HS Precision / Proof Steel contoured barrel blanks? (maybe button vs cut?)

[sndmn11]

I'd like to rebarrel the Vanguards we have in the house with as thin of a profile as will get me .662 minimum at the muzzle for a 24" and 20" finished barrel length. The brakes for these rifles are 9/16. I have no desire for a carbon wrapped barrel.

My priorities are longevity, profile, and cost; I assume any would shoot to my standards.

I have some preferred barrels on a tikka and they are fine. I seem to read conflicting opinions on button vs cut rifling, but if I don't find anything compelling against button, I will probably choose preferred because it is the cheapest.

I am attracted to HS Precision and Proof steel blanks because they seem to be single-point cut and made in-house. Proof's medium shorter will work for the 20" barrel and HS Precision's light porter would work for either. They also have easy to use websites.


So, I am looking for feedback on either whether good or bad. I am also open to factual info you have on cut rifling vs button.

I am open to other manufacturer's but I don't want to have to track down the right blank from a wholesaler and would rather order direct. I have looked through all the wholesalers I am aware of and only see fatter profiles than I would like.

 

[MichaelC]

The main difference between cut and button rifled barrels is longevity. Cut just last longer. Neither is necessarily more accurate than the other. Ask yourself how many rounds do you shoot a year. Find out the typical round count on whatever cartridges you’re shooting, and decide if paying for chambers/threading more frequently matters. If you’re likely to stick with those cartridges for more than the next barrels then I’d definitely get cut rifled barrels. No reason not to for a couple hundred more. Also, you can buy blanks from all the makers and have a local smith chamber your rifles. Some of the ready to go internet guys are charging a ton of money for a 250 dollar job. You pay the same to thread/chamber install a barrel no matter if it’s a 200 dollar blank, a 400 dollar blank or a 700 dollar blank.

 

[hereinaz]

The difference is minimal for most purposes, which is why there is debate. Shillen has been making precision button barrels for years. I've never really noticed a big difference between the two. I shoot a lot, but not enough to know.

Seems like the most hardcore only choose cut and "the best" leans that way, but the difference is gonna be indistinguishable to the vast majority. Go cut if you don't want to have any doubt itching your brain.

I just got my first prefit barrel from Preferred for my ARC Nucleus, and it has shot amazing for me in the first 40 rounds with a load for another rifle. I am going to use them when I rebarrel my Howa.