Author Topic: What do you think of Douglas Barrels? (Read 4691 times)

jasonprox700 · « **on:** November 17, 2008, 03:55:03 PM »

I was flipping through the Midway catalog, and I came across the Douglas barrels. I see they are pretty cheap (under $200

). What I was wondering is, how is the quality? I'm not looking at anything spectacular, but I would like it to shoot better than factory. I was thinking #1 or #2 contour in Chrome Moly.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=413542&t=11082005

I was thinking about rebarreling my .280, but I don't want to spend a lot because I plan on building a .280 AI in the next few years. I just am looking at accurizing it so I can find it's full potential. What do you think? Also, what is the going rate for a gunsmith to fit the barrel to an action?

Catfish · « **Reply #1 on:** November 18, 2008, 05:04:38 AM »

Douglas makes some very accurate barrels. I have acouple of their air gage barrels that are tack drivers. I have never use their cheaper barrels, but would not be scared of one for a deer rifle.

kyelkhunter3006 · « **Reply #2 on:** November 18, 2008, 12:21:23 PM »

New Ultra Light Arms uses Douglas barrel on their $2500 custom rifles. 5 1/2 lb rifles that shoot small groups consistently, hot or cold. I'm sure that they're the air gauged premium barrels, but that still says enough for me!

mrbigtexan · « **Reply #3 on:** November 20, 2008, 05:31:18 AM »

i have a stainless barrel on my mauser and it shoots extremely well.

roper · « **Reply #4 on:** November 20, 2008, 06:17:31 AM »

Quote from: kyelkhunter3006 on November 18, 2008, 12:21:23 PM

New Ultra Light Arms uses Douglas barrel on their $2500 custom rifles. 5 1/2 lb rifles that shoot small groups consistently, hot or cold. I'm sure that they're the air gauged premium barrels, but that still says enough for me!

There are several custom guys who use Douglas barrel and there was an article in handloader or rifle about which is the best calibers or something like that anyway Mel NULA test fires all his rifles for accuracry, sure be interesting to find out how many Douglas barrel doesn't meet his test.

old03 · « **Reply #5 on:** November 20, 2008, 01:03:32 PM »

I had a Douglas barrell put on my 1903 springfield and its a shooter, sub moa all day long with handloads.

I did have quite a bit of copper fouling the first 300 or so rounds, seems like they fould more than others during the break in period.

StrawHat · « **Reply #6 on:** November 25, 2008, 07:54:32 AM »

I had a Douglas barrel on a M98 I owned. Good shooter.

On my muzzleloaders, I had 7 of them with Douglas barrels. Wish they still made them for the front loaders.

Mikey · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2008, 12:13:12 PM »

Good barrels.

Hank08 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 02, 2008, 03:06:47 AM »

I have 2 rifles with Douglas premium barrels, a 22/250 and a .358 Norma Mag. both super accurate.
H08

oldelkhunter · « **Reply #9 on:** February 08, 2009, 03:33:36 PM »

All my gunsmith friend uses (air-gauged select) and never has any problems with his customers rifles shooting. Some of them demand other brands and he is happy to accomodate them but it doesn't mean they shoot any better

Clemson · « **Reply #10 on:** February 10, 2009, 05:05:37 AM »

I like Douglas barrels, but the exterior is rough as a cob compared to most others. It takes a while with a barrel spinner on a belt sander to get a surface finish that approaches smooth.

Clemson

oldelkhunter · « **Reply #11 on:** February 10, 2009, 05:40:08 AM »

Quote

like Douglas barrels, but the exterior is rough as a cob compared to most others. It takes a while with a barrel spinner on a belt sander to get a surface finish that approaches smooth.

Clemson

Not the ones I have seen come out of a box they were very smooth..of course he bead blasts all his SS barrels

Clemson · « **Reply #12 on:** February 10, 2009, 05:46:00 AM »

The garden variety chrome moly barrels have grooves that make an old Edison cylinder look smooth.

Clemson

oldelkhunter · « **Reply #13 on:** February 11, 2009, 02:35:51 AM »

Quote

The garden variety chrome moly barrels have grooves that make an old Edison cylinder look smooth.

Clemson

Might be I have only seen the premium SS barrels come out of the box

skarke · « **Reply #14 on:** February 11, 2009, 03:07:25 AM »

Douglas Barrels are top notch in every way. BR shooters use them, and while Kreiger, Lilja, etc. charge more, there is no evidence that the barrels that they manufacture are any better.

Get a xx, and you'll never regret it.

roper · « **Reply #15 on:** February 12, 2009, 03:27:19 AM »

Quote from: skarke on February 11, 2009, 03:07:25 AM

Douglas Barrels are top notch in every way. BR shooters use them, and while Kreiger, Lilja, etc. charge more, there is no evidence that the barrels that they manufacture are any better.

Get a xx, and you'll never regret it.

If you compare the cost of a Douglas barrel that would be used in BR it's pretty close maybe same as a barrel like Krieger etc.
The only stocking dealer for those barrel has them price at $300. if you pull up Douglas site those barrels start at $246. and there only made in two contours. I'm not sure you could order one in another countour?

The advantage of dealing with some like Kreiger and Lilja is they make only one grade of barrel and they build in the cost that Douglas charges you for to get that better barrel . There is a pretty good history as to what barrel works best and you stand a better chance of getting that winning barrel and the percentage of winning Douglas barrels with the 6ppc is pretty low. If you look at Bartlein barrels now they have 6/8 month wait on barrels plus alot of BR suppliers have barrels in stock.

Douglas has place in the barrel market and they have a good customer base with alot of gunsmiths and if your happy with them great there still in business. If I'm looking at a $300 Douglas barrel I'd be looking at Kreiger,Broughton,Lawton etc

skarke · « **Reply #16 on:** February 12, 2009, 05:15:21 PM »

Certainly, the Lilja, Kreiger etc clan on the BR circuit gets more play, and they are certainly super fine barrels backed by superfine companies and craftsmen. However, the fine shooters that can take advantage of the perceived difference of 1 or 2 hundredths of an inch are very rare, maybe less than 500 in the US. The best shooters use certain barrels because they want to cover every base. They are a clan, a fraternity, and they, like many of us, might equate more expensive with better.

Frankly, I could have a panda actioned, Kreiger Barreled, Speedy Stocked rig with my best loads and likely get smoked by a top notch BR competitor using a Savage varmint rifle in .223

It's more the shooter than the rig. But for a few shooters in the rarified air of supershoots, most of the rest of us would be well served by a standard douglas barrel, none of which I have ever seen shoot poorly.

oldelkhunter · « **Reply #17 on:** February 16, 2009, 03:19:07 AM »

Quote

If you compare the cost of a Douglas barrel that would be used in BR it's pretty close maybe same as a barrel like Krieger etc.
The only stocking dealer for those barrel has them price at $300. if you pull up Douglas site those barrels start at $246. and there only made in two contours. I'm not sure you could order one in another countour?

Have a lookie at this chart

http://www.benchrest.com/douglas/dimensions.html http://www.benchrest.com/douglas/price_list.html

http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/Contours-c1246-wp3382.htm

Bedding,Proper Chambering and Throating and crowning a muzzle are more important then the very minute differences between these barrels.

http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/RapidCat/catalog/pagetemplate.cfm?template=/RapidCat/common/viewPage.cfm&PageId=3390&CompanyId=1246

roper · « **Reply #18 on:** February 16, 2009, 12:14:05 PM »

Quote from: oldelkhunter on February 16, 2009, 03:19:07 AM

Quote
If you compare the cost of a Douglas barrel that would be used in BR it's pretty close maybe same as a barrel like Krieger etc.
The only stocking dealer for those barrel has them price at $300. if you pull up Douglas site those barrels start at $246. and there only made in two contours. I'm not sure you could order one in another countour?

Have a lookie at this chart

http://www.benchrest.com/douglas/dimensions.html http://www.benchrest.com/douglas/price_list.html

http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/Contours-c1246-wp3382.htm

Bedding,Proper Chambering and Throating and crowning a muzzle are more important then the very minute differences between these barrels.

http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/RapidCat/catalog/pagetemplate.cfm?template=/RapidCat/common/viewPage.cfm&PageId=3390&CompanyId=1246

Brownells sell a Douglas SS,XX,Air Gauge,#7 for $302. Douglas base price plus options Like SS--$68,XX--$10.--Air Gauge--$35 . The $133 that Douglas charges for that is normally include in the price from Kreiger,Bartlein,Rock,Broughton etc.

Gunsmith charge same to chamber no matter what barrel you use you. When selecting a barrel if those extras mean nothing then buy a barrel that doesn't include them in the price. Problem with a Standard barrel from Douglas is it will never test your shooting skills you could have a solid 1 1/2" groups at 100yds every time buy a good barrel those same skills may cut your groups in half.

oldelkhunter · « **Reply #19 on:** February 17, 2009, 02:40:35 AM »

Quote

Brownells sell a Douglas SS,XX,Air Gauge,#7 for $302. Douglas base price plus options Like SS--$68,XX--$10.--Air Gauge--$35 . The $133 that Douglas charges for that is normally include in the price from Kreiger,Bartlein,Rock,Broughton etc.

Gunsmith charge same to chamber no matter what barrel you use you. When selecting a barrel if those extras mean nothing then buy a barrel that doesn't include them in the price. Problem with a Standard barrel from Douglas is it will never test your shooting skills you could have a solid 1 1/2" groups at 100yds every time buy a good barrel those same skills may cut your groups in half.

A standard Douglas Barrel is better then the 20 dollar barrel screwed on most production rifles so to say that it is a 1- 1/2 barrel is a bit of a stretch.. Most production rifles if setup correctly will shoot under 1" consistently. I am sorry but I don't see this percieved difference in accuracy between a Douglas Barrel and the other brands you mentioned in a hunting application. It might just be that my gunsmith knows how to put one on a rifle and chamber and crown it correctly. Not everyone that is parading as a gunsmith was cut out to be a gunsmith. Happens to be a company in NH that builds Encore barrels and uses WIRE EDM to cut chambers , I believe he uses standard Douglas Barrels and I would like to see some hunting rifles get the accuracy he gets out of his encore barrels.

skarke · « **Reply #20 on:** March 04, 2009, 04:20:58 PM »

Guys,

All these barrels are fine products. If you are a Supershoot competitor, then maybe a lilja might get you .002 " better group aggregate, maybe. The Douglas in SS in countour 7 street price is about $230, not $300 (suggested retail).

The thing to remember is, if you are building a rifle from the ground up as a custom BR rig, what's a couple of hundred dollars on a $2700 rifle. Get the Kreiger. However, if you are throwing a new tube on your trusty 700 VS, then $150 makes a pretty big difference, and I'd love to have a nice, new Douglas on mine.

roper · « **Reply #21 on:** March 04, 2009, 07:23:05 PM »

Quote from: skarke on March 04, 2009, 04:20:58 PM

Guys,

All these barrels are fine products. If you are a Supershoot competitor, then maybe a lilja might get you .002 " better group aggregate, maybe. The Douglas in SS in countour 7 street price is about $230, not $300 (suggested retail).

The thing to remember is, if you are building a rifle from the ground up as a custom BR rig, what's a couple of hundred dollars on a $2700 rifle. Get the Kreiger. However, if you are throwing a new tube on your trusty 700 VS, then $150 makes a pretty big difference, and I'd love to have a nice, new Douglas on mine.

You all might want to look at douglas price
http://www.douglasbarrels.net/pricelist/

The street price or Dealers price on a Douglas # 7 contour in SS which is limit caliber and twist weight is 6lbs so not the average hunting barrel is $241.80 plus shipping. They also list the Shilen select match barrel same contour as the Douglas but in more calibers and twist for $264.20. The discounts are given to a business. If you look at the retail price on Douglas and Shilen they are pretty close and I agree the base price on a Douglas is cheaper.

I said this before you have to place a value on what a barrel cost if you comparing a Krieger to a Douglas just from the add on cost of a Douglas trying to equal a Kreiger the price is pretty close. Problem you have is Kreiger doesn't make a barrel like Douglas you have to look at companys that offer different grade of barrels like Shilen CM match grade pre tuned for $192 or a match grade Pac-Nor $230 then you have to add cost of bluing. Here another company like Douglas http://www.ershawbarrels.com/.

equinoxbuilders · « **Reply #22 on:** March 07, 2009, 11:38:06 AM »

Quote from: oldelkhunter on February 17, 2009, 02:40:35 AM

Quote
Brownells sell a Douglas SS,XX,Air Gauge,#7 for $302. Douglas base price plus options Like SS--$68,XX--$10.--Air Gauge--$35 . The $133 that Douglas charges for that is normally include in the price from Kreiger,Bartlein,Rock,Broughton etc.

Gunsmith charge same to chamber no matter what barrel you use you. When selecting a barrel if those extras mean nothing then buy a barrel that doesn't include them in the price. Problem with a Standard barrel from Douglas is it will never test your shooting skills you could have a solid 1 1/2" groups at 100yds every time buy a good barrel those same skills may cut your groups in half.

A standard Douglas Barrel is better then the 20 dollar barrel screwed on most production rifles so to say that it is a 1- 1/2 barrel is a bit of a stretch.. Most production rifles if setup correctly will shoot under 1" consistently. I am sorry but I don't see this percieved difference in accuracy between a Douglas Barrel and the other brands you mentioned in a hunting application. It might just be that my gunsmith knows how to put one on a rifle and chamber and crown it correctly. Not everyone that is parading as a gunsmith was cut out to be a gunsmith. Happens to be a company in NH that builds Encore barrels and uses WIRE EDM to cut chambers , I believe he uses standard Douglas Barrels and I would like to see some hunting rifles get the accuracy he gets out of his encore barrels.

Can you send me a PM with who the Custom Barrel maker is in NH? I live in NH and I'd like to put a Encore Youth in .260Rem together for my Kids.
Thanks,
Scott in NH

roper · « **Reply #23 on:** March 07, 2009, 12:21:15 PM »

Quote from: equinoxbuilders on March 07, 2009, 11:38:06 AM

Quote from: oldelkhunter on February 17, 2009, 02:40:35 AM
Quote
Brownells sell a Douglas SS,XX,Air Gauge,#7 for $302. Douglas base price plus options Like SS--$68,XX--$10.--Air Gauge--$35 . The $133 that Douglas charges for that is normally include in the price from Kreiger,Bartlein,Rock,Broughton etc.

Gunsmith charge same to chamber no matter what barrel you use you. When selecting a barrel if those extras mean nothing then buy a barrel that doesn't include them in the price. Problem with a Standard barrel from Douglas is it will never test your shooting skills you could have a solid 1 1/2" groups at 100yds every time buy a good barrel those same skills may cut your groups in half.

A standard Douglas Barrel is better then the 20 dollar barrel screwed on most production rifles so to say that it is a 1- 1/2 barrel is a bit of a stretch.. Most production rifles if setup correctly will shoot under 1" consistently. I am sorry but I don't see this percieved difference in accuracy between a Douglas Barrel and the other brands you mentioned in a hunting application. It might just be that my gunsmith knows how to put one on a rifle and chamber and crown it correctly. Not everyone that is parading as a gunsmith was cut out to be a gunsmith. Happens to be a company in NH that builds Encore barrels and uses WIRE EDM to cut chambers , I believe he uses standard Douglas Barrels and I would like to see some hunting rifles get the accuracy he gets out of his encore barrels.

Can you send me a PM with who the Custom Barrel maker is in NH? I live in NH and I'd like to put a Encore Youth in .260Rem together for my Kids.
Thanks,
Scott in NH

Here is his site he uses Douglass XX barrels http://www.ottllc.com/EDM2.html

equinoxbuilders · « **Reply #24 on:** March 07, 2009, 02:13:56 PM »

Thank you very much Roper. They also do Contender Barrels. I already have a 14" contender in 44mag. I can get a stock and barrel. Fit them custom for the kids, and replace the bantum stock when the kids grow up.
Again Thanks.

Mikey · « **Reply #25 on:** March 13, 2009, 02:30:55 AM »

Jason - did you get it yet? If not, why not get one and have it rechambered to the AI you mentioned and do it all at once rather than building a 280 now and a 280AI later. Think of all the fun you can have not having to wait for the AI. Just a thought.