Author Topic: new barrel suggestions (Read 1045 times)

StormFX · « **on:** October 05, 2005, 09:09:13 PM »

Hi all, I've got a 30.06 I bought used with a very short stainless barrel (18'').
I'd like to swap it out with another but am having probs finding where to buy one. Suggestions please?
A local gunsmith says he can get one but the price seems high. To the tune of $750 installed.
If I could find my own barrel he says it would be much cheeper.
I'm totaly new at this so I guess I'm really not sure what I want.
The action is a S/W 1500, built by Howa.The stock is a Ramline Synthetic.
I was told bench rest specs are best but this is a hunting rifle and will be carried over the shoulder for many miles a season.
If it matters, this is kinda an all in one gun. (Moose, Bear,Elk, Deer.)
Changing calibers is not a prob as long as the action can handle it.
Thx in advance.

bear8mm · « **Reply #1 on:** October 06, 2005, 03:18:44 AM »

Find another gunsmith, that price is way out of line. Google for ER Shaw barrels, they will make you a barrel to your specs for about $125 for chrome moly, slightly higher for stainless. Headspacing and installing the barrel should run pretty close to the same. For that matter, you can send your action to Shaw, and have them headspace and install it, not sure off the top of my head what they charge. Wait one, and I'll get a link to their site.

bear8mm · « **Reply #2 on:** October 06, 2005, 03:27:16 AM »

http://www.ershawbarrels.com/custom.asp

bear8mm · « **Reply #3 on:** October 06, 2005, 03:47:57 AM »

Just looked at their price list, and the prices have gone up slightly. $135 for chrome moly barrel, $150 for 416 stainless. Fitted and installed for $60. I don't know how your rifle shoots now, so action truing may or may not be necessary. Truing bolt face, $25, lapping bolt lugs, $25, truing receiver face, $25. If you went with a stainless barrel, trued everything, and had it installed, it's still less than $300.

StormFX · « **Reply #4 on:** October 06, 2005, 04:26:23 AM »

Bear,
Thank you very much!
Can you or any one else make some suggestions as to what specs I should use? As I said I'm totaly new at this.

Idaho_Hick · « **Reply #5 on:** October 06, 2005, 04:49:22 AM »

You might try gunparts.com as well. I know they had remington and marlin factory barrels for 60-70 dollars. I don't know if they have howa or not, but it would be worth looking into. Then you could simply get an origanal factory barrel in any of the '06 based cartridges and have a smith swap the barrel.

bear8mm · « **Reply #6 on:** October 06, 2005, 07:21:32 AM »

Hey StormFX, that's up to you. Do you want to stay with 30-06, or switch to another caliber? I assume you want a longer barrel, do you want the same contour, or lighter, or heavier? You can also specify twist rate, depending on what weight bullet you use most, go with a slow twist for light bullets, or a faster twist for heavy bullets. For an "all purpose" rifle, it's hard to beat the 30-06 with a 1 in 10" twist, but I would want a minimum 22" or 24" barrel, my personal preference is for a 26". That all depends on how much weight you want to carry around. What range are most of your shots? For longer range shots (250 yards plus), you might be better served with a .270 Win, or .280 Rem.

StormFX · « **Reply #7 on:** October 07, 2005, 09:16:02 AM »

Right now I'm shotting @ 300 yrs max with 150grn nosler ballistic tip hand loads chronyed @ 3000fps. The problem is that with such a short barrel velocity drops so fast.
Yes a longer barrel is definitely the thought.
I believe that it has a fairly heavy contour now, 22 1/2" long and 11/16" @ the end of the barrel with the 3 1/2" mussel brake so as long as its no heavier thats fine.
I figured 24"-26" in a heavy sporter contour barrel in 4140 w/fluting.
This is the only rifle I own and will likely stay that way if my wife has anything to say about it :roll: :cry:

.

Graybeard · « **Reply #8 on:** October 07, 2005, 09:29:58 AM »

The .30-06 certainly doesn't need more than 22" of barrel and I'd not go more than 24" if you are planning on it as a hunting rifle. Just not enough advantage gained for the loss of handiness. I stick with 22" tubes personally.

If you change barrel contours you'll have to change stocks or have it altered to fit. Easier to stay with same barrel contour IF you plan to keep same stock.

WW1 · « **Reply #9 on:** October 07, 2005, 05:53:05 PM »

read an article once a few years ago where they took a rifle chambered for 06 and one chambered for something hotter..then they cut 1 inch off each at a time till they got down to about 16 or 18 inches, not sure which.. needless to say the hot one lost so much it wasnt worth it but the 06 lost something like 40 fps per inch taken off..it was still going well at 18 inches..I have to agree with GB on this as it is a hunting rifle and 22 inches is about right..I dont think the extra 80 or so fps is worth the longer tube when you are packing it all day...now if it is for target shooting then I would go the longer tube...by the way out of all the different cals tested the 06 seemed to suffer less from the short barrels than most of them did..anyway just my thoughts...WW1

wadevb1 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 19, 2005, 05:12:13 AM »

I second Idaho-Hick's opinion. A friend of mine picked up an unfired '06 barrel fom EBAY for $45.00. Had it fitted by a 'smith for not much more. We shot last week and it was a moa shooter with factory loads. Many unfired barrels on EBAY from people buying barreled actions for donars.