"Custom or Factory", for your choice of barrels?

[Lawful Larry]

I have sold or set aside ALL my factory barrels for Custom Shop, Virgin Valley or Bullberry barrels.  I am a real Encore fan but feel that the factory barrels don't offer the performance consistency that I require.

This is an interesting statement made on another thread that I thought should be asked on a new topic thread.  

I for one have not had the pleasure of owning a custom barrel so I can not make an intelligent comparison on the difference between the two.  

So bottom line how many of us think the factory barrels don't come close to the custom barrels as far as quality and reliability???

[DaddyPaul]

All but one of my factory barrels shoot around MOA!  I can't expect much better than that.

[Bullseye]

Out of 20 or more factory barrels I have only had one shot with less accuracy than should be expected.  It was a 30-30 and honestly this is a caliber that some say shoots great and others give bad reports so it did not surprise me.

I say factory if they have the caliber you want.  You might gain some with custom, but unless you are shooting competition I do not think it is going to matter.

[skb2706]

A couple years ago I sold off most of my factory barrels and kinda got away from TCs for a while. When I got back into it I decided that I would go the custom route....BB, VVCG and such. I was amazed just how accurate they were and up until a few weeks ago that is all I owned, custom stuff. I just bought a factory .204 Ruger carbine barrel and although I haven't had the opportunity to shoot it yet there are a couple obvious issues with it. First the appearance is definitely second rate, its just not finished as well. Second the pivot hole in the frame is .002" over size...makes for a sloppy fit and you can literally push the pin out when the gun is in the fire position....closed. The gap between the breech face and the rear of the barrel is .004". Third the crown was never polished out right at the end of the barrel.
With all that my expectations are quite low. I have been spoiled with high end custom barrels and now expect nothing less. This .204 cost me about half what a custom carbine barrel from Bullberry would cost. It appears to be worth about that much too.

[5Redman8]

In my opinion....there is NO DOUBT Custom barrels are better than factory 95% of the time in finish, options, and most important accuracy.

The accuracy bit will bother many but simply put....the custom barrels will shoot more loads more accurately.  With factory, sure you can find a load that is MOA....BIG WHOOP   :?    ....I do not get excited until I am around the .6MOA or better....CONSISTANTLY....day after day.  Like I said though, some ....SOME factory barrels will do this with load work.

With the custom barrels, finding an MOA load is child's play.  

Many times I find this question equate in archery to the question is a Matthews worth the $$$....haves and haves not....personally, I shoot a Matthews!!!

 

Kyle

[skb2706]

Great analogy....my PSE isn't half the bow your Matthews is....I've shot the best of both.

I had conversation with the customer service rep and the gunsmith at TC yesterday regarding my issues with the .204 barrel. They are going to replace the barrel(this was a Fox Ridge custom shop full bull) free of charge. So aside from quality problems it sounds like they are trying to do a decent job of PR....I'll know in a week.

[flatlander]

I've owned from factory to custom SSK with all of the goodies on it. Yeah, the custom shop barrels are nice, and they shoot awesome. But currently I have all factory barrels except for one SSK that I bought used. I guess that for the kind of hunting I do, I can get the accuracy I need from factory barrels and some load work. MOA is usually obtainable, and that is more than I need for deer and pigs. If money wasn't an issue, I might go all custom, but it is, so I can't. Besides, I have a factory 7-30 that I wouldn't trade for anything, even a top shelf custom. It is very close to the perfect barrel to me. So I would say get a factory barrel if you can, and custom barrel if you have to.

[Squeeze]

I have a sample of one factory 15" Encore pistol barrel, in .308 Win.  This weekend, I
give it one more chance to show me there is a hope of 1 MOA, and if not, it is going
back to T/C.  It is a SS barrel, that looks good fit and finish wise, and the bore
cleans up easily.  So, it does not give me any clue why this barrel throws bullets all
over the place.  I called T/C, and got the brand of ammo that they test fire in these
barrels, and I am going to shoot two 5 round groups for them, with their ammo,
off my bench, with a custom built pistol rest.  If these groups do what I am sure
they will do, the targets, and the barrel, are going back to T/C...I am becoming
more interested in custom barrels with each trip to the range.  Although that
almost defeats the purpose for which I purchased the Encore.  I wanted something
that I could get different calibers for, without breaking the bank for new rifles.
With the cost of custom barrels, I think I'd be better off just buying Savage rifles,
shooting them out, and then buying custom chambered barrels for them.  I found
one vendor that makes them for under $300.  To say the least, T/C has not met
my expectations for a single shot rifle/pistol...Yet.

Squeeze

[22popnsplat]

I have 2 factory encore barrels , each averages 5/8 inch groups . the .223 did it right off and I could probally do better with load work . the 22 hornet took some work in that most bullets designed for the hornet are crap.

[abhound]

Well I just took the plunge for my first custom barrel for my encore.  I've always used factory barrels for my contender and my encore and have always found them to be as accurate as any off the shelf moderately priced rifle.  I just wanted a little bit more with this new one.  Bullberry 23" ss full bull .204 ruger.  Now I just have to wait the 8 to 12 weeks.  

[retrieverhunter]

Since I started this thread and didn't know it,so I thought I would contribute.  I bought my youngest son a Custom Shop heavy varmit 270 barrel and have no complaints at all with it.  Fit and finish are good and accuracy is excellent.  I bought my older son a Custom Shop 243 barrel and am very unhappy.  Fortunately or unfortunately, he is not as into hunting and shooting as my youngest so I haven't replaced it yet.  I shoot a Virgin Valley full bull 300 WSM 26" stainless.  My receiver has a Mike Belm trigger job set a 1 1/2 lbs.  I also sprung for the Virgin Valley custom fiberglass stock and forend with the hangar system.  The gun is topped with Leupold bases and rings and a Zeiss Conquest 6.5-20 scope.  This gun is a tack driver to say the least.  I have a small fortune in it, but custom is the only way to go.