Rate quality of barrels

[Stryker]

I have 2 Rice, a Colerain and a GM. They all shoot better than I can hold them.  I will say I am surprised at all the GM barrels I see on competition rifles at Friendship. Maybe those folks know something we don't.

[Mike R]

I have 2 Rice, a Colerain and a GM. They all shoot better than I can hold them.  I will say I am surprised at all the GM barrels I see on competition rifles at Friendship. Maybe those folks know something we don't.

for competitive target shooting it is hard to beat a heavy straight octagon barrel made by any of several companies.  GM makes a good barrel. I was present [twice] when a gunmaker friend delivered new rifles to clients at his shop/range.  He has them shoot them on site to check them out--both had GM barrels, one a .45 and other a .50.  With brand new guns and guessed at 1st loads, both shooters made cloverleaf groups at 50 yds.

[IronDawg]

No experience with Rayle. But I've shot GM, and Colerain in the past couple weeks more than I care to clean em! I had no troubles or issues with either of em.

In Fact I thought all five rifles I was playin with shot extremely well and were VERY accurate.

As far as sought after?? This is my so. mo. And this lil baby has a 48" Swamped barrel made by ol man Rice hisself....... This rifle with this barrel in my very INEXPERIENCED knowledge and short amount of time I've been in to flintlocks is ...well I dunno if it can be beat or not. not enough experience to say that.......... what I do know is it's an absolute tack driver. And thats comin from a fella thats peered down a many a centerfire at some extremely far away targets.



But I'm gonna gamble and say Barrel choice is gonna be like bow choice with trad bowhunters........ ask 30 people and you'll get 28 different answers.

[jtwodogs]

She shore is pretty, and long as a school boys dream

[riverrat]

 now if you speaking of a barrel made by old man Getz or Rice , now thats another subject all to gether  as IMO those are the barrels that are sought after

That's not what I am hearing  at the CLA shows.  John Getz is probably making the best barrels ever.

[Mule Brain]

I have a CVA Kentucky, of course with the Spanish barrel, that never stops amazing me!

I know there are many good barrel manufactures, but this just goes to show you that cheap can work as well!

I would bank more on round ball size, rate of twist, lube, powder measure, patch size  etc....