Easy fit barrels vs. full fit?

I'm starting a new .45 pistol on a nice old Series 70 Colt and am wondering about barrels. Its been a long time since I built a gun but still have all the tools I need to do the work. Easy fit stuff didn't exist when I last did this. I suspect its not quite up to the same potential as a full fit barrel and bushing. Is that correct?

I know there are quite a few barrel makers around these days, so I'd also like to hear about your preferred barrel brands. Are Kart and BarSto still the favorites?

Kart and BarSto are still the pick of the litter but you can't discount Nowlin barrels. As for the easy fits it depends on what you want to acheive.

If your colt barrel is a national match use it, they shoot every bit as good as any aftermarket brand.

On an older pistol like the Colt series 70 I would only use an NM oversized barrel. The tolerances and poor machining is not forgiving and in my experience necitates the oversized barrel. The EZ fit barrels already have the link fit and takes away from making up for problems you might encounter. The older Colt barrels do shoot well when welded and refit, but good luck finding a good TIG welder to weld it. More trouble than its worth considering availability of NM barrels. Also you cannot fit the upper barrel lugs on a Colt because they are not oversized. I would steer clear of the Nowlin barrels because you will need an undersized chamber reamer because his bores ate TIGHT! Kart and KKM barrels are the preferred barrels. KKM's are being used commonly for shooting primarily jacketed bullets. I've been using Kart barrels for over 20 years as a gunsmith and use them for all the pistols I build. Karts will easily shoot around an 1" when properly fit. Not much more work to fit an oversized NM barrel instead of an Ez fit. Good Luck!
Jon

Does the NM barrel versus the EZ Fit Kart have much difference in the accuracy?

WVBE Shooter wrote:Does the NM barrel versus the EZ Fit Kart have much difference in the accuracy?

Only your barrel tester knows....
Jerry

Jerry Keefer, since you chimed in - would you please tell us what you think about barrels? What's the set up that the cool kids use these days? What's your favorite?

Thanks.

Jon Eulette, many thanks for your illuminations. That's swaying me toward a Kart full fit.

I have no experience with the EZ fit barrels from Kart. But from comments on the forums over the last fifteen years, the accuracy with the EZ Fit can vary. The EZ fit barrels are supposedly dimensioned so that very little metal needs to be taken off when the pistol the barrel is being fit into is close to ideal specs or dimensions.  If the pistol being fit has some "wide" tolerances then there might not be enough metal on the EZ fit for ideal fitting.
 Some claim very good accuracy with the EZ fit but others not so good. If you are confident that you can fit the oversize match Kart that is the way to go. I think the regular match barrel is less expensive than the EZ fit.