Considering swapping my 5.56 out for a valkyrie. Not wanting to drop $500 on a barrel so thinking about criterion, green mountain, McGowen, etc... Anyone have real world experience with these or other mid priced barrels?
What kind of Valkyrie barrel do you have and how does it shoot?
- Thread starter Precision Underground
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Well I don't have those that you listed; I found a 26" Rainier Ultra Match Gen 2 that fit my build. Shoots great! But it is close to the 500 mark. The upside is a 90 day money back guarantee, no questions asked. Could be worth it if you're concerned about getting a bummer instead of a Hummer.
I think @Niles Coyote built one using a pretty decent barrel. He might be able to chime in.
Hell I can get a Krieger for $530 that would surely shoot. I was hoping to stay in the $300ish range. Ballistic advantage has a money back guarantee as well but I’ve never been a big fan of them for whatever reason, I’ve never shot one of their barrels. I have no idea why I don’t think highly of them.
Does your last round in the mag really throw out that far consistently? I would load a dummy or a rider under the last round to avoid that!
check out Bison Armory. paid $400 shipped for a 24" heavy fluted 1:6.5
just under 1 MOA with factory federal 90g SMK.
just under 1 MOA with factory federal 90g SMK.
If I'm shoot for a specific group count then yes I'll load an extra round. As much as it matters, in a competition, I'd use a dummy (if allowed) or I'll be sure to load an extra round (if allowed). Same thing happened with my 223 build but it typically shot low 1/2 moa.
Empty mag changes the pressure exerted on the BCG and therefore the bolt changing its position slightly. My guess is the lower BCG pressure let's bolt unlock a tad bit too early and could be solved with a different spring/tuning.
As long as it's predictable, it can be accounted for when it matters.
I have a 18" Rainier Arms Rock Creek barrel with +1 gas system 1-7 twist, with adjustable JP gas block. i paid about $300 for it. It shoots the federal 90 SMK great .5-.75 groups at 100 yards. The 90grn fusion ammo usually about .75- 1.5" and the 75 tmj 1" to 1.5", it don't like the light stuff much.
Overall it seems to shoot good, I have about 200 rounds thru it so hopefully it tightens up a little bit more. It has eaten everything i've put in it and has not blown out primers as some other folks have been having issues with. The brass comes out great with the adjustable gas system, no bolt swipes. Built primarily for a Coyote/varmint rifle
Overall it seems to shoot good, I have about 200 rounds thru it so hopefully it tightens up a little bit more. It has eaten everything i've put in it and has not blown out primers as some other folks have been having issues with. The brass comes out great with the adjustable gas system, no bolt swipes. Built primarily for a Coyote/varmint rifle
I have a barrel from Craddock which uses a 6.7 twist Rock Creek cut rifled blank (not their buttoned line like most others are using them use) that's a 1/4 minute barrel with my 95gr SMK loads. It's just over the price you're looking to not pay but for $575 shipped I got a top tier cut rifled barrel, gas tube, and a headspace bolt. It's more money than some of the other options but it shoots way better than those cheaper options. I've got no interest in saving $200 to sacrifice performance.
I've got a LMT MLR chrome lined model which uses a Rock Creek buttoned blank and it shoots 1/2-3/4 minute which I consider very good for a chrome lined barrel but as soon as LMT offers them in a SS cut rifled option I'll be ordering one. Cut rifled is just better, I don't care what anyone says.
I've got a LMT MLR chrome lined model which uses a Rock Creek buttoned blank and it shoots 1/2-3/4 minute which I consider very good for a chrome lined barrel but as soon as LMT offers them in a SS cut rifled option I'll be ordering one. Cut rifled is just better, I don't care what anyone says.
How consistently can you lay down quarter minute groups with the cut rifled? Are we talking a quarter minute group or 5/4 minute groups in a row?
Here we go.
First of all, a shooter inducing error does not mean that a rifle or barrel is not a quarter minute gun, that’s barfcom mentality.
I’m not a huge group shooter but the groups I’ve printed confirming the load at 100 for 5x 5 shot groups have been 1/4 minute. I’m usually good for throwing one round out of the 25, sometimes two just for good measure. Most of the groups from this load and barrel have been in the .1’s, there have even been a couple go under .1”. The barrel is that accurate, and the right component selection makes a huge difference on consistency as well.
I'm not saying the barrel does't shoot. I have a Rock Creek cut rifled on order for a 300 norma so I hope it shoots lol. I was just wondering how you are calling it a 1/4 inch barrel. If you have printed 5x5 1/4 shot groups in a row I say dayyum. More because of the shooter than the barrel! You really need one of those dorky bench rest setups to take the shooter out and test the barrel. My guns are .3-.5 guns (yes I have shot some .1s with them but thats not the norm) because thats as good as I can shoot off of a bipod and that's plenty good for me. Both of mine are button rifled, a 6.5 criterion and a 5.56 Larue. THe norma barrel will be my first cut.
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I actually shoot better prone off a bipod. The only exception has been a true benchrest rifle that's heavy with a couple ounce trigger on a high end front rest and rear bag. A rifle like an AR that isn't as hefty and has a heavier trigger doesn't do well on those setups.
I shoot almost every day in about perfect conditions. Covered patio with a nice mat, bipod feet dug into the dirt off the edge and I get to walk 10 feet inside for myself and the rifle to cool down when needed. Being comfortable and not being miserably drenched in sweat works wonders for your shooting ability.
When I'm shooting to test accuracy I also dry fire no less than 10 times each time I get back behind a gun to make sure my positioning is as close to perfect as possible. If I got behind the gun like a retard I know it without ever sending a round, if I can't dry fire 10 times without maintaining POA 100% then I know I'm doing something wrong.
If someone doesn't shoot as often and just plops down behind a rifle and starts going to town I can easily see why their results would not be the same as mine.
I may suck at matches these days because I don't train for that as much as I'd like (not at all really), but I can lay down and cut a tight group, or off of a tripod because it's how I shoot the most.
$400 rainier ultramatch 24", +2 gas, .875 block. 7.5 twist, sub moa with both fed 90gm and hornady 88eldm. i got a lot of first shot hits out to 800yds at the last match i did. i was leery of the 7.5 twist with the 88/90g bullets but rainier said it works great in their longer barrels and that seems to be true.
I also picked up a Craddock Precision Rock Creek 6.7 twist barrel for the $500+ shipped and have no regrets. I guess it's a matter of what you want to do. In my case, I'm willing to pay for a proven chamber and combo in order to have a precision rifle that gets it done out there where this round is designed to go. If all you want is an inexpensive barrel that might or might not shoot well, then take your chances. It may work out well for you.
I paid $300 for my 6.5 criterion that shoots .3s. I paid $225 for my 5.56 Larue that shoots .5s. Honestly I see no need to spend $500 if it’s not necessary. Those dollars can go towards glass.
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Seekins just released their Valkyrie barrels and are sub $300 and ready to ship at some retailers. They use Rock Creeks commercial button rifled line for their blanks.
My experience with other Seekins barrels has been very good and would probably be my choice for a budget barrel.
My experience with other Seekins barrels has been very good and would probably be my choice for a budget barrel.
Hmmm. That sounds promising. Any experience with rock creek button rifled? My Criterion is a lazer and it is button.
Yes, like I said, my experience with Seekins barrel has been very good and that’s what they use.
I’ve also had well over a dozen LMT chrome lined barrels which also start out as Rock Creek buttoned blanks and they’ve all been hammers. I even have an LMT 224 Valkyrie with one.
