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Old 09-20-2018, 04:23 PM
Tucker65 Tucker65 is offline
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Default Ragged Hole barrel info

I'm putting together a 20 practical and was wondering if anyone has used the Wilson barrels that they sell over at Ragged Hole Barrels. I already have a really nice shooting 20 practical built with a heavy barreled Bartlien but was wanting to put together something lighter and also more of a budget truck gun.

If anyone has any real life experience with these barrels let me know. I don't mind spending the extra cash on a quality cut rifled barrel but if these Wilson barrels shoot good and don't go away too fast I'd be willing to chamber one up

Thanks John
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Old 09-20-2018, 05:50 PM
TinMan TinMan is offline
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Don't know if this qualifies, but back in '93 I built up two AR's, an A2 20" HBAR and a A2 16" Carbine using Wilson heavy military Cr-Mo barrels. I am very pleased with them. I used the HBAR for High Power service rifle for three years and did fine with it. It would routinely shoot 0.6-0.7 or slightly better with a 3x9 scope while doing load development. As I understand it back then, Wilson made both military and match barrels, with the match barrels being the better made barrels. Several years ago, Wilson went to all match grade barrels.

I also have three Coopers, all with Wilson match barrels, 22 Hornet, 221FB and 223. With my reloads and decent bullets like Sierra and Hornady, all three will typically shoot under 0.4 MOA. Given your criteria, I would not hesitate to try one of Wilson match barrels from the Ragged Hole Barrels.
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Old 09-20-2018, 05:55 PM
Eagle_view Eagle_view is offline
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I have had good luck with Green Mountain Barrels and I know a lot of guys here shoot PacNor barrels with great success. Wilson owns Cooper Rifle now so you can bet their barrels are on those fine rifles. McGowen Barrel has also done a fine job for some of my barrel work and they have lots of options for twists and calibers.


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Old 09-20-2018, 06:49 PM
JohnHenry JohnHenry is offline
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Recently bought a stainless 20 caliber, #4 contour Wilson barrel that Raggedhole sells for $160 shipped. Plan to have it chambered in 20 Vartarg. I have bore scoped the barrel and it looks very good; no tool marks. If I remember correctly, I recall Rob Behr telling me that he visited Wilson when he worked for Cooper and that Wilson had an "automated" lapping procedure.
Accuracy results will be a few months away as I need to get it to Bob Green for his excellent fitting and chambering work.

https://raggedholebarrels.net/
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Old 09-21-2018, 01:23 AM
410gauge 410gauge is offline
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Tucker65, to add to the other comments. I've bought (5) of the Wilson barrel blanks from Ragged Hole Barrels. (4) 20 cal and (1) 22 cal. So far...no complaints. I've met one of the owners several times to take delivery of the barrels. I've only turned down one (which he had no problem with). I've taken my bore scope each time. These are decent barrels for the money. I just finished up a 22/243 Imp recently. It has a Kreiger 7.7 twist on it, but I wanted to build a fire-forming barrel for it. I was having trouble finding something to make a fire-forming bbl, so I decide to make a switch barrel out of the 22 cal Wilson barrel using the same reamer. So far it hasn't shot as well as the Kreiger...but close. The Kreiger has shot (3) shot groups in the low 2's...the Wilson has shot (3) shot groups in the hi 2's with the same load and 77 gr Sierra MK bullet. As JohnHenry commented these barrels are auto lapped and not hand lapped...but the barrels Ragged Hole are selling are select match Wilson. Haven't done anything with the 20 cal blanks yet. 410gauge
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Old 09-21-2018, 02:40 AM
Tucker65 Tucker65 is offline
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I appreciate the info guys. I guess for the price of them it isn't going to break the bank if it doesn't shoot up to my expectations.

410Gauge, if you don't mind me asking why did you decline one of the barrels you received from them?

Thanks, John
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Old 09-21-2018, 04:13 AM
georgeld georgeld is offline
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Off the trail a touch.
Back in '99 I bought a A&B blank from Midway
for $70 I'd put up against anyone's barrel in a
shooting match.
Try: multiple times of ten shots = .230" in .223 with 40gr V'max
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Old 09-21-2018, 04:43 PM
410gauge 410gauge is offline
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Tucker 65, in answer to your comment of why I turned down one of the Wilson blanks, is occasionally I see a slight rough spot (almost like a tear or bubble) in a button rifled blank. I've seen this in several different brands of rifle barrel blanks through the years...not just Wilson. My theory (and it's only a theory) is that the metal has soft and harder spots that sometimes cause the metal to slightly tear as the button comes through. Do I know that for a fact...NO! I have sent back blanks through the years because of this. I readily admit that a bore scope can be your friend and not your friend...LOL! I recall I had a custom blank in 17 Remington a number of years ago that had that tear look in a couple spots down the bore. The dang thing actually shot several (3) shot groups in the low 1's and two groups in the 0's! Go figure! Sometimes as the BR shooters say: "ya just get a hummer barrel"! Don't happen often. 410gauge
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  #9  
Old 09-22-2018, 04:14 AM
flyrod flyrod is offline
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A friend of mine shoots a 223 in the local matches and wanted to upgrade to a heavier barrel with a tighter twist. This is a budget gun, and the quotes for a professional re-barrel with a name brand blank were way too high. He ended up buying a reamer and a 8-twist barrel from raggedholebarrels to do the work himself. It turned out well and shoots cheap 69 and 77 grain bullets into 0.5MOA at 200 yards. He's still at a disadvantage at the matches in the wind (compared to stuff like the 6.5 creed), but for a fraction of the price it's good enough to play and he usually finishes in the top half or better. He has a second blank that I'll try to persuade him to put on my howa.

Also, I have a cooper M38 in 22 hornet (supposedly uses wilson barrels) that is really accurate inside 300 yards.

$0.02
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