troy fairweather
Member
Got to thinking how are the new Douglas,don't hear about them anymore. They were at one time the barrel to have on a custom gun. Anyone get a new barrel in the last few years.
New Douglas barrels?
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ApacheCoTodd
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I'd be curious too.
I know in the day, we bought Douglas blanks bulk and paid the premium for individually *match* certified and we NEVER had an issue.
As well, we would buy Wilsons from time to time as Match blanks.
Then, having solid *ins* with both companies and knowing a couple-few manufacturers, it became clear that a GREAT many barrel profilers and gun manufacturers were buying the standard blanks from both companies and claiming *Match* for the finished product.
This became clear when customers would start to comment on the quality of each company's match barrels not being what they used to be.
So, I casually did some checking in the industry and found that almost no one was paying the premium for the certification of grade.
Slowly, the cache of claiming Match Douglas or Match Wilson eroded.
Eventually, we sold our company and I lost track of the reputational erosion but am curious as to the state of things now.
In my experience, NEITHER company let their standards slide - merely first & second-tier buyers lying about the product they bought from the barrel-blank makers.
Todd.
I know in the day, we bought Douglas blanks bulk and paid the premium for individually *match* certified and we NEVER had an issue.
As well, we would buy Wilsons from time to time as Match blanks.
Then, having solid *ins* with both companies and knowing a couple-few manufacturers, it became clear that a GREAT many barrel profilers and gun manufacturers were buying the standard blanks from both companies and claiming *Match* for the finished product.
This became clear when customers would start to comment on the quality of each company's match barrels not being what they used to be.
So, I casually did some checking in the industry and found that almost no one was paying the premium for the certification of grade.
Slowly, the cache of claiming Match Douglas or Match Wilson eroded.
Eventually, we sold our company and I lost track of the reputational erosion but am curious as to the state of things now.
In my experience, NEITHER company let their standards slide - merely first & second-tier buyers lying about the product they bought from the barrel-blank makers.
Todd.
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troy fairweather
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I think they should have marked the barrels similar to the xx they would put on there air gauged premium barrel. I think your right most smiths passed of the standard as a premium barrel. The Douglas on my 09 Argentine John van Patten did is a premium, I remember he would order 10 or so of popular calibers and a few stranded to.
I've Hurd they have been hit or miss the last few years, probably in part from guys not using the better barrel.
I don't even know how much more the premium is anymore. Think they will install a barrel for $500 which Does not sound to bad.
here's my 09 with 24" air gauged # 2 shoots 1/2 moa not bad for a deer rifle.
Flatbush Harry
Member
I've got a 1978-1979 vintage Springfield Armory Inc. M1A Supermatch that has a Douglas Match barrel (per the factory) on it. It is a consistent 1-1/2 MOA shooter if I do my part. Of course, as a concession to age (40 years since I bought it...I'm now 73-1/2)) I use a Vortex Viper PST, an M2 bipod, and a rear bag. The attached is a target I shot last year. It's a pretty good rifle.
Harry
Harry
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earlthegoat2
Member
Ranger Point Precision has used Douglas barrels for rebarreling and cartridge conversion Marlin 336 rifles. As has Mic McPherson for the same uses.
When I built my dads 450 Bushmaster Remage, I used a Douglas air gaged barrel. It exceeded expectations.
Unfortunately, I am sure this is not the right anecdotal information that most folks are looking for. I wish I had some info on ultra accurate long range bolt rifles.
When I built my dads 450 Bushmaster Remage, I used a Douglas air gaged barrel. It exceeded expectations.
Unfortunately, I am sure this is not the right anecdotal information that most folks are looking for. I wish I had some info on ultra accurate long range bolt rifles.
Gumby0961
Member
I have one a year or 2 older than yours, I've never got it to shoot like that. It is just the standard match version, but I did win a junior state championship with it in '79. What scope mount are you using on yours?
Offfhand
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Mark me down as a big fan of Douglas barrels. They are one of my three favorite and most used barrel makers, and a first choice for custom rifles. I consider the Douglas XX a point of pride on my rifles and I know that some complaints about "Douglas" barrels have been due to shady gunsmiths charging customers for a Douglas barrels but in fact actually fitting cheaper, low quality barrels. The fitting and chambering done by Douglas is absolutely top quality, here is some of the work they did for me..
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troy fairweather
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The thing I always liked is that you can tell pretty quick if it's a Douglas unless it's not one of there contours.
Flatbush Harry
Member
I use Bassett Machines Low Picatinny mounts on my three M1As. I use Vortex Vipers with Vortex Precision Matched Rings, a PST gen. 2 on the Supermatch, a PST gen. 1 on my Loaded in an Archangel stock (awaiting a JAE once MDT gets going on them), and an HS-T on my Scout/Sniper. All are MRAD scopes. I use an M2 bipod in which I've inserted some felt to avoid scarring the gas tube and a lightweight TAB Gear rear bag. I use either 175 gr FGMM or my hand loads using 175 gr SMKs over 42.2 gr IMR 4064, Win .308 Win brass and WLR primers. I think the hand loads are close to the FGMM factory ammo.
I hope some of this is helpful to you.
Good shooting,
Harry
PS- Of course, they didn't make the M1A during the Civil War (aka The War of Northern Aggression) when I was a junior.
PPS-I picked up the rifle after ordering it 8 weeks earlier at the Geneseo, IL factory from Craig Reese. Nice guy...I've been a SAI fanboy since and use an XD40sc or a 1911 TRP as a daily carry. I'm betting my life on their stuff.
H
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Gumby0961
Member
Sorry about hijacking your thread Troy.I use Bassett Machines Low Picatinny mounts on my three M1As. I use Vortex Vipers with Vortex Precision Matched Rings, a PST gen. 2 on the Supermatch, a PST gen. 1 on my Loaded in an Archangel stock (awaiting a JAE once MDT gets going on them), and an HS-T on my Scout/Sniper. All are MRAD scopes. I use an M2 bipod in which I've inserted some felt to avoid scarring the gas tube and a lightweight TAB Gear rear bag. I use either 175 gr FGMM or my hand loads using 175 gr SMKs over 42.2 gr IMR 4064, Win .308 Win brass and WLR primers. I think the hand loads are close to the FGMM factory ammo.
I hope some of this is helpful to you.
Good shooting,
Harry
PS- Of course, they didn't make the M1A during the Civil War (aka The War of Northern Aggression) when I was a junior.
PPS-I picked up the rifle after ordering it 8 weeks earlier at the Geneseo, IL factory from Craig Reese. Nice guy...I've been a SAI fanboy since and use an XD40sc or a 1911 TRP as a daily carry. I'm betting my life on their stuff.
H
Thanks for the info Harry. I haven't scoped mine yet, the mount is my biggest concern. My "young" eyes dont fair well with NM sights anymore.
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troy fairweather
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No please I don't mind, I enjoyed the info lol.
Flatbush Harry
Member
Beach Bum
Member
I wish too thank you as well, enjoying the info, I was just thinking I better save it so I can reread it later.....
Take care....
Gordon
Member
I have almost the identical set up Harry , the PST is in a Sadlak mount, what are you using ? Mine shoots the same as yours pretty much. I had Smith Enerprises "tune " it to "national Match " specs in late 80s and it was sub MOA and it loosened up nicely by 2000s to be a combat rifle
edited to note he uses Bassett low mounts.
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sage5907
Member
I've bought four of them in the past but I haven't bought one in several years. I read somewhere that the company has changed ownership but if I wanted a new barrel at a reasonable price I wouldn't be concerned about buying one. They will sell you a barrel of the contour and length that you want, thread the tenon, chamber, headspace and crown the barrel and install it on your action all for $500. That is a good price for a quality barrel. They do not blue a barrel or Cerakote so you would have to have a gunsmith do those services.
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Offfhand
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Mr. Sage5907 (above post) is right-on about Douglas providing "contour and length you want". A few years ago I picked up a Marlin 322 with a barrel so corroded it looked like the sewers Babylon. The cute SAKO action and nice walnut stock deserved a new barrel but the unusual contour of the original barrel presented what might have been a problem: That being fitting a new barrel to the rifle without altering the stock's original barrel inletting. So I sent it to Douglas to duplicate the profile original barrel, but in a different caliber. (Originally .222 Rem, but now .17 Fireball.) The results are shown here: a beautiful fit.
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troy fairweather
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I got to ask, and the change from 222 to 17 fb?
Offfhand
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Easy answer. I already had a couple .222 Rem SAKO Vixens. The .17 Fireball was new on the shooting scene, I wanted to give it a try and knew from past experience that Douglas makes very accurate .17 cal. barrels. Same rim diameters so no bolt alteration necessary and the Fireball fits and feeds from the SAKO's detachable magazine like it was born there. Here it is loaded with 25 gr Hornady .V-Max.
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