Ideas on a new barrel for a old workhorse.

[OleRedbeard]

Meet Penelope, my dad's old Winchester in 30-06 that he carried pretty much everywhere under the sun from 1972 when he bought it in Redmond Oregon till he retired it due to the accuracy deteriorating a few years before he passed in 2017. He hunted Oregon, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Minnesota, Michigan and all around the Appalachians with it back in the day as his brother and him moved around alot when they were younger logging.
It's hard to say just how many critters this old beat up piece of wood and steel has accounted for. Heck I think I've probably killed 5 or 10 deer with it myself. To say it's sentimental is a understatement.
After retiring it he talked about having a new barrel put on it in 25-06 for a antelope hunt that we had planned but he passed away before it happened.
Long story short...I've decided to go ahead and rebarrel it. I don't want to do much else to it to be honest since I kinda like the old beat up weathered look it reminds me of him.
Do any of you guys have any suggestions on a barrel maker? I'm not wanting anything fancy. Just a good old plain Jane utilitarian hunting accurate sporter barrel.

 

[homers]

ER Shaw would be an improvement without going too fancy or expensive. They can contour a barrel to match the existing, reblue both the receiver to match the new barrel and put it all together for you.

 

[huntnpack]

Nice bench

 

[OleRedbeard]

ER Shaw would be an improvement without going too fancy or expensive. They can contour a barrel to match the existing, reblue both the receiver to match the new barrel and put it all together for you.

Thank you, I've always heard good things about shaw. That's the biggest issue I'm running into is price vs quality. I've had barrels changed before but always went with something that was a big upgrade. Never really just looked for somewhat of a OEM replacement.

 

[OleRedbeard]

Nice bench

Thanks! I enjoy piddling around refinishing a few rifles here and there and building muzzleloaders when I'm in a loafing mood.

 

[marksjeep]

Many barrel makers will rebarrel the action for you. Box it up, send it in. Shaw, Hart, and pacnor come to mind.

Ditto above, nice bench.

 

[Seamaster]

Shaw makes barrels that seem very similar in quality to factory barrels and their price is a bit lower than most of the others. Douglas is an upgrade for a few dollars more. If it was mine I would probably go to Douglas. Both of these makers usually keep a reasonably good supply of barrels so that turn around is not too bad.

 

[OleRedbeard]

I have not heard of pacnor before. I will have to look at them too. The big thing I have seen so far is the turn around. I waited till a terrible time of the year to do this.
Douglas does make a fine barrel. I have a nice Mauser with a Douglas on it in a 300 Rum have only shot it a few times though but it shoots lights out.

 

[Ben Sellers]

PAC-Nor burned to the ground last year. This post prompted me to see if they are back operating again. They just posted this week that they are taking orders again this week.

If it was me, with a family heirloom, I wouldn’t rebarrel (if it will be used once or twice a year) or I would go back with the exact same thing if I planned to use it often. For me the most important thing would be to preserve the character of what it was when my loved one used it.

 

[std7mag]

I currently have 2 rifle wearing E.R. Shaw barrels. I have zero complaints with either of them.
First was an "overrun special" that i arranged to pick up from their store for $100. 24" Savage sporter contour chambered in 250 Savage, polished, blued with a regular hunting crown.
The second is a 24" large ring Mauser 1.5 contour, polished, blued, with an 11° recessed target crown chambered in 284 Win. $272 delivered to my door.

I have a 3rd barrel to put on a build for my daughter from them. 7mmX57 Mauser.
22" sporter contour in large ring Mauser, polished, blued with 11° recessed crown. Again $272 to my door.

Side note, their bluing is a thing of beauty!

The only 2 downsides to E.R. Shaw.
They are limited to 26" max length.
And a 12 week wait time.

My planned range rifle i'm going with Douglas. 30" heavy barrel in 7mm-08.

Last i heard Douglas had a 2 week turn around.

 

[OleRedbeard]

PAC-Nor burned to the ground last year. This post prompted me to see if they are back operating again. They just posted this week that they are taking orders again this week.

If it was me, with a family heirloom, I wouldn’t rebarrel (if it will be used once or twice a year) or I would go back with the exact same thing if I planned to use it often. For me the most important thing would be to preserve the character of what it was when my loved one used it.

I agree with you on generally not messing with a heirloom like that usually and have left it alone till lately. If he hadn't planned on wanting to re-barrel it to a 25-06 I would just put another 30 cal barrel on it and leave it at that. That's why I don't plan on refinishing the stock or receiver or anything and just leaving it the way it is. The biggest reason behind it all is taking it with me when I go back to Wyoming since he cant be there himself.

 

[OleRedbeard]

I currently have 2 rifle wearing E.R. Shaw barrels. I have zero complaints with either of them.
First was an "overrun special" that i arranged to pick up from their store for $100. 24" Savage sporter contour chambered in 250 Savage, polished, blued with a regular hunting crown.
The second is a 24" large ring Mauser 1.5 contour, polished, blued, with an 11° recessed target crown chambered in 284 Win. $272 delivered to my door.

I have a 3rd barrel to put on a build for my daughter from them. 7mmX57 Mauser.
22" sporter contour in large ring Mauser, polished, blued with 11° recessed crown. Again $272 to my door.

Side note, their bluing is a thing of beauty!

The only 2 downsides to E.R. Shaw.
They are limited to 26" max length.
And a 12 week wait time.

My planned range rifle i'm going with Douglas. 30" heavy barrel in 7mm-08.

Last i heard Douglas had a 2 week turn around.

yes, you cant beat those prices. I have been looking up their work and even sending the receiver to them and having it done and done is cheaper than most places for the barrel alone mailed to you.

 

[VOLhunter]

I've used Hart barrels twice. Excellent customer service, price, and turn around time was quick as of a few years ago.

 

[Jbotto]

I’ve been happy with the .338-06 barrel from ERShaw. Pretty easy cleaning, blueing is great. Wish I hadn’t been cheap and bought a bit thinner barrel, but they were selling the heavy magnum sporter with the Savage barrel wrench. The deal suckered me in. Good barrels though!

 

[jpretle]

Put a Douglas on it. Great bbl's for the money.

 

[44hunter45]

I love high end barrels and I am kind of a Kreiger bigot.

But have you cleaned this thing down to bare bore and checked out the throat and bore?
Easy and cheap to do and may get you back into the "Minute of deer" range without changing a family treasure.

 

[Durango Mike]

If you want a simpler option i have a pre 64 mod 70 30-06 SUPER GRADE barrel i could part with if you are interested perfect bore and 95% blue. The super grade barrels in the 50’s were hand selected and air gauged for consistency. I am a Kreiger fan as well if you think you need to change caliber.

 

[Mako]

Honor your old mans memory and rebarrel to 25-06 as he would have done. Part of him lives in you, so when you take that rifle hunting you will be taking him with you. Keep the original barrel and store it in a corner of your safe. Bring it out once in a while and you’ll be reminded that he was so fond of that rifle that he shot it until he wore out the barrel.