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Military Firearm Restoration Corner

Consensus On Mcgowen Barrels


ikesdad

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I saw this asked on another site but only a couple of real replies, the rest drifted off to other barrel makers. What's the deal, are they worth considering or not?

 

My 35 Whelen with a McGowen barrel shoots a ragged hole at 200 yards. I'm not exaggerating about the group size but stretching the truth a little. I can't shoot that well. A young sharp shooting relative prints tiny clusters with it. With my limited shooting ability though I can say it is the most accurate rifle I own. I got the premium medium weight sporter barrel. It is marked having been cyro frozen. I didn't order it frozen or pay for it so it is possible it was just mistakenly marked or possibly it was.

 

A now deceased friend began using McGowen barrels was back into the early 70's. My friend was successful in his business and had the financial recourses to have had several custom rifles built. He claimed the McGowen barrels were the best. Recently the founder Harry McGowen has retired and his equipment and operation was moved. I can't vouch for the current production.

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Unless you are a dave tubb class shooter, you will probably not be able to shoot any barrel too its full potential. So many things impact rifle accuracy such as:

 

bedding

caliber selection

powder and bullet selection

optics mounting

case prep

Barrel installation

 

Barrel selection is pretty far down the list.

 

I have a douglas, shilen and adams & bennet in different guns. I dont notice alot of difference between them.

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I think one of the problems is that there is a NEW McGowan and an OLD McGowan. The old company operated in the '50's, '60's, and '70's. "Accuracy got you over a barrel?" was their catch phrase.

 

The new company, other than the name, is a totally different venture as I understand it.

 

Clemson

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I've had 4 McGowan barrelled rifles

 

25-06

7mm Rem Mag

.300 Win Mag

.300 Wby Mag

 

All very professionally done

All very accurate

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  • 1 month later...

Savage 110 barrels headspace adjust with a nut.

There is a Savage forum where a guy sells allot of pre fit barrels from both Shilen and Mcgowen.

There have been comparisons between the two.

I don't own any Mcgowen, but I do own Shilen.

Shilen chrome moly can be crappy, but Shilen stainless select match is as good as it gets.

 

The comparison between Shilen and Mcgowen on that site is that they are both premium barrels, but Shilen stay clean longer and clean up faster.

They are both about $300 and the Shilens are the select match.

 

The thread is 17 pages long and has the title " "In Stock" Savage Pre-Fits - Shilen and McGowen Barrels - Updated 4/13/09 "

 

 

I got a 19" long Shilen select match 6mmPPC benchrest take off barrel for $75 off Ebay back when Ebay sold barrels.

I reamed it out to 6mmBR and put it on a $175 1917 Savage 99 250 Savage take down.

I drilled and tapped for scope.

I put on a 6.5x20x50 VXIII varmint scope.

In two trips to the range it has averaged 0.2moa, with the terrible 8 pound trigger.

 

The Shilen select match barrel is so good, if the Mcgowen barrels are close, it would be better than I could ever need.

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