Evan Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hi all Thinking of building a stalking rifle in 308 what is the general opinion of the Lothar Walther barrels I have one on a custom 6.5x55 that i bought from this site about 18 months ago it is the most accurate rifle i have ever shot . Have i just been lucky or are they generally good Many thanks Evan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gun nut Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Hi Evan, just sold my 308 stalking rifle to my brother. It had a match grade Lothar Walther super magnum sporter barrel finished at 22.5" with a 1 in 14 twist. Shot extremely well, was easy cleaned and very very consistant with everything from 125grn to 165grn Sierra Game Kings. Shot everything I put through it under 1 moa and the ones it liked it shot in .3's. My deer loads were Sierra Pro Hunter 150 round nose(2135)over 44.5grns VT140 in Lapua brass with plane jane cci200 primers or Sierra Game King 150grn Spitzer boat tails(2125) with the only variation being seating depth. My brother took it to WMS, shot everything out to an 800 yd 10" gong with it. The only thing I would have changed about it would have been the barrel profile, it was a tad heavy for an out and out stalking rifle, other than that the barrel was and still is brilliant. I liked it so much I got another one put on my new 6.5x47 only 24" this time and 1in8 twist. Still doing load developments for this but looks like it will be sweet too. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brown dog Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Have i just been lucky or are they generally good I had a Lothar on my AW (it's what AI fit to their rifles) - insanely accurate I have a Lothar on my 6.5x47 -insanely accurate 100% record for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch_egg Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 I have a lothar walther 1450 profile fluted barrel on my 7-08. Cracking bit of kit easy to clean and shoots in the .3's which is all you need in a stalking rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldie Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 I,ve had two on guns i didn,t build, and both were junk. I wont fit them or thread them, the steel is that hard it buggers tooling for fun. The hardness is a bonus in a finished barrel, as it gives longer life. How many guys here know of regular competition winning guns fitted with Walthers ? I cant think of one. Walthers were very popular 3 or 4 years back, when a couple of gunsmiths here were getting them in cheap, due to the euro, and no licensing [europe ] But they are no longer cheap. One of the reasons i wont use a them. They are just a very hard button rifled barrel, that knackers tooling. The price of Archers , even truflites, shilens etc makes it a no brainer for me personally. Many satisfied customers out there however, with some very accurate guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylor Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 had 1 on my 6.5-284 f-class rifle and it shot ok nothing wrong with them but i replaced it with a truflight and it shot lights out after that ,get your self a truflight next time ,as baldie says they are mega hard on tooling ,they say the last longer but mine lasted the same as the truflight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NICK Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 Gents. I paid a fortune for a fluted, benchrest programme, 25cal barrel from LW. It was fitted to a Borden Action and Pillar Bedded to a McMillan stock. We are not talking a shoddy combination here. Given up on trying to get it to shoot, a very expensive waste of space. Life is too short so i am having another Barrel put on. Just need to see what is available in 25cal. Oh, it is a 25-06 Ackley. Wont use another LW. Pleased to see others have done well though. My mate has a Lilja thats a dog so i suppose all makers have their "Monday Morning" Barrels. Nick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted September 20, 2011 Report Share Posted September 20, 2011 I agree, they are hard on tooling - I use Tn coated inserts..... I use LW quite alot, never had one that doesnt shoot. I have LW on my 6.5x47, very accurate. I prefer to use Broughton, Bartlein, Border (in no order) But for sporters or rebarrels LW are good in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Hardly comparing apples with apples but I was shooting a prototype12.7x99 NATO single shot last week, the design was destined for some special people and it was fitted with a LW barrel, it was being hammered but still returned superb accuracy,. The LW had been chosen for longevity as well as accuracy and was certainly returning better accuracy than the identically 'scoped HS-50 I ran a back to back comparison with. Not that I have any plans to own either of them in the future..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldie Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 I think the main reason that the military, contract rifle builders etc, use Walthers Davy, is that Walther are far more in front of the competition when it comes to supplying pre-fit, chambered barrels from Stock. They will even stamp the end of the breech with the assemblers name...... Accuracy international have used contract barrels from all over the world, including Border barrels made here. Its never down to the barrel quality.....its always down to price and delivery.They are currently using Bartlien i believe, via their American arm of the business, therefore getting a very good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davy Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Everything is built to a price. A telling thing is Sporting Services were selling until quite recently AI/AE Border built barrels for around GBP250, it does make you wonder how much they were paying for them. The LW barrel on the rifle I shot had come in as a blank and was partly chosen for length as well, it was profiled and machined to suit the action, what Mr Nielsen did not say was if he paid for it in the first place but as they are a strictly low volume builder I suspect they would have done. The take on barrels varies from country to country and all have different views. A lot of the competitors last Saturday were shooting with a barrel made by someone I had never heard of yet was *the* barrel to use for such a discipline. If I could remember it I would google it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJR Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 I have a LW barrel on my 308. Shoots well, really easy to clean and doesn't seem to foul easily. I cannot comment on hardness but the rifle builder did say they are tough but he has no problems with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brown dog Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Everything is built to a price. A telling thing is Sporting Services were selling until quite recently AI/AE Border built barrels for around GBP250, it does make you wonder how much they were paying for them. They were that price because they were 'take-offs'; new, but taken off AI built rifles (you can choose any calibre from the factory as long as it's 243 or 308) for customers wanting/needing a different calibre (such as French people not being able to buy 308/7.62). The take on barrels varies from country to country and all have different views. A lot of the competitors last Saturday were shooting with a barrel made by someone I had never heard of yet was *the* barrel to use for such a discipline. Yup, really good point; it's all just fashion. The fascination with American brands is mainly about the fact that we can read their websites and magazines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikka 260 Posted September 21, 2011 Report Share Posted September 21, 2011 Hi all Thinking of building a stalking rifle in 308 what is the general opinion of the Lothar Walther barrels I have one on a custom 6.5x55 that i bought from this site about 18 months ago it is the most accurate rifle i have ever shot . Have i just been lucky or are they generally good Many thanks Evan Hi Evan, I am pleased that the 65x55 has been good for you. For what it's worth, I have a 7-08 with a LW s/s barrel, and a 275 with a CM barrel. One by Dasherman the other by Ronin. They both shoot better than I , and I didn't receive any negative comments about difficulties in machining during the builds. Nor from Steve Kershaw when he built the Lawton 6.5x55 either. Strictly an amateuers comment, as I only shoot the rifles and don't pretend to any real understanding of the "engineering" processes, but I would have thought that the cost of anew reamer constitutes a small part of the cost of a custom rifle. Perhaps I am wrong? IMHO, it's your choice from any of the recognised barrel makers, taking cost, availability into account. I'd be interested in your decision and eventual build.... Good luck with it. ATB Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sporting rifles Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 I have 2 rifles with LW barrel fitted I am told both calibers are "barrel burners" there lasting really well anyone that tells you there hard to machine or hard on reamers are not really very good at there job,as a true machinest will know how to ream the barrel correctly,you even get instructions on how to machine a LW barrel. you will find people who slate the LW barrel have had a bad experience machining one,this isnt because there faulty its because the person dosent understand what there doing. I had a brand new barrel scrapped by a so called gunsmith because he didnt know what he was doing,but thats another story.but the word is he wont touch them again. I may try another make of barrel when Iam ready for one but LW are good and hard wearing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baldie Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Not so Pete. Chambered correctly at the correct speeds and fluids, walthers will still blunt a reamer far more quickly than a softer barrel, its simply harder steel. Anyone who has chambered a few will tell you that every barrel brand chambers differently, some easier and cleaner than others, and there are no hard and fast rules/speeds etc for set types. Its the man who has hold of the reamer holder who will tell, by experience, and how the job is cutting. Next time you speak to Steve, ask him how many reamers he,s had to replace through wear, by chambering walthers. I think you would be surprised. Steve uses more walthers than anyone in the UK i would guess. I have carbide reamers in certain calibres such as .308, 6.5 x 47 etc that have chambered over 50 blanks and are still sharp. Certain reamers produce absolute top notch rifles, every gunsmith knows which ones they are, in his own cabinet. I would trap my dick in the door jamb, before putting one of those into a walther. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sporting rifles Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Not so Pete. Chambered correctly at the correct speeds and fluids, walthers will still blunt a reamer far more quickly than a softer barrel, its simply harder steel. Anyone who has chambered a few will tell you that every barrel brand chambers differently, some easier and cleaner than others, and there are no hard and fast rules/speeds etc for set types. Its the man who has hold of the reamer holder who will tell, by experience, and how the job is cutting. Next time you speak to Steve, ask him how many reamers he,s had to replace through wear, by chambering walthers. I think you would be surprised. Steve uses more walthers than anyone in the UK i would guess. I have carbide reamers in certain calibres such as .308, 6.5 x 47 etc that have chambered over 50 blanks and are still sharp. Certain reamers produce absolute top notch rifles, every gunsmith knows which ones they are, in his own cabinet. I would trap my dick in the door jamb, before putting one of those into a walther. I aint going to argue about it mate,but it seems there are only a couple of guys who wont fit LW barrels,I have my own reamers for my own barrels,I know Steve fits loads and i have never heard of a bad one yet,but Iam sure there will be one eventually carbide reamers as we all know will last a long long time but they will still wear eventually,at the end of the day its how you use a reamer and knowing how to cut different steels,reamers are a tool and they will need replacing as they will wear no matter what steel you put them into be carefull with your dick when opening the doors big boy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJR Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 So what are the instructions for machine LW barrels? I'm asking out of genuine interest here ,not to wind anyone up about who does what etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronin Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Im not aware of any special instructions with any barrel ive had from LW (and ive used many) The only paperwork issued is the invoice, a guarantee and note on cleaning. I use Tn coated cutting tools and HSS reamers - always pre-bore chambers and use a pressure flushing system to remove chips when cutting the chamber. Speed and rate of feed is entirely dependant on how my left hand is recieving feedback from the reamer.....its a skin akin to reading a book whilst writing a letter and typing all at the same time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6.5shooter Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Im no riflesmith but I do have a bit of common knowledge and sense. Any hard steel is going to blunt drill bits, chamber reamers or cutters more quickly than softer steel. I think there is alot of sheite talked Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJR Posted September 22, 2011 Report Share Posted September 22, 2011 Ronin, thanks for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest richness Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 I also wonder whether harder steel will necessarily last longer. It may, for example, flake worse and firecrack more readily actually due to the hardness. I doubt it's entirely linear the relationship between hardness and life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fergal Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 I agree with everything said so far, I would however say that although Lothar Walther barrels never really held any major world records they are very good barrels. Ive never really had any major problems chambering them, although they are pretty tough to machine. I dont tend to use much for only one reason, there way too expensive and slow enough to deliver. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejg223 Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 On German forums the trend seems to be more towards Lothar Walther, Nationals are being won and the increased life span of these barrels seems to be one factor. In one case they compared identical cal and load shot at the same competitions, the LW had twice the lifespan of the US barrel. On my hunting rifle I am more than happy with my LW, does exactly what I need. Shoots to the same point hot or cold, clean or dirty. Shoots just about any ammo well. Just had a Border cut barrel fitted to my 243 by Fergal, looking forward to it's performance. edi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brown dog Posted September 24, 2011 Report Share Posted September 24, 2011 Chaps, Lets consolidate this button rifle chat with the truflite one. I'll close this thread; please continue it here http://ukvarminting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12588&pid=105821&st=0entry105821 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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