18" and 16" AR-15 Barrels in 6.8spc Cheap!

[carnaby]

I just got an 18" barrel (with a CMT barrel extension) from Ko-tonics for $125. It's stainless steel with dura-coat finish. Tim Hicks is selling these cheap because, while accuracy was very good, he wasn't getting the muzzle velocity he wanted from them. They were shooting in the 2550fps range, and he wanted to get them to go around 2600-2700fps. His new barrels will have 4 groove rifling while these have 6 groove, and a different rate of twist.

You can find a link to the barrels here.

If you do get the barrel, you'll probably want the gas tube that goes with it, since Tim cuts his own gas port and sizes the tube accordingly. I've shot one of Tim's 16" barrels and was quite pleased. He just came out with the 18" ones and that's what I got. The barrels are headspaced at the factory where they are made, and the CMT extensions apparently meet mil-specs very well.

 

[smokinyoda]

I know this is a stupid question but for nebies like me what else would be required to convert a .223 m4 to 6.8?

 

[carnaby]

If you want to resuse as much of your existing parts as possible, you just need to change the barrel (with extension and gas tube) and the bolt. That's it, well, and the mags, although you can load about three rounds in a .223 AR mag with 6.8 and it should work.

The upper reciever including the bolt carrier, and the entire lower receiver are completely the same.

 

[smokinyoda]

Thanks for the info. Does this person also sell the bolt?

 

[carnaby]

Yep, $130. He'll have new uppers ready in a month or so with the new barrels, but they'll cost a bit more. Probably about $550 - $575 for a complete upper. The barrels are only being sold separately because he wasn't happy with their performance.

 

[smokinyoda]

So, if I'm reading this right for approx. $300 I can shoot the 6.8? I'm sold. Are mags readily available?

 

[carnaby]

Tim has C Product 18 and 25 round mags for $30 and $24 respectively.