A Visual Library of AR-15 Barrel Profiles
A1 Profile
The is the profile found on the Colt M16A1. It’s thin underneath the handguards, thin at the gas block journal and thin past the front sight base. The A1 profile is affectionately referred to as a “pencil” barrel (‘cause John Wick once killed three men in a bar with one.)
Colt 20” A1 profile . . .
barrel stamp . . .
A 16” rendition of the A1 profile barrel is found on the Colt 6520 and 6720.
Colt 16” 6520/6720 barrel . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Government Profile
This is the profile of the barrels found on the M16A2/A3/A4. It’s basically the same profile underneath the handguards as the A1 profile, with additional material added from the gas block journal forward.
Colt 20” government profile . . .
barrel stamp . . .
An M203 grenade launcher can be attached to the 20” government profile barrel without any modifications to the barrel.
Government profile barrels that are significantly shorter than the 20” barrel required the addition of “cutouts” on the barrel forward of the front sight base to be able to attach an M203 grenade launcher. Examples of government profile barrels with the M203 cutouts include the Colt 14.5” M4 barrel and the Colt 16” 6920 barrel.
Colt 14.5” government profile . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Colt 16” government profile . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Medium Contour Profile
Medium contour profiles were designed to provide a higher level of precision and heat tolerance than government profile profiles, without adding as much weight as a heavy barrel profile.
Noveske medium contour 16” RECON barrel . . .
Colt medium contour 14.5” M4A1 barrel . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Colt medium contour 11.5” FBI HRT barrel . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Heavy Barrel Profile
Heavy barrel (HBAR) profiles weigh more than medium contour barrels of the same length with most of that extra weight usually being distributed from in front of the barrel extension to the gas block journal.
Colt 20” HBAR . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Colt 16” HBAR . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Bull Barrel Profile
Topping the scales for AR-15 barrels is the bull barrel profile. These barrels have just about as large a diameter as you can have on an AR-15 barrel while still being able to pass a standard barrel nut over the barrel. These barrels are a joy to shoot off a bi-pod or bench. However, carrying them around in the field; not so much.
Lothar Walther 20” bull barrel . . .
Krieger 24” bull barrel . . .
Enhanced Profiles
Over the last several years we’ve seen the emergence of barrels produced by manufacturers with specific objectives of balancing weight distribution and handling characteristics while maintaining accuracy on par with barrels with heavier profiles. A prime example of this profile is Bravo Company's ELW (enhanced light weight) barrel.
Well over a decade ago, the late John Noveske was the impetus for bringing modern AR-15 barrel profiles to the civilian market. His 16" CHF N4 barrel profile has the same weight as a government profile barrel of the same length, but it has a more intelligently designed contour that places more of the weight of the barrel from the chamber to the gas block journal and does away with the M203 cut-outs.
Bravo Company 14.5” ELW profile . . .
Noveske 16” N4 profile
Criterion 16" CORE barrel . . .
…
A1 Profile
The is the profile found on the Colt M16A1. It’s thin underneath the handguards, thin at the gas block journal and thin past the front sight base. The A1 profile is affectionately referred to as a “pencil” barrel (‘cause John Wick once killed three men in a bar with one.)
Colt 20” A1 profile . . .
barrel stamp . . .
A 16” rendition of the A1 profile barrel is found on the Colt 6520 and 6720.
Colt 16” 6520/6720 barrel . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Government Profile
This is the profile of the barrels found on the M16A2/A3/A4. It’s basically the same profile underneath the handguards as the A1 profile, with additional material added from the gas block journal forward.
Colt 20” government profile . . .
barrel stamp . . .
An M203 grenade launcher can be attached to the 20” government profile barrel without any modifications to the barrel.
Government profile barrels that are significantly shorter than the 20” barrel required the addition of “cutouts” on the barrel forward of the front sight base to be able to attach an M203 grenade launcher. Examples of government profile barrels with the M203 cutouts include the Colt 14.5” M4 barrel and the Colt 16” 6920 barrel.
Colt 14.5” government profile . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Colt 16” government profile . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Medium Contour Profile
Medium contour profiles were designed to provide a higher level of precision and heat tolerance than government profile profiles, without adding as much weight as a heavy barrel profile.
Noveske medium contour 16” RECON barrel . . .
Colt medium contour 14.5” M4A1 barrel . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Colt medium contour 11.5” FBI HRT barrel . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Heavy Barrel Profile
Heavy barrel (HBAR) profiles weigh more than medium contour barrels of the same length with most of that extra weight usually being distributed from in front of the barrel extension to the gas block journal.
Colt 20” HBAR . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Colt 16” HBAR . . .
barrel stamp . . .
Bull Barrel Profile
Topping the scales for AR-15 barrels is the bull barrel profile. These barrels have just about as large a diameter as you can have on an AR-15 barrel while still being able to pass a standard barrel nut over the barrel. These barrels are a joy to shoot off a bi-pod or bench. However, carrying them around in the field; not so much.
Lothar Walther 20” bull barrel . . .
Krieger 24” bull barrel . . .
Enhanced Profiles
Over the last several years we’ve seen the emergence of barrels produced by manufacturers with specific objectives of balancing weight distribution and handling characteristics while maintaining accuracy on par with barrels with heavier profiles. A prime example of this profile is Bravo Company's ELW (enhanced light weight) barrel.
Well over a decade ago, the late John Noveske was the impetus for bringing modern AR-15 barrel profiles to the civilian market. His 16" CHF N4 barrel profile has the same weight as a government profile barrel of the same length, but it has a more intelligently designed contour that places more of the weight of the barrel from the chamber to the gas block journal and does away with the M203 cut-outs.
Bravo Company 14.5” ELW profile . . .
Noveske 16” N4 profile
Criterion 16" CORE barrel . . .
…
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