which barrel again

[want to be]

I know that a few would wish this type of question would go away. But I need some advice. I have an origin action and a TT diamond trigger, now I need the barrel. the build will be 223 rem, just for groups on paper and bragging rights among friends and family. I would like to stay light weight under 14#. But I do not wish to give up accuracy for less weight. I don't want to get get a POI shift with a string of 10 -12 rounds from heat. I will be shooting suppressed 99% of the time so I think that anything over 24" may be getting a little long, but again I do want to keep my accuracy. At this time all of my range time will be under 500 yds. I will be using Sierra HPBT 69 up to 80gn Also still up in the air over pre-fit and shoulder pre-fit also steel and CF. also very important is in-stock anywhere. And mussel thread must be 1/2x28. I will not say the price is not a concern, but we all know how the market is today. I know that there are a lot of different opinions out there and I would like to hear them. I hope that I have given the details needed to get an answer.

 

[rustyinbend]

McGowen has an awesome "Build It Yourself" web site, and if you get stumped and need a recommendation, they're super responsive on the phone. Bought a semi-custom pre-fit for my MPA 300 Win Mag and it's beautiful.

McGowen Precision Home - McGowen Precision Barrels

McGowen Precision Barrels Accuracy Got You Over A Barrel? We'll Straighten Things Out! Using state of the art equipment, and finely honed manufacturing techniques, McGowen Precision Barrels aims to make the highest quality barrels on the market. The manufacturing process continues to undergo...

mcgowenbarrel.com

 

[OH58DViper]

I always tell people to go with prefits instead of having one cut and waiting forever. I have had great luck with ALL of my prefits. I almost always use proof prefits, if you’re able to purchase off of expericity it makes it a lot easier on the wallet. I only have barrels cut when I want something not offered in a Prefit, like the 6.5 SAUM 20” carbon proof that Dallas Lane is about to cut for me. As far as length, proof only does prefits in steel @ 26” I believe and 20” in carbon for 223. Straight jacket will cut one as a Prefit to your specs as will others, that just takes a long time generally. TS customs has always been a quicker turn around than most for me. Good luck on your search.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

Crown Ridge Barrel Works | Colville | 99114

www.crownridgebarrelworks.com

 

[Rob01]

24" should be fine and also for contour you could go med palma to keep the weight down some. I have used med palma on a .308, 6.5 Creed and 6 Creed and no drift in 10+ round strings in matches so with a .223 you should be fine. A 7 twist will work with the bullets you want to shoot.

With an Origin there is no reason not to get a shouldered prefit and not have to mess with a nut.

@bohem Josh at PVA can make up either Rock Creek or Osprey prefits. He does real good work.

Prefit Barrels using Rock Creek blanks

patriotvalleyarms.com

 

[John Glidewell]

Crown Ridge Barrel Works | Colville | 99114

www.crownridgebarrelworks.com

Anthony is great to work with. He does all my barrel work.

 

[Pappasniper]

Tagged to learn. I own a Rem700 5R that I shoot to 1,000 yards weekly. Bedded the stock, Timney Trigger and bottom metal. Half inch gun I mean the gun is a laser and I have enjoyed it so much that it made me want a true custom 223 bolt.

When they say PRE FIT, what does that mean. All my builds I bought a blank and my Riflesmith did all the work. ie is the chamber already reamed and barrel threaded etc?

PB

 

[KnowNothing256]

+

Tagged to learn. I own a Rem700 5R that I shoot to 1,000 yards weekly. Bedded the stock, Timney Trigger and bottom metal. Half inch gun I mean the gun is a laser and I have enjoyed it so much that it made me want a true custom 223 bolt.

When they say PRE FIT, what does that mean. All my builds I bought a blank and my Riflesmith did all the work. ie is the chamber already reamed and barrel threaded etc?

PB

that’s exactly what it means, yep. A shouldered prefit means you just torque the barrel on and go shoot. Most of us believe that you should still check headspace with Go/No-Go gauges in case something went wrong, especially the first time you screw it on, but the point of a prefit is that the shooter need only screw it on, no machining required whatsoever.

A barrel nut system is slightly more complicated but attempts to achieve the same goal, minimal tools and no machining for the end user.

 

[Packfan]

I am currently putting together a similar .223, less the suppressor.

Northland Shooting Supply had the Origin action in stock, but barrel availability was also a factor for me. I couldn't find a Bartlein or Krieger in stock, so I went with a Rock Creek, cut rifled, 7 twist, 26 inch barrel, in Remington Varmint contour from Bugholes. To also save time, Keystone Accuracy is doing the shouldering and chambering in .223 Wylde. I just got the tracking info from Keystone today, so its on its way!

I have an MPA Hybrid Chassis and Triggertech Special waiting for it. Can't wait to put it all together and see how it shoots!

 

[Wannashootit]

so I think that anything over 24" may be getting a little long, but again I do want to keep my accuracy.

Worth pointing out to you that barrel length has zero influence/bearing on accuracy- only velocity.
Get the heaviest contour barrel that will meet your weight requirements to be able to shoot extended strings, at the length needed to obtain desired velocities.

My son's 20" AR is a tack driver at 600 with 69's- so 24" is certainly enough for 69's and should be fine with 80's.

 

[bohem]

Tagged to learn. I own a Rem700 5R that I shoot to 1,000 yards weekly. Bedded the stock, Timney Trigger and bottom metal. Half inch gun I mean the gun is a laser and I have enjoyed it so much that it made me want a true custom 223 bolt.

When they say PRE FIT, what does that mean. All my builds I bought a blank and my Riflesmith did all the work. ie is the chamber already reamed and barrel threaded etc?

PB

That's exactly what it means, your understanding is correct.

When I make Origin barrels we take an uncontoured blank and we contour it, then cut the tenon, chamber and muzzle threads. It's inspected with gauges before leaving the machine and checked against the master print book. Dimensions for the exact barrel are noted on the production tag, the barrel goes into polish, then laser and serialization.

Unlike many prefit companies we laser engrave a serial number on every single barrel. Today's serial numbers are 22011xx since it's 2022, 11th day of the year, and xx barrel of the day.

This is tracked in a system that has the dimensions recorded in it. All of it is done for quality assurance and liability tracking. I'd like to think that we're producing the highest quality prefits available. Our return rate is well under 1% for quality problems.

 

[Mech Eng]

That's exactly what it means, your understanding is correct.

When I make Origin barrels we take an uncontoured blank and we contour it, then cut the tenon, chamber and muzzle threads. It's inspected with gauges before leaving the machine and checked against the master print book. Dimensions for the exact barrel are noted on the production tag, the barrel goes into polish, then laser and serialization.

Unlike many prefit companies we laser engrave a serial number on every single barrel. Today's serial numbers are 22011xx since it's 2022, 11th day of the year, and xx barrel of the day.

This is tracked in a system that has the dimensions recorded in it. All of it is done for quality assurance and liability tracking. I'd like to think that we're producing the highest quality prefits available. Our return rate is well under 1% for quality problems.

A return rate less then 1% is pretty impressive.

 

[max1840]

That's exactly what it means, your understanding is correct.

When I make Origin barrels we take an uncontoured blank and we contour it, then cut the tenon, chamber and muzzle threads. It's inspected with gauges before leaving the machine and checked against the master print book. Dimensions for the exact barrel are noted on the production tag, the barrel goes into polish, then laser and serialization.

Unlike many prefit companies we laser engrave a serial number on every single barrel. Today's serial numbers are 22011xx since it's 2022, 11th day of the year, and xx barrel of the day.

This is tracked in a system that has the dimensions recorded in it. All of it is done for quality assurance and liability tracking. I'd like to think that we're producing the highest quality prefits available. Our return rate is well under 1% for quality problems.

It would be nice if that dimensional record could be accessed by the barrel purchaser based on serial number or registered user account order record. hint hint

 

[MakeSawdust]

24" should be fine and also for contour you could go med palma to keep the weight down some. I have used med palma on a .308, 6.5 Creed and 6 Creed and no drift in 10+ round strings in matches so with a .223 you should be fine. A 7 twist will work with the bullets you want to shoot.

With an Origin there is no reason not to get a shouldered prefit and not have to mess with a nut.

@bohem Josh at PVA can make up either Rock Creek or Osprey prefits. He does real good work.

Prefit Barrels using Rock Creek blanks

patriotvalleyarms.com

I agree. I competed with Savage Varmint contours for 3 years with 243AI. I had no problems placing well with it once I learned how to shoot. I even managed to win a border wars match with it. A medium palma is very similar and will be just fine.

If I was working with an Origin and wasn't trying to pinch pennies, a shouldered prefit is the direction I would head. In smaller calibers you can use the HLR Lug which will allow you to use TL3 barrels as well and maybe open up some more options of finding something in stock.

 

[bohem]

It would be nice if that dimensional record could be accessed by the barrel purchaser based on serial number or registered user account order record. hint hint

Hard no. It serves absolutely no benefit to the end user because the mating receiver will dictate the headspace. It does the end user no good to know what the barrel is without having a similar level of tracking on the receiver. I've talked to a number of manufacturers and nobody making receivers is tracking the dimensions that closely in a permanent record that they will give customers access to if they're even doing it at all.

Dimensions of chambers are not stored in the system.

Caliber
Contour
Finish Length
Barrel blank make
Muzzle thread
Tenon pattern
Headspace dimensions

I also talked to our underwriter about this 4 years ago when I started serializing barrels. It is also not accessible for edits within the company or for reference outside the company because it serves as a record of "as shipped" data for liability reasons. The insurance carrier was adamant that we put a system in place that works this way and they don't like the idea of letting anyone have access to the dimensions.

I agree. I competed with Savage Varmint contours for 3 years with 243AI. I had no problems placing well with it once I learned how to shoot. I even managed to win a border wars match with it. A medium palma is very similar and will be just fine.

If I was working with an Origin and wasn't trying to pinch pennies, a shouldered prefit is the direction I would head. In smaller calibers you can use the HLR Lug which will allow you to use TL3 barrels as well and maybe open up some more options of finding something in stock.

We are discussing common calibers with common aftermarket actions being in stock on Osprey blanks with a couple of parts retailers going forward. This will allow us to spend time more efficiently making the production quantities for common things and the one-off custom orders will come down in lead time overall.

If you'd like to help along this endeavor, discuss it with your favorite parts supplier.

A return rate less then 1% is pretty impressive.

Thank you.

 

[want to be]

Has anyone tried the X-caliber #20 sendero contour barrel from CRBW

 

[John Glidewell]

Has anyone tried the X-caliber #20 sendero contour barrel from CRBW

Yes, shot great.

 

[want to be]

Gwain, What caliber and what action? The price is very nice and the turnaround time when ordering sounds great.

 

[John Glidewell]

2 Savage, Origin and TL3. 6GT, 6 Creed, 6.5 Creed and 6.5 PRC.

 

[RFutch]

+1 for PVA barrels. I have two of their barrels and they shoot lights out.

 

[Mech Eng]

I'm thinking of going with PVA for my first custom barrel because I have heard nothing but good things. What I should have bought one from the barrel clean up sale.

 

[Codiekfx400]

I suggest going with 5/8-24 muzzle threads. The 1/2/28 leaves very little meat at the end of the barrel.

 

[moosemeat]

1/2-28 still leaves almost 1/8" radially for wall thickness. I agree that 5/8-24 is better, but MOST ar15s are 1/2 and they seem to do fine.
I will also say that my service rifle barrel is 5/8-24 to avoid any issue with 1/2-28 causing bell mouth at the muzzle and lose in accuracy.

 

[Rob01]

I go 5/8-24 on my bolt guns more for versatility in being able to move brakes or a suppressor around. No reason not to go that size if you have the barrel contour. 1/2-28 will work fine but then it has to have its own muzzle devices.

 

[want to be]

All of my suppressers for my 223 are 1/2x28 and would hate to go through the process of changing.