Who's had a bad custom barrel?

[Sled]

I'm not talking about the chamber but the actual barrel. Have you had issues with the rifling or anything else past the throat?

The reason I ask is I've had strange pressure issues with low velocities and the chamber checks out. Head space looks good, no oils left on brass or in chamber, brass has been swapped, factory rounds result in bolts that need a hammer to extract. I've checked several other ideas too but the last variable is the barrel itself. So, anyone have similar experiences?

 

[83cj-7]

I haven’t experienced any because my gunsmith told me which ones to shy away from. That said, by chance I do own one of the barrels he warned me about and it shoots good. (Douglas)

A friend had a Hawk Hill that simply was a dud. He had it re-chambered three times by two very reputable gunsmiths and it still was extremely inconsistent.

Another friend just received a Carbon 6 custom .20 cal barrel that was .080 out of concentric.

happens!

 

[83cj-7]

OP, take a tight fitting patch on a jag and slowly push it down the barrel and feel for spots that are tighter or looser than others. It’s amazing how you can feel the bad spots in some barrels.

 

[Lawnboi]

I got a dud, my first custom barrel. The smith rebarreled it, and it’s okay now. Just wouldn’t use that smith again based on that experience.

If the barrel is fairly fresh I would give it a few rounds but if your past break in and it’s doing it I wouldn’t waste anymore components on it.

I’d contact whoever did the chamber job and ask how to proceed politely.

 

[RS3579]

I currently have a MGM barrel that needed returned before I could even shoot it. The scope mounting screws were off center the entire width of the screw, and the forend screws were off as well. Original order was 7/26/22. I’m trying to remain optimistic.

 

[gbflyer]

It can happen. Return it to the barrel manufacturer. They will have the proper inspection equipment and the knowledge to know what they are looking at. I’ve never heard of any of them not standing behind their products.

 

[Sled]

It can happen. Return it to the barrel manufacturer. They will have the proper inspection equipment and the knowledge to know what they are looking at. I’ve never heard of any of them not standing behind their products.

The barrel is a Xcaliber blank that Crown Ridge chambered. I sent it back and for some reason he rechambered it to 6.8western. He says we talked about it but there was no such conversation. Either way, he stated the bore was not tight and he wasn't willing to take it back because it had been fired. I've put a lot of time into this barrel and do not trust it. I guess my choice is to eat the cost or send it to another smith who has the tools to see what is wrong with it. The problem is that it's been rechambered.

Any thoughts? Am I out of line to expect crown ridge to take this thing back?

 

[gbflyer]

Did you send the smith the blank or did the smith get it for you? How did the smith determine the problem? Push a reamer pilot through it end to end?

Either way if the bore diameter is wide I’m sure X-Cal will stand behind it. I’ve dealt with them from just about the time they started. Never a problem. I think Dustin is who you want to talk to.

 

[Sled]

Did you send the smith the blank or did the smith get it for you? How did the smith determine the problem? Push a reamer pilot through it end to end?

Either way if the bore diameter is wide I’m sure X-Cal will stand behind it. I’ve dealt with them from just about the time they started. Never a problem. I think Dustin is who you want to talk to.

Anthony at crown ridge has the blanks in stock and sells it with his brand on it. He pulled or pushed something through it and said it was tight but within spec. He originally said he'd take care of the issue but now says he can't send it back to xcaliber and won't refund but will give me half off a new barrel. At this point I'm not interested in taking another chance with inexpensive barrels. All I've done so far by sending it back was allow him to change the mis marked 260wsm to whatever 6.8western he rechambered it to.

Is Dustin from Xcaliber?

 

[gbflyer]

Anthony at crown ridge has the blanks in stock and sells it with his brand on it. He pulled or pushed something through it and said it was tight but within spec. He originally said he'd take care of the issue but now says he can't send it back to xcaliber and won't refund but will give me half off a new barrel. At this point I'm not interested in taking another chance with inexpensive barrels. All I've done so far by sending it back was allow him to change the mis marked 260wsm to whatever 6.8western he rechambered it to.

Is Dustin from Xcaliber?

Yes


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[wind gypsy]

Are you saying a guy chambered your barrel in a cartridge you didn’t ask him to and the best he’ll do is give you half off another one?

 

[wind gypsy]

I currently have a MGM barrel that needed returned before I could even shoot it. The scope mounting screws were off center the entire width of the screw, and the forend screws were off as well. Original order was 7/26/22. I’m trying to remain optimistic.

Same company as preferred barrel blanks.

 

[RS3579]

Same company as preferred barrel blanks.

I eventually got the barrel. It does shoot very very accurately. I’d buy another even tho the purchase/shipping wasn’t as I expected.

 

[Sled]

Are you saying a guy chambered your barrel in a cartridge you didn’t ask him to and the best he’ll do is give you half off another one?

I received the barrel as a 270wsm and engraved 260wsm. It took a couple months to get it out and when I did it shot high pressures with starting loads and down right dangerous with factory loads. I talked with Anthony then and told him I'd chamber cast it and keep working on it but that proved futile. After many months I contacted him again reiterated the low fps and high pressure issues and he said it likely had a tight bore and he'd swap it out. I did inquire about switching calibers to 6.5 which seemed like it would work since he had several blanks in 6.5. The only time the 6.8western came up was when he talked about his personal hunting rifles. So, I sent the barrel back with the requested note to remind him of what was going on. After ten days I called him and he said it was mailing out today. He stated nothing was wrong with it but he rechambered it to 6.8 western like we talked about. I reminded him I have no interest in that cartridge and he searched for the note in the box. Upon finding it he said he can't give me another barrel because this one is fine. After some back and forth I said to hang on to it, look it over some more and we could discuss options. I asked about setting it back and going to 270wsm again but the shank may be too short. That was before Christmas and so far I haven't heard from him.

I don't trust this barrel. It is heavily coppered all the way through from less than 40 rounds. The coppering seems to bear more on half the grooves than the others.

I could talk to Dustin and have the barrel sent to him for further inspection but in reality I should have sent it to a 3rd party to inspect before crown ridge barrel works started arbitrarily rechambering it.

 

[HandgunHTR]

So it was engraved "260WSM"? Did anyone check to see if it was a .264 bore? That would explain why it had high pressures with .277" bullets.

 

[kswaterfowl]

So it was engraved "260WSM"? Did anyone check to see if it was a .264 bore? That would explain why it had high pressures with .277" bullets.

You would hope the guy who chambered the barrel would check that. But I was wondering the same thing.

 

[Sled]

So it was engraved "260WSM"? Did anyone check to see if it was a .264 bore? That would explain why it had high pressures with .277" bullets.

It is 277. Not sure how it got labeled as 260 but it was.

 

[MidGAHunter]

So the guy chambered it in 270 WSM but erroneously marked it 260 WSM. Then when there were obvious problems with pressure he (Crown Ridge Barrel Works) rechambered to a cartridge you did not want AND is refusing to make it right? That's some hot garbage right there. I'd contact the barrel manufacturer and simply discuss the whole situation with them and see if there is anything they can do.

 

[gbflyer]

So the guy chambered it in 270 WSM but erroneously marked it 260 WSM. Then when there were obvious problems with pressure he (Crown Ridge Barrel Works) rechambered to a cartridge you did not want AND is refusing to make it right? That's some hot garbage right there. I'd contact the barrel manufacturer and simply discuss the whole situation with them and see if there is anything they can do.

This^^^^


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