Bar-Sto Precision

Bar-Sto Precision (Bar Sto. com, started in the mid 1950s when Irv Stone was working in the aerospace industry doing prototype work. He was also active with the very first practical shooting competitions, all the way back to the Leather Slap matches organized by Jeff Cooper in Big Bear, California held during the annual community Old Miner’s Day Carnival.

Influenced by Fast Draw competition, marketed around the Wild West style popular at the time, and in theme with the Carnival, these first matches were the genesis of anew series of shooting disciplines. Being involved with the shooting events, Irv Stone noticed the competitors were welding up factory barrels to make them fit better in their competition pistols. He thought about making an oversized barrel as an aftermarket option that was ready for customizing.

Given that his work in the aerospace industry had gone soft, this seemed a good side business to make a little bit of money while waiting for aerospace opportunities to come back. It turned out, this temporary side business would become a full time business that is nowa multi-generation family-owned company. Bar-Sto Precision has been making custom auto pistol barrels since 1971. Nowa third generation family-owned business, Bar-Sto barrels have been used by the U. S.

Marine Corps Shooting Teams, the Army Marksmanship Unit, Army Reserve Marksmanship Program, and have been used to win every major pistol tournament worldwide, including the National Matches at Camp Perry, United States Practical Shooting Association Nationals, Steel Challenge, the Masters, and many more. All Bar-Sto pistol barrels are machined from solid 416 stainless steel bar stock which has been heat treated 39 to 43 Rockwell C hardness and 180,000 pounds per square inch tensile strength.

Barrels are machined, bored, and rifled completely in their shop. All barrels have arate of twist of 1 turn in 16". These products are offered for most all 1911 variants and chamberings; Springfield XD/XDM and Hellcat pistols; almost every Glock model variant and caliber conversion; most of the entire SIG P-series, including the recent 320, 365, and X5, as well as the more classic 226, 229, 224, and 239, the Beretta 92/96; and the Browning High Power and variants, including the Springfield SA-35 and Girsan.

All of these can be extended and threaded for suppressor and compensator, or extended and ported and fluted. Bar-Sto does many odd length and caliber options. A call or email via their website will answer if they can handle your special project request. As was the original offering, Bar-Sto barrels are semi fit and purposely over sized compared to factory barrel dimensions. The reason for this is to allow custom fitting so the barrel locks up better and shoots more accurately than a factory barrel can.

In most cases, Bar-Sto barrels will require some

"A mess it is," he says. Many of us can relate! minor fitting and the company does not offer drop-in barrels. The idea is that the only way to take advantage of a better, more accurate barrel than the factory option and to enjoy a higher standard of accuracy is to custom fit it exactly to the gun. A drop-in barrel simply can’t do that. For experienced gunsmiths, this usually entails minor filing of a few key areas.

Gunsmithing Services Given the original Bar-Sto business model was (and is) offering semi fit barrels demanding some gunsmith work for the best possible fit, the company is receptive to questions by phone or email from gunsmiths using their products in their project guns. Bar-Sto also offers inhouse fitting of their barrels. This can be useful for less experienced gunsmiths not wanting to tackle barrel installation yet or busy gunsmiths looking to outsource some shop work.

Bar-Sto also offers trigger work for 1911 pistols and gun enhancement packages. These packages include fitting and gunsmithing work includes barrel, individual component, and sight fitting for 1911, SIG, Glock, and Springfield XD pistols. Grip reductions area unique, custom process which reduces the size of the pistol’s gripping area while adding increased traction for the shooter’s hands.

Bar-Sto also offers full custom builds ranging from sight installs and basic fixes on most all firearms, milling red dot sight cuts in slides and/or lightning cuts, scalloping and grip regrinds, and stippling. They thread barrels (pistol and rifle) for suppressors as well. Being a complete gunsmithing and machine shop, Bar-Sto can perform most types of custom work and has a 12-14 week turn around time. In addition to their products and services, Bar-Sto also demonstrates a successful business model for gunsmiths.

What started as aside project and one-man shop has blossomed into a multi-generational family-owned business that has been a "name" in the custom gunsmith world for decades. AG