20" .223 precision barrel choices that's not stainless steel?

[skyfire1201]

I'm looking for a barrel for my precision AR dedicated to shoot 77gr SMK. I want something that's reliable, easy to clean, lightweight, and can hold sub-moa precision while maximizing the potential of the .223 cartridge. I specifically don't want stainless steel barrels, since I want all my guns to be duty ready and lasts. This significantly narrowed my choices, and only three came up in my search: Faxon gunner profile 20" nitride barrel, Criterion Hybrid, and Criterion Core.

Are there other good choices I'm not aware of? I'm prefer nitride barrel over chromelined due to the inherent accuracy, and like the thin profile on the Faxon, but haven't had any experience with them. Anyone got good/bad experiences to share wrt Faxon?

 

[cgbills]

Ballistic Advantage doesn't have a 20in (only their 20in Govt profile) precision chrome moly but they do have an 18in. It is in 5.56 and not .223 though.

18

If you want to maximize your AR 15 build, look to Ballistic Advantage's 18" SPR rifle barrel. Our 5.56 NATO barrels greatly improve both accuracy and precision.

www.ballisticadvantage.com

They also have an 18in in 223 Wylde this is SS, but has been QPQ finished

18

18 inch over all length AR 15 barrel in 223 Wylde caliber with SPR profile and Stainless construction

www.ballisticadvantage.com

 

[Clayman]

Criterion

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I can't recommend Faxon for a precision barrel. My Criterions have been great though.

 

[Jsp556]

20" 223 Wylde 3R- 4150 CMV, -1/2-28 TM

Every barrel I’ve ever bought from Harrison has been a shooter. Easy to develope loads for. The ones I have are conservatively gassed and I’ve never had one that didn’t clean up easily. IMO, you’re gonna have to get a cut rifled barrel to do better. This seems to fit your requirements.

20”
CLE chamber
1-7.7 twist
Melonited
.850 to the gas block.

 

[celltech]

Criterion has SS barrels that are nitrided...best of both worlds. My AR-10 barrel in 6.5 Creed is a laser.

 

[skyfire1201]

Thanks everyone! Criterion seem to be the consensus. I've been waiting for Criterion to release a 20" Core profile barrel in nitrite, which seem to have just the right balance between weight and rigidity, though it seems I have to wait for a while longer, LOL.

 

[skyfire1201]

20" 223 Wylde 3R- 4150 CMV, -1/2-28 TM

Every barrel I’ve ever bought from Harrison has been a shooter. Easy to develope loads for. The ones I have are conservatively gassed and I’ve never had one that didn’t clean up easily. IMO, you’re gonna have to get a cut rifled barrel to do better. This seems to fit your requirements.

20”
CLE chamber
1-7.7 twist
Melonited
.850 to the gas block.

What is this barrel's profile? I can't find a picture on their website. .850" to the gas block seem to indicate it's close to a heavy?

 

[Halfnutz]

Lothar Walther CrMo

 

[DIBBS]

I have to be "that" guy.

What's the problem with stainless barrels? Hundreds of thousands in use currently... maybe milljens.

What is duty ready and lasts?

Serious question.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

What's the problem with stainless barrels? Hundreds of thousands in use currently... maybe milljens.

I smoked one SS barrel <3.5k rounds, but more typically expect them to go at less than 10k. Nitrided 4150 I expect to go maybe 12k, so not a huge difference in life but it is there. Haven't killed a CL yet so I'll have to wait and see.

 

[Jsp556]

.850/.750/.718

Your basic spr profile

 

[hlee]

What about a stainless barrel makes it not 'duty ready?'

 

[BCP]

I would get a stainless medium/heavy weight barrel. In normal times you could go to white oak and get their NM 7twist with fluting under the handguards for ~300 bucks however nowadays I don't know.

Otherwise you can get an FN 20" chrome lined lightweight barrel which is a good all around shooter but probably not a sub-moa hammer.

 

[MontanaMan]

If you don't want stainless, don't discount the Criterion Core Series, even though it's chrome lined.
Maybe not quite up to the capability of a Criterion SS or other high end SS, but it's pretty damned good for just about any practical real world business.

Link to recent MOLON review of a 16" version, here. And the price is reasonable.

Criterion Core Series Evaluation

MM

 

[glock63]

What about a stainless barrel makes it not 'duty ready?'

No kidding. Someone should let compass lake know they did it wrong when they made the MK12 series.

 

[MarshallDodge]

I have an 18" Faxon Gunner that shoots surprisingly well, almost as good as my WOA. The only reason I purchased it was for weight savings but it has surprised me.

After that I picked up a 14.5" Faxon Gunner that I finally put on an upper a few weeks back but am not seeing as good results with a 69 grain match bullet. I am going to try a 77 to see if I can squeeze a little more out of it as that is what the 18" liked.

 

[skyfire1201]

If you don't want stainless, don't discount the Criterion Core Series, even though it's chrome lined.
Maybe not quite up to the capability of a Criterion SS or other high end SS, but it's pretty damned good for just about any practical real world business.

Link to recent MOLON review of a 16" version, here. And the price is reasonable.

Criterion Core Series Evaluation

MM

I had a 18" Criterion hybrid chrome lined before, and found the chrome lining peeling showing corrosion at the throat and gas port after <1k rounds. Criterion replaced the whole barrel for free under warranty, but I've been somewhat weary of their chrome lined barrel ever since. IDK, maybe I just got a lemon. A friend who's a high power competitor highly recommended me to go with nitride, which is why I want a Core profile in nitride.

My tendency to avoid stainless is two fold: 1) based on all the research I've read, they don't last as long as chrome lined or nitride. 2) I live in a high humidity environment, and even the best stainless barrel can still rust. I just don't want to deal with that unless I have to.

 

[JohnCarter17]

LaRue Stealth can be ordered in 20".

 

[TonyTheTiger]

Isn't a "nitrided" barrel still a stainless barrel thats been treated?

You can get barrels of any material nitrided, but 4150 nitrided barrels seem far more common on the market that SS.

 

[BCP]

I have an 18" Faxon Gunner that shoots surprisingly well, almost as good as my WOA. The only reason I purchased it was for weight savings but it has surprised me.

After that I picked up a 14.5" Faxon Gunner that I finally put on an upper a few weeks back but am not seeing as good results with a 69 grain match bullet. I am going to try a 77 to see if I can squeeze a little more out of it as that is what the 18" liked.

That's how cheaper barrels are, sometimes you can get a shooter, usually they're average, sometimes a stinker.

 

[skyfire1201]

LaRue Stealth can be ordered in 20".

Interesting, I didn't know LT sold barrels separately. A quick Google search indicates these are made of LW-50 stainless steel, with IonBond coating. Does the coating apply only to the exterior or in the chamber/rifling as well?

 

[Halfnutz]

Interesting, I didn't know LT sold barrels separately. A quick Google search indicates these are made of LW-50 stainless steel, with IonBond coating. Does the coating apply only to the exterior or in the chamber/rifling as well?

Pretty sure they are no longer LW-50. LW I thought was Lothar Walther. Larue is making his own now. The older (LW) ones had a better reputation. I have a LW (SS) .308 on a bolt rifle that is a hammer. My 6.5CM LaRue barrel is lacking on an UU. I bought a LT stealth barrel for a "loaner" rifle for my God children, but I haven't done much more than sight it in and that has been a few years ago.
LW had/has a reputation for being kind of a difficult material to machine.
@bigjake83 would be one I would ask for confirmation.

 

[bigjake83]

Pretty sure they are no longer LW-50. LW I thought was Lothar Walther. Larue is making his own now. The older (LW) ones had a better reputation. I have a LW (SS) .308 on a bolt rifle that is a hammer. My 6.5CM LaRue barrel is lacking on an UU. I bought a LT stealth barrel for a "loaner" rifle for my God children, but I haven't done much more than sight it in and that has been a few years ago.
LW had/has a reputation for being kind of a difficult material to machine.
@bigjake83 would be one I would ask for confirmation.

LaRue no longer uses LW-50 barrels hasn't since about late 2012, now uses some in the house barrels that are probably made out of some cheap shit chromoly that he rebrands as some super Unicorn Cock steel I think he calls it "Rearden Steel". If they were made out of the quality steel he sure as shit wouldn't be selling his AR-15 barrels for under $300, he'd be price gouging the shit out of everything else like he does now.

 

[RUTGERS95]

20" 223 Wylde 3R- 4150 CMV, -1/2-28 TM

Every barrel I’ve ever bought from Harrison has been a shooter. Easy to develope loads for. The ones I have are conservatively gassed and I’ve never had one that didn’t clean up easily. IMO, you’re gonna have to get a cut rifled barrel to do better. This seems to fit your requirements.

20”
CLE chamber
1-7.7 twist
Melonited
.850 to the gas block.

have to agree with this post despite my strong dislike for him. His barrels consistently outperform 'name' barrels of much higher cost

 

[Halfnutz]

LaRue no longer uses LW-50 barrels hasn't since about late 2012, now uses some in the house barrels that are probably made out of some cheap shit chromoly that he rebrands some super Unicorn Cock steel I think he calls it "Rearden Steel". If they were made out of the quality steel he sure is shit wouldn't be selling his AR-15 barrels for under $300, he'd be price gouging the shit out of everything else like he does now.

He never disappoints.

 

[346ci]

Another vote for AR15 Performance, great barrels for the money.