I recently picked up a 8.6 BLK barrel from Ballistic Advantage. It's a 1:3 twist. I have only the barrel thus far for an AR10 build, but I'm scouring forums of anyone who has gotten into 8.6 to see if there's reliable beta.
@45-90 you seem to have the most informed and strongest opinion against the 1:3 twist in concept, and Faxon specifically at least in regards to the barrel you received from them.
@Frank Green you come with industry insight and on this topic which is highly valuable.
My own take comes from listening to the developers of the cartridge and their respective firearms. Yes they are all selling something, but logically it would make no sense to throw this much investment at a physics fail. Sure you'll get early adopters and acolytes, but that's not what'll get them the ROI...they'll need the normies for that. Q blatantly doesn't market to the poors, and has openly been critical of other companies trying to break onto the 8.6 scene before they've even worked out all the kinks themselves. I recall a video featuring Kevin where he specifically lambasted the 1:6.5 twist as basically the best the rest of the industry can accomplish without upgrading their tooling, or something to that effect.
Really what this cartridge boils down to is a pet project that has gone somewhat viral. In any cutting-edge development, you're going to have extensive T&E. Time will tell if the 1:3 really is THE ideal twist rate for 8.6 or if something slower is going to be more widely accepted. Kevin has spoken about going as low as 1:1! They're manipulating all the variables (bullet weight, powder charge, bullet composition/shape, barrel length, muzzle device, etc.) which seem to be trending towards something very niche: high penetration, subsonic performance out of 8-12" barrels. In my listening, this was the rationale for arriving at 1:3. But is this what customers will want or even find useful/worth their money?
Time will tell
I remember reading all that propaganda stated on early tests, especially on the one twist, and settling on the 3 twist...
I got one of those early Faxon 3 twist barrels, and come to tbe conclusion immediately after trying to bore scope that barrel, that Faxon can't make a 3 twist either.
Like many have found, and posted pictures their 3 twist could hardly be call rifling.
I couldn't see through the barrel it was full of "wiskery fuzz"...
First patch came out brown with metal pieces and slivers...
Had to lapp the barrel to smooth it out.
Re bore scoped it and it was the absolute worst barrel I've ever looked at.
The rifling was galled, torn, smeared, with deep pits.
Faxon can not make a 3 twist worth a damn, at least the early examples...
Look at the complaints and pictures.
Lack of button clearance seemed apparent.
It looked total amateurish, like a home shop try at rifling a barrel.
Hopefully newer examples are better.
Still working out the kinks?
Why then are they still selling inferior barrels.
I solved all the problems with a 6.5 twist, and the only reason I tell others, it turned a nightmare 3 twist, that did hundreds of dollars worth of damage to a muzzle brake and the magneto speed, into a viable dual purpose rifle.
6.5 twists are available on special order, for AR or Bolt...may have to wait a few months...I did ...it was worth it.
I chambered my own from a McGowen barrel blank, it has good rifling...like a professional barrel maker.
Run the 3 twist if you want...but if you damage your muzzle devices, or want total versatility with all bullets, subs to full velocity, without limitations, get the 6.5 twist.
