It might be worth asking Allan Swan if he's interested in doing a 20cal as he stops at .22LR at the moment but does have a note on website about .17cal "coming soon". Otherwise I was looking at a cut-rifled Krieger for my 5mm-SMc/Krico 600 single-shot project.
He only does button-rifled Cr-Mo at the moment, but was getting some stock bar in 416R to trial last I spoke with them...apparently my suggestion at using my 17-4ph was a spectacular failure
I can see he is also able to do +28" to 34" on special order now too.
I have a 20cal 12 twist Maddco...it is very smooth and cleans up easy...they only make 20cals in 12s so unless you have to have a 12 that not the barrel for you...I have 3 different 12 twist barrels and never had a roblem shooting 40g projectiles.
Maddco are my current go to barrel. Nev hasnt sold me a dud one yet. Im planning on 3 more later in the year. The only negative they have is I think they are softer than some US barrels. Easy to chamber and work on but in prolonged string fire in f class, they will wear quicker than other brands. 1000 rounds then rechamber then another 1000 then anything else is a bonus is how I look at them. For varmint barrels there would be no issue.
Krieger are harder barrels and many rave about them, but Ive never had one that is an absolute ripper. One has been average, another good, the next a total dud and then one that started really well but then has sort of fallen back to just good. My latest varmint barrel is a krieger as well and it shoots just how it needs to, no better, no worse. Dont think I will be buying anymore at the price they are now.
Lilja only had one and it was good but wore away quick too.
Truflite had 2, one was rather average for f class the other good for varmints
Lothar Walther that one was a good varmint barrel
TSE I have is a fireforming barrel for dasher cases. I heard from someone that they got a really tight 6mm one from them and it agrees with my barrel too. Most of barrels I can fireform dasher with 30gr 2208 and a 107 pill fine- this TSE craters primers badly when I use that charge. I go back to 28-29gr and its a bit safer. Accuracy wise its rather deadly with 87gr vmax but I just cant crank them out without getting pressure problems.
Next time I get a chance I might try a bartlein for f class.
If you are selling 500 barrels to midway, walmart... and they are local and then you are selling a couple to some bloke in australia who is to far to send it back, where are you going to send your shit 1?
Sure Maddco makes good barrels, just don't buy one for LR BR. The last 2 I have seen were .299 or smaller, which works fine with 155gr bullets, but stick a 187 or a 210 in it, and it isn't so good. And yes, before you ask, dimensioned with authentic Deltronic pins, so was an accurate measurement.
Seems he has bought a 'tight' button, to provide barrels to F class, but they just won't handle bigger, long bearing surface pills.
On the other hand, he makes as good a 6mm barrel as anyone on earth I think.
Brad Y wrote:
TSE I have is a fireforming barrel for dasher cases. I heard from someone that they got a really tight 6mm one from them and it agrees with my barrel too. Most of barrels I can fireform dasher with 30gr 2208 and a 107 pill fine- this TSE craters primers badly when I use that charge. I go back to 28-29gr and its a bit safer. Accuracy wise its rather deadly with 87gr vmax but I just cant crank them out without getting pressure problems.
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That's intersting could explain an issue I had with cratering primers on some factory loads
Brad Y mentioned that Lilja barrels were a bit soft in his experience, well to back that up a bit,
Col Crittendon who did the 'smithing on my .308 NM said that it (my Lilja) was soft and cut / chamber reamed very very easily.
Sure Maddco makes good barrels, just don't buy one for LR BR. The last 2 I have seen were .299 or smaller, which works fine with 155gr bullets, but stick a 187 or a 210 in it, and it isn't so good. And yes, before you ask, dimensioned with authentic Deltronic pins, so was an accurate measurement.
Seems he has bought a 'tight' button, to provide barrels to F class, but they just won't handle bigger, long bearing surface pills.
On the other hand, he makes as good a 6mm barrel as anyone on earth I think.
Jeff
Jeff- I know someone who used to dominate with maddco 308 barrels in f class. Then they decided to follow the current trend and move to kriegers. Still shoots well but doesnt get the wins he used to. With 155's those maddcos used to crank. I look forward to the 6mm's- two will be in my next order, plus a 7mm to go with the current 7mm I have. I expect all to be fantastic.
Mick- they say barrels are consumables in my sport. I tried to nurse a barrel once and ended up over cleaning it and never getting the most of it. That lilja got plenty of use dont worry about that and it was fairly overbore in 22BRX. 55gr bullets at 3800fps (hot) and 69gr at 3400 shot very well in it.
Brad, I shoot TR so agree with you about "consumables" being barrels.
My Lilja is 27.5" so plenty of meat to re crown and/or chamber and still have a 26" tube.
I am kinda expecting that to be needed at about 1000 rounds - but will have to wait and see haha.
I also think in f class shooting if electronic targets are used, barrels will last less than TR shooting. The speed at which we shoot has really increased and barrels get hot quick. You boys on the elbows are good to your barrels as they dont get abused as bad.
I had a MAB put on a Sako .17 Rem approx. 15 years ago - Have never had any problems & still shooting bug holes . I had a TSE in 17 Fireball put on a CZ about 3 weeks ago & it also shoots bug holes. Couldn't fault either of them but the TSE wins out as far as cleaning goes. If there was every a need / opportunity for another barrel it would go TSE.
Maddco are my current go to barrel. Nev hasnt sold me a dud one yet. Im planning on 3 more later in the year. The only negative they have is I think they are softer than some US barrels. Easy to chamber and work on but in prolonged string fire in f class, they will wear quicker than other brands. 1000 rounds then rechamber then another 1000 then anything else is a bonus is how I look at them. For varmint barrels there would be no issue.
Krieger are harder barrels and many rave about them, but Ive never had one that is an absolute ripper. One has been average, another good, the next a total dud and then one that started really well but then has sort of fallen back to just good. My latest varmint barrel is a krieger as well and it shoots just how it needs to, no better, no worse. Dont think I will be buying anymore at the price they are now.
Lilja only had one and it was good but wore away quick too.
Truflite had 2, one was rather average for f class the other good for varmints
Lothar Walther that one was a good varmint barrel
TSE I have is a fireforming barrel for dasher cases. I heard from someone that they got a really tight 6mm one from them and it agrees with my barrel too. Most of barrels I can fireform dasher with 30gr 2208 and a 107 pill fine- this TSE craters primers badly when I use that charge. I go back to 28-29gr and its a bit safer. Accuracy wise its rather deadly with 87gr vmax but I just cant crank them out without getting pressure problems.
Next time I get a chance I might try a bartlein for f class.
I should clarify- basically you will see that any custom barrel maker with a decent rep can make a perfectly good barrel for varmint shooting. I would happily take what ever is available. A mate swears by toblers for hunting/varmint shooting. Maddco, TSE, Tobler.... they will all work.
I guess that just goes to reinforce my point. Maddco make a great F Class style barrel in 308, but the recent ones don't perform for LRBR, the longer bearing surfaces and larger capacity cases don't seem to work with an overly tight barrel. Bear in mind I am only talking 308 here, 6mm barrels are great.
