Are Colt barrels any good?

[Bulletski]

Hi all:
I’m going to replace the barrel on one of my ARs.
I’m looking at a 20” made by Colt - or it has the Colt name on it.
First I’d like to know if Colt barrels are quality or are they just made by by some outfit with the Colt name on it?
Also, this barrel is chrome lined. I’ve read where accuracy becomes iffy with a chromed barrel. Is this particularly true?
From what I’ve experienced over the years, it seems when it comes to barrels, it’s pretty much a matter of luck with what you get regardless of what it cost. I’ve seen plenty of negative reviews on expensive name brand barrels.

This will be for 200yrd shooting and maybe the occasional 300yrds.
In conclusion, I’d like to keep the cost to around $250.
At that price I’m not looking for exceptional accuracy. I’d be happy with 3 - 4” groups at 200yrds.

Thanks for replies

 

[CarJunkieLS1]

For $250 you can get a much better quality barrel than a run of the mill chrome lined barrel. Colt barrel or not, you have much better options.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

That is a good question Bulletski. My Colt 22 1911 rail gun is made my Walther.They may farm out their barrels too.

 

[LiveLife]

looking at a 20” ... seems when it comes to barrels, it’s pretty much a matter of luck with what you get regardless of what it cost.

200yrd shooting and maybe the occasional 300yrds ... cost to around $250 ... At that price I’m not looking for exceptional accuracy. I’d be happy with 3 - 4” groups at 200yrds.

I would prefer to qualify "good" AR barrel as "cold hammer forged" regardless of brand.

FWIW, TFB review of 20" BCA cold hammer forged barrel produced 1 MOA to 1.5 MOA at 100 yard and 500 yard CONSISTENTLY - https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2023/12/15/bear-creek-arsenal-bc-15-side-charger-review/

BTW, Gorilla Machining is selling 20" BCA cold hammer forged barrel (1:8 twist) for $120 - https://www.gorillamachining.com/BE...Length-Gas-System--Black-Nitride-_p_1244.html

 

[Robert]

I have a Colt 1:7 20" barrel on my parts bin AR. With 77gr hand loaded Match Kings it will put 5 shots into a group the size of my thumbnail at 100y off a sandbag with a 4x ACOG as the optic.

Mine was free, so I can't speak to the cost benefit analysis. But it has been an accurate barrel over thousands of rounds of 55, 69, and 77gr bullets. It does not like 62g. And by does not like, I mean 3-4 moa at 100. Not terrible, but it is much better than that.

 

[C-grunt]

My Colt barrels have all been great shooters. My free floated Colt 6920 would group 1.5 - 2 MOA with any decent 55 grain ball ammo. It shot multiple MOA groups with match grade ammo.

My prior duty gun (Colt 6920) that I purchased from the department still shoots sub 3 MOA with 55 grain ball. That rifle isn't free floated and has over 14k rounds through it.

 

[Rodfac]

My HBAR Colt from the late 80's had a 1:7 twist, and a NATO chamber. With a free floated bbl., and it's excellent GI pattern sights it held to MOA standards throughout my participation in CMP National Match competition.

It was and still is a wonderfully, if heavy, example of the military version. My loads with 69 gr Sierra MK's at 200 & 300 were easily MOA capable, if I did my part. At 600 yds, slow fire, I used 80 gr Sierra MK's single loaded. When the 77 gr Sierra MK came out, I made up loads for it which were the equal of the 69 gr Mk, but not quite up to the 80 grainers at 600....

Don't know how well Colt produced bbl's will do since then, but mine was a tack driver.
Best regards, Rod

 

[wanderinwalker]

If the price is acceptable to you, it's probably not an unreasonable risk to try a Colt chrome-lined barrel. At least in the past they had a reputation for shooting better than one would expect. @Rodfac 's story is similar to what I heard from other shooters when I was active in Highpower. Some folks even liked the Colt barrels for their rattle battle rifles to spare their "good barrels" from the wear of repeated rapid fire strings on the National Team Infantry Trophy course of fire.

I have a Colt 6920 that shoots about like @C-grunt describes from his experience: around 2-MOA with good 55gr FMJ ammo, and under 1.5-MOA with match hollow points. Considering it has a red dot sight, a mil-spec trigger and isn't free-floated, I wouldn't expect much better performance from any other type of barrel.

I have a Colt 1:7 20" barrel on my parts bin AR. With 77gr hand loaded Match Kings it will put 5 shots into a group the size of my thumbnail at 100y off a sandbag with a 4x ACOG as the optic.

Mine was free, so I can't speak to the cost benefit analysis. But it has been an accurate barrel over thousands of rounds of 55, 69, and 77gr bullets. It does not like 62g. And by does not like, I mean 3-4 moa at 100. Not terrible, but it is much better than that.

I have to ask, is that 3-4 MOA with the 3-piece M855 penetrator bullets, or does it also include the generic "62gr FMJ" stuff? I think I've fired exactly 40 rounds of M855-type ammo out of my 6920 and I don't recall being impressed with its accuracy.

 

[Robert]

I have to ask, is that 3-4 MOA with the 3-piece M855 penetrator bullets, or does it also include the generic "62gr FMJ" stuff? I think I've fired exactly 40 rounds of M855-type ammo out of my 6920 and I don't recall being impressed with its accuracy.

Generic stuff. Penetrators are not allowed on our range and I've never fired them through my rifle. So it very well could have been that particular ammo, I don't remember which brand, but I had other options that it shoots just fine so I stuck with those.

 

[CraigC]

I don't have an answer the this specific question but always assume anything with "Colt" stamped on it carries a 20-40% premium for the rampant pony. That you can get something at least as good for less, or better if you spend the same amount. Maybe that applies here, maybe it doesn't but it's something to think about.

 

[wanderinwalker]

Generic stuff. Penetrators are not allowed on our range and I've never fired them through my rifle. So it very well could have been that particular ammo, I don't remember which brand, but I had other options that it shoots just fine so I stuck with those.

That just gives further evidence to my belief that folks espousing the "accuracy benefits with 62-grain ammo" back in the day of 1-9" twist barrels were mostly trying to get any kind of usable accuracy out of mediocre bullets.

 

[bfoosh006]

Colt barrels can produce outstanding accuracy. But it can be a crap shoot.
Look through this link... granted Molon uses handloads... but given the results with those, I'd be comfortable buying a Colt Barrel.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/AR-15/Molon-Reference-Links/118-693858/

 

[Peakbagger46]

The group pictured is from my Daniel Defense 16” Chromed lined barrel with no load development (but good components and solid reloading practices). One would expect about the same from a similar Colt barrel.

Stainless barrels crafted well will probably do better but with some trade off on ease of cleaning and longevity.

 

[TonyAngel]

Yes, colt barrels are good, but come at a premium. There are other good barrels out there as well. Criterion, Centurion, Daniel Defense....

My goto has been Criterion and I haven't been disappointed.

 

[tark]

My HBAR Colt from the late 80's had a 1:7 twist, and a NATO chamber. With a free floated bbl., and it's excellent GI pattern sights it held to MOA standards throughout my participation in CMP National Match competition.

I, also, had that exact same gun during the 80s. I won a lot of "dimes" matches with it.

Tape a Dime to the X ring at 100 yards, and everybody gets a shot. Those whom dimes are still there drop out. The last remaining dime won the pot. It was deadly serious competition, as the buy in was $100. We often had seven or eight shooters. I had better eyes back then and I paid for the gun by winning matches.

Oh! The good old days!!!