Sgtsvi Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 (edited) I am in the process of having a rifle built for 3gun and have hit a stumbling block. I wanted a wilson 20 SS barrel and Rock River is out of them for an undertermined amount of time. Where else can I get a good SS barrel so I can continue with the build. I am using a DPMS Lo pro upper and DPMS lower with a ACE stock and JP trigger to start with. I will be adding accessories as I experiment and find out what works for me and what does not. I cant wait to break into this new game. Edited March 17, 2006 by sgtglock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted March 17, 2006 Share Posted March 17, 2006 Try White Oak Armament. http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 While we are on barrels, I would like to get a few opinions on this barrel contour. A stainless steel barrel 1X8 or 1X9 turned .750 for the whole length ( 20"). This would match the .750 gas blocks, be very light and yet stiff enough so it won't wander when hot. I can't seem to get any of the manufacturers interested in doing this type of contour, and they all want extra$ to just turn the diameter one time instead of all the extra steps they do now for say a colt type heavy barrel. KURTM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hostetter Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I have been taking .920" dia barrels and turning them down to either .750" or .625". If you want a comp you can leave the last 2.5" at .920" and cut the comp directly into the barrel. Use a 2 pc gas block like Yankee Hill's and you are good to go. I have a 16" upper without comp that doesn't wander around after 30-40 round stages that is at .625" and a 20" have a comp cut into it that is at .750". Any shop with a lathe can do it as long as their head to tail stock is long enough. The comp is a little trickier, an indexing head on the mill makes it a lot easier........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uscbigdawg Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 A buddy turned me on to Olympic Arms barrels. I know their rifles are suspect, but to date, their barrels for me have been spectacular. On top of that, they're cheap!!! I get sub-MOA all day long with them with my IMGA handloads and a 1:8 twist (18" w/ BC comp). Good luck! SPC Richard A. White, Senior Medic 249th MP Detachment (EACF) Camp Humphreys, ROK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 While we are on barrels, I would like to get a few opinions on this barrel contour. A stainless steel barrel 1X8 or 1X9 turned .750 for the whole length ( 20"). This would match the .750 gas blocks, be very light and yet stiff enough so it won't wander when hot. I can't seem to get any of the manufacturers interested in doing this type of contour, and they all want extra$ to just turn the diameter one time instead of all the extra steps they do now for say a colt type heavy barrel. KURTM Kurt, The reason for the reluctance is simple. The barrel makers don't feel there's enough market to have inventory lying around. If you want to have them make a run of barrels to your spec, you'll likely have to make a minimum order of barrels, to be purchased by you. My personal barrels tend to be on the heavy side. I shoot some Highpower too, so I'm used to a heavy gun. I'm not in your league of shooting, so having a feather weight set up probably won't have a great deal of difference for me. But, I might have to try some weight reduction, not a pencil barrel, at least for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyBoyElroy Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I am in the process of having a rifle built for 3gun and have hit a stumbling block. I wanted a wilson 20 SS barrel and Rock River is out of them for an undertermined amount of time. Where else can I get a good SS barrel so I can continue with the build. I am using a DPMS Lo pro upper and DPMS lower with a ACE stock and JP trigger to start with. You do know DPMS uses Wilson stainless barrels don't you?? DPMS has 20" stainless DCM and bull barrels in their catalog. And they are usually in stock for immediate shipment. DPMS catalog of .223 barrels BL-DC and BL-DCM are stainless DCM contour barrels. They also offer BULL-10 if you want a heavier contour. Usually available off the shelf. Even cryo'ed barrels are usually in stock. BL-DCM has barrel nut and FSB. Otherwise its the same barrel as BL-DC. In spite of what the catalog says you can order both in 1:8 or 1:9 twist. MAKE CERTAIN TO SPECIFY WHAT TWIST YOU WANT. BIG DEAL: For $65 you can get the barrel CRYO'ed. It is worth the money. RRA does not offer this service. IMO DPMS barrels are the best value on the market for affordable quality. For $255 you get a CRYO'ed DCM contour barrel that shoots great. Sluggo is bolting one into a new Cerro Forge Bushmaster upper today. Here's a pic of the DPMS cryo'ed BL-DC with F2 Compensator attached. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyBoyElroy Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Oh yeah. DPMS SUPPORTS 3-GUN. DPMS TRI-GUN CHALLENGE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpowe Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Note the "Melt on" installation of the F2 comp on MyBoyElroy's barrel. Fred Hindman does this for $25 when you buy a F2 comp from him (custom barrel conturing is also available). Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyBoyElroy Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 Note the "Melt on" installation of the F2 comp on MyBoyElroy's barrel. Fred Hindman does this for $25 when you buy a F2 comp from him (custom barrel conturing is also available).Bill What Bill sez. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgtsvi Posted March 19, 2006 Author Share Posted March 19, 2006 I am getting a White Oak barrel with a F2 comp. Thanks for the help guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted March 19, 2006 Share Posted March 19, 2006 I am getting a White Oak barrel with a F2 comp. Thanks for the help guys. Dave, Which barrel? The 20" heavy or the 18" lighter one. I don't remember the name that they have for it. The 7" twist will work well with any weight bullet, from 52 to 80 grain. Although the 80's aren't for mag length loads. Good luck with it, and glad I was able to help you out with a source. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgtsvi Posted March 19, 2006 Author Share Posted March 19, 2006 Thanks Dan, It is a 20 inch that has fluting under the handguards but not past the gasblock. It is a 1:7 twist rate also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbrowndog Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 kurt, as we spoke about it at SMM3G, when you can find someone to make the barrels, sign me up for two. heavy, seems ok right now but i'd really like to try a med/lite barrel, 20" or 18" would work for me, with the twist rate you spoke of. BTW, hope your drive back to WYO, was uneventful, i'm sure the weather, will look familiar to you. see ya buddy. trapr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 Kurt, Have you given John Holliger a try for the barrels? Or maybe Compass Lake? White Oak Armament has some different barrel contours available. I think they have Compass Lake do the contouring. Again, I think you'll need to make a minimum order to have a them contoured with out a special contour charge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear1142 Posted March 20, 2006 Share Posted March 20, 2006 IMO DPMS barrels are the best value on the market for affordable quality. +100 I've been extremely happy with the SS barrels I've used from DPMS. Both of mine are .5 to .75 MOA, easy. For the money, I think they are the best value (SS barrels) on the market today. I wouldn't hesitate to use another one. Erik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted March 21, 2006 Share Posted March 21, 2006 +100I've been extremely happy with the SS barrels I've used from DPMS. Both of mine are .5 to .75 MOA, easy. For the money, I think they are the best value (SS barrels) on the market today. I wouldn't hesitate to use another one. Erik Actuall, after check out the DPMS barrel pricing, I might consider one to play with sometime. Put it in the lathe and try something lighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benny hill Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 My 1/9 dpms barrel cut to 17.5" & turned to 800 under handguard is light, fast & 2" @ 300 yds alway's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rmfield Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 I've had 3 DPMS barrels and all of them have been sub moa. I'm currently using one of their 20" SS DCM barrels and fluted it to get the weight down a little. It consistently shoots 3/4 moa or better. I don't know how the swing weight compares to Benny's approach, but I like it a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cking Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 Compass Lake, Frank White is place to go for custom barrel. Fast turnaround, your choice of barrel blanks, your choice of chamber, twist, contour. They made up two 18" douglas, 1/8 with mid length gas tubes for me. One was a thin profile. 75 for length except for a .85 nub for gas block. Tell him what you want and he'll build it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paule Posted March 22, 2006 Share Posted March 22, 2006 (edited) One reason the high volume barrel makers don't like to do lighter contours is that it is harder to make ones that are concentric without slowing down the machines significantly. Turning from 1.25" to .900" requires less care to keep the contour concentric with the bore. Lots of material resists deflection more. When you go from .900" to .800", or worse .700", it is a lot easier to end up with a barrel that has uneven wall thickness around the circumference. Once that happens the POI shift when a barrel warms up can be dramatically disappointing. Along comes the typical American consumer (more is better). Two barrels, both 416SS, one is 24" and weighs enough to double as a sash weight, the other is 16" and weighs about as much as a Big Mac and fries. Mass market logic says the 24" 'Bull" barrel should cost more than that little ol' willow stick of a barrel. Average Joe agrees and it's hard to get them to build a lightweight unless its chromelined and only "for blasting". Precision lightweights? no way. The hearts and minds are convinced big and heavy is more accurate so that's what they give 'em. There is obviously a place for heavy barrels too, we sell a lot of SuperSam's that make varmint contours look svelt. They do God's work every day and we're glad they do. But 3-gun is a faster game and there are no 6-800 yard targets, so a lighter barrel that shoots accurately to 3-400 yards without the extra weight is a joy to many. Our standard countours for 3-Gun are light, nominallly .700 - .750 under the handguards, and medium, nominally .820 - .870. We sell a lot more of the light contours than mediums. The mediums, which owe their roots to the Patrol/Recon variants, are more at home where buttstokes and muzzle strikes are routinely employed, but they are great allround choices for many people. Light contouring is not for the faint of heart however. When we developed ours we noticed that harmonics changed as length increased or decreased and we had to adjust accordingly. Shorter barrels are often more forgiving, as they are relatively stiffer, but longer, skinny barrels can shoot awfully well too. Just takes a little more to get there. Edited March 23, 2006 by Paule Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgtsvi Posted March 23, 2006 Author Share Posted March 23, 2006 (edited) received barrel from WOA and it looks like a quality piece of work. It has the right weight and looks for me. I am pretty sure it will shoot like it looks from what I have read while researching John Hollingers work. Edited March 23, 2006 by Sgtsvi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n2ipsc Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 A buddy turned me on to Olympic Arms barrels. I know their rifles are suspect, but to date, their barrels for me have been spectacular. Big +1 on their barrels. One of their Ultramatch uppers on my DPMS lower plunks 69gr SMK's into sub-3/4" groups at 200 yds, all day, every day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kurtm Posted March 25, 2006 Share Posted March 25, 2006 I never thought of a 3/4" ( .75" ) barrel with a small .22" hole through it as particularly light. The original AR-15 had a .620" barrel and when free floated it was pleanty accurate. I will check into Compass Lakes as well as Rock Creek. So far though I think I will just have a local shop "return" the barrels I buy as they only charge $35.00 which is a BUNCH lower than the "custom" job the bigger makers seem to requier to program just one diameter in the good old lath, rather than the 3-4 they do now. Paule, I tried to bring up your barrel contours on MSTN but it didn't show any at all. Any more info?? You mention .750 but I don't see any thing about them. KURTM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott G Posted March 26, 2006 Share Posted March 26, 2006 Kurt, I thought you were a big fan of Bushmaster barrels? Are you switching? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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