McGowen Precision Barrels ... talk about fast service!!!

[MCMXI]

I've been wanting to do something about my Savage Weather Warrior factory barrel chambered in 7mm-08 Rem with a 1:11.5 twist for quite a while. After looking at McGowen's website, I filled out the online form this past Friday evening requesting a drop-in stainless, 22", 1:9 twist barrel with a recessed target crown and Savage magnum contour chambered in 7mm-08. I was expecting them to get back to me in a couple of weeks with a price and to tell me that it'd be 3 months before my barrel would be ready. They called this morning to tell me that my barrel is ready to ship! I don't even have a barrel wrench or go/no-go gauges!!! Total cost with shipping was around $280.

Any tips/tricks for removing the smooth barrel nut? I ordered the standard grooved barrel nut from Midway and will order the required wrench and go/no-go gauges today. I'm buying this barrel "blind" so I sure hope it shoots well. It can't possibly be worse than the factory barrel ... can it?!

 

[NCsmitty]

I'm sure you're chomping at the bit to see how well the new barrel shoots, I would be. McGowen barrels have had a very good reputation for many years, and should surpass your factory barrel.

I don't have a Savage, so you're on your own with the new style barrel nut.
I would think that you only need a go gauge to set your barrel, but the no-go is cheap and probably good to have.



NCsmitty

 

[R.W.Dale]

It's ugly but some just use a pipe wrench on the smooth nuts or even score wem with a cutoff wheel and split em with a chisel. I have seen a special wrench for them but i can't see forking over the $$$ for one.

McGowan makes a beautiful tube

I've had one on a Stevens 200 chambered for 45win mag (not 458) and my latest acquisition wears a 30" 308 barrel

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=556398

 

[taliv]

dang, that sounds awesome
i don't own any switch barrel guns.

 

[MCMXI]

Thanks for the comments guys. krochus, you're largely to "blame" for my choosing McGowen. I consider you to be a Savage aficionado and searched for McGowen after reading some of your threads, including the one in your link. I just took another look at McGowen's web site and they show some really great results in the "trophy" section. Now I'm starting to get excited. I like many things about the Weather Warrior and plan on another in .30-06 but not until I start to shoot tiny little groups with this rifle. That just wasn't going to happen with the factory barrel with the 1:11.5 twist. This is first and foremost a deer rifle, but there's no reason why it can't be a seriously accurate deer rifle.

I ordered the barrel wrench and a go/no-go gauge. I have a bunch of rifles chambered in .308 Win and one in .260 Rem so I figure it's worth having both gauges. I'm going to grit blast and paint the barrel and action with GUN-KOTE 2400. I like painted stainless for hunting ... just need to pick the color(s).

Anyway, I'm very impressed with the turnaround time from McGowen. Maybe I was just lucky and they had a Savage magnum .284" barrel laying around.

 

[jerkface11]

I have that .45 winmag krochus mentioned. The bore is like a mirror

 

[MCMXI]

Got my new barrel installed yesterday ... it's a beauty. The bolt closes easily on the go gauge and the bolt handle won't even begin to rotate down (closed) with the no-go gauge in the chamber. I torqued the new barrel nut to 35 ft-lb. I had a couple of issues to deal with. First, the recoil lug wouldn't fit over the new barrel threads and yet it was loose on the factory barrel threads . I had to file the inside of the lug so that it would slide over the new barrel threads. Second, the factory recoil lug is flat on both sides i.e. no way to index and lock it to the action when tightening the barrel nut. I used an adjustable crescent wrench to hold the lug in place as I tightened the barrel nut. Third, to remove the smooth barrel nut, I used a cut-off wheel to grind a notch in the nut. I then used a cold chisel and hammer to loosen the nut by applying force tangentially to the nut ... hope that makes sense. Anyway, here's the new barrel installed. Next step is to do some inletting on the AccuStock so that the new magnum contour barrel will be free-floating. I don't need to remove much material so it shouldn't take too long ... famous last words right?! I'm really looking forward to shooting this rifle now. I have a good feeling about it.

 

[sscoyote]

Hey man--hope u like yours as much as i'm liking mine. Here's 3 1st shots at 325, 400 and 525 out of an 8-twist McGowen 22-250/65 JLK Low Drag--



and my latest BR rig (225 Win. 8-twist McGowen shooting 80 SMK's)--



Hope it shoots as well as mine are.

 

[MCMXI]

Hope it shoots as well as mine are.

Me too!! I'll post some results once I get around to working up a load for the new barrel.

 

[R.W.Dale]