SPR barrel suggestions?
- Thread starter Chasingpro
- Start date
White oak is a backorder, CLE normally is a backorder but I placed mine for a Douglas barrel 28Sep and it arrived 5Oct when they said it was 10-12 lead time. So worth a shot maybe?
Between CLE, WOA, and keystone. The keystone is the best shooter I have by far. CLE and keystone are both bartleins. I’ve had a 6.5 Grendel in a kreiger flavor on order from Compass lake since January. Right now I’d call John at keystone.
I am currently having good luck with my Criterion Core 18". Had BA before and was left unimpressed. You will get lots of different answers on here, just look at the past 2 pages of forum posts discussing this same topic.
WOA, CLE, keystone, compass lake, Criterion, Rosco, Rainier, Proof, X-Caliber, Lilja, ETC..... Honestly I tell folks what do you want to spend, then pick the barrel within your said budget. For the most part all the "premium" manufacturers shoot, it just depends who you ask, their build, and ammo.
WOA, CLE, keystone, compass lake, Criterion, Rosco, Rainier, Proof, X-Caliber, Lilja, ETC..... Honestly I tell folks what do you want to spend, then pick the barrel within your said budget. For the most part all the "premium" manufacturers shoot, it just depends who you ask, their build, and ammo.
I bought a WOA barrel about 3 weeks ago, at the time 8-12 week back order was expected. In actuality, it shipped after about 2 weeks.
I REALLY like my Rainier Supermatch SPR barrel. Its absurdly accurate
I recently bought a barrel on backorder during their pirate day sale, and it arrived within 4 weeks. It really wasn't that bad, but I'm pretty sure the wait will get super long if you wait untill after Black Friday
I've had 10 or so WO SPR barrels (Wilson blanks), some on my guns, some on guns I built for others. Every one has shot reliably into 3/4" with some load development. I'm tempted to say 1/2"-5/8" because that's what my personal barrels have delivered, but I can't speak to the ultimate accuracy of the others. I'll add that the ones I've had in my hands haven't seemed too picky about load development. I usually run the same load or two that I always run and get similar results.
Not a knock on any of the others, they may well be better, but WOA punches way above their weight class.
Not a knock on any of the others, they may well be better, but WOA punches way above their weight class.
No love for Craddock Precision? I have a few from Paul that he made on Bartlein & Rock Creek blanks.
Weird accuracy issues. The zero would change by 4-5 tenths in the middle of a match. Re-zero, and then it would go back. Chased that HARD for over a year. Not certain that’s the barrels fault. Worse, it was injecting copper fouling into the BCG through the gas tube. It was so bad it would gum up the works so it wouldn’t cycle in 100 rounds or so. It’s starting to go away now with 1000 rounds on the barrel.
My Craddock 224V was the most accurate AR-15 I’ve ever owned or seen and was reliable. Paul knows what he’s doing, highly doubt it’s the barrel causing that and most likely some fuckery with your build.
Another WOA talk like a pirate day sale SPR barrel order here, quoted 10-12 weeks, received in 4. Under promise, over deliver. Haven't shot it yet, but I'm not worried about how it shoots.
IMI Razorcore 77gr and Norma 77gr are the best for the $$, usually 3/4moa or so from a good barrel. Both go on sale regularly for $.75/rd or so.
If you want to test what the barrel can do get a box of Berger 77gr and Federal gold medal 77gr and shoot some groups.
I've been finding the Hornady Frontier 223 or 556 fairly cheap lately $12-$16 a box. 68's and 75's seem to be favored in my Criterion they are just slow, but have proven themselves at 1123.
WOA. Mine was back ordered. Think I had it in 3 or 4 weeks. Incredibly accurate barrel. I can consistently shoot 1/2 or under with handloads. Heard great things about CLE, but for the price I paid for the WOA barrel, I'm quite alright with what I have.
