Shillen Barrels- would you?

[cloverleaf]

The header asks the question. If you were buying a Savage pre-fit, chambered barrel, would you buy a Shillen, knowing there are more expensive barrels? Anything else comparable in the $300 price range? CL

 

[JD338]

Troy,
Shilen make a good barrel. I have Shilen barrels on my Nosler M21's in 308 Win and 375 H&H Mag and the T/C Contender 6.5 JDJ. They all shoot well under MOA and clean up is quick and easy.

JD338

 

[gerry]

Never heard a bad thing about Shilen so you should be good.

 

[Blkram]

X3

 

[jjs405]

The header asks the question. If you were buying a Savage pre-fit, chambered barrel, would you buy a Shillen, knowing there are more expensive barrels? Anything else comparable in the $300 price range? CL

Like others I have never had a problem nor heard others that have had problems with Shilen barrels... I had a platform built off of a Remington long action many years ago where I used a Shilen match barrel, either a heavy varmint or a heavy bull, can't recall right now, and could not have been happier.... It's a tack driver!

 

[jimbires]

I have one rifle with a Shilen barrel , it's the 260 Rem I bought for my grandson . I've been nothing but impressed with it . it is probably the most consistent shooting rifle I've worked with . it shoots every bullet I've tried . usually load development starts out at under an inch and just gets better from there . I sure would try another without hesitation .

be sure you get a twist rate that will work with your intended bullets . I lean towards the faster twist rates , without getting too crazy . too much twist , high velocity , short light bullets can explode before reaching the target , from too much twist . the bullet technology seems to be going towards the long slick VLD style , and these require a faster twist rate to stabilize .

 

[wvbuckbuster]

First 6br I owned had a Shilen barrel that grouped and cleaned up good. Only complaint that I ever heard about them was from a friend that put one on his Savage as a replacement that he claimed had a chamber-throat problem. He just kept on trying different stuff instead of contacting Shilen so possible operator error Dan.

 

[RL338]

If you were buying a Savage pre-fit, chambered barrel, would you buy a Shillen

Yes I would. I have an Alternut prefit 375 Wby barrel on a Wby Vanguard. The barrel is easy to please with multiple bullets. Their customer service is outstanding.

 

[Vince]

The folks I know who have Shilen barrels have been as happy as a drunk at a whiskey distillery.

Vince

 

[phil]

I’ve had one since 2007. Entirely pleased.
Its the “select” or “match” or whatever the handpicked version is called.

 

[PJGunner]

I've never owned one but i have shot rifles owned by friends who used them. Frankly, I have two custom rifles with unknown makers of their barrels. Both are on M98 Mausers, one a 30-06 the other a .280 remingtom. Most of my customs that I have rebarrels have had Douglas barrels installed and I'm very happy with them as well. The 06 was put together by a home gunsmith who built rifles for fun. He had a local reputation for being an extremely good metal man. He was good. He put that Mauser together for me for exactly $100 including the barrel and a stock od very nice walnut. he was good with the metal but not worth spit carving gunstocks. The gun now sits in a McMillan. He said he thought the barrel he used was a Douglas but wasn't sure. No matter, it's a good one.

The .280 was a different deal. A guy ha a 1909 Argentine mauser with all the trimmings including the barrel chambered to the .280 Rem. Said he was aselling it for the widow of a friend and was asking $600 for the barreled action and an unfinished plank of wood. I offered $300. No taking. Last day of the gun show he still had it so I offered the $300 again and he took it. Kind of surprised me now that I think about it. I took it to my gunsmith to be finished and he had an accident hurting his back. He farmed it out to another gunsmith and it wasn't until several years after completion that I learned he'd given it to Sterling Davenport to finish the work. I knew Mr. Daventport as i met him at the range and on several occasions helped him sighting in some of the harder kicking rifles he made. (.375 H&H and a .416 Rigby) I always wanted a rifle he's built but just couldn't swing the $3K+ csh up front. i saw him at the range on a ay I was shooting the .280 and he asked where I'd gotten the rifle. I tols at Lawson's and he said he gave me that rifle to finish when he got hurt. So, I may not know whose barrel is on that rifles but I got my bucket list Sterling Davenport rifle.
Paul B.

 

[JD338]

Cool story Paul.

JD338

 

[DrMike]

That is a great story, Paul. Always a good thing to be pleasantly surprised by the accidents of history.

 

[Vince]

That’s a really cool story.

Vince

 

[preacher]

I've owned/used a double handful of Shilen's in many calibers, all were Righteous Barrels! I've also owned/used, PacNor, Lilja, Krieger and Douglas. Shilen is same quality DownRange! I have one right now in 7x57 that isn't even broken in yet, and I have several 1/2" groups of 5!

 

[FOTIS]

Nothing wrong with a Shilen.

 

[preacher]

Another plus ( in my humble Opinion) Shilen's tend to be "fast barrels". Never had one that wasn't a Shooter either.

 

[JD338]

Troy,
Are you going to pull the trigger on the Shilen?
What chambering are you going for? Twist?

JD338

 

[cloverleaf]

At the moment I cant find somthing to screw the barrel on to that I like well enough to spend the money on either one. For example, buying an Axis would require a stock as well because I just cant stand the current variety. When was the last time you saw a Stevens 200 or a Marlin X? The reality is that I'm not gonna spend $500 on the project. This day in age that may just keep me out of it. Thats OK for now. But I do enjoy the "what ifs".

Of course- it would be a 250 Savage. CL

 

[JD338]

At the moment I cant find somthing to screw the barrel on to that I like well enough to spend the money on either one. For example, buying an Axis would require a stock as well because I just cant stand the current variety. When was the last time you saw a Stevens 200 or a Marlin X? The reality is that I'm not gonna spend $500 on the project. This day in age that may just keep me out of it. Thats OK for now. But I do enjoy the "what ifs".

Of course- it would be a 250 Savage. CL

You could get an Axis and get a different stock at a later date. It would at least get you back in the game and allow you time to do load development.
Just a thought...

JD338