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building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels #9199322 03/16/25 12:59 AM
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I am in the market to build a new 6.8 western and leaning toward using Xcaliber barrel. Looking for a 26 in 1-7 stainless barrel with an exaggerated spiral fluting or maybe dimpling. Anyone have experience with those barrels or have a better option? Ideally trying to keep it under $1000. Gonna be on a weatherby 307 action.

Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: bassmastar34] #9199339 03/16/25 02:01 AM
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A better option starts with a “B”, Brux, Benchmark or Bartlein. I have experience with one X Caliber barrel, the owner of it bought it as a prefit and used a Solus action with the supplied nut. It was placed in a used Sendero stock, and he was getting lots of flyers. I asked him about the interface between the barrel and action, he said he thought it was good, I suggested bedding it. He wanted to borrow my bore scope to look inside first. We did, the chamber looked like it was cut with a reamer that was past its prime, and it was one of the worst cases of not being set up right to chamber I have seen. The lead looked like a crecent moon. After 400 rounds of trying to find a load, his trusty old Bergara put that one back in the safe. Another guy I shoot with some used one on a 300 WM, he says it is OK, but does not brag on it much. A Bartlein blank with your fluting and a chamber job will be under $1000.00 and leave you enough change for lunch.

The 307 action is decent, I have built on a few and put two of them in the lathe to check out. They are acceptable, better than what Remington was turning out, but not on par with Defiance, Terminus, ARC, and Bat. I would not hesitate to use one.

Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: LonestarCobra] #9199345 03/16/25 02:16 AM
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Yup.

Bartlein is always my first pick. The man at the lathe does the right thing and my load development is easy, every time.


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Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: LonestarCobra] #9199347 03/16/25 02:21 AM
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Originally Posted by LonestarCobra
A better option starts with a “B”, Brux, Benchmark or Bartlein. I have experience with one X Caliber barrel, the owner of it bought it as a prefit and used a Solus action with the supplied nut. It was placed in a used Sendero stock, and he was getting lots of flyers. I asked him about the interface between the barrel and action, he said he thought it was good, I suggested bedding it. He wanted to borrow my bore scope to look inside first. We did, the chamber looked like it was cut with a reamer that was past its prime, and it was one of the worst cases of not being set up right to chamber I have seen. The lead looked like a crecent moon. After 400 rounds of trying to find a load, his trusty old Bergara put that one back in the safe. Another guy I shoot with some used one on a 300 WM, he says it is OK, but does not brag on it much. A Bartlein blank with your fluting and a chamber job will be under $1000.00 and leave you enough change for lunch.

The 307 action is decent, I have built on a few and put two of them in the lathe to check out. They are acceptable, better than what Remington was turning out, but not on par with Defiance, Terminus, ARC, and Bat. I would not hesitate to use one.


I agree with above
I found one but I have no idea the twist that round needs

https://redhawkrifles.com/bartlein-270-caliber-stainless-steel-5r-barrels/

You will need to send it to Kampfeld or Bugholes to get flutes



Last edited by Brother in-law; 03/16/25 02:27 AM.
Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: bassmastar34] #9199371 03/16/25 04:00 AM
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I've got three X-caliber barrel's, all pre-fits on my ARC Nucleus & Archimedes actions. They all shoot just as small groups as any of my other custom barrels with my hand loads

Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: bassmastar34] #9199512 03/16/25 06:19 PM
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Any barrel can be a good one, it’s all in how the guy who chamber reams it. And what care they take, indicating both ends of the barrel, cooling oil set up’s not running it to hard and getting stuff hot. It all matters.

I once had a ER Shaw $50 barrel that shot exceptionally well. Also another one was wilson air gaged (not wilson combat) shot well but took great care in machine work.

Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: bassmastar34] #9199517 03/16/25 06:39 PM
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I’ve meaning to order a preffered as I had great experiences with their sister encore barrel company


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Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: bassmastar34] #9199559 03/16/25 08:44 PM
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Every time I start singing a manufacturers praise their stuff gets hard to get…example I was able to get Carbon 6 barrels in under 4 months. Now, I’ve had 3 on order for over 6 months. X-Caliber carbon barrels have a unique finish/design on them that I really like, my 22 Gaymoor is an X and it’s a hammer.

When I shot benchrest I was a Brux homer and still use and order quite a few Brux as they are my number one. But when I opened Hot Shot Rifles and started chambering rifles for others, my exposure to other brands have increased. I’ve done two of the Wilson air gauged TAB mentioned and both have shot surprisingly well.

So I’m not as big of a one brand over others guy I once was, I think they all make great barrels and if you buy enough of them you will run across a dud. Worst barrel I’ve personally owned to date, a Krieger. It was a 6.5x47 and it wouldn’t shoot anything…lots of lessons were learned from that barrel with the biggest, cut bait early versus just wasting components. Saying that Krieger is known as being a premium barrel and I’d buy another one tomorrow without thinking twice.

That’s a lot of words to say…X-caliber knows how to make some great barrels. Good luck.

Last edited by Judd; 03/16/25 08:45 PM. Reason: Spelling…

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Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: bassmastar34] #9200313 03/18/25 09:28 PM
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Had a smith screw an Excalibur 24 inch #4 into a 700 long action
30 Cal 11 twist chambered it in the boring, ancient 30-06 Govt
After about 20 rounds of barrel break in it turned into a .3-.4 gun w 165 Accubonds.
Deer hate it.

Re: building a new rifle anyone have experience with Xcaliber Barrels [Re: bassmastar34] #9200446 03/19/25 04:21 AM
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I have Installed 6 X-Caliber barrels on Remington & Savage. So far I have had very good luck with all of them I have a 7-08 Carbon Fiber barrel that has been exceptional. I have read that X- Caliber had some issues on early on with quality, but if an issue was found I think they replaced them. My only issue with them was a lost order that they made good on and gave me a 50% discount on another order which I took them up on.
I have other manufacturer barrels from Bartein, Green Mountain, Shilen, Criterion, PVA so I have a few to compare to. I keep buying from from x- Caliber because of the value. So far no quality complaints...


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