224 Valkyrie Barrel

[JsnSanko]

Getting ready to pull the trigger on a Compass Lake custom AR barrel. So I am leaning Bartlien (you only live once, why not build it right), but am stumped on 20” vs 22”. It will not be threaded. So any thoughts on length or the 4 brands that Compass Lake offers? I will get the matching bolt. Goal is maximum accuracy.

 

[Yoteski]

Barrel length won't affect accuracy. You'll get a few more fps with 22." Since you're not running a muzzle device of any kind, I'd lean towards 22."

 

[bill_van]

I'm having good results with a 20" but it is suppressed. If I wasn't suppressed, I'd go with the 22". Most any of these top tier barrels will perform but I have no experience with the brands mentioned in .224 Valkyrie.

 

[hlee]

A threaded 20” barrel with muzzle device would end up being at or near 22”. So, an unthreaded 22” barrel is 2” of “free” muzzle velocity…

 

[Triple D]

Go 22-24”. Slinging 80’s at 2940-2975fps is a sweet spot for the valkyrie.

I’ve had 3 so far. A 22” that was cut down to an 18” and two 24”. I’d choose the 24” again if I purchased another.

 

[Constructor]

Couldn't go wrong with Krieger or Bartlein

 

[TimK]

I have a 24" on a Bartlein blank. +2" gas. Paul Craddock did mine, not CL. If I had it to do over, I'd have CL do it. Mine injected copper through the gas tube so bad it would gunk up the BCG in 50-75 rounds. It took 1K rounds for that problem to solve itself which was very frustrating.

My gas port is drilled right on the ridge between a groove and a land. I'd ask CL if they're capable of centering it in a groove.