My Delta Elite SS needs a new barrel. Poorly cut lugs brings about too much hea

[safariman]

Poorly cut barrel lugs on my factory Colt DE barrel are dissapointing to say the least. Sloppy in action with excessive heaqdspace. So, I need a new drop in barrel. Who would ya'll go to for this project part? Thnjkin Storm Lake at the outset, but what do you all here think of the best plan?  MARK.

[loadedround]

Mark:
If your pistol is still fairly new, I would consider contacting Colt Customer Service about your problem. They have always been very cooperative to me on the several occasions I have needed to call them. It is very possible that Colt will fit a new barrel to your Delta if found defective. In my opinion the best after market barrel you can buy is the Bar-Sto. it's rather expensive and you would probably have to fit it, but it's the best on the market and well worth it. Good luck.

[safariman]

Mine is one of the earlier DE's. They could probably claim it has been shot too much with heavy or handloaded ammo. Thanks for the idea and thought, though.

My gunsmith, Jack Huntington at JRH custom handguns is recomending Storm Lake.

[The_Shadow]

I have had Bar-Sto barrels for my S&W guns and Storm Lake for my Glocks both barrels are of great workmanship and work well in the pistols.  Their 1911 barrels should be good to go...

Have you discussed the posibility of doing a rammed barrel conversion with the gun smith?  Rammped barrels offer better case support. just a thought!

[harrygunner]

"drop in barrel" means, also not fit to your gun. IMO, if one spends the money for a new barrel, they need to spend a bit more to have it fit to the gun's frame and slide.

Makes a big difference on smoothing the action, lockup and precision.

[alwaysshootin]

"drop in barrel" means, also not fit to your gun. IMO, if one spends the money for a new barrel, they need to spend a bit more to have it fit to the gun's frame and slide.

Makes a big difference on smoothing the action, lockup and precision.

True words! If the rest of the Delta is sound, spend the money to have a barrel fitted, it will be worth the investment, IMHO.

[sqlbullet]

The Shadow and Harrygunner have both given excellent advice.

Especially in a 5" gun like the Delta, you will maximize both cartridge potential and platform accuracy with a ramped barrel that has to be fitted.  It will cost you more money to have a clark/para cut to your frame, and to have the barrel fitted, but it will pay off in extra fps and much tighter groups.

[safariman]

JRH Custom handguns, Jack Huntington, will be custom fitting the barrel to the slide but it will take him far less time (money) to fit a Storm Lake barrel according to his experience. Heck, I was pretty happy with the accuracy of the originqal barrel as I am not that good a pistol shot so any improvement will be a bonus for me. Mainly looking for a far slower slide speed and less felt recoil. Better shootability to put it another way.

RE Ramped barrels - that would be nice but the costs get out of my range when we start talking about such things. I will, and have, spent $5-600.00 re barreling a rifle with the best of the best, but I cannot see the real world benefit to a mediocre pistol shot like myself for the ramped high dollar barrels. And, cash is pretty short these days.

Thanks for all of the input, replys and intel, for shure! 

[The_Shadow]

Storm Lake does make a quality barrel and should fit you situation well, as you have read, we were just advising of other opertunities.  Best of luck getting everthing correct and fitted, be sure to let us know how it works out for you and your pistol! 

[sqlbullet]

Good luck and certainly do what works for you.

Regarding Ramped barrels...The benefit is not accuracy.  It is chamber support and therefore the ability to shoot full power ammo from vendors like Underwood.

If that is not meaningful to you, then there is zero reason to get one.  The cost is quite low though.  It should be only about $75 for a Clark/Para cut.

[jiminthe burg]

I sent my DE to Clark's for Clark/Para cut about a year ago and it was $50.00. Sent it by FedEx ( by surface )thru an agent  as the local UPS was a franchise and  and said he could not ship it even though it was not a complete gun. Turn around time was about one month.

[sqlbullet]

Legally the frame is the firearm.  The rest is just parts.

[safariman]

Thanks everyone. Talked with Jack Huntington a bit ago and the barrel was in stock at Storm Lake so is already en route to his shop.

I will report back the results when I get it back and can shoot it a little. MARK

[sqlbullet]

Looking forward to hearing how it goes.