Schuemann Aet Barrel

[lr22]

What can you say about "Schuemann AET barrel"? any experiences?

[Chuck Anderson]

You might want to try a search for this. I know that I've complained to no end about my AET's. Other folks have had great luck with them. Every one that I've seen has keyholed very quickly, from 7-7000 rounds. Near as I can tell they are just very inconsistent. The Ultimatch Schuemann Barrels seem to be very good.

[eric nielsen]

You should have no problem finding one used & for sale with a low round-count on it.

[38superman]

My limited gun came from SVI with a Schuemann AET Ultimatch barrel installed.

I've been shooting it for about a year and have put at least 7000 rounds through it with no problems.

I have a 1911 that has been accurized with a hand fitted Kart match barrel and bushing.

Accuracy from the SVI / Schuemann is comparable.

It routinely shoots 1" to 1 1/2" five shot groups off a sand bag at 25 yds.

I liked it well enough to specify a Schuemann "classic" when I had my gunsmith re-barrel my Para LDA.

Tls

[lr22]

Hi there and many thanks for your replies. the reason behind why i ask for your experiences re:Schuemann AET Barrel is because i heard some negative comments from several practical shooters "the keyhole problem". any idea why some AET barrel are having this kind of problem? are there other shooters having keyhole on their AET? thanks

[38superman]

I'm no expert but I believe keyhole problems are generally the result of long heavy bullets

fired in barrels that don't have enough rate of twist to stabilize the bullet.

I'm sure you could go to Schuemann's web site and get info on twist rates and bullets weights that are recommended.

If I was having such a problem with a barrel I already had, I think I would try a hotter load (higher velocity), or a lighter bullet.

If that did not solve the problem then I would get in touch with Schuemann and see what solutions they might suggest.

If you are contemplating ordering a new barrel discuss different twist rates that are available and go with something on the fast side if you expect to use heavy bullets.

Tls

Edited November 20, 2005 by tlshores

[Carl Provan]

I had in a Para one of the AET barrels and I really like it. I did find that I needed to increase the powder charge slightly. The AET that I had did not like some of the plated bullets, it would key hole. Jacketed was no problem. The complant of bullets key holing I have found that not all barrels like all bullets. I have a 9mm with standard cut rifling that will not shoot plated bullets and hit the same target twice. Put jacketed ammo in it and the center of the target is cut out with no problems.

My Para in 40 was a tack drive with the AET. Unbelieveable accuracy.

Edited November 21, 2005 by Tactical 1

[Chuck Anderson]

I doubt the problem with AET bbls is heavy bullets. I always used 180 gr in my 40 and 115 in my open gun. The problems that I saw occurred with plated and jacketed bullets (Montana Gold and Zero). When I asked Wil about it he first told me that I was using moly coated bullets and that would abrade the barrel(!?!?!?!). When I finally convinced him that I was not (and that was a process in and of itself), he told me that I was using improperly sized bullets. He said that AET barrels only work with bullets of a certain size and I must be using slightly undersized bullets. I had a rather hard time believing that Zero, Montana Gold and Factory Winchester white box were all "out of spec" as Wil said. I asked what bullets I should use for "best results". This is the good part. He didn't know. How do you make a barrel and not know at least one load that will shoot well out of it? My best guess is that he may have two different dimension specs for the barrel. One for without the coating and one with and the barrels are getting mixed up. Who knows. I've seen two gold barrels with atrocious accuracy and two silver with horrible accuracy. But if anyone is intersted I have a tribrid 38 super and a bushing 40 bbl I'll sell really cheap.

[lr22]

thanks a lot for sharing your experiences re:schuemann AET barrel. Because of this kind of healthy discussion, you are helping us weigh and decide which one to get. many thanks and hope you will continue to lend a helping hand to a newbie like me...

[ahtsay]

I know this is an old topic, but I'm contemplating of getting an AET barrel and need more information. Any developments after almost a year or is it still the same? Any advice from shooters who have one? What are my alternatives? Thanks so much!!

[Jaxshooter]

I have AET barrels in my Limited and Open guns. I only shoot jacketed bullets in both guns and both are extremely accurate. I did try plated bullets in the Limited gun and had the keyhole problem. If you are going to use jacketed bullets I don't think you will have a problem.

I do know that Wil's .355 Open barrels are much more accurate using a .356 bullet.

[smokshwn]

I have an AET in my open gun and it will easily hold 1.5" groups at 25 yds with all of the loads I have developed. (3 different bullets and at least 4 powders) A buddy has a twin to my gun (same smith/setup) with the exception of a KKM barrel and it performs the same way. The Bar Sto in my SVI limited gun seems to shoot lights out as well.

My point is simply that although I think the scheumann aet is a good barrel, there are plenty of equally appealing options for barrels if you have any reservations.

Good luck, Craig

[L9X25]

A buddy received his new SVI .40 and it keyholed from the first shot and he was bummed to say the least. We learned that his bullets were jacketed "practice bullets" and measured .398-.399. He purchased some .400 jacketed bullets and it shot one hole groups. It has now been 3 years and the gun still shoots one hole with 1st quality ammo.

I have (2) .38 Super barrels and one .45 that are the most accurate that I have.

I am aware of a few AET's that have not liked plated or undersized ammo but I have yet to find one that did not shoot well with 1st quality ammo.

If you intend to save money using plated ammo, get a conventional Schuemann barrel. If you want the best acuracy available using the best ammo get the AET.

[ahtsay]

I live in the Philippines and the ammo that I use is lead that is coated with "teflon". I'm not sure if this is comparable to plated ammo. Jacketed ammo is a bit more expensive so I think maybe an ultimach barrel would be better? i am an accuracy freak and I would love the extra accuracy of the AET. BTW, how do you get your barrels from Wil? I havent emailed him yet. Any other merchants that carry them? THanks!

[L9X25]

The majority of my barrels came in SV pistols but Wil will sell directly too. If you intend to shoot Teflon you might be better off with the Ultimatch barrels as they are not as particular about the bullets that they shoot well.

Read about the twist rates and decide if you need a 1:32 barrel or a 1:16. AET barrels are 1:24

I live in the Philippines and the ammo that I use is lead that is coated with "teflon". I'm not sure if this is comparable to plated ammo. Jacketed ammo is a bit more expensive so I think maybe an ultimach barrel would be better? i am an accuracy freak and I would love the extra accuracy of the AET. BTW, how do you get your barrels from Wil? I havent emailed him yet. Any other merchants that carry them? THanks!

[ahtsay]

Thanks so much L9X25, I will do just that!

[D_4_Ever]

Hello Folks, I wanted to add my .02 $ on the AET barrel. I have one of the Ultimatch variety in .40. As others who have these will know, the chamber itself has internal fluting which is supposed to grip the shell casing during powder ignition/expansion and thereby improve accuracy. When you observe your spent shell casings you see ridges in the casing wall exterior as a result.

Well, recently I was inspecting a batch of reloads & found a couple of reloaded shell casings had cracks (and one casing had a full split) along the side of one ridge.

Observed cracking or splitting of shell casings may not be a fault of the internal chamber fluting, obviously, but it made me wonder if the brass gets thinned out along the peripheral edges of these ridges.

For this reason, I tend to reload the .40 brass 1 or 2 times at most now, then discard it. Where before I'd go 4 or 5 reloads before discard.

If you scratch for brass on your range and see these ridges in the casing walls, I would not suggest using them, esp. if .38 Super.

As for accuracy. AET has been awesome. Mine's still grouping sub 1.5" @ 50yrd after 4,000 rounds. MG 180 JHP/N320 out to 1.119" OAL. Only wish I could drive the thing well enough to make use of such...

Cheers.

[dirtypool40]

Adding my .02

I'm one of multitudes who ask why Schueman won't build a barrel that's less finicky in addition to the monopoly he already has on being the most expensive.

Several good gunsmiths I have talked to like the consistency of Schueman's dimensions. Yes, it is sexy, fluted chamber and all.

Yes, it shoots accurately with bullets it likes, without, as mentioned, regard to what you like or can afford.

Most shooters are tired of chasing ever higher bullet prices in order to find something an AET will tolerate. Likewise I have found the ridges left by the chamber fluting to make resizing a little more challenging, but not the end of the world.

Lastly as to plated bullets, I can blame them as well. When the makers get lazy and let specs slip to the low side (.400"-.398 for .40 S&W for instance) they end up with a bullet that gets them loads of free anti-publicity and key holes from about half the barrels tested.

With properly sized plated bullets (.402-.403" like regular cast) my AET will shoot solid groups. I have not had it out to 50y, but then I can't hold a 1.5" group out there anyway. I can shoot head shots out to 35 or 40y when I do my part and skip the caffine.

So, in summary, I'd challenge Schueman AND the bullet platers to get things tightened up.

[Anthony Lombardo]

The AET is the most accurate barrel I have used with factory ammo/quality bullets in 9mm, 9x23 and Super.

It is unforgiving with cheap lead or cheap plated bullets.

So, if you shoot 1st quality jacketed exclusively, GO FOR IT.

Otherwise, try a Bar-Sto, Storm lake, Kart or Schuemann classic. Or whatever else.

[Mick]

SV just rebuilt one of my older guns with an AET left hand gain twist coated barrel. I had used 14# springs until now. It has a 12.5# now and I may go to an 11# spring when it breaks in. The target from the factory shows the barrel easily fired one hole groups from the fixture with Federal factory 180 .40 ammo! I'm impressed!

A27257

[Coolduckboy]

Anybody have problems shooting Precision Delta's .38 bullets through an AET barrel?

[Dale Fusco]

I got my new SVI sighttracker AET .40 last week, shot abot 50 plated bullets through it at 15m and couldnt get any better than a 4'' group. I switched over to cmj winchester 180g head reloads and shot a couple of 1'' groups. My AET sighttracker likes good bullets not plated. Dale

[hanexp]

Anybody have problems shooting Precision Delta's .38 bullets through an AET barrel?

I have had no accuracy issues shooting a couple thousand PD 124g JHP through my AET barrel.

[gmg]

OK, I just bought a 5" sight tracker that has a Schuemann Ultimatch barrel in it. After reading this I am now wondering about my barrel. Is the barrel I have a good barrel or a so-so barrel.

[trickpony]

OK, I just bought a 5" sight tracker that has a Schuemann Ultimatch barrel in it. After reading this I am now wondering about my barrel. Is the barrel I have a good barrel or a so-so barrel.

Schuemann Ultimatch barrels are amazing... I've got one in my Limited gun with over 100k rounds of 180 MGB's and Zero bullets through it and it's still more accurate than I am.