Thread: AR barrel configurations what do you run?

So just wondering what barrels people tend to run for the ARs or if you had one barrel what would it Be?

I'm thinking of going a 1/7 m4 contour 16 inch but as most cheaper ammo is around 62gr thinking it would be more cost effective to get a 1/9 twist maybe pencil barrel configuration or have my. 16in cmmg bull barrel turned down to .750 and fluted ?

What do you run? Or advice on my thoughts?

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Depends what you want it for I guess?

I ordered a Match rifle (AR-15 Ultra-Match Super Target . 223 Remington AR15 Conversions Complete Rifle Packages Match Grade Rifle Conversion Stainless Tactical ) and wanted it for hunting/culling use...and it was terible! So I had it cut down by Gunworks and the weight turned out of the barrel and that made it practicle for hunting use, all be it less accurate. I guess only you can can answer that question, then fit the rifle to that use.

As for twist, I went 1:8 so I could shoot ''longer higer BC bullets'' in the delusion that a .223 could make a great longrange rifle. Truth is that no .223 is a good choice for a longrange shooting as the BC's are so low, even with the heaviest bullets they will never come close to what a bigger calibre will do. So in that regard I wish that I just got a 1:12 so I could shoot 55gr bullets as this is 99% of what I use these days. I find the 1:8 twist too fast for 55gr bullets and I get really average accuracy at best from them, I can load up 69gr SMK's and get them sub 0.5MOA...but I'd rather buy 55gr factory ammo and use that as it works out cheaper than hand loading the SMK's plus a big saving in time.

kj

I have a Wilson 1-8 twist 20 inch bull barrel, have had it turned down to JP Light weight contour to make it usable. Has always been wickedly accurate.
Also have a 16 inch ABS/Rock Creek 1-7 twist (see below picture)

Just taken delivery of 2 Kreiger 20 inch barrels today in fact. If they prove to be too heavy then they will be off to Jenny Craig too

Sweet thanks for sharing guys always good to see what others are using, how do you go about bringing in a barrel can anyone do it?

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If its in AR config then you'd have a few hoops to jump through. It took well over a year to bring in my AR and that was back in 2005 when US laws were a lot more relaxed. Now with tougher US state department regulations etc...I'd hate to imagine how long it may take?

If it were me, personally I'd just look at Digits website or get Trueflite to make you a barrel as then you could have it next week. Alternatively gunsmith like Arthur Cleland are doing cool things with Shilen barrels, turning them down to suit AR's and getting some pretty outstanding accuracy from them.

kj

When Brownells had them in stock, you could get export approval within about 4 weeks. I have export approval for a barrel, just need Green Mountain to ship the damn thing to Brownells.

Originally Posted by kimjon

If its in AR config then you'd have a few hoops to jump through. It took well over a year to bring in my AR and that was back in 2005 when US laws were a lot more relaxed. Now with tougher US state department regulations etc...I'd hate to imagine how long it may take?

If it were me, personally I'd just look at Digits website or get Trueflite to make you a barrel as then you could have it next week. Alternatively gunsmith like Arthur Cleland are doing cool things with Shilen barrels, turning them down to suit AR's and getting some pretty outstanding accuracy from them.

kj

Reason I brought Kreiger barrels was I was quoted $1000 each for 2 trueflight ultramatch barrels and I had to supply gas blocks, barrel extensions etc.
Could have brought 2 Shilens at $350 each but went the Kreiger way instead
Kreigers we $450US each and ready to drop in, and since I was after other bits as well it was a no brainer. would have preferred to buy local but...
My first complete AR rifle import in 2005 took 6 months from go to in my hand and the second was 7 months.

This advice is really helping my barrel choice as I want fairly lightweight but still retaining good accuracy and shooting cheaper factory ammo as I'd like to shoot as much as I can and not let ammo prices be a barrier so KJ your views and experience closely relate to what I'm trying to achieve just gotta work out what twist contour I want thinking like I previously said. 750 barrel fluted HF or SS is another?

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My Wilson 1:8 HBAR shoots extremely well with 55-60gr Hornady projectiles. I have always wanted to but never got round to try 77gr SMK's or 75gr Hornady's. As KJ says the BC's are still shit and .223 doesn't launch them very fast. In my experience you can expect reasonably fast kills on goats out to 300m if your shot placement is bang on with the 55gr Hornady's, but more often than not they run like they have not been hit and die 50 yards later. My other barrel is a Colt M4 barrel, 1:7 twist. Shoots the Belmont 55gr Lapua soft point load easily sub moa, gets 1.5 - 3" groups with everything else I have tried.

My other barrel on order is this 20" 5.56mm M16 A2 A/R Barrel, 1:7 twist

Long barrels are awful, heavy barrels are awful, 1:7 shoots 55gr very well, everything should be 1:7 for maximum flexibility

1:7, 55gr, 250 meters

Can you tell me abit more about your barrel there gimp

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It's a $ripoff HRE done true flight 14.5" 1:7 and despite being apparently machined by a blind person it shoots pretty well, against all odds.


Get something in a lightweight contour 14.5" or 16" with carbine gas for 14.5" or midlength gas for 16" and 1:7 twist from an actual factory that makes AR barrels.

I've got (that I can think of)
In 223:
10.5" 1:7
14.5 M4 1:9
14.5 M4 1:7
16" Car Rifle Length Gas
16" Car Mid Length Gas
20" A2 HBar

18" 50 Beowulf Midgas 0.9"

16" M4 Pistol Gas 300 BLK

10.5" 9mm 0.7 Straight

12.5" 45ACP 0.74 Straight

24" 6mm Turbo 0.9


Anything longer than 18" and/or 0.8" is shithouse
1:7 will shoot anything you could possibly want

A shotgun should balance at the hinge pin, I believe there is a magic point for ARs to balance and bolt guns also..
Weight should be evenly distributed between the hands, and the balance changes with a loaded mag and scope fitted

45acp. Coolness.

1:7 barrels come out in the military to shoot the nato SS109 round. It was for a time (NZ Military) only to be issued for deployments and we used M193 55gr rnds. Then K-100 come out as it was cheaper and apparently replicated the SS109

The AUG shot anything with the 1:7 barrel well.