The Barrel

When I placed my order with MGM, I told them specifically what bullet I would be using and I would like to keep the bullet jump to the rifling lands at a minimum.  MGM quoted a 6 week lead time and within 6 weeks I received my barrel.  The one time I did call MGM to check on my barrel I was greeted by a friendly individual who personally checked on my barrel and gave me shipping information within minutes.  This sure was a refreshing change from my previous frustrations with the other company in which I was only allowed to speak with “order takers” that knew little about the products in which they were selling.  I received my MGM barrel on 05/19/2008.  When I opened the package I was very pleased with the finish on the 24” medium taper barrel.  I only hoped it would shoot as well as it looked.  Another good indication that MGM listens to their customers, is when I checked free bore on my new barrel.  With a bullet seated at a depth that centered the case mouth in the crimping cannelure, I found that my Hornady 180 gr. SSP bullets were .020” off the rifling.  I could not ask for more.  This would allow me to crimp in the cannelure if testing proved necessary, or I could easily seat the bullets to touch the rifling if this was desirable.