GANGGREEN
45 Cal.
I was hesitant to post this thread here as there are likely several boards where it could be posted, but since it's a smoothbore and since these barrels have previously been discussed here, I'll post here. The point of this post is to recognize some really tremendous customer service on the part of the Colerain Barrel Company.
A little background. I purchased this barrel as part of a TVM kit (TN Valley Manufacturing, for what it's worth, not the other). I built and have used it for a while, even having killed two spring gobblers with the fowler. Both of those turkeys were killed within 25 yards as that was my self-imposed limit with this gun, it's never shot a very dense pattern. Now, for perspective, I've followed all of the threads on this board about this specific barrel and even about turkey loads for other barrels. I've done a good bit of shooting and experimenting and I've never been able to duplicate the patterns that people describe on this board.
For some time I just accepted it and put up with it, but it became unbearable to continue reading threads and posts where guys describe this barrel as being the equal of modern turkey guns with X-full chokes. Mine is more an improved cylinder or modified choke, even at moderate ranges. In frustration I sent an email to Colerain to ask if they had any ideas or tips for me.
Scott Keller, one of the owners, called me very quickly to discuss the issue. He spent about 20 minutes on the phone with me and discussed everything that he knows based on his customers who are happy with the barrel. I took notes on a pad and followed up by shooting many, many loads at a patterning target, varying the components one by one to rule out one issue or another.
Still being unimpressed and disappointed with the outcome, I sent an email to Scott describing my progress or lack thereof. He once again called and spent another 15 or 20 minutes with me describing loads, loading procedures and almost everything else that either of us could think of (gas seals, wads, cards, sight alignment, etc.).
The bottom line is that I'm now able to shoot an acceptable pattern for turkeys out to 25 or 30 yards, but my pattern isn't even remotely close to what others are reporting at similar ranges with similar loads. To Colerain's great credit, they've agreed to replace the barrel because they want me to be happy. What's more, Scott mentioned that they'd bore out the choke on the old barrel and allow me to keep it for shooting roundball.
I've gone back and forth for several days because I didn't really want to do the work of replacing the old barrel with new. Furthermore, I wanted to be convinced that I wasn't expecting too much and that I had done my due diligence on the firing range to be sure that it was in fact something with the barrel and not something I was doing wrong.
I'm pretty well convinced that I've exhausted all of my options and that this barrel simply will not shoot as I've been led to believe that it should and I think I'm going to take Colerain up on their kind offer, but I wanted to post something here on the board to point out an instance of a manufacturer absolutely going above and beyond what would be required to make a customer happy. And, for what it's worth, I've used Colerain barrels in a few of my rifles and will continue to do so, I've always been quite pleased with their accuracy and overall quality (though admittedly they aren't finished quite as nicely as some).
A little background. I purchased this barrel as part of a TVM kit (TN Valley Manufacturing, for what it's worth, not the other). I built and have used it for a while, even having killed two spring gobblers with the fowler. Both of those turkeys were killed within 25 yards as that was my self-imposed limit with this gun, it's never shot a very dense pattern. Now, for perspective, I've followed all of the threads on this board about this specific barrel and even about turkey loads for other barrels. I've done a good bit of shooting and experimenting and I've never been able to duplicate the patterns that people describe on this board.
For some time I just accepted it and put up with it, but it became unbearable to continue reading threads and posts where guys describe this barrel as being the equal of modern turkey guns with X-full chokes. Mine is more an improved cylinder or modified choke, even at moderate ranges. In frustration I sent an email to Colerain to ask if they had any ideas or tips for me.
Scott Keller, one of the owners, called me very quickly to discuss the issue. He spent about 20 minutes on the phone with me and discussed everything that he knows based on his customers who are happy with the barrel. I took notes on a pad and followed up by shooting many, many loads at a patterning target, varying the components one by one to rule out one issue or another.
Still being unimpressed and disappointed with the outcome, I sent an email to Scott describing my progress or lack thereof. He once again called and spent another 15 or 20 minutes with me describing loads, loading procedures and almost everything else that either of us could think of (gas seals, wads, cards, sight alignment, etc.).
The bottom line is that I'm now able to shoot an acceptable pattern for turkeys out to 25 or 30 yards, but my pattern isn't even remotely close to what others are reporting at similar ranges with similar loads. To Colerain's great credit, they've agreed to replace the barrel because they want me to be happy. What's more, Scott mentioned that they'd bore out the choke on the old barrel and allow me to keep it for shooting roundball.
I've gone back and forth for several days because I didn't really want to do the work of replacing the old barrel with new. Furthermore, I wanted to be convinced that I wasn't expecting too much and that I had done my due diligence on the firing range to be sure that it was in fact something with the barrel and not something I was doing wrong.
I'm pretty well convinced that I've exhausted all of my options and that this barrel simply will not shoot as I've been led to believe that it should and I think I'm going to take Colerain up on their kind offer, but I wanted to post something here on the board to point out an instance of a manufacturer absolutely going above and beyond what would be required to make a customer happy. And, for what it's worth, I've used Colerain barrels in a few of my rifles and will continue to do so, I've always been quite pleased with their accuracy and overall quality (though admittedly they aren't finished quite as nicely as some).