Gunsmithing Who has had a barrel that wouldnt shoot?

[Sirshredalot]

As the title suggests, i am curious how many of you have spun on an aftermarket barrel that didnt meet your expectations at the range? Inconsistent, heavy fouler, low velocity, wont group, etc.

Not looking for names, brands, or companies, just experiences.

Please and thank you
Shred

 

[supercorndogs]

I had a Kreiger fitted by LRI that wouldn't shoot. I sent it back to them, they verified I wasn't a fudd, they rebarrled it, and its been sunshine and roses ever since.

I have also have a barrel I thought wouldn't shoot, and it turned out to be bedding problem. Just because its in a chassis doesn't mean all is hunky dory.

 

[phlegm]

Not an aftermarket barrel, but fun story all the same.

While working in a gun shop, a customer brought back his H&R Single Shot in 30-30 that wouldn't group. Looking down the barrel, there was zero rifling. Kinda scary that it got chambered, test fired, and shipped with a smooth bore.

 

[Khavic]

I had a Douglas XX Air Gauged 8tw 6.5 barrel that wouldn't shoot. Ran a boat load of bullet, powder, primer combos. Bedded the action. Switched stocks, scopes, bases, rings, etc... No luck. Looked in it with a bore scope and it looked like dragon skin inside. Chatter and scales from one end to the other. Still have it hanging on the wall in my reloading room.

Since taking it off I have run valve grinding compound, on a tight patch, through it 100 passes and cut it an inch shorter. Going to spin it back on when my 6mm barrel burns out.

 

[Maxduty]

I had a custom .243 barrel chambered and spun on by a well respected gunsmith. It would split the web on cases on the first firing. Another smith took it in and verified a bad chamber. He cut 2" off and rechambered it, making it safe again and shoot well to boot.

 

[Easy_E]

Not an aftermarket barrel, but fun story all the same.

While working in a gun shop, a customer brought back his H&R Single Shot in 30-30 that wouldn't group. Looking down the barrel, there was zero rifling. Kinda scary that it got chambered, test fired, and shipped with a smooth bore.

We had a Henry 17 hmr lever gun new in box come in with no rifling just a nice smooth bore . If it was a 22lr I would have kept it for bird shot .

 

[Nimothy]

I’ve had a 936 ar10 308 barrel that was shit from the factory. I too had to verify I wasn’t a fudd (lol). Ballistic advantage took good care of me (payed shipping both ways and less than 10 days till I had a new one in my hand

 

[47guy]

8 twist 30" criterion 260rem prefit savage PTA action
140b hornady HPBT
140g berger BTT
140g hybrids
130g hybribs
140g SMK
H1000
H4831SC
H4350
RL-19
RL-17
fed 210M
whinchester
CCI BR2
CCI400
lapua brass
started at 30" was cut down 2" at a time to 24" i put 960 rounds through it if i remember right and NEVER shot 1 group under 1" at 100yds

 

[Nimothy]

8 twist 30" criterion 260rem prefit savage PTA action
140b hornady HPBT
140g berger BTT
140g hybrids
130g hybribs
140g SMK
H1000
H4831SC
H4350
RL-19
RL-17
fed 210M
whinchester
CCI BR2
CCI400
lapua brass
started at 30" was cut down 2" at a time to 24" i put 960 rounds through it if i remember right and NEVER shot 1 group under 1" at 100yds

Ouch. I would have given up after th Berger hybrids those and eld’s, if it won’t shoot one of them there is most likely something wrong. You’re a better man than I sir

 

[47guy]

Ouch. I would have given up after th Berger hybrids those and eld’s, if it won’t shoot one of them there is most likely something wrong. You’re a better man than I sir

i had 2 actions at the time and that was back when i really enjoyed reloading and tweaking loads and testing different things...now...ida shot at most 150 rounds and it woulda been a jack handle.

 

[larryh128]

Bought a 338 Lapua on a trade, shot OK but never good, thought I hadn't hit on the right combo. I finally bit the bullet and got a bore scope, it was pretty obvious why it wouldn't shoot. Now I scope 1st, lesson learned. This was a brand that normally shoots very well BUT 1 gets by once in a while.

 

[Huskydriver]

I have had 4 duds...3 from one extremely well thought of barrel maker. 1 from another highly thought of barrel maker.

All of my hammers have been bartlein 5r tubes.
So I'm a bartline customer for life now so shout out
To Mr. @Frank Green and the Bartlein crew...keep the hammers coming!