Wilson Combat barrels
- Thread starter BurtG
- Start date
Just say no to Wilson Combat ARs, especially Large frames. It would take a while but Craddock would do a barrel. Paul at CLE I think is taking work and could do one. I love WC pistols, but have never liked their ARs
My experience has been decent with them on small frame builds. All been 5.56 though, no 350. Large frame rifle length gas is another story. They all shoot decent enough, just quite the headache with the gas system length on large frames.
I own two 6.5 Grendel, and one .308 WC barrel.
They all shoot sub-minute with handloads, not occasionally, but regularly for five shot groups.
None of them will amaze you if you look at it with a borescope (but that doesn't matter if it shoots).
If I wanted another $300 barrel for general hunting, I'd have no problem going back to WC. If I wanted a barrel more for target work...well, I went with Proof for my last 6.5CM build.
They all shoot sub-minute with handloads, not occasionally, but regularly for five shot groups.
None of them will amaze you if you look at it with a borescope (but that doesn't matter if it shoots).
If I wanted another $300 barrel for general hunting, I'd have no problem going back to WC. If I wanted a barrel more for target work...well, I went with Proof for my last 6.5CM build.
My WC 224 valkyrie barrel shoots pretty good. Fired brass comes out with some weird marks on it. Must be some scratches or something in the chamber. Muzzle threads look good. Scope zeros close to center. Wouldn't think you would need much for 350 legend. A 4 moa gun is in a deer for a couple hundred yards. It would be a tough sell to me that I needed a Craddock built cut rifled barrel for one anyway. 
I found a rainier match in stock.My WC 224 valkyrie barrel shoots pretty good. Fired brass comes out with some weird marks on it. Must be some scratches or something in the chamber. Muzzle threads look good. Scope zeros close to center. Wouldn't think you would need much for 350 legend. A 4 moa gun is in a deer for a couple hundred yards. It would be a tough sell to me that I needed a Craddock built cut rifled barrel for one anyway.
I’m going to be pushing the limits of yardage. More accuracy the better
Another forum says craddock cuts the barrels for rainier. Odd given his premium and geographic location versus rainier
Hopefully Rainer has their barrel extention sorted out. I proabaly won't ever mess with them again. None of barrels they ever sent me shot very well and all had the bolt lugs imprinting on the barrel extention.
It always seemed to me like if pushing past 150y or so, the grendel or 6 arc are better options. They're plenty deadly up close too.
It always seemed to me like if pushing past 150y or so, the grendel or 6 arc are better options. They're plenty deadly up close too.
556 works fine but Twig Pigs want you to use anemic cartridges.
Hope you’re wrong about the rainier / they fixed the issues.
I’ve had some good shooting Shaw barrels before.
Greenpants out here have gotten plum out hand. I had freind ranting about them the other day. They judt keep closing and ruining access to public lands.
I am not wrong about my barrels. But hopefully they fixed the issue. Other people reporting the same issue all had ultra match barrels as well with the coated extentions. I don't know if the match and UM barrel extentions are the same minus the coating.
No complaints with WC here. Top one is a 24" barrel 6.5CM build I did a few years ago during COVID. Middle one is a factory 308 build on an 18" barrel. Bottom one is a 16" 5.56 build. All of them shoot lights-out. The only thing I had to do was - ironically - send the 308 back to WC to have them enlarge the gas port a bit so that I could on occasion, reliably shoot mil-surp 7.62 NATO w/o issues. They did that for free (and covered shipping). All of them shoot better than I am capable of.
I've had around 10 Wilson Combat barrels.
I would recommend them for a moderately priced barrel.
Some will shoot as good as any of the top custom barrels.
One 308 is exceptionally accurate in 16" AR 10, and the 6.5 CM more finicky to get a good 5 shot moa load, and a rechambered 338 Fed to 338 RCM is capable of 1/2 moa.
Many of their small frame ARs will shot half moa.
I sent one WC 6.5 CM barrel back before installing it, after scoping it.
It was the only negative experience with WC, it was a bit difficult to get them to replace it...the replacement was marginally better so I installed it, and has been the one hardest to get moa groups...like they had a marginal run of a few 6.5 CM barrels.
I would recommend them for a moderately priced barrel.
Some will shoot as good as any of the top custom barrels.
One 308 is exceptionally accurate in 16" AR 10, and the 6.5 CM more finicky to get a good 5 shot moa load, and a rechambered 338 Fed to 338 RCM is capable of 1/2 moa.
Many of their small frame ARs will shot half moa.
I sent one WC 6.5 CM barrel back before installing it, after scoping it.
It was the only negative experience with WC, it was a bit difficult to get them to replace it...the replacement was marginally better so I installed it, and has been the one hardest to get moa groups...like they had a marginal run of a few 6.5 CM barrels.
I'll start off my stating I've no personal experience with any of the barrels listed below!
All 3 BA .350's barrel lengths are showing as in stock (note they can be found in-stock cheaper elsewhere)
www.ballisticadvantage.com
nearly all of the BCA's options are in-stock
www.bearcreekarsenal.com
Shaw are the same, all showing as in-stock
not sure about the status of these two. Maybe worth a phone call?
School of the American Rifle has a couple of recent YT video's on WC & BA's barrels, which may or may not be applicable but maybe something to consider.
All 3 BA .350's barrel lengths are showing as in stock (note they can be found in-stock cheaper elsewhere)
350 Legend Barrels | AR 15 Barrel | Firearm Improvements
With a corrosion resistant finish, our .350 Legend barrel is crafted with the end user in mind. Check out our selection of AR 15 barrels today.
www.ballisticadvantage.com
nearly all of the BCA's options are in-stock
350 Legend Barrels - Start Hunting Now | Bear Creek Arsenal
With a wide selection of lengths, flutes, finishes, and gas systems to choose from, find the perfect 350 legend barrel for your needs. Shop and save today!
www.bearcreekarsenal.com
Shaw are the same, all showing as in-stock
not sure about the status of these two. Maybe worth a phone call?
School of the American Rifle has a couple of recent YT video's on WC & BA's barrels, which may or may not be applicable but maybe something to consider.
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I've never owned a WC barrel but have friends that do. Accuracy seems fine. The complaints seem to stem from machine work and proprietary gas lengths in LFAR.
For the money I'd look at X-Caliber (they run sales all the time). They list 35 Legend and will make a barrel in almost any size. Their lead times are a couple of weeks.
For the money I'd look at X-Caliber (they run sales all the time). They list 35 Legend and will make a barrel in almost any size. Their lead times are a couple of weeks.
I had a Wilson Combat barrel, a 16" 300 BLK with carbine gas. It shot fine and was reliable with supers, but I replaced it with a pistol gas Noveske for improved subsonic reliability. I would say they are a decent rack grade barrel but unlikely to provide custom accuracy.
I also have a McGowen custom LR-308 barrel in 6.5 Creed that runs well and is quite accurate too. Machine work is very clean. This was from awhile ago though, so not sure if things have changed there over the 10 years since I had it spun up.
I also have a McGowen custom LR-308 barrel in 6.5 Creed that runs well and is quite accurate too. Machine work is very clean. This was from awhile ago though, so not sure if things have changed there over the 10 years since I had it spun up.
I have a WC in 6mmFatRat and it shoots good, like 3/4" at 100Y, but not as good as the Bartlein I had in 6mmART40 on another upper. I'm not sure which way I'll go when my FR burns out but the FR was half the price and I'm not unhappy with it.
I have a CMMG 16" 350 Legend barrel that will do 5 shot 1 MOA groups and my friend got the Faxon 18" that will do just about the same. I've seen too many BCA guns and barrels that didn't work to take a chance and waste my time on them.
I've had a couple of their barrels in 223 and 224v, as others have said I think they are a good option considering you can often get them on sale under $250. They typically seem to shoot a bit better than MOA with good factory ammo, would probably do better with a worked up handload. They won't look as nice as a Bartlein inside but they are 1/3 of the price or less too. As others have said WC definitely seems to let some lemons escape when it comes to the quality of the chamber/machining, but again at $175-$250 you aren't going to get the best quality.
