Screaminyz Posted November 28, 2017 Share Posted November 28, 2017 Hey Guys,Looking to upgrade/lighten my AR and pretty much narrowed it down to one of these barrels. Please help me choose. Faxon match 16” gunner in 223 Wylde and the Strike Industries, 16” Fighter CHF in 223 Wylde. They are pretty close in weight Strike being 1.5 pounds and Faxon being 1.3 pounds. I’m hoping to get into 3 gun next year nothing serious though because of time constraints. Maybe just a few matches, my club only goes out to 150 yards and the other local is only 200 yards. Like to hear everyone’s opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1981Shooter Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 I don't have any experience with SI barrels, but have had great performance from my Faxon 10.5" barrel. Just ordered a .308 barrel from them on Black Friday for an AR10 build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerritm Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 I have been shooting a couple of Faxon barrels for several years including one on my Glock 34 and love them. Super accurate. gerritm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhoIsPat9 Posted November 29, 2017 Share Posted November 29, 2017 I understand you're not looking to hit out to 600 yards or anything and want to keep the weight down as much as possible but you might want to look into going for an 18" barrel with a rifle length gas system. It will make for a much softer shooting gun both up close and out to your 200 yards and more. I started with a 16" barrel because that's what I had at the time but eventually upgraded to an 18". Something to consider before dropping $300 on a barrel and 6 months later you want another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screaminyz Posted November 29, 2017 Author Share Posted November 29, 2017 Thanks for the info guys, now you got me thinking 18 inch gunner, still pretty light, 1.5 pounds. I plan on getting a low mass bcg and adjustable gas block. I have the Taccom light buffer system too but waiting on the rest of the stuff. Was thinking of getting either the AIM surplus light weight nickel bcg or the Rubber City Armory light weight bolt carrier and just use my existing bolt. RTB sells them for $60 on sale. Any opinions on those please let me know.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted November 30, 2017 Share Posted November 30, 2017 I've got an AIM NIB and it seems functionally fine but the coating is garbage, started flaking well inside of 500 rounds. All the RC carriers I've looked at appear way better with a lot more rounds through them. I've also got a 14.5" Gunner. It's okay, it'll never be mistaken for a benchrest barrel and it does show some dispersion as it heats up. I like it for a lightweight rifle but I wouldn't want it on a 3 gun rifle, it's light enough that it makes the muzzle too bouncy for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screaminyz Posted November 30, 2017 Author Share Posted November 30, 2017 Tony, Would you recommend a 16 or 18 gunner, 223 wylde for 3 gun? Or should I be looking at one of their medium fluted match barrels instead? I would like to stay around the $200 or under mark but if there is something that is great for $250 I might go up to that. Larue makes a medium profile 223 barrel that seems to have good reviews too. Anyone know anything about that. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 (edited) Theoretically the longer the barrel the more potential for heat to affect accuracy, so I doubt (no evidence to back up my theories) that the 16" or 18" would be better. I've seen a lot of guys do well with the Gunners though, they do work, they just don't meet my criteria and I hate the balance of a light barrel but thats a personal thing. If I was looking for a sub $200 barrel I would look at some Ballistic Advantage products or the AR Performance 3 Gun barrel. The Larues were really popular for precision builds a few years back, I would imagine they still shoot well. Edited December 1, 2017 by TonytheTiger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ecn515 Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 (edited) I just build a new upper for this same purpose/limited division usage. Can't say enough good things about the JP Supermatch in the ultra light profile. I went with a 14.5" and a red dot for this set up. With that being said I also have a 16" and 18" set up with variable power optics on them for different applications and back up. Lastly I would caution you heavily against cheeping out on a BCG. Quickest way to have an unreliable gun and ruin your match. I've seen alot of people have lots of problems with all sorts of different budget minded set up's. There is no substitute to reliability. I use JP LMOS carries in all my Rifles and they run great. Sure there are other lighter or cheaper set up's out there but the JP's just plain work. I've literally seen someone blow up a rifle and the JP LMOS was completely fine and was later on used in another rifle. Edited December 1, 2017 by ecn515 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screaminyz Posted December 1, 2017 Author Share Posted December 1, 2017 So many choices now that I’ve read up on every barrel made in the world [emoji901] there is only a few on sale now. I did find another barrel that looks good made by Black Hole Weaponry. It’s pretty light 16” 3gun nation barrel that looks pretty good and they seem to have good reviews on their barrels. Dam I don’t know what I should buy. I really want something that’s nitride/melonite coated for longevity and easy cleaning. That’s the only thing that turned me off on the AR performance barrels. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee blackman Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 Personally for a 200 yard carbine, that means you can go shorter because velocity isn't as critical. As far as barrel weight, light doesn't always mean less accurate. I mean I've seen a thin profile barrel running hot group better than a heavy profile barrel more than once in my life. And there are plenty of light contour barrels that will perform sub-minute. Its all quality and metallurgy. Imho JP 14.5" with pinned break would be my first choice. Adjustable gas, and low mass. A good trigger, a reliable red dot and your in business. Being shorter, the light profile barrel will be more rigid than a longer barrel of similar profile, and JP quality is second to none. My second choice would be a Noveske (Pac-Nor), my 18" lt wt runs sub-minute cold, about a minute and a quarter scalding hot. Third choice Ranier CHF, which surprised me so much I had to buy a second and it performed equally as accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted December 1, 2017 Share Posted December 1, 2017 (edited) AR Performance barrels were melonited last I looked. I've got a BHW barrel that shoots very well, I have no idea how long it will last and I don't clean barrels either so I can't comment on that. Lee above is correct, I didn't mean to suggest at any point that light profile barrels are less accurate, just that the Gunner I own doesn't do well with heat. Edited December 1, 2017 by TonytheTiger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moltke Posted December 2, 2017 Share Posted December 2, 2017 If the targets you're going to shoot are small, then a barrel that gives tighter groups are going to be more important than a velocity gain if your max is 200 yards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screaminyz Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share Posted December 3, 2017 See next post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screaminyz Posted December 3, 2017 Author Share Posted December 3, 2017 So which would you guys pick? ARP 16” scout barrel, either in 1/8 5R twist or 1/7 3R twist??? I plan on shooting just factory XM193 or some 62 grain stuff. I don’t reload so it will be all factory stuff. Tony you are right they are melonited it was the BHW barrels that were not. Thanks for pointing that out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screaminyz Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 Anyone? 3R rifling 1/7 twist vs 5R rifling 1/8 twist?? I will be shooting mostly lighter bullets but AR Performance claims there is no accuracy loss with the lighter bullets and the 3R 1/7 twist. They call it a higher performance than 5R so why even make/offer it. That’s why I’m not sure which to get. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 (edited) Its actually 1/7.7" vs 1/8". I don't think you will ever know the difference. Usually the 7.7" is claimed as being able to stabilize 80gr bullets whereas the 8 twist might be borderline with those bullet weights. No functional difference for 3 gun use. Edited December 5, 2017 by TonytheTiger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joeg26er Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Tagged for interest Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screaminyz Posted December 5, 2017 Author Share Posted December 5, 2017 Tony do you think there’s any difference in the 3R to 5R?? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted December 5, 2017 Share Posted December 5, 2017 Theoretically 3R will have less bullet deformation and less drag on the bullet, and possibly higher muzzle velocities because of it. If you talk to guys at leading barrel manufacturers they'll say none of it really matters and any potential advantages of one type of rifling over another are so minute that they're lost in the noise and very difficult to quantify with real data. Not sure I could argue with the guys who do this for a living although many fanboys try to. If it were my choice I'd go for the 3R 1/7.7" barrel. Just because, no real reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Screaminyz Posted December 6, 2017 Author Share Posted December 6, 2017 Well I just pulled the trigger, I called and talked to Harrison and told him what I planned on shooting for ammo and he recommended the 1/7.7 3R so I ordered it. Also ordered a AGB and gas tube. Thanks for all the help Tony and recommending AR Performance. I’ve never heard of them until you said something. It’s pretty cool to hear that he has supplied some of the Navy Seal teams some of his barrels. Everywhere I’ve read these/his barrels are tac drivers. Can’t wait to try it out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonytheTiger Posted December 7, 2017 Share Posted December 7, 2017 Let us know how it shoots! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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