Barrel for a short DMR

Fabioconda20

Private
Minuteman
Aug 30, 2024
5
4
Italy
Hi guys, this is my first post ever here in this forum.
I'm from Italy and AR15 are a topic with very few experts talking my language, so I sincerly wanna ask you.
I'm using a 12,5" .223 of an italian manufacturer with "his" Lothar Walther 1:8 and a 1-6 lpvo (PST 2 vortex) to play with steel plates at ~400m and sometimes even beyond.
This stuff is really fun and I enjoy learning all the things about ballistics, so I wanna go for a more performing setup without having it fully dedicated to this anyway.
I'm thinking to swap optic (going for a 2-10 pst2 vortex) and barrel:
Here in Italy we kinda have to marry ourself to a barrel 'cause it has to be registered regardless the lenght, so playing with customer service if something goes wrong can be a pain in the butt.
I wanna go with a 14,5 - 16" 1:8 match with a profile not too heavy, to gain a little more speed and I hope accuracy without losing too much portability;
I have access to
- 14,5 1:8 MRR (multi radial rifleing) sabatti blank and finished by an italian artisan (with sbn)
- 16 1:8 Wilson combat recon SS 1:8 fluted
- 14.5 faxon gunner match ss 1:8
- 16 BA Hanson Match ss 1:8
- Another Lothar Walther 1:8 sbn finished by the manufacturer of my current AR15.
- Buy an entire new ar15: Ruger MPR 1:8 16 spr profile.

I will use FIOCCHI 62 for 90% of the times, and 69smk loaded by me for the rest 10%.
Right now my AR15 print 2moa with 62fiocchi and 1.5moa with 69smk (note I'm using only a 6x lpvo at the moment), Always 10shot groups.
- I wish my future setup will be able to make 1moa or sub with 69smk and 1.5moa with 62fiocchi.

I have seen with my eyes MRRs printing 1 to 1.5moa with 62fiocchi, but it seems they dont like 69 and 77, producing 1.5moa also (1:8).
I have also seen a lot of MRR having quality control issues.

I know faxon and BA have also quality control by "volume of fire" and I dont know if I want to take the risk of a non-shooter and dealing with their customer service in another continent. But i've seen a YT video of a guy doing 1moa with a faxon match (18" spr and not 14.5 gunner as listed)

I've seen with my eyes rugers mpr printing 1.5~ with 55 and 62 fiocchi, but I dont know if it's the best choice.

What do you suggest? Wilson Combat? They seems to have good quality control and track record.
I could get WOA but we import them only with a very VERY heavy spr profile and 1:7 twist. So I really hope Wilson combat recon could be as good.
Thanks
 
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I’ve had good luck with a 1-8 twist Lothar Walther 16”, 223 Wylde with polygonal rifling. No experience with Wilson Combat 223 wylde barrels but have used one of their barrels on a Grendel build with satisfactory results. I’ve had hit or miss results with Ballistic Advantage.
 
Yeah, It doesn't work like that in a country that Is not as free 😂
I litterally can not order a barrel online, I have to buy from an importer what he has already imported, than he send the barrel to register his S/N in Italy, and than I have to phisically take it and register itself to the cops.
 
If you are happy with the performance of your current Lothar Walther then that would be a good choice.

Since it sounds like you don’t have NFA concerns I would go for the 14.5” and add a suppressor.
You are right in the fact that we do not have NFA, but we have no constitutional rights about firearms and suppressors are illegal here. This could change in the near future as it's already happened to our neighbours of Slovenia.

We have a gun friendly administration right now, for example yesterday they passed .50bmg for civillian use (which is useless, but still..)
 
Yeah, It doesn't work like that in a country that Is not as free 😂
I litterally can not order a barrel online, I have to buy from an importer what he has already imported, than he send the barrel to register his S/N in Italy, and than I have to phisically take it and register itself to the cops.
Ah, in that case, Lothar Walther
 
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The Ballistic Advantage and Faxon barrels can literally be a crap shoot. Sometimes they can fine, but more often than not, they do not meet my expectations. So no dice on those.

Out of your list of barrels... Only the Lothar Walter would be the one I would choose. Especially considering the fussy laws.
Buy the best one you can afford.

If I may ask... how much do all the barrels cost in Italy ?
 
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The Ballistic Advantage and Faxon barrels can literally be a crap shoot. Sometimes they can fine, but more often than not, they do not meet my expectations. So no dice on those.

Out of your list of barrels... Only the Lothar Walter would be the one I would choose. Especially considering the fussy laws.
Buy the best one you can afford.

If I may ask... how much do all the barrels cost in Italy ?
Lothars can go from 350€ the sbn non-premium, to 800€ the match one

Faxon match gunner is 480€ and BA premium hanson 400€

Wilson combat recon 16 550€ (but i'd get It at 500€)

Sabatti MRR 350€ from brownells Italy.

Imports from US increase the prices a lot
 
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