Rating Barrels

[Marc Adamchek]

Hello, builders - As I explained in another post here, I am NOT a builder. But I do have a question for all of YOU builders.

How would you rate the barrels that are available to use in a gun you're building? Forget about cost or anything like that. Just quality, accuracy, you know, all the impossible things like "shootability".

I hadn't thought of this until now, but if you could have one list for rifled and one for smooth that would be interesting.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

If cost is no issue then I would go this way:

Getz
Rice
Longhammock
Rayl
Colerain
Green Mountain

Any and all of these barrels could be changed up and placed anyplace on the list for my purposes.

They are all exceptional makers putting out a superior product.

I can afford Colerain and am completely satisfied with them.

 

[Roy]

How about I will put them in the order that I use them..

Flintlock Const. Inc. (Charles Burton)
Rayl
Rice
Colerain

I would probably use Getz if I had better luck getting them earlier on.

I typically like to use custom barrels first if when its my choice.

 

[longrifle78]

I dont think you can buy a better barrel than a rice.Thats not to say the others dont make a good barrel.

 

[varsity07840]

In 1972 I built a CVA Kentucky Rifle kit, .45 cal perc. I think
it cost me $49.95. To this day I believe the barrel on that rifle was the most accurate I've ever owned.

Duane

 

[Keb]

This is a curious topic. I am wondering just what makes a barrel by one manufacturer better than another. Isn't it all subjective? We all have our "favorite" parts suppliers that all pretty much make gun pieces of equivalent quality. Looks like some people will use a big name product no matter of the quality and some are just cost conscious.
As for me, I will use any of them barrels that have been named. I've used Getz, Paris, Colerain, Green Mountain, Rayl, Gustomsky, Green River and some other unknown barrels with pretty much the same success.

Availability and price are the keys to me.

 

[ApprenticeBuilder]

And on that note,

When I find myself able to shoot better than the barrels that I am currently using I'm gonna change makers. :haha: Like thats gonna happen.

 

[roundball]

Not a builder either, but as a pretty heavy user who is also particular about quality, I have the following and they're all outstanding, better than my capabilities as a shooter.

GM .40cal rifled
GM .50cal rifled
Rice .54cal smoothbore
Rice .58cal rifled
Rice .62cal smoothbore

The two GMs were on rifles that were already built
I selected the 3 Rice barrels for my new builds based on recommendations.
Have never found fault with any of the five so far.

 

[jdkerstetter]

Isn't it all subjective?.....Availability and price are the keys to me.

Well put Keb. Any of the named suppliers makes a good product....availability, on the other hand, varies. Some hardly produce or have stopped producing barrels. Some have extensive back logs. Each does runs of barrels in their availible sizes so may not have what you want when you call.

Some use leaded steel, great to machine but some guys won't use it as it is not rated as gun barrel quality. Some use gun barrel quality rated steel and they are no fun to draw file.

Some don't do custom dimensions and some will make what ever you want/need.

It's all going to come down to what you want or need for the project you are working on and how soon do you need it....oh, and how much you are willing to pay, of course! :wink:

Best advice? Know what you want and plan ahead.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[reddog]

In 1972 I built a CVA Kentucky Rifle kit, .45 cal perc. I think
it cost me $49.95. To this day I believe the barrel on that rifle was the most accurate I've ever owned.

Duane

Because it was Douglas.

 

[rabjr]

Of the brands I've owned, I would place the first 3 at the top with Colerain a close second.

Flintlock Const. Inc.
Rayl
Rice
Colerain

 

[jerrywh]

In my opinion Rice and Getz are about equal. I go with the one I can get the fastest. That is usually Rice.

 

Keb, yer showing yer age, Don Getz, bought the old Paris company quite a while back, and he's retired, and son John is running the business, so they're few, and far between. I like Rice, Rayl Colrain, Getz if you can find one. Haven't tried a Charley Burton. I like longer barrels, and that limits Rice a bit, as the longest they make is 46" Am taking a 49 1/2" .58 Rayl to Dixon's to have Dave Keck inlet.

Bill

 

[varsity07840]

In 1972 I built a CVA Kentucky Rifle kit, .45 cal perc. I think
it cost me $49.95. To this day I believe the barrel on that rifle was the most accurate I've ever owned.

Duane

Because it was Douglas.

I honestly don't think it was a Douglas. Back then the CVA stuff was from Spain.

Duane

 

[jdkerstetter]

The Spanish CVA barrels have a good reputation for accuracy but since they are not available as components they are not really germain to the conversation at hand.

Even if you pick up one from ebay or somewhere none are really long enough or set up for longrifle work, especially if you have to cut them down to rebreech them.

If you are going to build using quality U.S. built components for everything else you would be much better served buying an American barrel appropriately shaped and with the right twist for whatever project you are working on.

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[Bruce Bogart]

I've used Colerain, Rice, Rayl, Montana, and have a Getz or two to use in the future. They all shoot better that I can hold them.I've not used Mr Burtons barrels yet but.....who knows what the future holds. :idunno:

 

[sutherland]

I'm building a rifle with a Long Hammock .50 barrel and am extremely impressed with the quality of the bore and rifling. It's very smooth with NO machine marks. The exterior is very well machined as well.

 

[lonecamp]

Just finishing a full stock Hawken and used an Douglas xx hope it wasent a mistake, barrel was old new stock found at Dixons gun fair.

 

[rich pierce]

A Douglas barrel is not a mistake. Folks have been rating barrels currently being made. If we want to go back in time, some will also tout Bill Large barrels, Green River Rifle Works (unrelated to Green Mountain), Sharon barrels, and many others.

 

[B.Habermehl]

In the past 22 years of building and shooting guns 90 percent of my guns have Getz barrels. Most of the rest were Green Mountain, and some others. All would out shoot me. The only barrel I ever sent back as unacceptable was a Colerain. It had bore problems. Colerain also does not breech their barrels the way I was taught. I allways wind up rebreeching them. This makes them the bottom of the list for me. BJH