!

Well you're no fun to argue with...

What are the details of the smoked barrel? Particularly the chambering, 4300 rounds could be excellent life in one caliber and terrible in others.

 

[bigjake83]

Well you're no fun to argue with...

What are the details of the smoked barrel? Particularly the chambering, 4300 rounds could be excellent life in one caliber and terrible in others.

He's shooting the 6.5CM

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Got it. I was going to be concerned if he said he killed a 223 barrel in 4.3k.

 

[Saf3sh00t3r]

Got it. I was going to be concerned if he said he killed a 223 barrel in 4.3k.

I shot that gun in matches, it's a 6.5cm, hard and fast as well as 100% suppressed. Glen uses rockcreek button rifled.

He sells those barrels for $480 or so, so I may go that route since he offers a lifetime warranty on stuff.

Thanks again!

 

[JS624]

Eric Lee at Sgt of arms in Texas uses tbox barrels.
he guarantees sub 1/2 moa accuracy out of his rifles. You may contact him. Or at least look him up on Facebook etc

 

[308pirate]

Got it. I was going to be concerned if he said he killed a 223 barrel in 4.3k.

Depending on the application, 4300 rounds IS a dead 223 barrel. Shooting big steel plates, should be fine. Trying to hold X ring at 600, probably not.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

If the original barrel in 6.5cm lasted 4300 rounds then there’s no reason I’d replace it with anything other than another Seekins barrel. That’s excellent barrel life for a Creedmoor and I know that those rifles shoot phenomenal.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

308pirate What size is the NRA HP x ring at 600?

 

[JMcBurn]

308pirate What size is the NRA HP x ring at 600?

6"

https://rulebooks.nra.org/documents/pdf/compete/RuleBooks/HPR/hpr-book.pdf

 

[djarecke]

You get the barrel, and I’ll put it on for you. CLE barrel and bolt. Those guys are fantastic!

 

[308pirate]

If the original barrel in 6.5cm lasted 4300 rounds then there’s no reason I’d replace it with anything other than another Seekins barrel. That’s excellent barrel life for a Creedmoor and I know that those rifles shoot phenomenal.

Agreed

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Agreed

As great as the Seekins group is I'd bet they'd even screw it on and verify headspace if the upper was sent back. Would certainly be worth the call and you still keep the warranty to boot.

 

[RTH1800]

Depending on the application, 4300 rounds IS a dead 223 barrel. Shooting big steel plates, should be fine. Trying to hold X ring at 600, probably not.

This^^^^^^^^

 

[Birddog6424]

Got it. I was going to be concerned if he said he killed a 223 barrel in 4.3k.

I've killed a couple barrels with less rounds than that.

3 Gun is hard on barrels. Especially the SS barrels that have the best accuracy.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I've killed a couple barrels with less rounds than that.

3 Gun is hard on barrels. Especially the SS barrels that have the best accuracy.

That would bum me out. My Stretch16 is still holding MOA tested out to 400 yards after somewhere around 9k through it, the majority of those rounds shot on hoser stages.

 

[Birddog6424]

That would bum me out. My Stretch16 is still holding MOA tested out to 400 yards after somewhere around 9k through it, the majority of those rounds shot on hoser stages.

That's certainly more like it should be. I'm running a pair of Odin Works 18" 3 Gun profile barrels now. They used McGowan blanks for these. Both have over 7k and they're still going. 55gr FMJ's are a little loosy goosy, but 75gr BTHPs are still getting around .7

 

[TonyTheTiger]

That's certainly more like it should be. I'm running a pair of Odin Works 18" 3 Gun profile barrels now. They used McGowan blanks for these. Both have over 7k and they're still going. 55gr FMJ's are a little loosy goosy, but 75gr BTHPs are still getting around .7

Sounds identical to my situation. The Stretch is also a McGowen blank.

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

Any of yall 3 gunners tried running a match grade chrome moly barrel(AFAIK 4150, which Rock Creek for example offers, will handle heat better than SS) to see if you could stretch the barrel life some? Also, Ive read in particular Criterion's chrome lined tubes are hand lapped & solid sub MOA - 1 MOA performers... anybody tried a higher end CL barrel for 3 gun? Considering the volume/round count, I'd think chrome lined barrels would be more popular for 3g rifles.

As far as OP's question.. like the others said, why not just go with another Seekins/Rock Creek button rifled barrel? If it performed that well for you, just get another.. Seekins has a awesome reputation.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Any of yall 3 gunners tried running a match grade chrome moly barrel(AFAIK 4150, which Rock Creek for example offers, will handle heat better than SS) to see if you could stretch the barrel life some? Also, Ive read in particular Criterion's chrome lined tubes are hand lapped & solid sub MOA - 1 MOA performers... anybody tried a higher end CL barrel for 3 gun? Considering the volume/round count, I'd think chrome lined barrels would be more popular for 3g rifles.

As far as OP's question.. like the others said, why not just go with another Seekins/Rock Creek button rifled barrel? If it performed that well for you, just get another.. Seekins has a awesome reputation.

I can't speak to longevity but I've got a BCM 16" lightweight barrel that will consistently put 5 rounds through a little ragged hole every time I'm confirming zero. Shoots better than most of the SS match grade AR barrels I've had.

 

[BCP]

Any of yall 3 gunners tried running a match grade chrome moly barrel(AFAIK 4150, which Rock Creek for example offers, will handle heat better than SS) to see if you could stretch the barrel life some? Also, Ive read in particular Criterion's chrome lined tubes are hand lapped & solid sub MOA - 1 MOA performers... anybody tried a higher end CL barrel for 3 gun? Considering the volume/round count, I'd think chrome lined barrels would be more popular for 3g rifles.

As far as OP's question.. like the others said, why not just go with another Seekins/Rock Creek button rifled barrel? If it performed that well for you, just get another.. Seekins has a awesome reputation.

Why not a nitrided chromoly barrel for a 223 3GUN AR? Those barrels are all over the place, affordable, etc etc.

BTW I had a chrome lined criterion 223 barrel and it wasn't that great. Maybe I got a lemon, YMMV.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Any of yall 3 gunners tried running a match grade chrome moly barrel(AFAIK 4150, which Rock Creek for example offers, will handle heat better than SS) to see if you could stretch the barrel life some? Also, Ive read in particular Criterion's chrome lined tubes are hand lapped & solid sub MOA - 1 MOA performers... anybody tried a higher end CL barrel for 3 gun? Considering the volume/round count, I'd think chrome lined barrels would be more popular for 3g rifles.

Actually I frequently shoot with two of Criterions sponsored shooters, they don't seem to have any accuracy issues with their CL barrels. I'll probably ask them about longevity when the season starts back up.

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

Actually I frequently shoot with two of Criterions sponsored shooters, they don't seem to have any accuracy issues with their CL barrels. I'll probably ask them about longevity when the season starts back up.

Very cool! Would love to hear the details on their rifle setups if you know. Thank you sir.

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

Why not a nitrided chromoly barrel for a 223 3GUN AR? Those barrels are all over the place, affordable, etc etc.

Essentially what I meant.. highly doubt anyones gonna run a chrome moly barrel in the white. Personally though I'd shoot for a little bit more on the higher end of the quality spectrum than the real cheap budget/bargain nitride barrels out there. Ie if it could be found, a button rifled chrome moly Rock Creek, or Criterion's nitrided chrome moly offerings..etc..

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Very cool! Would love to hear the details on their rifle setups if you know. Thank you sir.

They're also ADM shooters, so they have whatever ADM gives them for the season. They don't seem to be hardcore gamer rifles but they get the job done.

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

They're also ADM shooters, so they have whatever ADM gives them for the season. They don't seem to be hardcore gamer rifles but they get the job done.

Have you noticed any particular trends in how well a given barrel shoots when hot? Ie button rifled barrels have bigger POI shift when hot vs cut rifled, etc..? Heavy vs light..??

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Have you noticed any particular trends in how well a given barrel shoots when hot? Ie button rifled barrels have bigger POI shift when hot vs cut rifled, etc..? Heavy vs light..??

I've never done any testing regarding the way the rifling was made. All my hot barrel group shooting has favored the heavier barrels in my stable, but they just happen to be more expensive than the lighter ones so I wouldn't put all my money on barrel contour as the deciding factor. I've also witnessed that ugly ass JP contour shoot great when hot so who knows.
As far as spotting trends in barrel performance while watching others shoot at matches, it's not possible, even among shooters of known skill.

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

Thanks for responding sir.

 

[Birddog6424]

I've ran three different chrome/moly barrels in 3 gun. Two of them were ok, the third was more along the lines of military standards. 2 moa was as good as it got.

Two of them were Daniel Defense barrels, cold hammer forged 1/7" twist, and they both hated 55gr FMJs. I had to shoot my 75gr bullets to get anything even decently close to accuracy. One was the standard M4 profile, the other was the Lite profile, it definitely had POI shift as it heated up. Not bad, but it showed up at longer range targets.

The 3rd barrel was a BCM. Good barrel, but still not as accurate as a good SS barrel on average.

Button vs cut-rifled is a tough call. I actually spoke to Glen about this at a 3 gun match a couple years ago. His thoughts were that button rifled barrels were just as accurate as cut-rifled barrels. But you get more consistency from cut-rifling. As in you may get 50 great barrels from button rifling, and then one that doesn't group as well, versus a higher percentage of barrels with great accuracy from cut-rifling.

 

[FALex]

I just dropped in to say how impressive it is that you got 4300 rounds out of your barrel. Gives me some hope