Barrel Poll

[Paul Janzso]

I had a Krieger stuck on my Barnard last year before the S.A. Queens and I won it, and all OPM's I went to last year as well. This year with the same barrel I won the Vic lead up and the grand agg so Kriegers must be good.
"Time's a wasted wot's not spent shootin Krieger barrels".
Paul

[Lynn Otto]

Just as an afterthought, I know that you can get a "bad" barrel but realistically how bad or good a barrel is often depends on how much effort you put into developing a load that suits that particular barrel. We all know that a load that works well in one barrel may not work in the next one, like us they are all individuals, they can have personality quirks.

[AlanF]

Paul,

You may be wondering what brand of barrel ended your great run of wins - it wasn't another Krieger....

[Paul Janzso]

OK Alan , what brand of barrel was it?

Cheers
Paul

PS My great run has not ended, I'm just letting other shooters take home some prizes.
I'll be back to Vic next year.

[AlanF]

OK Alan , what brand of barrel was it?

Cheers
Paul

PS My great run has not ended, I'm just letting other shooters take home some prizes.
I'll be back to Vic next year.

There were two Broughtons involved in your annihilation (by 1 point). A borrowed 6 Dasher at 300, and otherwise my 6.5-284. However I didn't vote for Broughton or Krieger in the poll - that information will not be revealed.

Alan

PS : its safe for you to come to Warracknabeal next month - my son's 21st means me and Broughty won't make it .

[IanP]

In order to judge one barrel manufacturer's product better than another we need to know and judge barrel manufacturing parameters. I am not an expert in barrel making or even fully aware of what barrel parameters should be used to judge one better than the other.

Be rest assured that there are people who know what parameters should be checked for dimensional accuracy and consistency but not too many have contributed to this thread. Barrel making is a science and engineering parameters can be tested, its not black magic and it can be quantified as to who makes the most perfect barrels.

Which barrel maker provides the most uniform and controlled bore geometry, size and surface finish. Not to forget straightness, cylindricity, and roundness. Which barrel maker has consistent taper, bow, barrel shape, fewest tight spots and other geometric errors?

We are kidding ourselves by voting in a poll based on our opinion and limited experience in barrel use and testing. A large sample from each manufacturer of their barrels would need to be tested. Testing would need to be of same calibre, twist, length etc.

This poll is just for fun and a chance to express our opinions unless of course some of you have some hard data taken from barrels accurately measured and tested using specialist instruments and compared against each listed manufacturer's product in the poll.

Its an interesting topic and if someone could prove that one manufacturer had a significant advantage over another it would make our choice so much easier.

Here's some interesting reading on barrels and barrel making.

http://www.lasc.us/RangingShotBarrelMakingFeature.htm
http://firearmsid.com/Feature%20Article ... acture.htm
http://www.sunnen.com/graphics/assets/d ... 8bbe67.pdf
http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/Barrel_Ma ... wp3379.htm
http://www.truefliteriflebarrels.co.nz/13544/index.html
http://www.riflebarrels.com/articles/ba ... barrel.htm
http://www.tsengineering.com.au/index.php?page_id=34

Ian

[Paul Janzso]

See Alan, it took 3 different barrels to beat my Krieger by 1 point.

By the way Alan, I did some load testing at 100 meters with my 30 Boo Boo and 190gn VLD Bergers, Krieger barrel of course. and my best group measured, outside to outside, .478 - .308 = .170 . No crony tests as yet.
Bring on the Queens.

Cheers
Paul

[AlanF]

See Alan, it took 3 different barrels to beat my Krieger by 1 point.

By the way Alan, I did some load testing at 100 meters with my 30 Boo Boo and 190gn VLD Bergers, Krieger barrel of course. and my best group measured, outside to outside, .478 - .308 = .170 . No crony tests as yet.
Bring on the Queens.

Cheers
Paul

Starting the psychological warfare already? Actually I could yet make the SA Queens on the way back from WA. Does anyone know if there is Next G coverage across the Nullabor? I want to check the leadup scores as I drive across, so that if Pestbird looks unbeatable, I can slow down and not make the Queens .

[Paul Janzso]

Yeah Alan there is Next G and H across the Nullabore.
You will have to stop anyway as I have your trypod etc.

Cheers
Paul

[RDavies]

Didnt you hear, the 2010 S.A Queens was won by a Broughton. Ooops, you werent supposed to find out for a few more months

I will never have another Kreiger or Maddco on principal after the way they treated me after my last dealings with them. All makers can make the occaisional not so good barrel, but its how they treat you when you bring it to their attention that matters. I have had my best and not so good barrels from Broughton and Lilja, but Broughton was very quick to sort the problem out. I have only had 2 Liljas, both good.
From now on, it will be strictly Lilja and Broughton (or Bartlein if the others dont have the twist or whatever I,m after)for me.

[AlanF]

Didnt you hear, the 2010 S.A Queens was won by a Maddco. Ooops, you werent supposed to find out for a few more months

I like that prediction. BTW are you going to be there too?

Alan

[johnk]

Didnt you hear, the 2010 S.A Queens was won by a Maddco.

Bloody 2009 one should have been too!

[GM]

Except for the Bartlein(never had one) I have owned 3 or more barrels(whoops only two Broughtons) of each type and have had a dud in each except maddco.I have used a lot and everyone was above average.Yet the very best barrel I have had is a lilja followed by a tobler.
Trick is not to waste that super barrel when you get it as they take a while to find another one.

[bobped]

S.A. 2009 Queens F Standard was won by an Archer. So was QRA, NRAA, ACT, TAS 2010 and Mackay 2010.
Why should a Maddco have won SA in 2009?



P.S. I think on more than one of the above occasions the Archer barrel also outscored F Open in some of those Queens. Plus I know a Target Rifle Shooter who has now won 22 ?? Queens Prizes. Over the last 18 months or more he/she has also been using an Archer Barrel.

[AlanF]

S.A. 2009 was won by an Archer. So was QRA, NRAA, ACT, TAS 2010 and Mackay 2010.
Why should a Maddco have won SA?

Bob,

I think Rod was doing some time travelling.

The telling word in your statement is "an Archer".

I think the best we can hope for with any brand of barrel is a low failure rate. I've only had 9 barrels in total, but 4 of them (all Kriegers) were bought in matched pairs and chambered with the same reamer for the same action. With the first pair one barrel was definitely better than the other, and the other pair comprised the best and worst barrels I've had. I'm convinced that luck plays a big part.

Alan