Criterion No4 barrel

[browningautorifle]

To me the only folk who I know would pay for a new barrel

I would think people would pay for a brand new made barrel if there was no source for old stock barrels...

[RobD]

Bigduke, you're right about "top dollar" - I don't know the price of an Armalon- re-barrelled No 4 and that is remiss of me...

[bigduke6]

I would think people would pay for a brand new made barrel if there was no source for old stock barrels...

Understand that Jim, but here in the UK, the barrels I,m thinking of are over £300 but don't know if this is fitted (maybe someone in the UK may know ?) when you can still pick up No4,s for not much more it just makes sense to me....... I,m sure most could do a deal with the gunsmith etc.

Bigduke, you're right about "top dollar" - I don't know the price of an Armalon- re-barrelled No 4 and that is remiss of me...

Rob I guess it would be a tad more than £350.......

[browningautorifle]

the barrels I'm thinking of are over £300

Holy CROW! That's a lot... $574.00 CDN at current rate...!!!

[Brian Dick]

Yep, the Armalon and Lothar Walther barrels are in the $500 range USD.

I just had a chat with Rav at Dealer's Warehouse and he has a small supply of used No.4 barrels complete with receivers but no new barrels. We may try to hook up at Knob Creek in April and if he brings them, I'll take them, bring them here and grade them using correct gauges and visual inspection. He's been cutting the receivers when he sells them because he no longer holds an FFL and if I get hold of them, I'll unbreech them which will give us a small supply of good receivers too for those looking for a project. All in the works guy. There ain't enough hours in the day.

[mike16]

the rifle is virtually brand new. nothing worn out or knackered. the brass is Winchester, Remington, federal, privy brass. Not blaming the rifle, its just that the chamber spec's are loose. it causes the brass to swell out and it work hardens and eventually fails. I make a point to limit the number of times I reuse my brass to avoid any chance of failure. I cant reasonably expect to get 10 reloads with this chamber so I'm not one of those dream word types either. but I have been reloading for a while and dabbled a bit in bench rest. so I know a little bit too. In a tight chamber; brass last's much longer.

I offer a barrel to get dimensions from. I'm willing at this point to buy three barrels. what more can I do to facilitate the progress towards a successful conclusion. I apologies to anybody whom I blamed for trying to help Criterion along. Because I guesse I'm guilty of at least offering to help too. Also I appologies if it seems I blamed anybody on this site for Criterion's delays. I have bought their product before and have no complaints, but I never experienced delays either.


Never mentioned head space problems. but my chamber is loose and that is a fact. not crap. I don't blame the internet for that.

its the chamber,
in my rifle anyway.

[Brian Dick]

No apologies necessary here mike16. There are barrels on the high end as mentioned above and unfortunately you probably have one. ROF(F) was certainly not beyond having quality control problems over many years with several different weapons systems. Have you tried neck sizing only a batch of brass that is once fired in your chamber and keeping it strictly for that rifle? That is usually a sure fire cure.

The new Criterion barrels will be along this year so patience is virtue.

There is no relationship whatsoever between headspace problems and a chamber cut on the top end of specification.

[mike16]

I'm chompin at the bit for almost 8 months.

I'm a little OC with reloading and don't mix brass between rifles. easy enough because my other .303's haven't been shot yet.

a local gunsmith, competent but not well informed about the character "typical" of the LE's explained that the war time chambers and the Mk4's had looser chambers than the peace time ones. I've heard it often enough as a rumor but no confirmation. so I attributed it to facts. Is it a rumor/myth.

Who makes the best barrels in terms of tollerances and tight chambers?

[Brian Dick]

I'd say there was just some variation between manufacturers of No.4 barrels as there were several during WWII. Post war manufacture was at ROF Fazakerley in England and Long Branch in Canada. I'm guessing now but would say you're dealing with a barrel on the high end of tolerance. You haven't answered as to whether you're fire forming and then neck sizing only which I've already mentioned as a potential cure. Full length sizing will shorten your case life. Remember that these rifles/barrels weren't designed with handloaders and target shooters in mind. They were designed to function in all extremes under combat conditions. I've had good results with all of the different manufacturers' barrels over the years. Two groove, five groove, six groove. There's no difference in any of them in my experience as long as they gauge up in spec and are installed properly.

[Steve E]

Just to jump in here and hopefully not upset anyone, brand new No4 Barrels are available in the UK and Fultons of Bisley are fitting them. They are made by Lothar Walther. The barrels come chambered and profiled. They are .303 bore with .311 groove. Unfortunately they are 4 groove RH twist so may not be acceptable to the purists. The outside diameter is also slightly larger than the original so some relieving of the fore-end may be required. I had one fitted two years ago by the gunsmith who imports them (not Fultons) for £245 including proof. Fultons i gather charge quite a bit more. Armalon barrels fitted are about £350.
I had no choice as but to have a Lothar Walther fitted as I could not find an original barrel cheaper.
My no4 is now shooting reliably 2MOA out to 1000yds.