Are the Colt HBar's Adequate for Tactical

[wsimpso1]

Hi Folks,

Are the Colt HBAR barrels adequate for Tactical Class Rifle? There seem to be quite a few of them available, and I wondered if I should bother with one. All of my three-gun shooting has been at 100 m and less, but now there are other shoots - Plates at 200m and 300m require a bit in terms of accuracy.

Yeah, the irons can (and do) produce little groups with a six minute black that we have in NRA High Power, but plates and USPSA paper do tend to disappear into the background when the glasses are set up to give focus on the front sight.

I looked, and did searches because I figure that this question has to have been asked before, and could find nothing... I appreciate the help. How good are the Colt barrels?

Billski (a converted High Power shooter)

[kellyn]

Colt barrels = good!

I had an upper built with a Colt barrel that Derrick Martin picked up off his floor with no idea how long it had been there or how many rounds it had fired through it. It shot 1 MOA 5 shot groups out to 400. Every Colt barrel I've ever had shot good (not JP GOOD but good enough good). They're certainly accurate enough for 3 Gun although some (not me) may think they are too heavy.

[ErikW]

Mine was pretty good. I think there's a mish-mash of chromed bores and chromed chambers out there and I don't know how to identify them.

[rhino]

My game gun for Tactical Division (and formerly Open) is a Colt Match Target Competition HBAR II. It's the best shooting centerfire rifle I have.

[John Dunn]

My Colt barrels will do around 1 MOA with South African Ball and XM193, better with handloads/match ammo.

[rtr]

I have a Colt HBAR that I've turned into a 3-gun rifle. Put a JP tube and brake on it, took some metal off the barrel, for the $1200 or so I have into it it's great.

[Mickster]

I've used my 20" Colt Competition H-Bar for over a year in 3-gun competitions and still do on occasion. In fact, I shot my first NC Tac match with it. However, with a CQT on the flattop it weighed in pretty hefty. Too hefty for a tall, skinny guy like me to be tossing around and running up and down gullies with.

I like rtr's idea to take some of the metal off the barrel. Maybe like the original Gov't profile transition barrel of the mid 80's.

Accuracy was sub moa with all but the crapiest surplus ammo, and even with the crappy stuff it was pretty good.

[George]

I have an outadabox stock Colt HBAR from 1987 and it has always been a 1 MOA (or less) gun with most ammo. 10k+ through it and it still holds under a MOA with the SMK77 on Varget.

Colt HBAR barrels are good stuff IMO.

BTW, mines a 1:7 and it shoots 55's through 80's great. Doesn't like 45grainers though

--

Regards,

Edited January 27, 2005 by George

[benny hill]

Stay away from the 1-7 twists . The 1-9's shoot good.

[EricW]

HBar barrels are totally worthless. No one should buy them.

E

(who would like to keep the performance of the factory Colt barrels a secret, lest they become expensive)

[rhino]

Stay away from the 1-7 twists . The 1-9's shoot good.

What's wrong with the 1-7?

[wsimpso1]

Eric, your comment nearly made me spew beer... very funny.

Thanks for the feedback

Maybe I should buy two.

Billski

[Bronco]

I've got three 1 in 7 twist barrels 1 Colt, 1 Bushmaster, and an FN. All shoot less than 1 moa and my varmint rig with the FN shoots 50 gr. V max into dime size groups @ 100 yds.. The colt has more than 7 K on it. Needless to say I like these barrels and have 2 new ones in reserve.

[George]

What's wrong with the 1-7?

Nothing that I am aware of, but the 1:9 may still be a better choice (marginally) for 3gun because you can push light stuff faster without overstabilizing it. This basically means that some zippy 55gr ball may shoot worse in it compared to a 1:9.

--

Regards,