Are there any barrel makers out there that make drop in barrels for airguns, either from procured blanks or from scratch? Looking for a drop in barrel in 22 cal in the $200 to maybe as high as $400 for my recently purchased Hatsan Factor RC. The factory barrel is "OK", but not even close to what I was hoping for in accuracy. The options for center fire rifles and Ruger 10/22 platforms seem almost endless. I suppose I can buy a Lothar Walther blank for $131.40 to $181.80, which should make a decent barrel if the machinist does their part, but I would prefer a ready to go option if such a thing exists. If there is no such animal, any recommendations as to where to get the blank made into a finished barrel, as well as other barrel maker options?
most airgun barrels are straight cut and just a few common machining operations to set up .. that said its work and a skill not easily aquired so youll pay for it ... hatsan isnt a common brand to mod so drop ins readliy available wont happen , but any competant gunsmith can finish off say a lothar .. pawn shops that sell guns many times will have a gunsmith onsite, least around here .. id just talk to them and maybe take any airgun barrel you got with you and ask how much it would be to set up a blank ... something else you can do is clean up the throat 'on your barrel' yourself, thats pretty simple to do with 600g paper and a jewelers type round ball diamond burr for the dremel of drill to clean the port up ... THEN, just first figure out if you want it shortrned to remove some or all of the choke .. run some metal polish on a tight patch in thr barrel about an hour lol .. then slug it to determine that ... then yeah .. just get your current barrel crowned real nice .. do it right, you save a wad, and it likely will be as accuratd as a lothar within reasonable ranges, well under an inch at 50 is realistic expectation .. if you got the rest of the gun polished out to be consistent ..
Every one of these pellets (Never shot any slugs in the 54) shoots under an inch in my Diana 54 at the same distance, 9x scope. The Crosman Premier HP, Meisterkugeln and H&N Terminators shoot 1/4" to 1/2" groups in the 54 depending on me and the day.
Another thank you for everyone's comments and suggestions!I worked the crown a bit more and did some additional cleaning, polishing and deburring. More to do, but I fired a 5 shot group this morning at 21 yards using out of the tin Meisterkugeln 14.0 grainers that measured just under 5/16" for 4 with a known pulled shot at 3/4"+ and a 5/16" group with some unsorted 14.3gr Crosman Premier Hollow Points - both of which shoot really well in my Diana 54. A far cry from the HUGE groups I was getting with the gun straight out of the box. Of course I will shoot several more groups to see how it does. I am pleased with the results. I probably would have given up and sold it were it not for the help here on the forum. Rather than investing in a fancy barrel for this Factor RC, I am going to just enjoy it as it is and see if I can tune it for some heavier slugs.