Geissele 16” CHF Barrel: A Quick Look

[Molon]

Geissele 16” CHF Barrel: A Quick Look

Here’s a quick look at some of the specifications of Geissele’s 16” cold hammer forged barrel. The barrel has a taper profile similar to that of barrels from Black River Tactical and Hodge Defense. Geissele has returned to finishing their barrels with a phosphate finish, instead of a black oxide finish. The 16” Geissele barrel has a stripped weight of 1 pound, 12.0 ounces. This is the same weight as a stripped Colt 16” government profile barrel.

Colt 16” barrel

Geissele 16” barrel . . .

Hodge Defense 14.5” barrel . . .

Black River Tactical 14.5” barrel . . .

This barrel has a 5.56mm chamber and the chamber and bore are chrome lined. The barrel has a 1:7” twist. A Colt reference bolt closed on a 1.4646” head-space gauge. The bolt did not close on a 1.4666” head-space gauge. Geissele’s website states that these barrels have been high pressure tested and magnetic particle inspected.

The barrel extension has M4 feed-ramps and the extension is marked as such. Note the wick in the bore, ala how Colt barrels used to be shipped.

The gas block journal has a diameter of 0.750”. The journal has a length of approximately 1”, so you won’t be able to use a traditional A-frame front sight base with this barrel. The gas block journal has a single dimple contralateral to the gas port.

This barrel has a mid-length gas system. The gas port has a gauged diameter of 0.062”. Yes, you read that correctly; 0.062”.

The threaded portion of the barrel has a recess at the bottom of the threads. A straightness gauge dropped cleanly through the bore and a muzzle device.

......


While conducting pre-assembly checks, I inserted one of my match-grade hand-loads into the chamber of the Geissele barrel. The cartridge did not fully seat in the chamber and the bolt would not close on the round. I then checked the match-grade hand-load in a SAAMI 223 Remington minimum spec LE Wilson cartridge gauge. The cartridge slipped easily into the gauge and fell freely from the gauge.

Next, I repeated all of the above steps using a round of factory-loaded M193. As before, the round did not fully seat in the chamber of the Geissele barrel and the bolt would not close. The factory-loaded round also slipped easily into the LE Wilson gauge and fell freely from it.

For the next step, I again placed the factory-loaded round in the chamber and forced the bolt into battery. I then removed the bolt (which had the extractor removed) and the factory-loaded round would not fall free from the chamber. I was unable to pull the round from the chamber with my fingers, so I tried mortaring the barrel, but the round still remained stuck in the chamber. I had to insert a cleaning from the muzzle end of the barrel and tap the rod to get the stuck round out of the chamber.

...

Other reports of problems with Geissele barrels . . .

geissele super duty fails to eject, fails to lock bolt back


four geissele barrels fail to extract part 1

four geissele barrels fail to extract part 2


Having to Mortar brand new 11.5 URGI part 1

having to mortar brand new 11.5" URGI part 2


geissele 16" barrel short-stroking

problem with yet another geissele 16" super duty


geissele super duty won't reliably chamber rounds


geissele barrel won't cycle reliably part 1


geissele barrel won't cycle reliably part 2


geissele 11.5" won't cycle reliably without a suppressor


geissele gas port size issue


geissele 14.5" URGI live round has to be mortared out of the chamber



...

 

[Milf Dots]

I like the Geissele offerings... What was the barrel finish Geissele first stipulated when the rifles were announced? I seem to remember something higher tech- maybe black nitride, but I could be wrong.

What is the finish found on many common long guns like S&W M&P15s and tactical pump shotguns?

Perhaps an expert would expound on phosphate vs oxide, and include pics.

 

[Maxwell]

@Molon, with all due respect, you need your own section on the Hide that show the results of your testing.

Maxwell

 

[TheOE800]

.062”? Better mark it up another 100% and sell it as the latest space-magic suppressor-optimized secret sauce barrel out there.

 

[r.tenorio671]

...as always, looking forward to your results.

 

[AngryKoala]

I like the Geissele offerings... What was the barrel finish Geissele first stipulated when the rifles were announced? I seem to remember something higher tech- maybe black nitride, but I could be wrong.

What is the finish found on many common long guns like S&W M&P15s and tactical pump shotguns?

Perhaps an expert would expound on phosphate vs oxide, and include pics.

They had both nitride and mag phos. They continued to offer nitrided barrels but switched to black oxide for in-house processing. That could have been due to cost, ease of oxidizing a barrel or maybe the company that was phosphating the barrels caused a bottleneck during covid (I'm sure someone here knows the real answer).

I'm guessing they switched back to mag phos because of the public outcry. In short, mag phos is better than black oxide. Their triggers have a black oxide coating.

 

[r.tenorio671]

They had both nitride and mag phos. They continued to offer nitrided barrels but switched to black oxide for in-house processing. That could have been due to cost, ease of oxidizing a barrel or maybe the company that was phosphating the barrels caused a bottleneck during covid (I'm sure someone here knows the real answer).

I'm guessing they switched back to mag phos because of the public outcry. In short, mag phos is better than black oxide. Their triggers have a black oxide coating.

...magphos does absorb oil, providing a moisture barrier, so there is that...

 

[Milf Dots]

They had both nitride and mag phos. They continued to offer nitrided barrels but switched to black oxide for in-house processing. That could have been due to cost, ease of oxidizing a barrel or maybe the company that was phosphating the barrels caused a bottleneck during covid (I'm sure someone here knows the real answer).

I'm guessing they switched back to mag phos because of the public outcry. In short, mag phos is better than black oxide. Their triggers have a black oxide coating.

Thanks!

 

[BipThatInstance]

Good writeup on Wobbly William's barrels. Looking forward to reading more testing on this Bendy Bill artifact.

(Gizzy sarcasm aside, this was VERY good!)

 

[bfoosh006]

Very nice. Looking forward to your impressions and results.

Side note... I wonder if the cardboard wick is VCI impregnated.

 

[AngryKoala]

Very nice. Looking forward to your impressions and results.

Side note... I wonder if the cardboard wick is VCI impregnated.

Doubtful and even if it were it wouldn't do much as it isn't a hermetic environment.

 

[RUTGERS95]

meh, buy the centurion chf and you won't be disappointed

 

[AngryKoala]

meh, buy the Criterion chf and you won't be disappointed

FFY

 

[RUTGERS95]

FFY

lol, I'd take that bet

 

[Jsp556]

meh, buy the centurion chf and you won't be disappointed

2 of their Socom profile barrels shooting 2.5moa groups with 69 and 77 grain hand loads definitely disappointed me.

I had one of the older FN barrels they sold and it shot well. Not so much with the new vendor.

I guess expecting near moa from them was too much.

 

[StevethePirate]

2 of their Socom profile barrels shooting 2.5moa groups with 69 and 77 grain hand loads definitely disappointed me.

I had one of the older FN barrels they sold and it shot well. Not so much with the new vendor.

I guess expecting near moa from them was too much.

My 12.5" Centurion oddly doesn't like 77gr OTMs much, but absolutely loves 75gr American Eagle. Shoots a hair over 1moa 5 shot groups. It may just be a thing where the barrel just doesn't like a particular load.

 

[Pappasniper]

My G super duty rifle shoots lights out. Just cleaned the barrel and it cleaned in a handful of patches, so quickly.

PB

 

[RUTGERS95]

2 of their Socom profile barrels shooting 2.5moa groups with 69 and 77 grain hand loads definitely disappointed me.

I had one of the older FN barrels they sold and it shot well. Not so much with the new vendor.

I guess expecting near moa from them was too much.

mine is .6 with 77gr otm, .65/68 with 75gr

surprised to hear yours is not doing well. Call Corrie and they'll take it back and replace no doubt

edit-mine is recce barrel

 

[Molon]

https://www.ar15.com/forums/ar-15/-/12-772048/?r=&page=2#i8432394

 

[Pappasniper]

Molon, how do you like your barrel:
accuracy , did you run test yet?
gas port size, I love mine but how do you like their gas port size
fit n finish
overall where do you see in line with top tier mfg?

You experience and opinion is much appreciated.

PB

 

[RUTGERS95]

Oh shit… Molon is big mad at Geissele again!

cause Geissele sucks

 

[Desert_Racer]

Bummer for sure. I haven’t had a chance to fire my new G rifle yet. Hopefully I don’t get burned also.

 

[AngryKoala]

cause Geissele sucks

One of the best factory rifles I have however I've heard their QC has gone to utter shit.

 

[TheOE800]

One of the best factory rifles I have however I've heard their QC has gone to utter shit.

Prices tripled, quality went to ass. The story of the 2020s.

 

[AngryKoala]

Prices tripled, quality went to ass. The story of the 2020s.

Yep, I've noticed a huge uptick in quality issues of raw materials. Pushing full capacity for a long time always causes issues.

 

[Molon]

While conducting pre-assembly checks, I inserted one of my match-grade hand-loads into the chamber of the Geissele barrel. The cartridge did not fully seat in the chamber and the bolt would not close on the round. I then checked the match-grade hand-load in a SAAMI 223 Remington minimum spec LE Wilson cartridge gauge. The cartridge slipped easily into the gauge and fell freely from the gauge.

Next, I repeated all of the above steps using a round of factory-loaded M193. As before, the round did not fully seat in the chamber of the Geissele barrel and the bolt would not close. The factory-loaded round also slipped easily into the LE Wilson gauge and fell freely from it.

For the next step, I again placed the factory-loaded round in the chamber and forced the bolt into battery. I then removed the bolt (which had the extractor removed) and the factory-loaded round would not fall free from the chamber. I was unable to pull the round from the chamber with my fingers, so I tried mortaring the barrel, but the round still remained stuck in the chamber. I had to insert a cleaning from the muzzle end of the barrel and tap the rod to get the stuck round out of the chamber.


...

 

[Neurotic]

Oof...

Bad throat (since it passed a headspace gauge)?

 

[Dough300]

Can't wait to get my hand on it.

 

[n2ishun]

And to think of all the grief I get when I say that Geisselle triggers suck and are way too high priced for what is basically a modded mil-spec trigger.

 

[AngryKoala]

And to think of all the grief I get when I say that Geisselle triggers suck and are way too high priced for what is basically a modded mil-spec trigger.

Overpriced yes, suck....no

 

[Pappasniper]

I must be the luckiest guy on planet earth because my G rifle is a laser and eats everything without issue. Thats sucks this chamber is out of spec or whatever. Another friend had the same issue , I believe. And there bad part is G didn't do shit to make it good. WTF G

PB

 

[RUTGERS95]

I must be the luckiest guy on planet earth because my G rifle is a laser and eats everything without issue. Thats sucks this chamber is out of spec or whatever. Another friend had the same issue , I believe. And there bad part is G didn't do shit to make it good. WTF G

PB

because G sucks

 

[Forgetful Coyote]

@Molon have you got your hands on any of the new Colt CR6920 rifles? By all accounts I’ve heard.. they’re still the same uppers/lowers, carpenter 158 bolts, 4150 CMV chrome lined button rifle barrels, etc as the old LE series.. but curious to hear your thoughts?

 

[Molon]

@Molon have you got your hands on any of the new Colt CR6920 rifles? By all accounts I’ve heard.. they’re still the same uppers/lowers, carpenter 158 bolts, 4150 CMV chrome lined button rifle barrels, etc as the old LE series.. but curious to hear your thoughts?

Not the 6920, but I did pick up one of the CR AR15-A4 rifles. Other than the trigger recall, the rifle has been great.

 

[Molon]

gas port size,

The gas port has a gauged diameter of 0.062”. Yes, you read that correctly; 0.062”.

 

[AngryKoala]

Isn't that the gas port size on their 11.5?

 

[Molon]

Isn't that the gas port size on their 11.5?

From the original post of this thread . . .

 

[AngryKoala]

From the original post of this thread . . .

Correct, I'm just asking isn't that what their 11.5 is gauged at or should be gauged at?

 

[Molon]

Correct, I'm just asking isn't that what their 11.5 is gauged at or should be gauged at?

Geissele couldn't seem to keep their story straight about the size of the gas port on the 11.5" barrels. From another thread on the matter . . .

It's a

because Geissele seems to not know what spec the gas port is supposed to be. A 0.061" gets called fine and wrong, and a 0.068" gets called fine and also wrong.

 

[AngryKoala]

Geissele couldn't seem to keep their story straight about the size of the gas port on the 11.5" barrels. From another thread on the matter . . .

Haha,

I love my superduty but they must have taken on too much or just never increased their staff. They aren't looking too good right now.

 

[Molon]

And to think of all the grief I get when I say that Geisselle triggers suck and are way too high priced for what is basically a modded mil-spec trigger.

You might be thinking of ALG triggers, because Geissele triggers are not "modded mil-spec" triggers.

....

 

[hlee]

You might be thinking of ALG triggers, because Geissele triggers are not "modded mil-spec" triggers.

....

One would hope his firearms are more accurate than his posts…

 

[Molon]

A quote from TOS.

Originally Posted By CATM:
I went through this with a Geissele mid-length 16". Mine was .062"and wouldn't run with even a carbine weight buffer. Wouldn't even try to unlock. I.

 

[Pappasniper]

Haha,

I love my superduty but they must have taken on too much or just never increased their staff. They aren't looking too good right now.

Agreed, I feel like I hit the lottery, because I hear nothing but problems with their guns and mine has been great. I got lucky it seems. I said before it sucks because I felt like prior to their entry into guns, their shit was buttoned up. No ams'.

PB

 

[Molon]

geissele 14.5" URGI live round has to be mortared out of the chamber


.....

 

[AngryKoala]

geissele 14.5" URGI live round has to be mortared out of the chamber


.....

Looks like they are at least acknowledging it and making it right. I wonder if it was all from the same batch.

 

[jcheng]

These are always great reads!

 

[Desert_Racer]

Looks like they are at least acknowledging it and making it right. I wonder if it was all from the same batch.

It’s funny to watch people continue to blow Geissele after so many of these rifles and uppers have gone out exhibiting this same issue.

 

[AngryKoala]

It’s funny to watch people continue to blow Geissele after so many of these rifles and uppers have gone out exhibiting this same issue.

1. Not sure if the blowing Geissele comment was directed at me but definitely not blowing them. I'm just glad they are finally making it right with people vs. their older non-existence CS.

2. Not everyone has had issues and it's one of my favorite factory rifles.

3. Would love to know of a gun manufacturer that hasn't had one issue or another because JP, KAC and LMT have all had their hiccups.

 

[Desert_Racer]

1. Not sure if the blowing Geissele comment was directed at me but definitely not blowing them. I'm just glad they are finally making it right with people vs. their older non-existence CS.

2. Not everyone has had issues and it's one of my favorite factory rifles.

3. Would love to know of a gun manufacturer that hasn't had one issue or another because JP, KAC and LMT have all had their hiccups.

Not directed at you, but at the AR15.com post. Apologies, I should have been more clear.

There’s a difference between having one or two hiccups and sending out a bunch of complete rifles and uppers that can’t shoot more than one round because the brass gets stuck in the chamber. There’s a bunch of people who have had this issue, myself included. When they sent back my “repaired” upper, it was having short stroking issues. Turns out the barrel nut wasn’t even hand tightened. I like Geissele’s triggers, handguards and optics mounts. They can keep the rest.