Looking for a good AR barrel for $200ish

[Nick_shoots_fast]

I’m building a “dmr” style rifle and everything is accounted for besides the barrel. Looking for a fluted barrel that will put match bullets well inside 1/2 MOA. If the bolt comes with it, that’s awesome but I feel like I’m asking a lot for this price point. 

Edited December 1, 2019 by Atlasguy321

[The Donald]

I have a Faxon barrel you described, they are have 25% this weekend, should get you to the $200 price point.

[nso123]

A true, 5-shot 1/2 MOA gas gun is not a simple build. Be happy with consistent sub-MOA with the occasional smaller group. At your price point, Ballistic Advantage has some nice barrels that shoot well. 

[Nick_shoots_fast]

2 hours ago, nso123 said:

A true, 5-shot 1/2 MOA gas gun is not a simple build. Be happy with consistent sub-MOA with the occasional smaller group. At your price point, Ballistic Advantage has some nice barrels that shoot well. 

Just did it yesterday.. 24gr pushing a 69gr match king. Also my buddies 20” WOA barrel shooting 75gr Hornady will do it all day also. 
 

thanks for the heads up! I’ll check out ballistic advantage! 

[MJinPA]

Just did it yesterday.. 24gr pushing a 69gr match king. Also my buddies 20” WOA barrel shooting 75gr Hornady will do it all day also. 
 
thanks for the heads up! I’ll check out ballistic advantage! 

I do it regularly with all good hand loads I’ve put through a 20” white oak barrel. But, I also did not put the upper together. Bought a complete 20” white oak varmint upper with matching bolt. I know the barrel plays a big part. Not sure how much assembly and matching bolt contributes. Also using a geissele national match trigger and Sig 6-24 scope.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nick_shoots_fast]

33 minutes ago, MJinPA said:

I do it regularly with all good hand loads I’ve put through a 20” white oak barrel. But, I also did not put the upper together. Bought a complete 20” white oak varmint upper with matching bolt. I know the barrel plays a big part. Not sure how much assembly and matching bolt contributes. Also using a geissele national match trigger and Sig 6-24 scope.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Rhats really impressive! What’s your load work up for that?

[MJinPA]

Rhats really impressive! What’s your load work up for that?

The smaller group is a 52 gr smk with 25.5 of h335. The other is a 69 gr smk with 23.5 of Varget.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Nick_shoots_fast]

41 minutes ago, MJinPA said:

The smaller group is a 52 gr smk with 25.5 of h335. The other is a 69 gr smk with 23.5 of Varget.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That’s a pretty sweet app also. You just load the pic on and it does it’s magic?  I’m assuming you have to check what caliber it is also. 
 

was that free?

[MJinPA]

That’s a pretty sweet app also. You just load the pic on and it does it’s magic?  I’m assuming you have to check what caliber it is also. 
 
was that free?

Can’t remember if it was free or not. You need to mark a 1” reference point. Select distance, caliber the add the impacts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[GringoBandito]

Wilson is having a sale. 

 

https://shopwilsoncombat.com/Match-Grade-Barrel-223-Wylde-Urban-Super-Sniper-18-1-8-Twist-Stainless-Threaded-Muzzle/productinfo/TR-223USSRG18RT8/

[travail]

Another vote for Ballistic Advantage. I'm not going for precision, but can stack rounds with one of their short barrels.

[Nick_shoots_fast]

Thanks for the help guys! 
 

[12glocks]

I think $300 is a more realistic number in general.  However, I have obtained two Odin Works barrels on sale very close to the $200 price point from Primary Arms.  All are sub moa and my Odin 3 gun barrel is solid sub 0.5 moa, but that was thermofit into a BCM upper that I trued the face on and bedded.  If you do not understand the significance of that, it is worth exploring.  I would check out Criterion barrels series on accurizing the AR.  Wilde chamber cuts are more accurate in my opinion also.

[adamge]

I guess I am confused, how can you thermofit a barrel to a upper, in the scenario where the barrel fits into the upper fairly easily with both objects at room temperature? Wouldn't thermofit only apply if they didn't fit together at room temperature?

[caspian guy]

10 minutes ago, adamge said:

I guess I am confused, how can you thermofit a barrel to a upper, in the scenario where the barrel fits into the upper fairly easily with both objects at room temperature? Wouldn't thermofit only apply if they didn't fit together at room temperature?

You can't directly.  That only works if you are fortunate enough to get a barrel with an extension that is an interference fit in your upper...

 

I know of 2 things you can do in this case.  1 is to insert a shim to take up the space. The other is to use loctite bearing retaining compound (its green but I don't recall the number)

 

I have used the loctite method and it's helped in some cases.

 

This topic has come up before if you do a search you'll find some stuff.

[3Dflyer]

I recently swapped a frustrating 16” factory barrel for an Aero Precision 18” stainless deep fluted barrel for about $200 on sale. 

 

I lapped the receiver during the swap. 

 

Using a vortex 1-8 red dot it shoots sub 1” groups using a cheap rock river 2 stage trigger and sloppy plastic piccatini rail mounted $18   bipod. With a better scope, trigger, and base to rest on, I believe it could be 1/2” moa all day. 

 

The Aero barrels are made by ballistic advantage. 

[3Dflyer]

This barrel also shoots 55-73gr bullets equally well. My previous barrel was terribly critical of ammo used. It was fussy with powder charges, too. 

[12glocks]

On 12/4/2019 at 3:33 PM, adamge said:

I guess I am confused, how can you thermofit a barrel to a upper, in the scenario where the barrel fits into the upper fairly easily with both objects at room temperature? Wouldn't thermofit only apply if they didn't fit together at room temperature?

 

The BCM upper is intentionally undersized and requires heating for barrel installation.  Its all I use now and I think it make a difference.  It should increase the rigidity of the upper barrel interface, as would bedding the action.  

[Nick_shoots_fast]

On 12/4/2019 at 3:33 PM, adamge said:

I guess I am confused, how can you thermofit a barrel to a upper, in the scenario where the barrel fits into the upper fairly easily with both objects at room temperature? Wouldn't thermofit only apply if they didn't fit together at room temperature?

I’ve never heard of “thermofit”. What does that mean and what are the benefits? 

[SwedishMoose]

+1 for Ballistic Advantage. They continue to impress me, especially with such a low price point. There's always 20% off coupons at Granite Ridge for them as well.