rainier 308 barrels

[benchmstr]

anybody have any experience with them?

i was asked about them earlier but dont know anyone that has ran one

 

[BBJones13]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

No first hand experience but I was considering one at one time. Everything I heard about their UltraMatch was very positive. Made for Rainer by WOA (wilson blanks) if I am not mistaken.

I have also heard their select barrels are just OK. Nothing wrong with them but not super accurate (good value though).

take all that with a grain of salt as it is 3rd hand info.

 

[salmonaxe]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

Tag for interest.

 

[benchmstr]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

I went 5 pages deep on a google search and didn't find anything...if WOA makes the ultramatch 308 barrels I might buy a couple myself just for uh-oh type stuff lol

 

[BCP]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

I think they give you a 30 day money back guarantee. With that in mind I'd certainly take a chance on one.

 

[gunsmithcat]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

Barrel blanks are shilen, chambered and prepped by WOA.
I'm pretty sure thats right.
Anyway i have an 18 in. on my ar-10 build. I was deciding between this barrel and the Noveske and im FREAKING HAPPY I went with the rainier.

Why? It's sub-moa with FGMM but most importantly, LIGHT AS HELL!
Sick of ar-10s that weigh like pregnant ape; wanted a lighter weight but with accuracy. The noveske barrel and SASS barrels have some fat heavy duty profiling.

 

[benchmstr]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: gunsmithcat</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Barrel blanks are shilen, chambered and prepped by WOA.
I'm pretty sure thats right.
Anyway i have an 18 in. on my ar-10 build. I was deciding between this barrel and the Noveske and im FREAKING HAPPY I went with the rainier.

Why? It's sub-moa with FGMM but most importantly, LIGHT AS HELL!
Sick of ar-10s that weigh like pregnant ape; wanted a lighter weight but with accuracy. The noveske barrel and SASS barrels have some fat heavy duty profiling. </div></div>
whats your twist?

i have noticed that different rainier barrels have different twist

 

[ORD]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

All of the Rainier UltraMatch .308 barrels are 1:10 (and the ONLY barrels that they offer that are cut from Shilen blanks with the WOA magic). Only their "Select" barrels are 1:11 twist, but they are NOT Shilen barrels.

As for the UltraMatch barrels, I am VERY please with my 16" AR-10 carbine barrel. It is sub-MOA capable with match ammo and my reloads. As for the weight...my 16" is comparable with some other match barrels on the market (like Noveske for example which is roughly 1oz heavier than the UltraMatch), but lighter than others (like the Armalite factory AR-10T barrels).

 

[benchmstr]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: ORD</div><div class="ubbcode-body">All of the Rainier UltraMatch .308 barrels are 1:10 (and the ONLY barrels that they offer that are cut from Shilen blanks with the WOA magic). Only their "Select" barrels are 1:11 twist, but they are NOT Shilen barrels.

As for the UltraMatch barrels, I am VERY please with my 16" AR-10 carbine barrel. It is sub-MOA capable with match ammo and my reloads. As for the weight...my 16" is comparable with some other match barrels on the market (like Noveske for example which is roughly 1oz heavier than the UltraMatch), but lighter than others (like the Armalite factory AR-10T barrels). </div></div>
if you dont mind, how do you see it comparing to the other big name barrel peddlers out there?

have you noticed any downsides?

i had never even considered rainier until i was asked about them....now i am pretty curiouse and interested...WOA is my go to ar barrel....so if they do the 308 platform barrels i would love to buy a few

 

[ORD]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: benchmstr</div><div class="ubbcode-body">if you dont mind, how do you see it comparing to the other big name barrel peddlers out there?

have you noticed any downsides?

i had never even considered rainier until i was asked about them....now i am pretty curiouse and interested...WOA is my go to ar barrel....so if they do the 308 platform barrels i would love to buy a few </div></div>

I don't mind at all. Actually, since I got this barrel late last year (and got the upper/rifle finished earlier this year), I have promised a report but just haven't gotten around to it.

I would only compare the Rainier/Shilen UltraMatch barrels with other .308 AR barrels that I have used that were "drop-in" units because hand-fitted, custom-shop worked over barrels from blanks and fitted to a rifle/upper are a different breed as far as I'm concerned. That said, I have now used Rainier's offering, Noveske/Pac-Nor, and Armalite/LW "drop-in" barrels that I can compare (all Armalite platform) and I find them all to be of very good quality.

Function/Accuracy - I have found the Rainier barrel to be flawless in its function (although I admit that I have only run FGMM 168gr and 175gr, BH 175gr, Corbon 175gr and my reloads of 155gr Scenars and 175gr SMKs). I have never experienced failure of any kind with the barrel yet (but again...I haven't run any surplus or "cheap" ammo through it either...just the "good" stuff). I have found the Rainier barrel on par with Noveske and slightly (and I mean SLIGHTLY) better in terms of overall accuracy than the Armalite 10T barrels. In all functional respects, the Rainier/Shilen barrel is every bit as good a quality barrel in terms of accuracy thus far (I have thousands of rounds though different Noveske and Armalite barrels and only approx. 600 through the Rainier/Shilen at this point). The Rainier barrel seems to be of the high quality you'd expect from a Shilen blank combined with the same high quality/precision/craftsmanship/etc. you'd expect from White Oak.

Fit/Finish - I find NO difference in the fit/finish/appearance of the Rainier barrels vs. the others. I do like the "bead blasted" finish of the Rainier barrel (and the Noveske) as compared with the polished/bright stainless on the Armalite.

Weight - My 16" barrel (stripped with only the barrel/extension) weighs 39oz on my scale. The Noveske 16" tube weighs 40oz in the same condition which is negligible in my book. The Armalite 16" 10T barrel I have weighed approx. 48oz IIRC (or roughly 1/2lb heavier than the Rainier and Noveske offerings...it is a BIG barrel under the HGs). Not a big difference, but one that adds up if weight/portability is a concern for you.

Fouling/Cleanliness - I have found that the Noveske barrel is generally "cleaner" and easier to clean than the other barrels in this segment. It just seems to foul less than the Armalite and the Rainier and clean easier than the others as well. None are BAD, but the Noveske definitely runs cleaner (YMMV). They all get dirtier than a @#$%^& shooting suppressed.

Price - The Rainier is by FAR the least expensive "Match" quality barrel that I have purchased for a .308 AR which is one of the reasons (along with its performance) that makes it such an appealing prospect. My 16" tube cost me $403 delivered. My Noveske was approx. $550 delivered IIRC (but incl. the pinned, low pro gas block) and the Armalite was included on a 10T carbine I bought, but can be purchased sep. for approx. $500 + S&H. The only problem with the price is that availability suffers as a result of such a competitive price. Rainier seems to often run out (or otherwise be out of stock...they are out right now of most of their stock of UltraMatch .308 barrels). Noveske and Armalite barrels on the other hand can be had (although the Noveske barrels are cyclical in terms of availability and can have some good wait times).

Hope that helps...if you have any specific questions, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them.

 

[benchmstr]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

Dear science! I just expected a few words, but you knocked that out of the park lol

Thanks brachacho!

 

[salmonaxe]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

Cool info guys.

Has anyone run some of that Federal 168gr M1A ammo though one of these barrels? (This ammo is cheap and seems to shoot nearly as good as the FGMM 168gr.)

 

[Mo_Zam_Beek]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

Thank you ORD

 

[rchman]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

My brother shot 3 consecutive 5 shot groups at right around 3/4 MOA last time we went out with his Rainier barrel/MA-Ten.

 

[R.O.U.S.]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

Rainier Arms is out of stock for the 7.62 Ultra Match barrels online, but the last time I went in the brick and mortar store they had a used/takeoff Ultra Match in the discount bin. It seems so much more tempting now.

 

[Mute]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

Good barrels. I have a 20 inch and it's shooting 1 moa or better with 175gr. FGMM.

 

[wes1]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

My 16 inch Rainer barrel will not shoot 147 gr surplus, but does better than MOA with 165-168 gr bullets

 

[ORD]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Wes1</div><div class="ubbcode-body">My 16 inch Rainer barrel will not shoot 147 gr surplus, but does better than MOA with 165-168 gr bullets </div></div>

Garbage in...Garbage out!

Just sayin'...it was "surplused" for a reason!

 

[wes1]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

I should have made myself more clear, it won't stabilize the 147 gr ammo.


My SCAR 17, and other DPMS 308 shoots that garbage around 1.5 MOA.

 

[Benito]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

At the risk of sounding like a retard:
a) would a Rainier .308 AR barrel be able to use a standard AR-15 gas tube (for the same length barrel), or are there .308 specific gas tubes (different dimensions, etc.)?
b) what gas block would fit the Rainier Arms Select or UltraMatch .308 barrels?

 

[Boondocker308]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

The DPMS style 308 AR's use AR-15 gas tubes. The true AR-10's use different lenghts. Any AR-15 gas block that is the correct diameter will work just fine. The barrel description should include the gas block diameter.

 

[Benito]

Re: rainier 308 barrels

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Boondocker</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The DPMS style 308 AR's use AR-15 gas tubes. The true AR-10's use different lenghts. Any AR-15 gas block that is the correct diameter will work just fine. The barrel description should include the gas block diameter. </div></div>

Thank you.