Posted: 2/5/2016 11:14:42 PM EDT
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How much better are custom barrels than original equipment Ruger Precision Rifle barrels?
Will they take a rifle from 1moa to 1/2 moa? Or more difference than that? Trying to see if it is worth The $600-$800 price |
| All of my aftermarket barrels are accurate, clean up easy, doesn't foul as bad as factory and gives a lot better velocity over a factory barrel. I dare say they are a tad bit more accurate but I can't prove it. I will say they are more consistent, especially as they heat up. Yup...worth it to me! |
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Aftermarket barrels are for the most part substantially better than factory barrels. I don't have an RPR myself, so I can't comment there, but I've never seen a factory barrel that came anywhere close to an aftermarket, and I've never been terribly impressed with Ruger barrels.
Most factory barrels will shoot a few loads very well, but others not so great. Aftermarket will shoot everything pretty well, but will shoot some lights out. They also clean up much easier, and are all stress relieved, so heat doesn't have near the same impact. Once you've had a few rifles with true custom barrels, even the nicest factory rifles just seem "meh". Edit: Yes, they will take a rifle from 1MOA to 1/2 or even 1/4MOA. Cut rifled aftermarket > Button Rifled. |
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Aftermarket barrels are for the most part substantially better than factory barrels. I don't have an RPR myself, so I can't comment there, but I've never seen a factory barrel that came anywhere close to an aftermarket. Most factory barrels will shoot a few loads very well, but others not so great. Aftermarket will shoot everything pretty well, but will shoot some lights out. They also clean up much easier, and are all stress relieved, so heat doesn't have near the same impact. Once you've had a few rifles with true custom barrels, even the nicest factory rifles just seem "meh". Edit: Yes, they will take a rifle from 1MOA to 1/2 or even 1/4MOA. Cut rifled aftermarket > Button Rifled. Who makes the best custom barrels? Any maker to stay away from? |
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Who makes the best custom barrels? Any maker to stay away from? Quoted:
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Aftermarket barrels are for the most part substantially better than factory barrels. I don't have an RPR myself, so I can't comment there, but I've never seen a factory barrel that came anywhere close to an aftermarket. Most factory barrels will shoot a few loads very well, but others not so great. Aftermarket will shoot everything pretty well, but will shoot some lights out. They also clean up much easier, and are all stress relieved, so heat doesn't have near the same impact. Once you've had a few rifles with true custom barrels, even the nicest factory rifles just seem "meh". Edit: Yes, they will take a rifle from 1MOA to 1/2 or even 1/4MOA. Cut rifled aftermarket > Button Rifled. Who makes the best custom barrels? Any maker to stay away from? Everyone has an opinion on custom barrels, but I'll give you mine. Bartlein Kreiger Rock Creek Brux Hart Shilen All of those are pretty darn good barrels, but if wait time wasn't a factor I'd take a Bartlein or Kreiger every time.To me, it's more about cut rifling vs button; some of the makers I list at the bottom of the list are button only, but still make good barrels. Edit: I wouldn't really say stay away from any aftermarket barrel maker, but I would say that lower cost barrels such as E.R. Shaw, or Green Mountain aren't near in the same league as I mentioned above. Barrels are one thing where you really get what you pay/wait for. |
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I figured I would also add that you'll find a lot of vendors that use blanks from some popular barrel makers; this is quite common in the AR world, and I suspect it's the same for the RPR.
For instance, Ranier Arms will use a Shilen blank to make their Ultra Match AR barrels. While these barrels are great, they may not be as good as a true in-house Shilen "select match" that's been chambered , contoured, crowned, and fitted to the barrel extension at Shilen in Ennis, TX. Either way, any aftermarket is going to out shoot your factory barrel; it may take a different load, but it will shoot better. |
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I figured I would also add that you'll find a lot of vendors that use blanks from some popular barrel makers; this is quite common in the AR world, and I suspect it's the same for the RPR. For instance, Ranier Arms will use a Shilen blank to make their Ultra Match AR barrels. While these barrels are great, they may not be as good as a true in-house Shilen "select match" that's been chambered , contoured, crowned, and fitted to the barrel extension at Shilen in Ennis, TX. Either way, any aftermarket is going to out shoot your factory barrel; it may take a different load, but it will shoot better. I have to agree with this. There is a huge difference in price between a Shilen from Shilen vs the Rainier. The Shilen's price is more in line with the cost of custom barrels. I used to think the same thing as you with the cut vs button rifling. However the performance of my most recent button rifled Spencer barrel has me reconsidering. |
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Who makes the best custom barrels? Any maker to stay away from? Quoted:
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Aftermarket barrels are for the most part substantially better than factory barrels. I don't have an RPR myself, so I can't comment there, but I've never seen a factory barrel that came anywhere close to an aftermarket. Most factory barrels will shoot a few loads very well, but others not so great. Aftermarket will shoot everything pretty well, but will shoot some lights out. They also clean up much easier, and are all stress relieved, so heat doesn't have near the same impact. Once you've had a few rifles with true custom barrels, even the nicest factory rifles just seem "meh". Edit: Yes, they will take a rifle from 1MOA to 1/2 or even 1/4MOA. Cut rifled aftermarket > Button Rifled. Who makes the best custom barrels? Any maker to stay away from? Truth is, when you get into higher end barrels there won't be much noticeable difference on paper. Do you hand load? |
| I will throw in my two cents and a thumbs up for Rock Creek. My 700 has a Rock Creek 5R with the M24 profile. Easily shoots 1/4 minute groups with FGMM 175 gr. or 168 gr. It has a twist rate of 1 in 11.25. There are many good barrel makers out there and I agree that there is NO factory barrel that can come close to a precision barrel from one of the popular companies out there. Oh yeah, almost forgot, my AR also has a Rock Creek barrel I got from Rainier 1 in 8 twist 5R. Great shooter sub 1/2 MOA. |
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Truth is, when you get into higher end barrels there won't be much noticeable difference on paper. Do you hand load? Quoted:
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Aftermarket barrels are for the most part substantially better than factory barrels. I don't have an RPR myself, so I can't comment there, but I've never seen a factory barrel that came anywhere close to an aftermarket. Most factory barrels will shoot a few loads very well, but others not so great. Aftermarket will shoot everything pretty well, but will shoot some lights out. They also clean up much easier, and are all stress relieved, so heat doesn't have near the same impact. Once you've had a few rifles with true custom barrels, even the nicest factory rifles just seem "meh". Edit: Yes, they will take a rifle from 1MOA to 1/2 or even 1/4MOA. Cut rifled aftermarket > Button Rifled. Who makes the best custom barrels? Any maker to stay away from? Truth is, when you get into higher end barrels there won't be much noticeable difference on paper. Do you hand load? Yes I hand load but have only been doing that for a year. I have a RockCrusher single stage and a Hornady LnL AP Progressive. I will use the single stage for precision rifle lads. Use the progressive for pistol and AR loads |
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LRI makes offers prechambered and ready to install barrels for the RPR as well as some other useful accessories.
Link |
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How much better are custom barrels than original equipment Ruger Precision Rifle barrels? Will they take a rifle from 1moa to 1/2 moa? Or more difference than that? Trying to see if it is worth The $600-$800 price My $0.02:: A custom barrel is absolutely the right thing to do after you shoot out your current barrel. By normal estimates, you have 3,000-6,000 rounds left. |
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My $0.02:: A custom barrel is absolutely the right thing to do after you shoot out your current barrel. By normal estimates, you have 3,000-6,000 rounds left. Quoted:
Quoted:
How much better are custom barrels than original equipment Ruger Precision Rifle barrels? Will they take a rifle from 1moa to 1/2 moa? Or more difference than that? Trying to see if it is worth The $600-$800 price My $0.02:: A custom barrel is absolutely the right thing to do after you shoot out your current barrel. By normal estimates, you have 3,000-6,000 rounds left. Agree. learn with the tools on hand. |
I went ahead and bought a custom barrel for my RPR with only about 300 rounds down it. This is my third bolt gun and all have been factory guns. With my factory RPR a have been getting consistant .5 to .66 MOA at 100 yards and it always seems to be that flyer or that one that got away. I always see people with custom barrels just bug holing their targets and wanted to give it a shot. Now if there is still that flyer or that one that got away, i think i narrowed down the source to the issue, i guess me 
Chad |