Ballistic adv barrels

[L2bravo]

What do we think of BA barrels? I know tney do a ton of oem stuff as well private label.

I have a couple of 556, and they shoot well for what they are. (14.5” and 16”) that shoot ~1” at 100 with garden variety reloads, and a 1x6 viper.

Yes I also have some DD and Criterion stuff for hard use stuff, should I need. But a buddy hates them and calls them “hobby grade”. It’s just not been my experience.

What’s the consensus?

 

[DavidAR10]

I haven't been able to find fault in my 22" and 24" 6.5CM BA barrels.

Though, I'm pretty much a Proof Research SS dapper dan man from now on.

 

[BiggBeans]

Been conisdering one for a mk12ish type build. In to see what others have to say. Would only be a coyote rifle.

 

[B y r o n]

I've never had a problem with their Hanson profile barrels. They have/had 3 different levels of barrels. The Hanson profile barrels is there top of the line barrels so can't say about the other 2 levels.

 

[larryh128]

What do we think of BA barrels? I know tney do a ton of oem stuff as well private label.

I have a couple of 556, and they shoot well for what they are. (14.5” and 16”) that shoot ~1” at 100 with garden variety reloads, and a 1x6 viper.

Yes I also have some DD and Criterion stuff for hard use stuff, should I need. But a buddy hates them and calls them “hobby grade”. It’s just not been my experience.

What’s the consensus?

I've used 1 just to see what they were, no issues with decent accuracy. About what you have experienced. Like a lot of other OEM manufacturers I pretty sure they will spit out the occasional dud. I have a bud who kept bragging on his Bear Creek barrels until he got one that wasn't so good. The best lower cost barrel that I've used a bunch of are Wilson. Never had a bad 1. They aren't $100 barrels but not $400 either.

 

[gixxer822]

I’ve put together quite a few using BA barrels. Only one had an issue with an undersized gas port. Which I just drilled out myself. There CS kinda sucks and is slow.

 

[drewthebrave]

Been conisdering one for a mk12ish type build. In to see what others have to say. Would only be a coyote rifle.

My hunting buddy uses a BA 18" on his coyote gun and hasn't had any problems with it. While you're likely to get a good barrel, they put out a LOT of product and a few bad ones are bound to get through. Their CS is pretty good if you have an issue, at least.

With that said, for similar money you'd be better off with a White Oak Armament SPR barrel. They make top-tier barrels at great prices and their SPR profile is made to spec for the MK12 collar & suppressor if that matters to you.

 

[larryh128]

My hunting buddy uses a BA 18" on his coyote gun and hasn't had any problems with it. While you're likely to get a good barrel, they put out a LOT of product and a few bad ones are bound to get through. Their CS is pretty good if you have an issue, at least.

With that said, for similar money you'd be better off with a White Oak Armament SPR barrel. They make top-tier barrels at great prices and their SPR profile is made to spec for the MK12 collar & suppressor if that matters to you.

White Oak are supposed to be Wilson barrels or what the local rumor mill says.

 

[L2bravo]

I’ve put together quite a few using BA barrels. Only one had an issue with an undersized gas port. Which I just drilled out myself. There CS kinda sucks and is slow.

That’s strange. The BA’s I’ve used have been gassed hard. Like use a Sprinco blue, and h1 to slow it down some. Which is okay with me. Better than no gas.

 

[db2000]

Run strong and accurate. 12.5” and 14.5” govt profile chrome lined handle FA and remain accurate.

 

[L2bravo]

Run strong and accurate. 12.5” and 14.5” govt profile chrome lined handle FA and remain accurate. View attachment 7717238

What optic? FA is hard on everything. Lol. How many rounds you got on it? Mine are salt bath not CL.

 

[db2000]

What optic? FA is hard on everything. Lol. How many rounds you got on it? Mine are salt bath not CL.

Less than 1000. Holosun ACSS 7.62 x 39 reticle. I may have misspoke. I can’t confirm CL. It’s not a special order or anything.

 

[L2bravo]

Less than 1000. Holosun ACSS 7.62 x 39 reticle. I may have misspoke. I can’t confirm CL. It’s not a special order or anything.

I’m sure they make cl barrels. That wasn’t meant as a pointed remark at all! I believe they had a few problems years ago. I believe some people refer to their CS as pretty good.

 

[BCP]

I've had a bunch, only one was bad the rest all shot around 1MOA or better.

 

[TonyTheTiger]

White Oak are supposed to be Wilson barrels or what the local rumor mill says.

Maybe Wilson Arms, not the same company as Wilson Combat.

 

[larryh128]

Maybe Wilson Arms, not the same company as Wilson Combat.

Wilson arms, very good barrels.

 

[thedude824]

Ive got a pretty small sample size. Two Colt 16" LE6920 HBAR, 3 Ballistic Advantage (one 12.5, a 10.5", and an 8" 300blk) and a Geissele 16" on a Super Duty. Im building another rifle now and plan on a Ranier Arms Mountain Mod 2 in 14.5". So none of my functional rifles are super high end. That said, my Ballistic Advantage barrels group tighter than the Colts and are very much equal to the Geissele. I cant speak to anything past 100 yards. Its also possible my 2 Colts are duds. All of the rifles have adjustable gas blocks and heavier buffers since they are suppressed. The rifle Im building is a much more expensive build than any of the others and Im using a MUR upper for better rigidity. For that reason I dont feel that it would be fair to compare a $300 barrel to a $130 barrel. Being as one of the Colts was my duty carbine, I would be more than confident in a Ballistic Advantage barrel on a duty type build.

 

[diggler1833]

I got a stinker of a SPR (best groups with handloads were ~ 2 MOA), but their CS was excellent, and I got a replacement sent to me before I even sent my old one in.

The new barrel shot surprisingly well with M855 junk. I put it on a rifle i gave to my dad, and he had no complaints with it.

They wouldn't be my first choice for a $$$ precision rifle build, but a medium-budget build they'd be fine in.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Very good barrels for the money. Had a heavy 6.5 that was lights out

 

[db2000]

I’m sure they make cl barrels. That wasn’t meant as a pointed remark at all! I believe they had a few problems years ago. I believe some people refer to their CS as pretty good.

Didn’t take it that way. I checked, they’re CL.
Looking at the 14.5” data from this winter seems consistent with other data I recorded. Approximately 1 MOA with my “bulk” reloads that I don’t weigh every throw.

1/17/21
78F 30% 30.05mmHg
77 gr Powder Valley BTHP
H4895 23.8
mixed brass
FGMM 205M
2590 fps avg
1.25”

 

[L2bravo]

I’ve put together quite a few using BA barrels. Only one had an issue with an undersized gas port. Which I just drilled out myself. There CS kinda sucks and is slow.

I’m pretty sure bca is made from rebar and drill bits. Haha.

 

[RUTGERS95]

I’m pretty sure bca is made from rebar and drill bits. Haha.

don't laugh, I built a beater with a $60 heavy 308 barrel that shot better than all buy my LMT and KAC. That barrel was fantastic, sorry I sold the rig

 

[whatsupdoc]

My first one in 6.5 Creed had a superb internal finish on both the rifling and the chamber.
Problem was the chamber was not concentric to the bore so the throat was messed up.

Back it went and six months later I received a replacement and it is a good shooter.

 

[BCP]

don't laugh, I built a beater with a $60 heavy 308 barrel that shot better than all buy my LMT and KAC. That barrel was fantastic, sorry I sold the rig

I have one like that from JSE Surplus. They told me it was "Bulldog Barrels" who used to make a ton of barrels but now they make construction fasteners.

 

[hlee]

Built a 6.5 creedmoor gas gun with a BA barrel my dad inherited when his brother died. He complained that it didn’t shoot well. I shot it while I was at his house last and put 5 through it. Sub moa with a LPVO. Told him the rifle shoots, he doesn’t.

 

[r.tenorio671]

....FWIW, I have had absolutely no issues with any of my BA barrels over the 10 year period I've been using them, 223Wylde, 556NATO, 300BLK, 308W, and my pending builds in 6.5Creedmoor & 6MM ARC. I've used/use both the 4150CMV & 416R SS barrels with equally great results, have one of the new "Black" series to try (416R SS w/nitride).

...As a hobbyist "builder", I've found their CS to be as good as any other in the market, no complaints. Frequency of availability, fair pricing and excellent performance have been the attributes that makes BA my 1st choice of preferred barrel. Once they partnered up with Aero, their output increased AND their quality & performance remained intact if not improved.

....I feel my very limited dollars were well spent and the product met (and in most cases, exceeded) my expectations.