Good budget AR barrels?

[Paddy]

Looking for a new barrel in Wylde possibly, 18-20" for competing. Any good deals on them anywhere? Spent my allowance on other stuff so trying to stay frugal. Thanks.

Also, what's best as far as finish?

Melonited
Parkerized
Stainless
Chrome lined vanadium
4130
4150
?

 

[HOOfan_1]

competing in what event?

 

[tcoz]

For frugality check MAS Defense barrels. I don't know about the competing part though.

 

[gotigers]

Rainier Arms Match barrels, White Oak Armament or Wilson Combat.

I would go stainless, heavy profile, Wylde chamber, 1:8 twist. 16-18" for 3 gun. 20" for National Match.

Don't worry about fluting. Chrome lining is great for longevity and some are accurate, but i would not get chrome lining for comp.

 

[Paddy]

Cool thanks. Yes this is for 3 gun. I had a nice green mountain barrel but traded it recently. Why stainless? Also, I don't see the rifling mfg process listed very often in the specs of the barrels. Not sure why as I thought this was relevant. Maybe not these days.

And as far as twist rates, is there a down side to faster twist like 1-8,1-7? My main food for this will be some 55gr soft points so can probably use 1:9,1:10 barrels but just wondering if faster always better?

 

[ugaarguy]

Also, what's best as far as finish?

Melonited
Parkerized
Stainless
Chrome lined vanadium
4130
4150
?

4130, 4140, and 4150 are all grades of Chrome Molybdenum Vanadium alloyed tool steels. These steels are typically parkerized on the outside. The bore and chamber can be chrome lined or left unlined. They can also be Melonited (Tennifer, Tufftride, Black Nitride; all forms of Nitrogen Salt Bath / Ferritic Nitro Carburizing) inside and out.

Chrome lining adds thickness so the bores are made over size to account for the thickness of the chrome lining. It's very difficult to get an absolutely uniform thickness chrome lining, chrome lined bores are typically less accurate than unlined bores. Chrome lining increases bbl life and greatly increases corrosion resistance.

Melonite, etc, is a chemical treatment process that produces an extremely thin carbon layer of uniform thickness on the surface. Because it's so thin there is no need to overbore. The uniform thickness and overall thinness of the carbon layer mean that there is no loss of accuracy. Nitrided bbls have the same life as chrome lined bbls of the same steel alloy. Nitriding greatly increases corrosion resistance, but it's probably not quite as corrosion resistant as hard chrome.

Stainless steel is just that, a bbl made from some corrosion resistant steel alloy, with 416 being the most common. Sometimes they're coated on the outside for cosmetic reasons like matching the rifle or reducing reflection.

 

[Paddy]

Thanks for that explanation! So, is corrosion resistance for environmental reasons or to resist corrosive combustion gasses?

Palmetto has a 16" 5.56 chamber barrel for 90$ right now. Not sure who makes it but the price sure is appealing.

 

[gotigers]

Cool thanks. Yes this is for 3 gun. I had a nice green mountain barrel but traded it recently. Why stainless? Also, I don't see the rifling mfg process listed very often in the specs of the barrels. Not sure why as I thought this was relevant. Maybe not these days.

And as far as twist rates, is there a down side to faster twist like 1-8,1-7? My main food for this will be some 55gr soft points so can probably use 1:9,1:10 barrels but just wondering if faster always better?

Rifling can be cut, button,polygonal or 5r, anything. For 3 gun it isn't critical.

1:8 will stabilize up 77 grain. It will shoot the heavy bullets very accurate. 55 won't be as accurate as 1:9, bit will be plenty good enough for 3 gun. I have a 1:8 which i shoot a 55 grain bulk inside 100 yards and 75gr hornady bthp match reloads for over 100 yards. I usually shoot less than 30 of the match loads per match. I find this set up to be very affordable. I would suggest 1:8, because it will shoot 55gr well and if you ever shoot long distance you will need to shoot heavy bullets. It is just more flexible.

 

[Paddy]

Great info thanks! Well this one isn't stainless, or Wylde, or 1:8 but it is cheap and possibly worth abusing for a comp gun?

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index.php/16-cm-5-56-1-7-mid-length-melonite-m4ext.html

 

[Inebriated]

What is your projected round count, accuracy requirement, and preference on barrel length and gas system length?

Skimping on the barrel and bolt is the most shortsighted thing a person could do. Spend your money on those two.

 

[gotigers]

Paddy
Great info thanks! Well this one isn't stainless, or Wylde, or 1:8 but it is cheap and possibly worth abusing for a comp gun?

http://palmettostatearmory.com/index...ite-m4ext.html

wow! great deal. That will be a good start. Remember barrels are perishable and are easy to replace. If this gets you into the sport and gives you a fair chance, then go for it. You can always upgrade later. Wylde is better, but not much better. My current barrel is chambered in NATO. 1:7 is perfectly good twist for 55-80gr bullets. 55gr might suffer a little precision with 1:7. Not enough to worry about at this point.

Spend your savings on good optics. That will take another thread.

 

[Paddy]

Exactly! I don't know round count, but for starts its not crazy. Seems like about 50/ match so less than normal blasting session in the woods for us. I have a decent bolt, and optics are undecided but I have a burris scout scope that I'm considering using which is different. A fellow pointed me toward jse surplus barrel that's 1:8 and Wylde, might go that route instead.
Thanks again for the info, I know y'all could've said "use search bar" instead and I appreciate that you shared instead.

 

[Robert]

Don't forget Aero Precision. Maybe not the most inexpensive out there but very good quality parts.

 

[tcoz]

I might be totally off base here, but it seems like if you're looking for a comp barrel, you'd want to buy something better than a starter barrel. I know it's for 3 gun where accuracy isn't as important, but it still matters for something plus I'll bet your round counts will increase over time. For plinking it would be ok, but even then I'd want something other than the cheapest barrel I could find. As many have said, the barrel and bolt are the most important components in your gun and I'd buy the best I could afford of both.

Set me straight if I'm looking at this wrong.

 

[Paddy]

Well the matches I'm in now seem to top out at about 250-300 yds. And YES for me this is a long way!! So, accuracy always wanted but I also know that higher cost isn't always going increase accuracy so that's why I'm polling the experts. The gun is vltor Cnc upper, free floated guard, and a phase5 BCG with a nice single stage trigger. It's set up with a different caliber now that isn't applicable to the sport.

 

[HRnightmare]

I just ordered a MAS defense barrel. I read great reviews. I ignorantly cut the delta ring off my receiver because it would not budge. In doing so I cut the receiver and barrel. So I am trying to put it back together as cheap as possible. I went with an Aero Precision upper and MAS barrel.

Just under $200. now my RRA SBR is a "frankengun"(?). Oh well. If it goes boom when I tell it too I am happy. I'm not a brand fanatic.

 

[Paddy]

It would be tough to find an AR that didn't have at least a little Franken in it.

 

[tcoz]

I just ordered a MAS defense barrel. I read great reviews. I ignorantly cut the delta ring off my receiver because it would not budge. In doing so I cut the receiver and barrel. So I am trying to put it back together as cheap as possible. I went with an Aero Precision upper and MAS barrel.

I put a MAS Defense barrel on my 300 BLK upper build. It's a great barrel, especially considering what I paid for it.