FAQ

For our Terms and Conditions, please see this page.

Q: What type of barrels do you manufacture?

A: We offer precision button-rifled, hand-lapped barrels in either 416R Stainless Steel or 4140 Chrome-Moly Steel.  Our range of offerings include AR Barrels (AR15 and the SR25/LR-308/DPMS AR10 formfactor, not including DPMS GII/Gen2), Savage Prefits (both small and large shank), Remington 700 "Rem/Ages" Prefits, Remington 783 Prefits, Ruger Precision Rifle Prefits, contoured blanks and unturned blanks.  We also currently offer Prefits and Contoured Blanks in Carbon Fiber.  For more information on how we make our barrels, please refer to The Process.

Q: Can I make changes to my order after I've placed it?

A:  AFTER ONE (1) BUSINESS DAY from order placement, any Order Changes are Subject To A $35 Order Change Fee.  It Is Incumbent Upon Our Customers To Know What They Need Beforehand And To Order Accordingly.  Some web browsers or their settings may not accurately correlate selected barrel or product options into the shopping cart, so it is imperative to review your custom-configured item(s) in the cart to ensure they meet your specifications before ordering--what you see in the shopping cart is what will be made!  Once a barrel has been contoured (if applicable), it then becomes subject to at 35% restocking fee.  Once a barrel is complete and cancelled before it ships it is subject to a 40% restocking fee.  While we will make every attempt to update all aspects of an order when a change is made (the most critical of all will be to the work order itself), an order's changed specifications may not be accurately reflected on the included documentation (QC card, customer copy of invoice, dog tags, etc.).

Credit card orders cancelled before steel is cut are subject to a 5% card processing reimbursement fee. Orders cancelled or altered after steel has been cut are subject to a 15% restocking fee.  Once a barrel has been rifled, it then becomes subject to at 35% restocking fee.  Once a barrel is contoured or an item is complete and is cancelled before it ships it is subject to a 40% restocking fee.  We may accept returns of most new, unopened items within 30 days of delivery for a refund minus a 40% restocking fee.  Any In-Stock items which are returned are subject to 10% restocking fee.  As our barrels are highly custom, they are oftentimes difficult for us to re-sell based on any given configuration and as such we cannot give full refunds for unwanted barrels or barrels that were ordered with undesired/mistaken specifications by the customer.  We will waive this restocking fee and also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).  X-Caliber Barrel & MFG warranties barrels up to one (1) year following purchase against all manufacturer defects within our stringent specifications, assuming only factory ammo has been fired through the barrel and no alterations have been made to the barrel.  If a flaw or issue arises that is determined to be X-Caliber's manufacturing, we will cover the shipping to us, correct the issue and cover the return shipping to the customer; if upon receipt every aspect passes inspection, it is incumbent upon the customer to be aware that they will need to cover shipping expenses, both ways.

Q: What kind of discounts do you offer for military/law enforcement/first responders?

A: Free Shipping for EMT, Fire, Police, Active Duty Military/National Guard/Coast Guard/Reservists/Military Veterans. Just email a picture of your applicable first responders ID card, credential or departmental letterhead to rsutton@x-caliber.net with your corresponding order # and I will reimburse your shipping on Web orders.  Free Shipping only applies to full-priced orders and is not valid with any coupon codes, sales or promotions.

Q: What are your order fulfillment lead times?

A: *Please refer to the footer of this page for up-to-date production lead-time estimates.

Expedite Option reduces estimated lead time by approx. 50%-25%, not including 3rd party service lead times such as Cryogenics or Cerakote

Wait times are just an estimate, as tools can break requiring replacement, extending our lead time by 6 to 8 weeks or more

Our estimated wait times are very conservative estimates intended to account for any possible delays during production.  While it is not uncommon for us to complete and ship an order well before the outlined lead times, do not count on this on any given order.

Q: What are your Shipping & Return Policies?

A: Please refer to our Shipping & Returns Page.

Q: What type of finishes do you offer?

A: Our default finish, regardless of 416R or 4140CM steel, is the Polished finish.  Our Matte Finish option takes the shine down via aluminum oxide media-blasting.  This does not apply a black or blued finish to the barrel.  Both Polished and Matte finish will come in-the-white.  We also offer Cerakote, which is recommended for all 4140CM barrel orders to aid in rust prevention.

Q: How long do you machine your muzzle threads?

A: We machine our muzzle threads to a length of .625" (5/8" long) for all patterns we offer.

Q: What are the stipulations regarding your 1 MOA guarantee?

A: X-Caliber Barrel & MFG guarantees 1MOA or better accuracy (3 shot group) using match-grade factory ammunition, with the following exceptions:

Due to a lack of industry standards, X-Caliber will only guarantee 1 MOA or less on AR barrels with JP Enterprises or Rubber City Armory bolts, headspaced to them by X-Caliber Barrel & Mfg.  Any customer bolt submitted to be headspaced with an order must include a $10 check or postal money order to cover the headspacing fee along with a note referencing the order number which it should be headspaced with.  Any RCA bolt ordered with a barrel will be headspaced to that barrel for no additional fee.

There is no guarantee of 1 MOA or less on barrels less than 16" in length, barrels with Spaghetti AR Contours, Lightweight AR Contours, or prefit contours #1, #2 or #3.  There is no guarantee of 1 MOA or less on barrels with muzzle threads too small for their chamberings (e.g. 5/8"x24 is fine on 9mm, 10mm Auto and .45 ACP barrels, but 5/8"x24 muzzle threads on anything more powerful than those in calibers over .35 can be problematic).

Q: I would like to send in my AR15 or LR308/DPMS bolt to be headspaced with an AR barrel I have in production.  How do I accomplish this?

A: If your order for an AR barrel placed with us is less than 2 weeks old, we can receive your JP, Young or RCA brand bolt to be headspaced to your order to achieve an MOA guarantee from us (assuming the barrel is 16"+ and not Spaghetti or Lightweight contour).   You may send any brand of bolt that is correct for your AR barrel on order, however, any brand of bolt other than those listed above will not grant any MOA guarantee.  Please send your bolt, a $10 check or postal money order and a note with your contact info and referencing your order # to the following address:

X-Caliber Barrel & MFG
3465 US HWY 2 W
Kalispell, MT 59901
406-393-2610

Q: Now that you offer the chambering option of .277 SIG Fury, what kinds of ammo is safe to use in this chambering?

A: While the SAAMI-specification for .277 SIG Fury allows for a maximum chamber pressure of 80,000 PSI, in this chambering we only support commercial factory boxed ammunition with up to the max commercial ammo pressure of 65k PSI in our finished barrels (our Bolt-Action Prefit Barrels and LR308 Formfactors).  We do not support using any 6.8x51mm NATO military ammunition or any which exceeds 65k PSI in X-Caliber Barrels with .277 SIG Fury Chambers!  Doing so will void X-Caliber's Warranty and indemnify X-Caliber Barrel & MFG against any liability from property damage or personal injury.

Per the SAAMI Blueprint Warning: "WARNING: Maximum Average Pressure levels greater than 65,000 PSI may present increased risk of unsafe cartridge case or firearm rupture and thus require cartridge case and/or firearm designs that depart from traditional practices (materials, construction, and other design criteria)."

Q: What are the terms and conditions regarding your warranty?

A: Any alterations done to an X-Caliber Barrel & Mfg. barrel releases X-Caliber Barrel and Mfg. of any and all responsibility.  X-Caliber Barrel & Mfg. warranties barrels up to one (1) year following purchase against all manufacturer defects within our stringent specifications.  If a flaw or issue arises within one (1) year following purchase that is determined to be a result of X-Caliber's manufacturing, we will cover the shipping to us, correct the issue and cover the return shipping to the customer; if upon receipt every aspect passes inspection, it is incumbent upon the customer to be aware that they will need to cover shipping expenses, both ways.

X-Caliber Barrel & Mfg. will NOT warranty barrels that have been fired with non-factory/hand load ammo!  

X-Caliber Barrel & Mfg. will NOT warranty AR barrels that have had head-space gauges chambered from a magazine under bolt-release force!  This will damage your chamber!  To properly check headspace on an AR barrel, ideally check with the uninstalled, bare barrel in-hand, chamber facing up, and check with the bolt in the other hand (while not installed in bolt carrier).  If you have to check headspace in an assembled weapon, detach the upper so it is not on the lower, and only place the headspace gauge in the chamber by hand and then push forward slowly on the bolt-carrier by hand to confirm battery (go gauge) or no-battery (no-go gauge).

If a flaw or issue arises that is determined to be a result of X-Caliber's manufacturing, we will cover the shipping to us, correct the issue and cover the return shipping to the customer; if upon receipt every aspect passes inspection, it is incumbent upon the customer to be aware that they will need to cover shipping expenses, both ways.

For information on shipping and returns, please refer here.

Q: Can I request special chamber, freebore or throat dimensions?

A: Currently we offer chamber dimensions which are as standardized as possible.  If the chambering is a SAAMI-approved chambering, we utilize those SAAMI-specified dimensions.  If not, we will use the most widely-accepted or source-stipulated chamber blueprint, whenever possible.  We do not offer any custom throating options beyond what the standardized chamber blueprint calls for.

Q: What does the Expedite option do?

A: Expediting a barrel will give it a priority tasking, meaning that when that work order reaches each station on the production floor, it gets bumped to the front of the line when that station is tooled up and running that configured rotation (for example: on a .308 Win Expedited order, when the drill is tooled up for drilling .30 calibers, the Expedited .308 Win order gets drilled first).  Otherwise, all orders that are not Expedited are processed in the order in which they are received, within each station's rotational schedule.  Selecting the Expedite option usually reduces estimated production lead times by around 20%-50%.

Q: Can I apply a sale or coupon-code discount to an order that was placed before or after the effective sale/promotion dates?

A: No.  Orders placed before the official start date of a sale, promotion or coupon issuance event will not qualify for any stated discounts, benefits or coupon codes of said promotion after the fact.  Conversely, orders placed after the official end date of a sale, promotion or coupon issuance event will not qualify for any stated discounts, benefits or coupon codes of said expired promotion.  ONLY ORDERS PLACED DURING THE OFFICIAL DURATION (BETWEEN START DATE/END DATES) OF A SALE, PROMOTION OR COUPON ISSUANCE WILL QUALIFY FOR THE STATED DISCOUNTS, BENEFITS OR COUPON CODE ISSUANCES THEREIN.

Q: What is your policy regarding cancelled orders?

A: Credit card orders cancelled before steel is cut are subject to a 5% card processing reimbursement fee. Orders cancelled after steel has been cut is subject to a 15% restocking fee.  Once a barrel has been rifled, it then becomes subject to at 35% restocking fee.  Once a barrel is complete and cancelled before it ships it is subject to a 40% restocking fee.  Any In-Stock items which are returned are subject to 10% restocking fee.  As our barrels are highly custom, they are oftentimes difficult for us to re-sell based on any given configuration and as such we cannot give full refunds for unwanted barrels or barrels that were ordered with undesired/mistaken specifications by the customer.  We will waive this restocking fee and also pay the return shipping costs if the return is a result of our error (you received an incorrect or defective item, etc.).  X-Caliber Barrel & MFG warranties barrels up to one (1) year following purchase against all manufacturer defects within our stringent specifications, assuming only factory ammo has been fired through the barrel and no alterations have been made to the barrel.

Q: What shipping carriers do you use, and can I ship to a P.O. Box?

A: Bolt Carrier Groups (BCGs), B.A.R.T. Tools and barrels will ship out via FedEx Ground, anything smaller (e.g. Barrel Extensions, Muzzle Brakes, Gas Blocks and Bolts not shipped as part of a larger order) will get shipped via USPS.  If shipping via USPS we can use a P.O. Box as a shipping address, but we cannot ship to a P.O. Box if shipping via FedEx.

Q: Can I get signature confirmation for delivery on my order?

A: Customers may request a signature required on our FedEx shipping. There will be an extra $5 fee for the service.

If FedEx records indicate your package has been delivered, and a FedEx delivery signature option was not selected, FedEx may deliver to a residential address without obtaining a signature. FedEx and X-Caliber does not accept liability for loss or damage due to releasing such packages.

If a package is lost in shipping, X-Caliber will file a claim and create a new work order for our customer. The new order will be expedited at no extra cost to the customer.

For information on shipping and returns, please refer here.

Q: What benefits does opting to have my barrel Cryo-Treated afford?

A: Cryo advantages: 50 to 60 fps increase at the muzzle, less fouling, tighter groups, 30% lower core temperature, minimal cold-bore shift, longer bore life.  For more informatin, please see our Cryogenic Treatment Info Page.

Q: Can I combine sales, promotions and coupon codes in a single order?

A:  No.  Only one (1) sale, promotion or coupon code is valid per order.  In some cases, while the cart checkout page may allow for more than one sale, promotion or coupon code to combine and complete as an order, we will be required to contact the purchaser and make corrections to the order before we can begin processing that order. 

Q: Why didn't I receive an account registration activation and/or order confirmation email?

A:  It is likely your mail service has, for one reason or another, flagged our email domain as spam.  Please ensure you either have added @x-caliber.net to your domain white-list or sales@x-caliber.net to your email contact list.  

Q: What brand headspace gauges are approved for headspacing your prefit barrels?

A:  Currently we only approve the use of Pacific Tool & Gauge (PT&G), JGS, Lyman and Clymer Headspace Gauges for proper headspacing with our barrels.  Other brands can often be slightly outside of our tolerances when measured against the industry standards we adhere to.

Q: What alternate chamber or freebore/throat options to you offer?  Can you cut a throat or freebore longer than usual?

A:  Currently we offer chamber dimensions which are as standardized as possible.  If the chambering is a SAAMI-approved chambering, we utilize those SAAMI-specified dimensions.  If not, we will use the most widely-accepted or source-stipulated chamber blueprint, whenever possible.  We do not offer any custom throating options beyond what the standardized chamber blueprint calls for.

Q: What are your different barrel contours and how/where do you measure them?

A:  Please see the specifics of our Contours at our Contours Page.

Q: What are your Terms & Conditions?

A:  Please refer to our Conditions of Use Page.

Q: Do you have a dealer or OEM account program?

A:  Yes!  Please refer to our Dealer and OEM Pricing Information Page.

Q: What is your policy on shipping and returns?

A: For information on shipping and returns, please refer here. 

Q: I'm trying to check out but my shopping cart keeps showing up empty.  What can I do to correct this?

A:  Some default browser settings may prevent secure transactions such as our web-cart system from loading properly, and may need to be adjusted accordingly.  Also, most web browsers need to be updated continually to maintain proper functioning with certain types of web scripting languages.  Additionally, others report good luck trying different web browsers in some cases.  We recommend the following browsers: Firefox, Brave or Edge.

Q: Why did I not receive my order confirmation email/shipping confirmation email?

A:  Some email hosting services and/or spam-list aggrigators will consider a firearm component manufacturer to be "black-list" material even if we go through vetted industry mailing services such as Mail Chimp (which we use for most of our automated emails).  To hopefully mitigate any email from X-Caliber being automatically filed into SPAM/JUNK, please add sales@x-caliber.net to your contact list, and if your email hosting service provides for it, add the @x-caliber.net domain to your email's white-list.

Q: How do I properly install and set the headspace on my X-Caliber bolt-action prefit barrel?

A: The first thing you must do is ensure your rifle is empty and there is no source of ammunition in it.  Remove the magazine (if any) and open the bolt to clear the action.

After removing your previous barrel (if any), obtaining a Pacific Tool & Gauge, JGS or Clymer brand headspace gauges (both go and no-go gauges) for the appropriate chambering of the barrel, a proper barrel nut and wrench (and ideally a barrel vise and/or action wrench), follow these steps:

     1.) Before inserting your X-Caliber Prefit barrel into your action, apply a small amount of 130-A grease or equivalent to the appropriately-sized barrel nut and thread the barrel nut all the way forward, staging it onto the barrel's action threads. 
     2.) Once the barrel nut is in place on the barrel's threads, clean the appropriate action threads with a dry nylon cleaning brush and ensure there are no debris or damaged threads in them, then slowly screw the X-Caliber prefit barrel about 3/4 the way into the rifle action.
     3.) Insert the go gauge along with the bolt, closing the bolt into battery in the action, and then snug barrel in place up to the go gauge.
     4.) Back off the barrel about 1/8 to 1/16th of a turn and hand-tighten the barrel nut down against the action (only hand-tighten the barrel nut at this point!).
     5.) Remove the go gauge and insert the no-go gauge and ensure the bolt cannot fully close into battery on the no-go gauge--the bolt handle going down and coming to a stop about halfway is good.  Adjust the barrel and nut as needed until the bolt closes fully on the go gauge and does not close fully on the no-go gauge.
     6.) Tighten the barrel nut down against the rifle action to the appropriate torque specification (usually around 40-65ft/lbs) with the appropriate barrel nut wrench.  Having a barrel vise and an action wrench for this step is strongly recommended.
     7.) Re-check to ensure the bolt closes fully on the go gauge and does not fully close on the no-go gauge.

If you accomplish these steps then your X-Caliber barrel is headspaced correctly.  These steps apply to all of our prefit barrels except Ruger Precision Rifles and Sig Cross Prefit Barrels. 

-The RPR is simpler: Remove handguard, then remove barrel nut, then remove barrel.  Reverse this process with the new X-Caliber RPR Prefit Barrel. 

-The Sig Cross is similar but different: Remove handguard, then loosen barrel nut, then remove barrel, then remove barrel extension and barrel nut.  Reverse this process with the new X-Caliber Sig Cross Prefit Barrel.

Q: What is the recommended cleaning procedure for my X-Caliber barrel?

A: The folowing cleaning process is a guide and not a hard-rule; everyone generally has their own preferred method of cleaning a barrel.  We recommend cleaning our barrels after each shooting session, regardless if they are 4140CM steel or 416R Stainless:

     1.)  Using a one-piece, coated cleaning rod with a properly sized bore brush (wet with your favorite non-foaming bore solvent), carefully clean the bore from the chamber end toward the muzzle (3-5 passes is usually sufficient). If you cannot clean from the chamber end, be sure to use a bore-guide so as not to damage the crown or muzzle end of the rifling. Let sit 30-60 seconds before moving on to the next step.
     2.)  Push a dry patch down the bore. (2-3 times)
   3.)  Repeat Step 1 and 2 until the dry patches start coming out grey instead of dark black, green, blue or purple (the latter three colors indicate copper or cupronickle residue).  Usually steps 1 and 2 will only need to be completed 2-4 times.
     4.)  Once you are satisfied the bore is clean, put a few of drops of gun oil on a patch or clean bore mop and push that down the bore so as to leave a thin film of oil inside the bore to protect it from corrosion.*  

*It is also recommended to periodically wipe down the exterior of the barrel with an oiled rag as well, unless the barrel is coated with some kind of external finish like Cerakote, in which case this is not necessary.

Q: What is your recommended barrel break-in procedure?

A:  See Below

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X-Caliber Barrel Break-In

Procedure Guide

When breaking in your new X-Caliber Barrel, you should perform appropriate fire and clean cycles to normalize the bore surface. Each fire and clean cycle consists of a certain number of rounds fired (one to five) followed by a cleaning procedure (see below for reference), to be completed a certain number of times (1-25). These vary depending on the type of steel of the barrel, bore/groove diameter, velocity and pressure of any given round, etc. This is to be used as a guide. Since our barrels are hand-lapped, each barrel may break in a little differently. Some barrels may require more or less shots or cycles to break in than what is listed here.

416R Stainless Steel: Fire One Round then Clean: Do this 5-10 times. Fire Three Times then Clean: Do this 1 time. Fire Five Times then Clean: Do this 1 time.

4140 Chrome Moly: Fire One Round then Clean: Do this 5-25 times. Fire Three Times then Clean: Do this 2 times. Fire Five Times then Clean: Do this 1 time.

 Example: For a 416R Stainless Steel barrel, you would fire one round, then perform the cleaning steps outlined below a total of five to ten times (shoot 1 round & clean, done 5-10 times) before starting the three shot cycle where you would fire three rounds and then clean as outlined below, then proceed to fire five rounds then clean, completing the break-in procedure.

Each Firing Cycle (1 shot, 3 shot or 5 shot) should be followed by cleaning the bore (see steps below for reference):

1.)    Using a one-piece, coated cleaning rod with a properly sized bore brush (wet with your favorite non-foaming bore solvent), carefully clean the bore from the chamber end toward the muzzle (3-5 passes is usually sufficient). If you cannot clean from the chamber end, be sure to use a bore-guide so as not to damage the crown or muzzle end of the rifling. Let sit 30-60 seconds before moving on to the next step.

2.)    Push a dry patch down the bore. (2-3 times)

3.)    Put a few of drops of oil on a patch or clean bore mop and push that down the bore so as to leave a thin film of oil inside the bore.

4.)    Begin a new cycle: Fire your next round or rounds in your next firing cycle and repeat cleaning as necessary.

It is recommended to keep a written tally of your current step within the process so if you get distracted you will know where you left off.