Best 1911 Hardball Barrel
Moderators: pilkguns, m1963, Isabel1130
Best 1911 Hardball Barrel
I am looking for the most accurate hardball barrel I can find. Which brand should I go with?
It's not quite that simple. If you were to compare a number of barrels from a sampling of the better known makers there 's going to considerable overlap in performance.
Gunsmith/armorers I have spoken with will shoot a barrel from a single shot fixture (Cominolli fixture) for 50 yd. outdoor groups. Basically, it's a howitzer breach type action in which the barrel is placed. 1" to 1.5" groups are generally considered acceptable. Many barrel makers can make barrels that can shoot this well, but none of them can assure you that every barrel will deliver the goods. The better makers will replace an unsatisfactory barrel.
This doesn't mean the particular gun in which it will be used will be able to deliver this performance, it only refers to the accuracy potential of the barrel itself. There is always some loss in the potential of the barrel once it is fitted and tested in the gun.
Bar-Sto and Kart are both good. There are others. Even some factory Colt barrels can shoot well, but it takes a real good gunsmith to build up the lugs so it can be fitted properly. Some say this doesn't work, but I've seen it work.
If you're really serious about pursuing the matter, you could ask around and find a gunsmith who has one of these fixtures that could test a barrel for you, especially if you bought the barrel from them or were having them build a hardball gun for you. Maybe you could find a service pistol team, like your state guard team, and find a retired service match armorer.
By the way, if you are interested in hardball pistols and their history, development, etc. check out "U.S. Military Match and Marksmanship Automatic Pistols" by Bill Jenkins.
Gunsmith/armorers I have spoken with will shoot a barrel from a single shot fixture (Cominolli fixture) for 50 yd. outdoor groups. Basically, it's a howitzer breach type action in which the barrel is placed. 1" to 1.5" groups are generally considered acceptable. Many barrel makers can make barrels that can shoot this well, but none of them can assure you that every barrel will deliver the goods. The better makers will replace an unsatisfactory barrel.
This doesn't mean the particular gun in which it will be used will be able to deliver this performance, it only refers to the accuracy potential of the barrel itself. There is always some loss in the potential of the barrel once it is fitted and tested in the gun.
Bar-Sto and Kart are both good. There are others. Even some factory Colt barrels can shoot well, but it takes a real good gunsmith to build up the lugs so it can be fitted properly. Some say this doesn't work, but I've seen it work.
If you're really serious about pursuing the matter, you could ask around and find a gunsmith who has one of these fixtures that could test a barrel for you, especially if you bought the barrel from them or were having them build a hardball gun for you. Maybe you could find a service pistol team, like your state guard team, and find a retired service match armorer.
By the way, if you are interested in hardball pistols and their history, development, etc. check out "U.S. Military Match and Marksmanship Automatic Pistols" by Bill Jenkins.
6string speaks the truth, For many years Colt barrels were considered the standard, BUT gunsmiths took the time to weld material onto the lugs and hood and then file it down to fit tightly. There are few gunsmiths doing this anymore because it's not cost effective. They just buy a Kart or Barsto.Rover wrote:I asked this same question myself of some of the armorers at Perry. They seemed to think that Colt made a good barrel, as well as others.
If you're starting from scratch, you may as well have the barrel you have fitted first and see what your smith has to say.
Mike Curtis posted a while ago that the best barrel he ever tested was a Kart but that overall Barsto shot jacketed bullets best and Kart shot lead best. He tested thousands of barrels as top armorer for the USMC program for six years. They would buy whole lots of barrels and test them before building a gun around that barrel. Each barrel is a unique entity so you can only go with the generalized statement of Barsto for jacketed and Kart for lead.
The other generalized statement is that Springfield armory barrels are not worth the time to even test, let alone build around. Les Baer barrels are Kart with a LB stamp on them.
If you want the best chance of a sub 3 inch hardball gun, get a Barsto. If your using a Colt slide get the Marine Cut Barsto, it's even meatier than a regular Barsto to fit inside the sloppy Colt frame/slide. Guess why they call it the Marine cut??
Wjat barrel
My Mountain Customs pistol uses a Schumann barrel. They are supposed to be the premier barrel but the cost is prohibitive. But when you are spending 2500.00 bucks for a wad gun that's what you apparently have to do. Dr. Nick tests every barrel that he uses in each one of his guns. This brand has the highest number of passed barrels but he still has to send some back. He will only use barrels that will group to his specifications.