Photo courtesy of Shaw Barrels
June 27, 2025
By Keith Wood
As its name suggests, Shaw Barrels, formerly known as E.R. Shaw, is best known as a barrel manufacturer. Shaw has long offered button-rifled pre-fit, short-chambered and blank barrels for various applications, and now the company has evolved into one that offers complete custom rifles in addition to barrels. Its newest model, the Excursion, is available in dozens of chamberings, barrel lengths and configurations, making it a great deal more “custom” than many of the other rifles out there that use the term.
Each Excursion is built to the individual buyer’s specifications. A series of 14 different drop-down menus on the Shaw website allow the user to configure his rifle. The options include a right- or left-handed action, 14 styles of bolt bodies, eight bolt handles, two barrel contours and five stock colors. Rifles are made to order, and the process takes an estimated five months. Going through all the possible configurations would fill up this entire magazine, so I’ll focus on my test sample chambered in 7 mm PRC.
The Excursion uses a push-feed action made from 416R stainless steel with a Savage-style floating bolt head. The bolt is black-nitrided, which ensures the two stainless steel components work smoothly without galling and provides corrosion protection. The extractor is a sliding-plate style, and there are two plunger-style ejectors. Receiver finishes include matte or polished stainless steel or Cerakote in a variety of colors.
On a long-action build there are two barrel-contour options, sporter and magnum. Since the test rifle was chambered in a magnum cartridge, that contour was chosen by default. Barrels are available in 416R stainless or chromoly steel in 11 lengths, with or without fluting, and with five muzzle treatments.
Advertisement
The stock on the Excursion is a Peak 44 Blacktooth. The lines on the 19-ounce carbon-fiber stock follow the sporter style: the pistol grip is generously wide, there is plenty of fore-end and the buttstock omits a cheekpiece.
All Excursion rifles use aluminum Hawkins M5 bottom metal that accommodates a detachable box magazine. The test rifle came with a three-round steel AICS-pattern magazine made by Accurate-Mag.
Shaw provides two trigger options on the Excursion, both from Triggertech. Users can choose from the Field model, which is adjustable from 2 1/2 to 5 pounds, or the Primary Flat. The latter has a flat face, rather than a traditional curved bow, and can be adjusted from 1 1/2 to 4 pounds.
Advertisement
The final option available is the scope mount. The Excursion receiver is drilled and tapped with four 8-40 base screws. The mount choices are: none, Warne two-piece bases, a cut-away 0 MOA or 20 MOA Picatinny rail, or a full 0 MOA or 20 MOA solid rail.
In the rifle world, the term “custom” has been overused if not flat-out abused. By design, the user-selected features of the Shaw Excursion make it a true custom rifle. No, it doesn’t wear a hand-checkered walnut stock or come with your initials engraved on the floorplate, but you can order it your way down to some very small details.
SPECIFICATIONS: Caliber: 7 mm PRC Capacity: 3 rounds; detachable box magazine Barrel: 22”; 416R stainless steel; spiral flutes; threaded muzzle Overall Length: 42 1/2” Weight: 6.9 lb. Stock: Peak 44 Blacktooth carbon fiber; 13 1/2” LOP Sights: None; drilled and tapped for scope mounts Finish: Matte stainless steel, black nitride MSRP: $2,858 (as tested) SHAW EXCURSION FEATURES AND BENEFITS: Chambering Choices The Excursion’s Savage-style floating bolt head ensures the bolt face aligns with the chamber to promote excellent accuracy. Chambering options are impressive, with 39 short-action and 51 long-action choices on the menu.
Hugh-Tech Stock The Peak 44 Blacktooth stock has a 3D-printed 3DHEX recoil pad that curves into the butt section and uses an advanced system to mitigate felt recoil. Five sponge-camo patterns are available for the stock, including green and gray over the raw carbon fiber.
Smooth Release The Triggertech trigger is designed with Frictionless Release Technology to essentially eliminate creep, using a roller in lieu of relying on friction between two sliding parts. Pull weight can be adjusted via a single hex screw without disassembling the rifle.
Box Score Hawkins M5 bottom metal configures the rifle for a detachable box magazine. On the forward edge of the trigger guard is an ambidextrous paddle-style magazine release.
More Options Barrels can be ordered in 416R stainless or chromoly steel, in lengths ranging from 16 1/2 to 26 inches, without flutes or with straight, standard spiral or fast spiral flutes.
This article was featured in the 2024 issue of Public Land Hunter magazine.
