Experience with Bar-Sto?

[MK11]

I hopped on one of the "semi drop-in" Bar-Sto conversion barrels at Top Gun Supply as soon as they came back in stock and mine is definitely "semi"--it fits the slide fine but I can't get the slide back on the frame.

For those of you who've had to send a barrel back to Bar-Sto for tweaking, what was your experience? Did they do a satisfactory job? How long did it take? Thanks.

 

[Stevie-Ray]

It might be just me, but I would think that you'd order a semi drop-in if you could do final fitting yourself or had a gunsmith friend. I'd imagine sending it back to Bar-Sto is going to cost you a bunch more and you'll have to send the entire gun.

 

[Casimer]

Right - semi drop-in means that there's fitting involved. Anything short of a drop-in barrel is going to need some fitting, and even the drop-ins may need some fitting.

I've never had to send anything to bar-sto, so don't have any experience w/ their services. But they do have a good rep in the industry. I'd give them a call and see what they advise.

 

[SVO]

I have a Colt 1911 with 38 Super barrel that Bar-Sto installed. My experience is that they do excellent work but be prepared for a long wait. But in my case, it was worth the wait. They also are not in-expensive, but not out of line, again worth it. I don't believe that Bar-Sto makes a drop in barrel. All their products have to be fitted.

 

[ClydeFrog]

Irv Stone, USMC, pistol teams....

I've never ordered any products or services from Bar-Sto but I wouldn't have any problems doing so in the future.

Irv Stone has made high quality barrels & gun parts for years. Bar-Sto .45acp barrels are in use by many US military pistol teams(AMU, USAF, USMC). I've heard + things about the company since the 1980s, .

CF

 

[JohnKSa]

The semi-drop-in barrels usually require no fitting but are not guaranteed to drop-in. They are a compromise between a fitted barrel, which provides the best potential for accuracy, and a barrel that is guaranteed to drop-in. The guaranteed drop-in has to be cut so that it is guaranteed to fit which means it won't be as tight as a semi-drop-in and not nearly as good a fit as a hand-fitted barrel.

You might be able to get them to assist you in hand-fitting the barrel. My guess is that it will require very little fitting work.

If you do decide send it to them for fitting, I would ask them if they will take back the semi-drop-in barrel and have them install one of their hand-fitted barrels instead. If you're going to have to ship the gun and pay them to fit a barrel, you might as well get the maximum benefit for it.

 

[RWK]

Many years ago, I brought a .40 S&W BarSto barrel for my .357 Sig P-226. It was fitted by BarSto and has been flawless: excellent accuracy, perfectly fitted for the P-226, no failures to feed or jams, and with a strong (fully supported) ramp design. I would never hesitate to procure BarSto products or services.

 

[MK11]

Thanks for the responses. This is a 9mm conversion barrel for a .357 Sig, so I can hit the range a little more cheaply and often. I knew there was a chance it would need some fitting but saw so many "it just dropped right in" comments on forums that I was a little disappointed.

I've contacted Bar-Sto, waiting for response. I'm fine sending it back if the price is within reason. Dumping significantly more money into what was already a $200 barrel defeats the purpose of why I got this barrel in the first place.

 

[WESHOOT2]

best

If the gun goes to BarSto it will be "Best Quality" work.


If you have a modicum of tool-use skill you can fit it yourself; it may not be 'as good' but it WILL cost less.