Opinions on the Ranier Arms Ultramatch Mod 2?

[left_eye_joe]

Leaving the ethics aside, I have an older Rainier 18" SS Ultramatch 223 with 7.5 twist and Rainier Match Chamber. I took it to the range today for the first time and using basic factory ammo (PMC 223A 55 Gr FMJBT) at 200 yards I got the below which I find quite promising to start with.

For the moment I am not ready to reload yet. With that in mind what would be the recommended bullet weight and if possible brand of factory ammo to run through this barrel to tighten the groups? For reference, I've made only 4 - 10 shot groups today and they all were in 1.4-2.1 MOA range the below being the best.

 

[Wile_Coyote]

I have an old Ultramatch in 6.5 Creedmoor purchased when I built my first AR10 a very long time ago. It’s function and performance has been great and still is. Matches the proof Carbon that I have on my other 6.5 AR10 with with the Ranier requiring less tuning.

As far a Rainier goes, fighting a state legally is a losing proposition. Their failure, selling anything to anyone in those states with restrictive laws. Those customers in those states should realize their expectation of privacy is long gone along with other rights taken from them. Do I agree with those laws? No.

I’ve had job offers for CA , DC, NY, IL, etc… all paying very well. I would take a job and have to live in one of those states if they doubled the salaries.

 

[dster3]

I had a pretty bad experience with their barrels. Sent it back after dumping money into my gun trying to figure out why I couldn’t get their sub MOA guarantee. Sub 200 rounds through the barrel

Asked them to bore scope it and received this from them. They said they had a bad batch of material for some of their barrels. Their CS was great, but the replacement I got wasn’t. Gas port wasn’t drilled completely through.

I used some pins and realized it was undersized, either drill bit broke through just enough or there was a burr on the inside that constricted flow. Either way, I was 2/2 on bad barrels from them. Ended up drilling it out myself just to not deal with them again.

Barrel seems to shoot right at 1 MOA, but I would look elsewhere.

 

[Kocher]

Where do you get a Proof barrel for $420?

Also, are you speaking from personal experience on the Ultramatch Mod 2 barrels? I could only find one thread about them but the feedback seemed very positive.

Looks like there’s a whole slew of responses about these types of barrels.

I think the heart of the semi automatic rifle, a.k.a. Ar15… is the barrel..
Out of building five or six ARs…. But I personally built with many different manufactures of barrels. I have a proof carbon fiber, 6.5 Creedmoor I have a 6.5 Creedmoor mod2 Rainer arms, I have a 22creedmoor and 223 mod2 barrel from them currently. I also have a shilen Remington 17..

Out of all of them so far, Shillen performs the best.

Then the proof, then the mod2.

I’ve had five barrels from Raynor arms. Not because I chose to but because two of them had a defect that did not allow you to finish to build. i’m not going to rip on them because they fix the remedy. They’ve got outstanding customer service by far but I think like anything else you could also, have an awful experience just depending on who responds to your emails. There’s a saying in the painting industry that your reputation is only as good as your last paint job. So are they the Atmos precision barrels of accuracy? No I don’t think so but they are very good quality and look beautiful and shoot pretty good.

I have not had a chance to compare other manufacturers like there’s quite a few that are good ones out there they make quality barrels, and will be better in average than off the shelf barrels.

In the end, if you have a manufacturer or ۰Smith the next barrel and it doesn’t shoot for shit and send it back and he has no problem with it and gives you one that does I guess that’s all that matters in the end

And also add any of you complain about my spelling you’re a bunch of snowflakes….tadaaaa!!!

 

[left_eye_joe]

I'll beat this horse a bit longer. We had a pretty calm wind weather at the range today. Below is a target with 60 rounds at 200 yards. Two left are Hornady 68gr that I feel like the barrel doesn't really like too much, four on the right are AAC 77gr OTM (not the Sierra). Shot from a bipod and squeeze bag. I could probably get it tighter should I take my time and/or take 5 minute brakes between the groups, there were a few flyers where I can take blame.

Is it great? No.

However, for an average and still pretty fresh to this stuff Joe, using ~50cpr factory loads, and not stressing about it at all - if I'm able to get consistent 1-1.5 MOA 10 shot groups then I'm happy about it.

 

[rmfield]

I have exactly one experience with a Ranier Ultramatch barrel and it was not good. It had huge burr at the gas port. Couldn't get a patch through the bore without it hanging up and tearing. It never shot better than better than 2-3 MOA.

 

[Genesis1984]

I only have one UM, & I don't know for sure if it's a Shilen or a Criterion.

I got it about 2.5 years ago on a closeout price for $240 including a GB & a tube; it's 16", intermediate gas & a .800" GB.

It shoots well enough but is limited to having a 6x optic, but easily does right at MOA for 5 shot groups, cleans well & doesn't seem to foul. It's not a Bartlien.........................

If your interested in a barrel short of a Bartlien or a Kreiger, at a reasonable price, talk to Paul Craddock at Craddock Precision about a Rock Creek button rifled barrel. I have 3 & they are very, very good at a pretty reasonable price, they are straight, chambered right & good crowns & he'll do whatever you might want for fluting or contour. Extensions are polished well with no burrs.

Been about 3 years since I bought one from Paul, so I'm sure current prices are up...............but still will be comparable to the Ranier & almost better performing from the get-go with little break-in needed.

He's a class guy & I've dealt with him since he was with WOA; also don't know what his current lead time is either...............but worth the wait.

Anything from him or CLE is always top shelf; hard to go far wrong with WOA as well.

MM

Pretty sure the original ultramatch was shillen blank done by craddock. I have one and its much more accurate than my bartlien, so idk, id have to disagree with ya. That said, i wont give rainier one more penny.

 

[Genesis1984]

Go to Monty at C A and tell him what you want

Monty is a great guy. Ive bought a good amount of thier stuff. Every single otem ive bought from them has had an issue. Every one. Usually its cosmetic, and its all functioned very well. But its not budget stuff and should be much better.

 

[Genesis1984]

It’s honestly too hard to stay on top of all this shit. Why does everyone hate DD now?

Them and springfield armory and i THINK rock river? Made some agreement with the states that the local laws wouldnt apply to them. Im unsure on all details, i dont keep up with internet purse swinging month

 

[RUTGERS95]

Them and springfield armory and i THINK rock river? Made some agreement with the states that the local laws wouldnt apply to them. Im unsure on all details, i dont keep up with internet purse swinging month

DD supported universal background check. that's not purse swinging

 

[Naaman]

It’s honestly too hard to stay on top of all this shit. Why does everyone hate DD now?

DD supported (and then withdrew support for) the Fix NICS bill.

If you care, you'll have to read the emails he (Marty Daniel) sent out and determine whether you think his support was truly due to ignorance and whether his withdraw was purely due to fear of loss of sales; or if it was an honest change of perspective in light of information he previously failed to consider.

Springfield and RRA supported some gun control (financially) while lobbying to be exempt from the laws they were backing by baking in some kind of loophole.

 

[Genesis1984]

I have an UltraMatch Mod 2 and they are not that amazing. I can barely work up a sub MOA hand load. I’m wishing now I had gone Proof SS.

And what did rainier say when you returned it for warranty? They shipped you a new one, right? As thats what they do. They are very serious about the moa guaruntee. If its sub noa (even "just barely") you got exactly what they claimed, and you paid for.

 

[RUTGERS95]

The interest comes from a lack of options. What if you want a very nice 16” stainless barrel with a hand lapped bore, an intermediate gas system and a lightweight profile or flutes to keep the weight under 2lbs? And what if you don’t want to spend more than $400 and don’t want to wait 6-8 months to get it? There are very few options.

That’s why the Ranier is appealing. It has the features people want, it’s available now and it gets you pretty close to the quality of a custom tube at a price that is easier to swallow that a custom CLE Bartlein.

Because of that, some people are willing to look past Ranier’s questionable businesses practices. At the end of the day, its a Criterion blank finished by Craddock Precision. The only thing Ranier does is slap their logo on it and stick it in a box.

don't care, will not buy from them and would look elsewhere. Having principle not for sale for a cheap price matters more to me. Plenty of other, BETTER barrels out there from companies that don't fk over gun owners

have some dignity and self respect

 

[akakb24]

I bought a Rainier arms ultramatch 18" 223 wylde a short time ago, October of 2023, got all my parts in and put my rifle together. With match ammo and landlords, the best I could get at 100 yards was 1.5" groups. Sent the barrel back for a refund and acquired a Kreiger for not much more.. I haven't put that barrel on yet but I feel pretty confident it will out perform the UM very easily.. I would definitely look elsewhere if I were you..