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18" Rifle Length barrel suggestions?


johnson184

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Currently eyeballing the Rainier Arms Ultramatch... 18", rifle length gas, .223 Wylde, Stainless Steel, from a Shilen Barrel blank, and that 90 day guarantee has me leaning that way. Also eyeing a JP SuperMatch light contour 18". Any others I should research?

Edited by johnson184
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How about Nordic 18" Wylde chamber. Great barrel for the money and the gas hole is smaller to work wonders with lightened BCG's. Great 3 gun barrel. I know a lot of the guys in Colorado have started to shoot the Stretch 16 barrel with intermediate gas and seems to like them.

J

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I just picked up a Mega 18" rifle-length barrel for my new build. My buddy has the same exact barrel on his gun, and it's a tack-driver. Fit/finish on the barrel is excellent, and the price point is good also. They guarantee sub-MOA at 100yds, so we'll see what happens when I get this sucker built.

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What about 18s with a lightweight profile? What are the good options?

Why? Unless you are shooting Irons or 1x, if you want lightweight, drop to a 16". LW 18" profiled barrels can easily be outshot by 16" barrels.

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I run a 20" LW Criterion. I got it because with my 17" handguard and my hand at the end of it (6' 5") I got a nasty powder burn from the SJC comp on the 18" barrel. I went 20" with a sweet Gas Hog comp. Problem solved but it's not a problem a lot of people have.

That Stretch 16 looks like a winner barring special circumstances like mine above.

Edited by bigblock455
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What about 18s with a lightweight profile? What are the good options?

Why? Unless you are shooting Irons or 1x, if you want lightweight, drop to a 16". LW 18" profiled barrels can easily be outshot by 16" barrels.

OK, I wasn't aware of that. I thought a lightweight 18's additional velocity would overcome its profile weakness.

What are the good choices for a lightweight 16 with good accuracy? Stretch16 is the king right now? And what are guys doing with a LW BCG when using the Stretch - do regular adjustable .750 gas blocks and intermediate tubes work on it? I might have to pick your brain next weekend if I get a chance.

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What about 18s with a lightweight profile? What are the good options?

Why? Unless you are shooting Irons or 1x, if you want lightweight, drop to a 16". LW 18" profiled barrels can easily be outshot by 16" barrels.

OK, I wasn't aware of that. I thought a lightweight 18's additional velocity would overcome its profile weakness.

What are the good choices for a lightweight 16 with good accuracy? Stretch16 is the king right now? And what are guys doing with a LW BCG when using the Stretch - do regular adjustable .750 gas blocks and intermediate tubes work on it? I might have to pick your brain next weekend if I get a chance.

I run it with a JP carrier, Carbon Arms gas block. The come with a gasblock and gas tube though. The people who shoot them are amazed by the total package delivered. I think we are up to about ten match wins with the Stretch16, and numerous top tens. Yep, it takes a good shooter to deliver the performance, but good shooters won't suffer a barrel that does not perform and many of the ones boasted about just don't deliver what the Stretch16 does.,

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The Stretch will run fine with a fixed gas block but truly shines with an adjustable setup. I run all mine with SLR Adjustable gas blocks, JP Low

Mass carrier, and JP Silent Capture Spring in the lower. Being able to turn the gas down the slightest bit makes a difference.

Mark has more data on the melonite barrel he tested (9700 rounds I believe) but to my knowledge all the pro shooters and SST team members have had no issues with cycling on their Stretch 16 barrels. I'm on my 6th barrel now since the prototype and they've all been 100% with my setup.

Edited by Bullittmcqueen
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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

I have a couple JP barrels that shoot lights out sub MOA.

I just started shooting for rhino arms this season. I was skeptical of their 1/2 MOA guarantee until I out shot my JP my first time in the range using my favorite Match ammo too. No need to buy new ammo!

Hit me up if you're interested in a barrel from rhino and I'll get you 10% off.

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  • 1 month later...

Why is a LW 18" barrel a bad idea? Does it heat up to fast. I'm running a Rainer match now. I won a free black hole weaponry barrel, so I thought I might try a LW 18". I do shoot a couple matches that I have to reach out to 600.

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Why is a LW 18" barrel a bad idea? Does it heat up to fast. I'm running a Rainer match now. I won a free black hole weaponry barrel, so I thought I might try a LW 18". I do shoot a couple matches that I have to reach out to 600.

My light contour JP barrel is super accurate and soft shooting due to the right length gas. I love that thing. No way I'd trade 2" of length and a little less weight for a 16" mid gas barrel.

For the small amount of shooting we do in 3-Gino doubt you hear one up enough to effect accuracy enough to matter.

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