Barrel recommendation

[LynnJr]

but I can tell you that the top 20% PRS shooters use reloading equipment, reloading techniques, and load development techniques that would make a seasoned BR shooter re-think what they are doing.

Yeah I have heard that kind of nonsense before.

The truth is your top 20% can show up at a Benchrest Match and fire a aggregate which is five 5 shot groups and see how they stack up.

I am in NorCal and I am willing to shoot my 300 WSM hunting rifle against any PRS rifle you can get here. We will shoot 25 rounds for record on 5 Targets and you can even pick your own shooter.
I am available any Sunday that there isn't a match and your Shooter can bring either a proof barrel or a hawk hill.

If you yourself show up I will shoot a 6 PPC and you can measure and photograph all the targets.
Edit: My barrels will be Bartleins just like 43% of the top 100 PRS shooters use.

[3100FPS]

Or you could finally shoot a NCPPRC steel match and see how you stack up against us lowly tac rifle shooters. The next one is July 17th, Range 6, at Sac Valley. All steel, no paper. I'll take it easy on ya!

[milotrain]

Barrels wearing out early is likely a specific land's lead wearing out before another. With a cut rifled barrel this should only be due to steel quality issues (something the barrel maker can't really check). Perhaps this is why the better companies are so concerned with where they source their steel. I have heard of early death with a number of the top barrel makers. I suspect that if you make enough barrels you'll have this problem eventually.

[BillyGoatMachine]

Barrels wearing out early is likely a specific land's lead wearing out before another. With a cut rifled barrel this should only be due to steel quality issues (something the barrel maker can't really check). Perhaps this is why the better companies are so concerned with where they source their steel. I have heard of early death with a number of the top barrel makers. I suspect that if you make enough barrels you'll have this problem eventually.

Rock Creek has some steel quality issues quite a few years back. I can remember chambering a blank and feeling softer spots while running the reamer in. They have long since corrected the issue of sourcing quality blanks, I assume. I prefer Bartlein over all others as I've yet to chamber one that doesn't simply shoot. Proof on the other hand............great barrels if your after 3 things,

Bling
lightweight
1/2-3/4 moa consistency

[LynnJr]

Or you could finally shoot a NCPPRC steel match and see how you stack up against us lowly tac rifle shooters. The next one is July 17th, Range 6, at Sac Valley. All steel, no paper. I'll take it easy on ya!

I am not allowed to shoot at Sacramento after suing your clubs president and he has been banned from the range where I shoot for years for unsafe gun handling.
You are welcome at any URSA match and as I have never seen an accurate tactical rifle so far I look forward to shooting against yours.
I am picking up primers this Sunday and we have a 2000 yard match next Sunday but after that I am free.
Don't take it easy on anybody as this is not for the weak at heart.
I like shooting and have no problem with losing so let's see what you got for 25 rounds on paper and distance is of no concern and you are free to exceed 3100fps if you like.

[LynnJr]

Barrels wearing out early is likely a specific land's lead wearing out before another. With a cut rifled barrel this should only be due to steel quality issues (something the barrel maker can't really check). Perhaps this is why the better companies are so concerned with where they source their steel. I have heard of early death with a number of the top barrel makers. I suspect that if you make enough barrels you'll have this problem eventually.

Milotrain
You are correct again. There are only two companies making barrel steel Crucible and Carpenter iirc?
One of them provided steel and the barrels would literally split upon firing but this has been years ago.

Skkeeter
I have never shot an all steel Proof Barrel but one must be a great gunsmith if one can get the carbon wrapped barrels to shoot like a Bartlien. I say that because you can look at the World Records Bartlein barrels have set and you can't for Proof Research.

[diver160651]

Why the pissing match?

Why the pissing match?

There is no argument amongst most, that the top of benchrest has brought exacting reloading and barrel information proven under conditions that are far less shooter influenced. There should also be no question that some of the precision shooters, have the skill, eyesight, solid core and mind to shoot amongst the best anywhere in the world.

I have been to both and I think anybody worth a salt would be very impressed with the speed, precision and wind reading of the top precision guys. I've seen a precision shooter shoot one of the smallest groups in a flight off a bipod at a 600 yard Benchrest match. But I have also seen that very same guy shoot someone else target…

On the other hand, I've learned a ton from old BR guys, (when I wasn't)… about reloading etc..

The pissing match, just seems completely out of place. My 2cents.

[milotrain]

Why the pissing match?

Yup yup.

http://obermeyerbarrels.com/steel.htmL

Just some more info. This ain't the Home Depot steel rack.

[LynnJr]

Why the pissing match?

There is no argument amongst most, that the top of benchrest has brought exacting reloading and barrel information proven under conditions that are far less shooter influenced. There should also be no question that some of the precision shooters, have the skill, eyesight, solid core and mind to shoot amongst the best anywhere in the world.

I have been to both and I think anybody worth a salt would be very impressed with the speed, precision and wind reading of the top precision guys. I've seen a precision shooter shoot one of the smallest groups in a flight off a bipod at a 600 yard Benchrest match. But I have also seen that very same guy shoot someone else target…

On the other hand, I've learned a ton from old BR guys, (when I wasn't)… about reloading etc..

The pissing match, just seems completely out of place. My 2cents.

Diver
There is no pissing contest here. 3100fps actually thinks 20% of the PRS shooters have developed better equipment and better reloading skills than the crowd that shoots Benchrest uses.
That is not a pissing contest it is an indictment on the American education system.
I have been doing this long enough that I am comfortable or atleast only slightly irritated when I lose so comparing one of my hunting rifles against such a superior firing mechanism would help me see the light.
Not only that 3100fps might share some of his secret reloading techniques that only the top 20% of the PRS Shooters know.
When you have done this for a number of years you indeed figure out that a good Shooter with good equipment will win even in a different discipline.
I have never shot a Hawk Hill Barrel but I have shot Proof Research Lilja Shilen Obermeyer Brux Rock Creek Mullins Krieger Bartlein Pac-Nor Douglas K-P and a host of others built by smaller one man operations. They all can produce a good barrel but consistency wins matches so I stick with what works.
I actually think I met 3100fps before while he was practicing before a match.
When I heard about the better reloading than the actual guys/gals who own all the world records for smallest groups it is natural for my BS meter to go off.

[milotrain]

SSG Brandon Green competed in the PRS and did OK. He only dabbled in it so I don't know how much that data point is worth but I suspect most competition shooters would have a tough time in the PRS series. You can be a phenomenal shot and even a good position shooter and you will suffer if you can't range well, and can't get comfortable in field positions.

We run a Tac match that is similar to (like a scaled down) PRS match and the guys who win those matches are not the guys who win the XTC, and midrange matches. The XTC and midrange guys place well but they rarely win.

[Flouncer]

X-ring Baby !!

During my first match, the 3x600 at Sac Valley, my teamate/shooter/spotter was an expert. But he Fooked himself, I watched and scored him and to my dismay he shot the adjacent target at least three separate times to drop from the winner's group. I looked and listened the other direction when I shot, and listened for that shooter to shoot rather that confusing myself looking at the wind flags. And on and on.

Barrels, schmarrels LOLZ

[LynnJr]

SSG Brandon Green competed in the PRS and did OK. He only dabbled in it so I don't know how much that data point is worth but I suspect most competition shooters would have a tough time in the PRS series. You can be a phenomenal shot and even a good position shooter and you will suffer if you can't range well, and can't get comfortable in field positions.

We run a Tac match that is similar to (like a scaled down) PRS match and the guys who win those matches are not the guys who win the XTC, and midrange matches. The XTC and midrange guys place well but they rarely win.

Milotrain
At a neutral club unvisited by any competitor I think you will see no advantage.
At a home range where Shooter "A" is a regular 3-4 days a week and can dial in his come ups at each yardage randomly from prior experience I would agree with you that is a huge advantage.

Where my father and I hunt we set up benches for our 45 pound hunting rifles and every rock bush and tree is a known yardage. It definitely helps to have familiarity.

[milotrain]

That's a good point.

[LynnJr]

There is nothing at Sacramento that isn't already at a well known distance and nothing there exceeds 1000 yards or less than a full turn on a turret.
I was a regular there for 8 years.

[JMP]

Where my father and I hunt we set up benches for our 45 pound hunting rifles and every rock bush and tree is a known yardage. It definitely helps to have familiarity.

45 lb hunting rifles? See, LynnJr, that is your problem. You are most concerned with accuracy above all else. It is a fact that all else equal, the thicker barrel is going to shoot better. So, when you are using a Bartlein with a 2" contour, obviously a Hawk Hill with a skinny PRS contour will not compete on the grounds of accuracy with your thick BR barrels. However, your big thick barrels are too cumbersome for PRS.

I was a little surprised by the posters that have indicated they got Bartlein lemons on a group buy. I have yet to get a lemon from Bartlein so I guess I have been fortunate, maybe lucky.