M-41 Bully Barrels; Photos

[oldRoger]

Someone asked about aftermarket barrels for the M-41.
Here are my "Bully Barrels" (Ray-Vin) with a S&W 5.5" for contrast. The mounted barrel is not shown with the standard comp, this is the VAIS which I normally use.
The mounted barrel has a base for the Docter sight milled into it and is as low to bore C/L as I can imagine you will ever see,
When they were available you could go on line and see the test target before buying. I seem to remember that he tested them by clamping the barrel to a vice mounted on his milling machine. He used CCI-SV, nothing exotic. Test targets are essentially ragged holes at 20yards, and CCI-SV is not the greatest .22 ammunition known to man.

 

[adwjc]

oldRoger,

Those look great!

Are they still in production?

I like the unmounted one, which red dot is on it?

Tony

 

[oldRoger]

The Ray-Vin Bully Barrels are out of production. The mounted barrel is one from the last batch made.
I suspect that making these barrels was a labor of love and involved essentially working for free during the process.
They were (and are) very successful and greatly prized. There was a great clamor to get on the list for the last batch which was designed for steel challenge shooters.

The very low sight to bore axis reduces the Red Dot Dance when you are trying to acquire a target.

Both Red-Dots are Docters. The sight on the second barrel is wearing its cover.

 

[LSP 972]

I have the second one; either 5 or 5.5 inches, don't recall now (and too lazy to go look). Mine has a FastFire II RDS. IIRC, mine came from that last batch.

Scary accurate with CCI SV. The machine work is impeccable. I don't see how he made money on these things, because they were not exorbitantly expensive.

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[oldRoger]

The un-mounted one shown is 5.5". He made some with a faster twist than the normal 1:16; I have never checked the twist on mine because they obviously work.

I asked him about longer barrel accuracy, he said that his testing indicated that length didn't improve accuracy and his length selection was primarily based upon balance.

I agree that he did not make money, as I say, he probably worked for free, plus he had to put up with a lot of people wanted to get on the list, and worrying about delivery, etc.

I think a fair price for all of the work involved would probably be about double what he charged.
I also think that he was having trouble getting barrel blanks which I think he bought with rifling.

 

[LSP 972]

Thinking about this thread prompted me to dig mine out. Also, I've been considering shooting more rimfire, as I become increasingly allergic to recoil.

This thing is scary accurate, when I do my part and hold it.

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[LSP 972]

Those discolorations on the slide must be reflections; this photo was taken in strong side light.

Anyway, I've been spending far too much time with the the tactical/schmactical side of things. I bought a Magnum Research semi-custom 10-22 yesterday… time to start punching holes in that huge supply of B2 and B3 targets I have squirrelled away.

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[LSP 972]

... his length selection was primarily based upon balance.

Agreed. Mine is a five-incher, and with the optic mounted over the trigger, the pistol's balance is perfect. I put the 5.5" OEM bull barrel assembly on it just for grins, and the pistol felt terribly front-heavy.

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