I am trying to decide on a barrel and can't decide. As budget for me is a factor, about $350 is as high as I can go. My requirements are 14.5" length, 1-7 or 1-8" twist, 223 Wylde or 5.56 NATO chamber and mid-length gas system. Round counts will be high and fast rates of fire so not looking for a light weight contour. I'm expecting or hoping to get 1-1.5 MOA with match ammo or my hand-loads. This is kind of a one rifle for all scenario's kind of thing. I'm currently leaning towards a BCM or Rainier barrel but there are so many choices in my price range every time I think I have it figured out I see another and boom, back to square one. Anyone who can help, thank you in advance.
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Barrel Suggestions please, I'm Stuck
- Thread starter hewlett260
- Start date
I installed Rainier Arms Select™ 5.56MM MEDCON Barrel - 18" (18"/1-8twist/5.56 chamber) on an SPR build. As accurate as described and it's a great balance between strength and weight for when you have to actually carry it somewhere. The rifle balances well with or without a scope and if needed, I could carry it all day without feeling like the rifle was a burden. It's very well made and extremely affordable for what you pay. I went with the 5.56 so in an emergency, it could fire absolutely any available 5.56MM ammunition.
One thing I found building mine is you could get caught up in so many choices for early items, but when you consider budget for the completed rifle, including the optics/BUIS when the build is done, you'll find you money saved on a barrel can go towards a trigger/optics/BUIS. The nice thing about the Rainier barrels is they are a good balance of weight/performance/durability/quality/price, so I felt I saved money with having to sacrifice the things I wanted.
One thing I found building mine is you could get caught up in so many choices for early items, but when you consider budget for the completed rifle, including the optics/BUIS when the build is done, you'll find you money saved on a barrel can go towards a trigger/optics/BUIS. The nice thing about the Rainier barrels is they are a good balance of weight/performance/durability/quality/price, so I felt I saved money with having to sacrifice the things I wanted.
Im using a Rainier 16" Match 1:8 Wylde and I like it. I'd do a Select or Match and shoot some Hornady 75gr match and see how it groups. If over Moa, send it back. I like the versatility of a 1:8 and Wylde; 55gr-80.5gr bullets in either .223 or .556.
California = Bullet Button & 10 Rounds... What's your definition of high and fast?
Any half-way decent barrel, light or heavy should hold 1-1.5 MOA at 100 yds. with good ammunition. I'm running a 14.5", 1X7, Gov't profile Spike's Tactical barrel that does better than that with handloads. Anything over 1 MOA is ball ammo territory (or should be).
Not sure why you are pounding your head against a wall over this, but a bench fired accuracy of 1 to 1.5 moa with match ammo or handloads is quite doable with less expensive barrels.
Your mention of "high rates of fire" and high round counts leads me to believe durability is of more importance. Chrome lining or melonite treatment will be a must for barrel longevity. Ditch the Wydle and go straight 5.56 chamber for added reliability.
Your mention of "high rates of fire" and high round counts leads me to believe durability is of more importance. Chrome lining or melonite treatment will be a must for barrel longevity. Ditch the Wydle and go straight 5.56 chamber for added reliability.
Radlock and we shoot on private land and Uncle Sam saw fit to grace me with more 30 rounders than I could turn in, also time as a Marine is coming to a close sometime in the not so distant future, and Law Enforcement seems to be calling my name. The day I leave this Socialist shit-hole of a state will be one of the best days of my life.
The durability is the only reason why I am leaning towards the BCM. Backstory, this is my first AR, a POS Bushmaster that I have slowly rebuilt over this past year. This has been my only AR for over seven years, a gift to myself for graduating boot camp. Towards the end of my Afghan deployment I realized it needed to be rebuilt if I was going to keep it. I shot the shit out of it over the years only to discover the factory 9" twist didn't like anything 69 grains or over. In the last three months alone it has fired about 3.5k rounds. My goal for the last 8 months has been to burn out the barrel so my wife can't deny my request for a new one(the one I really wanted from the beginning but was too new to AR's to know it). I had sold it to a friend who stockpiled ammo as a hobby(Doomsday Prepper) back in November, who proceeded to treat the gun to about 4k rounds in two months. His super anti-gun wife made him sell it back to me in January. February kicked off my "improvements", now finally down to the last few items, 14.5" 1-7 mid-length barrel, BCM gas block & tube, BCM Gunfighter Compensator(Mod 1) and Geisselle SSA-E trigger. Ordering at the end of this week so whichever barrel is in stock, Thank you all for your help, and I'll have a range report up soon.
I have a Rainier Ultra Match 18", a Douglas MK12 18" and a DD 14.5" 1/7 CHF. The Rainier is by far the most precise. The Douglas shoots under 1 MOA no matter how hot it gets. The DD is also a winner, although opens up a litter after it gets hot. Still 1.5 MOA with the 62 gr green tips, surprisingly.
Thank you guys for all the responses. Your suggestions are great but still not making this decision any easier.
I'm going to suggest a Criterion barrel from Fulton Armory. Guaranteed sub moa and chrome lined. I have one on my .308 and it is good to go.
There is an embarassmwent of good choices, so I would suggest you buy one and enjoy. White Oaf, Criterion, Rainer, etc etc ,the list of good providers is long and deep. We are in the golden era of ARness.
I'm really partial to White Oak, my last 16" was a 1-hole shooter at 75 yards with cheap Privi match. About $300, if you can find one.
To everyone who responded thank you. My choice came down to who had a barrel to my specs in stock. Hopefully when I get home from the field on Friday my new BCM mid-length barrel will be waiting. I will do a write up of my rebuild and a range report once I get done.
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