I am starting a AR 308 build and was wanting some feed back on barrels. The gun is mainly going to be used for hunting whitetail deer where the longest shot might be 300 yards, I also may use to shoot steel for fun out to 500 yards. With that in mind, should I go 18 inch or just go with 16 inch?
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308 16 vs 18 inch
- Thread starter Tgself1
- Start date
I would go 16. I just got an 18" upper but haven't put it together yet, but I'll be cutting it down to 16" soon, after a few hundred rounds. Most my rifles run suppressed most the time, so that's another reason.
Does it need to be rifle length gas if I’m not running it suppressed and use an adjustable gas block. The reason I’m asking is because I have my eye on a ballistic advantage modern series government profile 16inch barrel.
There are a number of barrel manufacturers who have intermediate length gas for their 16" 308's. BA is mid-length.
Some DPMS gas tube lengths reference:
Mid-Length 11-3/4"
Wilson Combat Match Grade Intermediate 13 1/4"
Intermediate 13-3/4"
Rifle 15-1/8"
Plus a couple other proprietary lengths similar to the Wilson Combat.
A 16” will be approx 2400fps with a 180gr and 2650fps with 150gr. So it’s more than enough for whitetail. A 165 Hornady bullet is a good middle choice and the ballistic tips feed well.
Barrel wise I would get something quality that comes with a headspaced bolt. Criterion is a good not-too-expensive choice. Maybe Wilson combat they have a nice lighter profile for 300$. I like BA barrels for 556 but no experience in 308. Avoid Faxon imho.
Then there’s handguards. Most are shit on 308 and come loose etc if you use them hard. KAC URX would be my choice. Or Wilson combat if you’re broke. Simple and cheap.
Buffers are either Armalite tube which has a regular CAR buffer or DPMS which has a special stubby buffer.
Of course you could just save money and time by hunting whitetail with 223 60gr partition bullets. A relative of mine hunts them with cast 30-30 cowboy loads. They aren’t invulnerable.
Stuff like this is why I ended up buying a 716i for 1k at a gun store just to have my 308AR fix.
Barrel wise I would get something quality that comes with a headspaced bolt. Criterion is a good not-too-expensive choice. Maybe Wilson combat they have a nice lighter profile for 300$. I like BA barrels for 556 but no experience in 308. Avoid Faxon imho.
Then there’s handguards. Most are shit on 308 and come loose etc if you use them hard. KAC URX would be my choice. Or Wilson combat if you’re broke. Simple and cheap.
Buffers are either Armalite tube which has a regular CAR buffer or DPMS which has a special stubby buffer.
Of course you could just save money and time by hunting whitetail with 223 60gr partition bullets. A relative of mine hunts them with cast 30-30 cowboy loads. They aren’t invulnerable.
Stuff like this is why I ended up buying a 716i for 1k at a gun store just to have my 308AR fix.
....FWIW, back in 2015 I built my 308Win AR using Aero upper, lower, BCG, carbine buffer system, 16" BA Hanson SS barrel & SLR AGB w/ SLR single port brake. Platform has run 100% reliably from day one with factory Magtech 150gn FMJ, Federal XM80CL 7.61x51 149gn, FGMM 168gn and handloads w/HDY 155 OTM, 168 BTHP & 178 BTHP (AR-Comp & 8208 XBR). IMHO, the AGB is the greatest influence on reliability, giving the ability to moderate gas flow at the source that controls timing of operation (YMMV) without having to go to esoteric buffers, buffer springs or buffer tubes. I have it set to give a 3:30-4:30 ejection pattern across all loads I use.
Some load info, Magtech factory 2545 FPS avg, used for baseline. HDY 155 OTM w/AR-Comp, 42-43.8gn, 2633-2663 FPS avg, HDY 155 OTM w/8208XBR, 40-42gn, 2448-2543 FPS avg, HDY 168 BTHP w/AR-Comp, 39.5-41gn, 2409-2481 FPS avg, HDY 178 BTHP w/AR-Comp, 38.5-40.5gn, 2321-2416 FPS avg. I don't load for speed, more for reliability and accuracy, especially as I have limited component supply/availability. A simple JBM calculation predicts ALL of those loads will be supersonic to 1K meters in MY environment (sea level, tropical temps/humidity), YMMV. Some sample target results during pressure testing of the loads.
Some load info, Magtech factory 2545 FPS avg, used for baseline. HDY 155 OTM w/AR-Comp, 42-43.8gn, 2633-2663 FPS avg, HDY 155 OTM w/8208XBR, 40-42gn, 2448-2543 FPS avg, HDY 168 BTHP w/AR-Comp, 39.5-41gn, 2409-2481 FPS avg, HDY 178 BTHP w/AR-Comp, 38.5-40.5gn, 2321-2416 FPS avg. I don't load for speed, more for reliability and accuracy, especially as I have limited component supply/availability. A simple JBM calculation predicts ALL of those loads will be supersonic to 1K meters in MY environment (sea level, tropical temps/humidity), YMMV. Some sample target results during pressure testing of the loads.
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. The only reason to go 18” is for the rlgs if you can’t source a 16” rlgs barrel.There are much better choices than Ballistic Advantage.
I shot 3 deer with a 16” Sig Cross this year, all around 150-200 yards. No issues, 2 ran, 1 dropped immediately. I was using cheap 150gr SPs. I have also taken the rifle out to 650 on steel no problem with a basic m80 clone load. In short, you’ll have no issues and will probably appreciate the handier rifle.
I vote for the 18" especially without a suppressor it puts the blast farther from the face at less pressure and ya get more velocity and energy. I run 168 Bergers at 2800 fps or 208 Eldm 2508 fps. From the mag single load 200 gr. .715 BC at 2673 fps average, or 225 Eldm at 2477 fps. From 18" 308 AR. High pressure bolt .065 firing pin ,& double ejector. Proof barrel, and adjustable gas block, everything else standard AR parts, so I can run the same ammo in bolt action and auto.
