08-04-2014, 01:00 PM
I've had great barrels from Satern, Keriger, Douglass, PacNor, Wilson, Bartelin, Schnieder, Shilen, McGowen, Les Baer and Lilja. I've only had two bad barrels, an AA overwatch I bought as a complete upper from AA which I believe had a Shaw barrel, and a Lothar Walther I ordered as a custom barrel. I believe all manufacturers build great barrels and all have lemons, I'm sure the two bad ones I have owned were lemons built by manufacturers that also build great barrels.
I typically go through 2-3 barrels a year on competition rifles. I've now pretty much settled on using only Kreiger barrels. They have been consistently the best in my opinion and maintain their accuracy over a much longer life span than the button rifled barrels, but the button rifled barrels are cheaper and can be just as accurate. The cost per shot works out to be about the same, so I just stick with the Kreiger and change less often. I have my own reamers and a smith that knows what he is doing, I buy the blank and have my smith profile, cut the gas ports and instal the extension if it's going on an AR, and chamber the barrel for me.
I typically go through 2-3 barrels a year on competition rifles. I've now pretty much settled on using only Kreiger barrels. They have been consistently the best in my opinion and maintain their accuracy over a much longer life span than the button rifled barrels, but the button rifled barrels are cheaper and can be just as accurate. The cost per shot works out to be about the same, so I just stick with the Kreiger and change less often. I have my own reamers and a smith that knows what he is doing, I buy the blank and have my smith profile, cut the gas ports and instal the extension if it's going on an AR, and chamber the barrel for me.