6mm ARC questions

Benhonda1

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Jan 22, 2012
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Hello.
I am in the process of doing an AR style 6mm arc build, I am torn between 2 barrels I really like 1. Rainer arms match 18 in (not the ultra-match) and the Faxon match heavy. Has anyone had experience with these barrels? The Rainer Arms guarantees sub moa with match ammo both are 1-7.5 twist, and both are 416r SS. Also, since I have no reloading capabilities ATM, what grain would you start out with for accurate grouping.

Thanks!!
 
Hello.
I am in the process of doing an AR style 6mm arc build, I am torn between 2 barrels I really like 1. Rainer arms match 18 in (not the ultra-match) and the Faxon match heavy. Has anyone had experience with these barrels? The Rainer Arms guarantees sub moa with match ammo both are 1-7.5 twist, and both are 416r SS. Also, since I have no reloading capabilities ATM, what grain would you start out with for accurate grouping.

Thanks!!

Whatever the question Faxon is never the answer, total shit sticks!
 
Hello.
I am in the process of doing an AR style 6mm arc build, I am torn between 2 barrels I really like 1. Rainer arms match 18 in (not the ultra-match) and the Faxon match heavy. Has anyone had experience with these barrels? The Rainer Arms guarantees sub moa with match ammo both are 1-7.5 twist, and both are 416r SS. Also, since I have no reloading capabilities ATM, what grain would you start out with for accurate grouping.

Thanks!!
I have experience with both barrels, but not in 6mm ARC. Both are excellent. I have several Rainier Arms Match-grade barrels in .300 BLK and 5.56 NATO. They are very accurate. And i'm currently running a 20" Faxon 5R Heavy Match Fluted 6.5 Grendel barrel on my DMR, and it shoots 1/2 MOA or better with handloads. Very good experiences with both brands and model barrels. I think for the current sales prices I've been seeing on the Faxon Match Heavy, it is a no-brainer. Make sure you get the matching Faxon 6.5G/6 ARC bolt for it, that way it's properly headspaced for their barrels.

Standard weight for 6mm ARC factory ammo is between 103-110. I shoot Nosler 115 RDF's in my bolt-action 6mm ARC. But I also handload for everything. And bolt-action 6mm ARC is a whole different animal than semi-auto. The factory Hornady Precision Hunter has been reported to be good for most folks. And some even report the Hornady Black ammo shooting good in their's. There's a lot of factors that affect "accurate grouping" and honestly, you can buy all the best parts in the world, and that helps your odds, but it's still a complete crap-shoot as to whether it's going to shoot REALLY good, or just good, or even acceptable. And shooting factory ammo does NOT help those odds in the least.
 
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I have a 20" Faxon 5R Heavy Match Fluted in 6ARC and it is very accurate. Generally shoots .75-.50 MOA with my hand load 105 Nosler RDF's. Of all the Faxon barrels I have owned over the years, maybe eight over the years only one was sub par. And it wasn't really terrible but it was also a pencil barrel that would start opening up after 10-12 shots. I currently have two pencil barrels in 5.56 that shoot sub MOA all day long, one is a 10.5" and the other is 14.5". Their Match grade stuff is pretty good.
 
You could also look at the Ballistic Advantage for another option to put into the decision filter. The 5.56 versions shoot great. (Sample size 60 some barrels)
Faxon CMV4150 nitrided barrels I've shot in 5.56 (sample size 25-30), shot fucking great! My old stock Faxon barrel hits 15-20rnd groups sub MOA. I'm not happy with their company attitude so I don't personally buy them because I like to vote with my wallet.

Side bar here - I don't think 416RSS is all that for an AR barrel. I've had considerable less break-in required as it pertains to the metal migration of 416RSS at the gas port. CMV4150 nitrided/QPQ/Tenifer/etc barrels do much better in this regard and putting out just as good precision as 416RSS. My next experiment is to see if the nitrided 416RSS fare any better.

ETA: Awe shit! Look at this pretty girl! https://dealers.ballisticadvantage....length-ar-15-barrel-premium-black-series.html
 
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I have no experience with either brand of barrels. I went with an Odin Works 18" barrel for my 6 ARC build and have been very happy with it.

Hornady makes 103Gr, 105Gr and 108Gr ammo. I have shot the 105Gr and 108Gr ammo in my rifle and the 108Gr has done the best. You will have to see what the barrel of your choice likes best.
 
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I've got a Faxon match barrel that actually shoots decent with some ammo, but overall my experience with Faxon barrels is that I buy them for lightweight bullet hoses and if they shoot good it's a bonus, not an expectation.

Had the best luck overall with Proof Research and especially Compass Lake Engineering (Bartlein blanks) for "precision" rifles.
 
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I've got a Faxon match barrel that actually shoots decent with some ammo, but overall my experience with Faxon barrels is that I buy them for lightweight bullet hoses and if they shoot good it's a bonus, not an expectation.

Had the best luck overall with Proof Research and especially Compass Lake Engineering (Bartlein blanks) for "precision" rifles.

That's where I'm at too. I do have a brand new Faxon pencil barrel I just put in an AR upper that I want to see if it'll shoot. The inside has no tool marks and the gas port looks perfect. I paid $125 for it. I have low expectations but low investment.
 
My numbers from an 18” barrel and Hornady Black 105. Magnetospeed V3.
You’ll have to see what your barrel likes but the Ranier Match should be good or buy the Proof SS in the PX if you can swing it.

Hornady Black 105 BTHP
2512, 2554, 2559, 2558, 2532,
2556, 2536, 2545, 2547, 2550 SD 13.9

Ballistic-X-Export-2023-03-21 15:57:25.810625.jpg
 
Hello.
I am in the process of doing an AR style 6mm arc build, I am torn between 2 barrels I really like 1. Rainer arms match 18 in (not the ultra-match) and the Faxon match heavy. Has anyone had experience with these barrels? The Rainer Arms guarantees sub moa with match ammo both are 1-7.5 twist, and both are 416r SS. Also, since I have no reloading capabilities ATM, what grain would you start out with for accurate grouping.

Thanks!!
i have built 4, and 4 additional for friends, 4 had 22" heavy bb applied ballistic barrels and 6 have 22" proof, the dang guns in all barrels shoot so accurate that i can only say-3/4" is easy!!!! it's just a very easy rig to run, all are suppressed, and we have used 27-30 g of leverR and all have used 25-27 g benchmark pending we all have bolts also. we have bought and build ammo from 87g vmax to the 108 new in box, the 108 is best for tgt long or short out to 1000 easy!!! i dont know why the hell there isnt everyone more excited over this gun - worst thing - good luck finding brass new in box, best buy new and fire form, same price as an empty brass-
 
I have not been overly impressed with my Ranier match 18”. 108, 103, and 105 factory Hornady loadings are all over an inch in 5 shot groups. I haven’t spent a ton of time hand loading for it yet, but I still have yet to produce a sub MOA group at 100yds for 5 or more shots. 200rds through the pipe.