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If anyone has any experience with this company I would like to know. I have emailed them twice and have a quote, but I have heard different things searching the internet on them. I did enough research to find out where they are supposed to be located and actually drove by there last fall visiting while visiting my mother. Nothing about the building or the businesses there convinced me that they made the barrels there. Could be the wrong location, maybe, but I would like to hear of the experience of others.
Thanks
Why didn’t you go up to the door & ask to see some samples? If you got a run-around, you’d know there was something fishy about the operation.
I had emailed them beforehand asking if I could since I would be down there and I was told that they did not have a showroom. If I could have done that, I probably would have bought one on the spot. It was over the new years holiday and the businesses there were closed.
I bought a 1873 barrel from them (with in a year ago) It took close to 6 months to get. They are just a small operation with a couple guy making barrels. They also were getting a new machine set up which set them back on the schedule. But did receive a nice new barrel.
rob said
I bought a 1873 barrel from them (with in a year ago) It took close to 6 months to get. They are just a small operation with a couple guy making barrels. They also were getting a new machine set up which set them back on the schedule. But did receive a nice new barrel.
How well were the brl markings reproduced? Does it look like they were lazer-cut or applied with a roll-die?
I took pictures ,send me some info on where to send them and I will if interested. Took pictures of the new barrel and a 73 that I have for comparison
rob said
I took pictures ,send me some info on where to send them and I will if interested. Took pictures of the new barrel and a 73 that I have for comparison
As you are a WACA member, you can post them here. Have to be good close-ups to evaluate quality of the repro markings.
Please post some pictures here. I would be interested in seeing what the work looks like.
I had a 50-110 barrel made for an 1885 highwall. Before I bash them, the barrel I eventually got is very nice and it is quite accurate. With that said..i will start with the issues i had.
The first barrel issue i had with them was: After taking way longer than they told me to get my barrel, they finally told me it was done and they wanted more money. I didn’t understand why they needed more and refused to send extra. I was told i was paid in full before the barrel was made. He gut upset but told me he was sending it anyway. A few days go buy and i get an entire 1886 in the same caliber as i wanted for my highwall. HE SENT ME SOMEONE ELSE GUN!!! I called and talked to him and he realized his mistake. I sent the gun back…never did get reimbursed for shipping even though i was told i would and asked about it several times.
I got my barrel shortly after that incident and was a bit worried about the size of the chamber, it seemed to be to large in diameter. I put the barrel on anyway, despite the measurements i took. Needless to say the chamber was too big and the brass was bulged and cracked. Contacting them about this issue, they realized their chamber was way bigger than the brass being made today by Starline. They needed to have a new reamer made and told me to send the barrel back and they would send a new one. They also asked me to send some of my brass with.
This is were the third issue comes into play. I sent the barrel back around October/November of 2019…and just got the new one back in August of 2021. I get covid happened in there..and the reamer place was shut down. But they had the reamer back almost a year before i ever got my barrel. I was told several times they were just waiting on the reamer. Then once they had the reamer they were waiting on other things. Then they got a new machine and so on. Just seamed like they had lots of excuses for why my barrel wasn’t done yet. They never did send my brass back even though i asked about it. One of them was an original Winchester case!
Needless to say, after all of that, the barrel i got is very nice. The dovetails needed to be enlarged slightly for the sights, but i rather have them that way then any other way. I should also point out that i am not one to normally right a post like this, but I feel like they need to be a bit better with their customer service and their customers stuff. I could have kept that 1886 i was sent in error and no one would have ever known…how would you like to be their customer knowing that?
-To pew or not to pew? That is the question-
caveman3094 said
I should also point out that i am not one to normally right a post like this, but I feel like they need to be a bit better with their customer service and their customers stuff.
Relating your experience is exactly the information prospective customers need to have; & where else can they get it if people like you don’t speak up?
You can see some of their roll marking on their website. Here’s an example – Model 1886:
steve004 said
You can see some of their roll marking on their website.
Lettering on oct brl looks pretty good, but quite uneven on round brl.
Dalton, I wonder if you were one of their first customers and they were still getting a new business up and running?
Chuck said
Dalton, I wonder if you were one of their first customers and they were still getting a new business up and running?
That might explain some of the problems, but sending him another customer’s gun?
I think inexperience explains most things. May not be the problem and isn’t a good excuse.
I have purchased two barrels from Winchester barrels.com .Both were for 1876 rifles , the first was 24″ HRHO 50-95 Cal. the barrel arrived a couple months later than expected , I may add here when ordering a custom anything I realize it can be a + or – deal . The 50 Cal. came properly marked well polished , I specified I wanted it in the white . The chamber is great brass looks perfect after fired . The bore internal finish is very slick and the rifle shoots very accurate . I liked it so well that I ordered another barrel from them , a Extra Heavy 28″ full Oct. in 45-75 . Short story barrel arrived about three month later than expected but was perfect inside and out . After I installed it , took it to the range and the first loads through it were Bp. loads from Winchester 45-75 mold and seated with Winchester Tong tool . The barrel shoots like a dream . If you scroll down on their website the 76 pictured is mine . I do not have any business dealings with this company and have not purchased a barrel from them in several yrs. This is what my experience was with them , a bit longer than expected on the wait . But a great barrel worth the wait in my case . I would buy from them again . Good luck with your project . RW .
Thank you everyone for the comments. From what I take on this is the quality is good if you do not mind waiting.
November 7, 2015
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As a small business owner and one who supports real gunsmiths I’d probably give these guys a try. Good gunsmith work is seldom fast, fast gunsmith work is seldom good. My current gunsmith is an exception to that rule. No, you can’t have his name and I don’t think his doc has cleared him to venture into his shop yet.
Mike
I bought an 1886 1/2 round 45-70 barrel from them three years ago. I didn’t spring for the rust blue yet the finish is nice, the markings seem perfect. It indexed and headspaced fine and the dovetails took an original Winchester front and vintage Marble’s rear sight very well. I recommend them highly based on my experience.
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