"Precision" AR barrel

StevieP

StevieP

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Thinking of building a more-shoulderable AR for my next build.

My current AR-15 and .308AR are both heavyweight (benchrest) guns. AR15 has 20" "heavy match" barrel. .308 is a 18.5" DPMS "SASS" bull barrel. It's fluted, but still heavy. Both have Nikon scopes with monolithic mounts (not lightweight rings).

Would like my next AR to come in well under 7 lbs. It'll have a lightweight red-dot, or low-magnification (1-6x) scope with illuminated reticle.

Want a 14.5" (plus muzzle brake to bring it over 16"), or just a 16" barrel. Likely high quality stainless. Fluted. 1:8 twist. .223 Wylde chamber. While this will be a lightweight build, I'm still of the opinion that only accurate rifles are interesting. No "plain Jane" carbine barrels need apply.

Soooo. Criterion? Krieger? Shilen? Noveske? Rainier?

Anyone have direct experience you can share?
 
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Im not a barrel expert but so far with my ARs nothing light weight has proven "accurate" vs my heavy match barrel guns.

Although I have a RRA A2 with a standard 1/9 nato chamber barrel that will shoot my match loads darn close to the same accuracy as my RRA NM barrel. Its just not as consistent as it warms up? Plus its easy to pull the shots off line with out the free float tube like my NM AR.

I considered one of these for my optics only "varmint" build http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/xcart/product.php?productid=18006&cat=312&page=1

I later found a CLE 18" heavy barrel locally from a club member

My
 
My White Oak SDM bbl is 20" and fluted. That reduces the weight quite a bit compared to a Colt HBAR 20".
 
Here's a sale on a White Oak barrel that may fit your needs. I ordered a couple myself. Love their products!

Last week I helped a friend build a new AR with a White Oak barrel and Rock River 2-stage national match trigger. It's a freaking tack driver. We threw on a Vortex 3X Prism Scope and the first shot was 2" low with perfect windage. Yeah, we got lucky, but after sighting in he got a 1.25" group at 100 yards on a bench rest. It was one of his first times shooting an AR and blew him away.

ETA: Using Wolf Gold ammo on the 1.25" group with an newbie to the AR. Use equipment that makes you look good!

http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/xcart/product.php?productid=17969&cat=292&page=1
 
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Are all these places making their own barrels or just labelling green mountain barrels?
I,know rock river and WOA use Wilson arms blanks (at least that's what I remember)
 
Like most parts, there are only a few actual mfg's with lots of shops finishing the product.
 
bigblue said:
Like most parts, there are only a few actual mfg's with lots of shops finishing the product.
Click to expand...

For some of those prices they must do extra special finishing....,
Funny now button rifling is the cool kid lately.. I was getting sick of every manufacturing touting Cold Hammer Forged.
 
mac1911 said:
For some of those prices they must do extra special finishing....,
Funny now button rifling is the cool kid lately.. I was getting sick of every manufacturing touting Cold Hammer Forged.
Click to expand...

Attention to detail, hand lapping, and QC are expensive.
 
bigblue said:
Attention to detail, hand lapping, and QC are expensive.
Click to expand...

Yes they are......although looking at the BAD website I feel they spend more time on looks?
That's just me though.

I have not weighed my newest rifle. I had weight in mind as I knew ideas going to put a big heavy scope on it ... don't think it's under 7. Lbs ?
 
Idk anything about those two brands. There are only a handful of companies that I would give more than $150 for a bbl and those guys are over $400. Not that I haven't tried that in-between tier, I just don't see the point. If you are going for accuracy then save up another week and get something in the Criterion/Krieger/White Oak group.
 
I agree with you. I've spent plenty of $ on those $150-$200 barrels and wasn't getting the results I was hoping for. I saved a while more and had Compass Lake turn me a barrel on a Douglas blank. Worth every single penny of the $400+ I coughed up.
 
StevieP said:
Thinking of building a more-shoulderable AR for my next build.

My current AR-15 and .308AR are both heavyweight (benchrest) guns. AR15 has 20" "heavy match" barrel. .308 is a 18.5" DPMS "SASS" bull barrel. It's fluted, but still heavy. Both have Nikon scopes with monolithic mounts (not lightweight rings).

Would like my next AR to come in well under 7 lbs. It'll have a lightweight red-dot, or low-magnification (1-6x) scope with illuminated reticle.

Want a 14.5" (plus muzzle brake to bring it over 16"), or just a 16" barrel. Likely high quality stainless. Fluted. 1:8 twist. .223 Wylde chamber. While this will be a lightweight build, I'm still of the opinion that only accurate rifles are interesting. No "plain Jane" carbine barrels need apply.

Soooo. Criterion? Krieger? Shilen? Noveske? Rainier?

Anyone have direct experience you can share?
Click to expand...

It lost it's sub 1/2 moa accuracy after about 3k rounds, but I was beyond pleased with the white oak armory 20" 1:7 twist barrel I put in my precision AR. Literally, dime sized groups @ 100, and I'm no great shooter. Could have been a factory freak, but I haven't seen much bad about them online either. I've kind of been on the bolt action side of things over the past year or so, but I do intend on replacing said barrel with another of the same at some point.

Full disclosure: The gun has a young manufacturing super light bcg, adjustable gas block and a seekins muzzle brake, so like zero recoil plus a national match trigger, so it's an easy gun to shoot well, but the barrel is still the most important component for precision imo.

They use wilson blanks, I believe.
 
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josh2600 said:
It lost it's sub 1/2 moa accuracy after about 3k rounds, but I was beyond pleased with the white oak armory 20" 1:7 twist barrel I put in my precision AR. Literally, dime sized groups @ 100, and I'm no great shooter. Could have been a factory freak, but I haven't seen much bad about them online either. I've kind of been on the bolt action side of things over the past year or so, but I do intend on replacing said barrel with another of the same at some point.

Full disclosure: The gun has a young manufacturing super light bcg, adjustable gas block and a seekins muzzle brake, so like zero recoil plus a national match trigger, so it's an easy gun to shoot well, but the barrel is still the most important component for precision imo.

They use wilson blanks, I believe.
Click to expand...

John will use a Krieger blank if you ask him to. More money obviously, but they seem to last quite a bit longer so cost per shot is pretty close.
 
I just recently bought a White Oak 18" SPR barrel. So far I have tried 3 types of match ammo. Great results. Solid 1" groups off of just a sandbag (under the handguard) while the stock was loose on my shoulder. That was the best I could do. I'm sure if I steady the rifle (sandbags on handguard and under the stock) I will shrink the groups to under 1'

I will be submitting photos soon.

Ammo was IMI 77gr match (seemed to be the best)
Federal 77 BTHP
Federal 69 gr BTHP
 
eryk22c said:
I just recently bought a White Oak 18" SPR barrel. So far I have tried 3 types of match ammo. Great results. Solid 1" groups off of just a sandbag (under the handguard) while the stock was loose on my shoulder. That was the best I could do. I'm sure if I steady the rifle (sandbags on handguard and under the stock) I will shrink the groups to under 1'

I will be submitting photos soon.

Ammo was IMI 77gr match (seemed to be the best)
Federal 77 BTHP
Federal 69 gr BTHP
Click to expand...

nice..... WOA tend to shoot very well right from the box with decent ammo as do most "match" AR barrels. even my RRA A2 will shoot MOA from the rifle rest with quality bullets.
I think most people would be surprised how well thier ARs can shoot with quality ammo and a good shooter behind the trigger..... you dump M193/m855 or and discount ammo down the tube it will show down range.... for example my buddy has been struggling with is SW sport. he finally bought some Blackhills 52 grain match ammo and shot his first cmp match with that ammo and scored a 193 35 points above his average over the WWB 223 crap he was shooting.
 
StevieP said:
Thinking of building a more-shoulderable AR for my next build.

My current AR-15 and .308AR are both heavyweight (benchrest) guns. AR15 has 20" "heavy match" barrel. .308 is a 18.5" DPMS "SASS" bull barrel. It's fluted, but still heavy. Both have Nikon scopes with monolithic mounts (not lightweight rings).

Would like my next AR to come in well under 7 lbs. It'll have a lightweight red-dot, or low-magnification (1-6x) scope with illuminated reticle.

Want a 14.5" (plus muzzle brake to bring it over 16"), or just a 16" barrel. Likely high quality stainless. Fluted. 1:8 twist. .223 Wylde chamber. While this will be a lightweight build, I'm still of the opinion that only accurate rifles are interesting. No "plain Jane" carbine barrels need apply.

Soooo. Criterion? Krieger? Shilen? Noveske? Rainier?

Anyone have direct experience you can share?
Click to expand...


i have the rainier, exact specs you are looking for. for ~$250 i think it should do what you want. 14.5" mid length 223 wylde 1:8 very happy with it and when its time to replace i will look for the same one.
 

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