01-30-2021, 12:17 AM
Before you spend $450-600 on a new barrel, you need to ask/describe what you want the rifle to do.
Also, why not do the howage setup? Makes rebarreling much easier, you can still have them do it, or do it yourself.
But please elaborate on what your goals are for this rig.
What chamber? You're on here so do we assume 6.5 Grendel?
What length, shooting for what purposes, do you handload or just shoot factory... etc, etc.
Are you good enough of a marksman to be able to tell the difference in cut/buttoned.
There are some other players in the howa re-barrel game, have you talked with them too? I like to have 3 "bids" in front of me so as to judge which way to go.
Preferred barrels.
I think Criterion has some too.
Craddock maybe?
Maybe some other mbrs will chime in on options.
Nothing really wrong with McGowen imo, I have had a barrel from them and it shot well.
They are what I would call a good, mid-grade dealer, better than rack grade but not in the league of Lilja, Krieger, etc.
As to cut rifled vs button, if it's in the hands of skilled workers and all else being equal, the cut rifled will typically be better, that's what Krieger and Bartlein and those top-level guys do with their barrels. But button rifling can be very good as well. Depends on the status of the tool and the skill of the barrel-makers.
The best barrel I've got is a lilja. Some of the more serious shooters have bartlein, krieger, etc and they will be better positioned to talk about them.
Also, why not do the howage setup? Makes rebarreling much easier, you can still have them do it, or do it yourself.
But please elaborate on what your goals are for this rig.
What chamber? You're on here so do we assume 6.5 Grendel?
What length, shooting for what purposes, do you handload or just shoot factory... etc, etc.
Are you good enough of a marksman to be able to tell the difference in cut/buttoned.
There are some other players in the howa re-barrel game, have you talked with them too? I like to have 3 "bids" in front of me so as to judge which way to go.
Preferred barrels.
I think Criterion has some too.
Craddock maybe?
Maybe some other mbrs will chime in on options.
Nothing really wrong with McGowen imo, I have had a barrel from them and it shot well.
They are what I would call a good, mid-grade dealer, better than rack grade but not in the league of Lilja, Krieger, etc.
As to cut rifled vs button, if it's in the hands of skilled workers and all else being equal, the cut rifled will typically be better, that's what Krieger and Bartlein and those top-level guys do with their barrels. But button rifling can be very good as well. Depends on the status of the tool and the skill of the barrel-makers.
The best barrel I've got is a lilja. Some of the more serious shooters have bartlein, krieger, etc and they will be better positioned to talk about them.
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