In this page we have posted some pictures of targets, firearms and animals that our customers have sent to us. If you have used a McGowen Precision Barrel on your firearm and would like to show us what you've done with it please send all images and a brief story to admin@mcgowenbarrel.com

I would like to take a moment to encourage you to thank your barrel guys for an incredible product. I have enclosed a picture of some targets my little wife shot with your barrel blank. There is a picture of several very incredible groups, but specifically the center target was shot with a red/white/blue McGowen barrel mounted on a Savage Striker chambered in 338X300 Miceli. That center target was shot with two bullet weights and two different loads. The one hole group is with 225gr Accubonds at 2783fps (3 shots) and she will be using this gun and load on her upcoming Kodiak Brown Bear hunt. The two shots up and left of the one holer is actually 3 shots using 200gr Accubonds at 2870 something. I have to mention that the upper target she shot with the 30R Cooper express using a 150 grain Hornady at 2915fps in a break open Encore pistol. The upper right target was shot with a factory Savage Strike re-chambered 284 shooting at max load 140gr Accubond at 2740fps. She pretty well ate my lunch that day.
Again thank you for a very excellent product. Sure looking forward to putting that 6BR barrel on and seeing what it will do.
Respectfully
Neal Cooper

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Here is the pic of the test target. Thank you VERY much for a great barrel. I am looking forward to more of your fine barrels.

Mark Pinkston - Kailua Custom Guns

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Parish Davis of Great Southern Gunworks built this beautiful tack-driving rifle.

Note the target showing the first rounds out of the rifle at 200 yards.

I just wanted to drop you a quick line to let you know how pleased I was with the first barrel of yours that I tried.

I installed one of your stainless steel barrels in 6.5mm #2 Shilen contour, 1-8" twist on a blueprinted Remington Model 7 action.

After breaking in the barrel with Remington factory ammo (1 shot clean), I tried handload with Sierra's 120 gr Spitzer Pro Hunter,

well I think the target speaks for itself. There's no doubt in my mind with a target scope and a better shooter it would be better.

Thanks again for a great barrel, Rick Clearwater - Clearwater Custom Rifles

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This is the 1st 3 shot groupThis is the 2nd 3 shot group

And this is the 3rd 3 shot group

This comes to us from TTH of SavageShooters.com Forum. This was a 260 Remington @ 22" with a 1-8" Twist. He stated "it is very smooth and easy to clean".

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Boy its great to be able to shoot again. Last night I threaded a McGowen chambered 7mm CE to a Savage Benchrest Action. The only thing wrong today was me getting use to that super light benchrest trigger. Other than one group of three 120 grain TSX every 3 and five shoot group were one holers with all bullet weights and powder charges. Had a few mis-cues with the trigger going off way before I was ready.

Cases are all misc brands of domestic rimless. The scope is a Burris with all the goodies I will never use. Sure do like the target dots though. Again I could not shoot past 50 yards today as the snow was soft and did not feel like snowshoeing.

These are all starting loads for the 280AI and my favorite is the 140grain accubond at 2898fps average over ten shots from a 17" barrel.

Way to go Dan and Jon. $163 bucks for a barrel that shoots like this!

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The next series of 6 photographs and text were taken from Savageshooters.com and submitted by Mike (Pdog06).

Everyone has been asking about how well these McGowens shoot, even me, so I finally got some bullets loaded up to do a ladder test on mine today. To say the least I am very impressed. My jaw is still draggin on the floor. Mine is a 26" 10 twist, 308 bull barrel on a single-shot "intermediate" action, sitting in a Richards Tactical stock. I loaded up some 168gr SMK's using Varget, starting at 42gr and going up to 44gr in .5gr increments. I want to go up a little higher to see what it does, but didn't have time to load more. Since I was starting out I seated them .025" off the lands, and will mess with that later. C.O.L. is 2.875"

3 shots = .352"/5 shots = .232" (42gr)

3 shots = .332"/5 shots = .342" (42.5gr)

3 shots = .272"/5 shots = .592" (43gr)

3 shots = .287"/5 shots = .297" (43.5gr)

3 shots = .437"/5 shots = .312" (44gr)

The third target had 4 shots in .202", the I pulled one to the right. I think I got me a winner.

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Gentlemen, Got back yesterday from NZ. The .365 Siemens worked great. The goat was the first to fall to the new wildcat.I took the stag @ 144 yards with a 250 Nosler BT. We hunted with Aotearoa Safaris (www.aotearoasafaris.co.nz) for a few days when we took the trophies.

Matt D. Siemens

Cabela's Gun Library

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I have to admit that I was very nervous about sending you my beloved 7mag. I have only put 30 rounds down range so far and can already tell you without question that I will never shoot any other barrel! Even the very first three bullets went less than .4". With every shot in my 20 rd break I fell in love more and more. The target on the left was my first 5-shot group after break in and was fired from a cold, completely clean bore, with virgin brass. Then I switched to a Speer SBT 160 that has never once impressed me. I have been sitting on these bullets for the last 10 years but figured that with the 1-8 twist I should use them up until I get my heavy VLD's and A-max's. The first three of these ugly bullets looked like one single hole. You guys know how to get my heart pumping. That is five rounds there, number 25-30 through this 28" 7 contour that you folks at McGowen have blessed me with. Thanks a million! I'm sure I will be sending you more pictures and praise once I shoot some Berger's through her. Keep up the good work! My bench-rest .240 Page will be headed your way soon.

-Charles "Rugger" Cotten
Ellensburg, WA

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Just wanted to take a minuet to thank you for a quality product. This past winter I purchased one of your SS barrels and chambered it to a 6BR for my F-Class project. The barrel broke in, in just 6 rounds, does not foul and cleans like a dream. Preliminary tests at the range were expectable but not stellar, after around 100 rounds through the barrel things started to change. Last night we were shooting golf tees out of the target at 200 meters, think that says it all. The Sierra 95 gr. Match is doing a good job in the 9 twist with 28.7 gr. of H4895 so far, but I have much more load development to do yet. I hand build my own stocks and do all my own work, the walnut is 3 piece laminate with aluminum rails and pillar bedded in Devcon, the chamber is a no-turn .272 neck. Many Thanks....Rick

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Jon, Remember that .308 Savage Contour Barrel I ordered from you a few months ago ? Here it is put together and a target that he has shot from it and the load. Thought you might enjoy the pictures, use them if you need to, I don't think that Matt will mind, and if he does, I'll fix him for sure. By the way, how is the receiver coming along ? Keep me posted.

Respectfully, Ron Fennell

Here is what Matt said below:

"Hey Ron, I finally got a load worked up for this .308. I ended up with 175gr Sierra Matchking's and 44.5gr of Varget powder. I took some pictures for you. The target included is four shots(I pulled the fifth, totally my fault) that a penny will cover. It was a little breezy that day so that's why they're a little opened up horizontally. I shot Kirk's .308 and this doesn't kick anything like Kirk's does. I guess it's the extra few pounds. Mine is 12lbs, 11ozs unloaded. Kirk's wanting to go to that Badland's Tactical training place outside of Lawton to shoot a thousand yards so I'm trying to get a few hundred rounds loaded up. That place has targets from a hundred yards to a thousand so I'll be able to get my bullet drop figured out"

Thanks again Ron. Matt

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Hey Jon,
I am sending you this photo of a 338 win mag I just finished for a Customer about 2 weeks ago. He is in Africa now and just sent me pics of the first Animal that his 11 year old boy just killed. It is a Red Hartebeast and was taken using a 225 gr. Barnes Triple-Shok Bullet. The rifle is one of our thumbhole stocks with your barrel and a highly modified Howa Action. We are now changing the Thread pitch on these to Standard 1.062- 16 tpi from the Metric threads. We also bore the bolt bore to .750 and then shim the bolt. These modified actions are shooting great. We hope to have a 3 pos. Shroud mounted safety by years end but bussiness is incredible so it may be next year before it happens. We are still using the other actions that we have used for years but have found the howa to be a very well constucted action and have several target rifles in 6.5 x 284 shooting sub 4 in groups out to 1000 yds.
Anyway, Jon Keep up the good work and I may try to come see you this fall.
Best regards
James Mills - Master Gunmaker

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THIS IS THE RIFLE THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. THE STOCK IS TEXAS MESQUITE WITH FISH SCALE CARVING BRACKETED BY GERMAN SCROLL. THE BARREL IS McGOWEN 26" 375 BORE. ACTION IS 1909 ARGENTINE

Pat Hamilton

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Here's our good friend and customer, Doug Turnbull with his awesome bull he took with his 475 Turnbull using a McGowen Precision Barrel! Hunted on the Turner Enteprises with Montana Hunting Company and Rob Arnaud. Used the 475 Turnbull with 400 Barnes TSX at 2200 FPS. One shot at 110 yds through the heart.

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This is what a 17" tapering to .750 at the muzzle looks like on a striker. With barrel break in and a middle of the road load it hasn't had a 5 shot group over 3/4 yet. It will shoot and it will be delivered on time. It will clean easily and did I mention it will shoot. You will be happy. Rick (nitemann from Specialty Pistols)

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Totally awesome day at the office this morning.

All three shot groups at 100 yards. They do not carry any H414 here at the gun shop so I took a piece of Slims testing and used the W 760.

Target speaks for itself. SInce this powder is faster burning (and cleaner) I am thinking its not far of the 414 velocities. No pressure signs. The one flyer was from a very tight case in chamber.
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Neal

Well, after nearly 6 months and all the odd-ball setbacks I finally got to shoot some groups with the McGowen barrel. Not to shabby for the first time out considering I just pulled two loads off the net.

Brass was fully prepped, all charges hand weighed, all bullets were checked for concentricity, and rifle was cleaned after every 5 rounds.

Conditions were hot, humid, muggy as all get-out and no wind what-so-ever.

The 25.5gr load shows a lot of promise. The stock I'm using right now is bedded for another action and I didn't have my chamber gauge when I made these loads up. I think the main thing will be getting the bullets seated closer to the lands as that seems to be what Berger's generally prefer. (these were roughly 20-30 thousandths off)

You'll also see one group shot with Varget below (center of first target), but that was just a ladder test (24.2gr to 25.0gr) to see what kind of velocity I could get and to see where I'd start seeing pressure signs. Essentially the 5 rounds left over from the ladder test for the barrel with the bad chamber (no throat and off-center), which started showing serious pressure at 24.0gr.

The one hole high center was my sight-in shot

Was going to try some groups at 200 yards but you couldn't see the target stands through all the weeds on the 100 yard berm and I didn't happen to bring a machete with me.

With a little tweaking I'm hoping it will consistently shoot in the mid to high 2's/low 3's, but we'll see.

Jim Baker - Savageshooters.com

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Jon, about 3 months ago you all made us a SS 28" 6.5 1x8 twist barrel. We built it up for a customer in a 6.5/25 WSSM on a Bluprinted Remington action. Well here is what it will do! 5 shot .250" group @ 100 yards ....... I wish I had not pulled the one shot.

Canon Bowman/Manager aka "Ray"
Precision Rifle & Tool, LLC.
336-214-5381

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Hi Jon
Here is a CZ rebarreled with one of your barrels. Included is a pic of the before and after targets. Keep in mind the factory uses a ransom rest and several targets to be able to include one that meets there requirements. I shot off a two piece rest and only had 35 rounds including the sighters. This rifle should be capable of even shooting even better.
Kim Monthony
Chase Mountain Custom

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Hi Jon (re: 338 Lapua Improved)thought I would send a target I just shot with your barrel.......it doesn't get much better than this.

Ken Lemas

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Jon,
Here is some more info on the barrel testing ive been doing. Today i loaded up some 333 grn Lehigh solids, .950 BC i used 142grains of Retumbo, fed LR mag primers, bullet seated .065 from lands. Average speed was 3297 fps. All three shots landed on target at 700 yards about 1/2 moa to the right of center, vertical was spot on. The barrel is cleaning up real easy after about 15 shots during break in. I am now running 3 shot groups between cleaning. The group at 700 yds was 4.5" See pic. More testing this weekend with jacketed bullets.

Dave
Viersco Manufacturing/Black Diamond Rifles (408 Chey-Tac actions and rifles (long range shooting)

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Dear Sir,

I just got done shooting my new rifle from Wayne York, Oregunsmithing. The rifle is a 284 Winchester with a McGowen Precision #3 contour barrel. The first day I shot it all groups were right at one inch. I adjusted my hand loads a bit and today all my groups are 3/4 inch to 5/8 inch. You can't imagine how happy I am.

I had ordered a 260 Remington from Wayne York to be built this winter with a Lilja barrel. I called Wayne just a bit ago and told him to forget the Lilja barrel and replace it with another McGowen Precision barrel. Also some of the credit belongs to Wayne York for building such a quality rifles.

Thanks for the fine shooting barrel and keep up the good work.

Sincerely, Tom Sturza (Winlock, WA)

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This one comes to us from shooter_john on Savageshooters.com

"My McGowen (30-06) is way more consistent than my Shilen (6.5 x 47 Lapua) ever thought about being. Clean up seems about the same between the two. The McGowens handywork (first group ever fired I might add) (See above).

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(Left) 338 R.U.M. 5 Shot Group (Right) 338 R.U.M. 1st Group

338 R.U.M. 4 Shot Group

Hi Jon, Just a note to thank you for a fantastic barrel. This is a money winner… Joe Watson

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