5.56 Barrel

[everready73]

I just cant recommend Faxon anymore. One bad experience and countless others read online. I wouldnt be being KAK either, they are not a barrel maker. Prob just a rebranded cheap barrel

I would be looking at BA and Rosco if on a budget. Primary arms has sales and Granite Ridge, ArmorAlly, and Right to Bear have good deals on BA

If you have a 6920 and want a comparable barrel, Sionics makes a nice lightweight chrome barrel for about $180 and they are shooters.

[opngrnd]

I just cant recommend Faxon anymore. One bad experience and countless others read online. I wouldnt be being KAK either, they are not a barrel maker. Prob just a rebranded cheap barrel

I would be looking at BA and Rosco if on a budget. Primary arms has sales and Granite Ridge, ArmorAlly, and Right to Bear have good deals on BA

If you have a 6920 and want a comparable barrel, Sionics makes a nice lightweight chrome barrel for about $180 and they are shooters.

Good point. If you look at sales on Sionics barrels at Primary Arms, you can sometimes get one below $160. I have had great results with Sionics, and they are my go to recommendation for people I help set up their first rifle. I've seen 10+ of their barrels so far. Just one guy's observation with a handful of happy shooters who agree.

[AndyLate]

My 20" Faxon Gunner shot very well until I decided I wanted a heavier 18" barrel, but the inconsistency in results just here on this site indicates to me that their QC is spotty at best.

Andy

[SeriousStudent]

I have had really good luck with Criterion barrels lately.

[Pappabear]

I don't know if you will ever run it suppressed, if so buy a Sionics reduced gas pressure barrel. Quite honestly it is a great barrel with or without a can.

PB

[ViniVidivici]

I would also recommend BA, very happy with mine. They go on sale all the time too.

[SmugPePe]

Oh boy! Choosing from those choice are hard. I would reach for faxon but after reading few post here of faxon I'm very alarmed of them. But I would still chose faxon over kak. If i am able to get them both and shoot them both, if Kak shoot substantially better I would chose it over faxon and fire it slowly to prolong it's life. My experience with ar-15 barrels which all happen to be 16". Long ago I built and then sold many uppers. In my experience all of barrel I have used was submoa barrels with 69gr SMK FGMM. I've had DPMS ap4 carbine bringback with 1/9 cmv gov. profile barrel naked of any nitriding or CL it shot very well with 69 FGMM a submoa 5 shot group reliably after maybe 2k of bi-metal bullet from cheap tula and wolf mag dumping barrel open up to 1moa always almost submoa not close to 2moa at all then I sold it during one of panic. Then I rapidly went through few upper but the barrels was PSA cmv which I shot over 5k rapid firing with steel case ammo which really ate that barrel which start off submoa ez with 69smk FGMM to 2moa but I still loved that barrel cause I believe it performed well for extremely harsh treatment I gave it, I believe it was made by FN. Then I used doublestar 1/7 CL barrel which I remember vividly due to it's bore which had tons of fine chatter mark showing through the CL that retained a lot of copper fouling regardless it shot very well submoa reliably with FGMM I never shot much in that upper before selling it. Then I used spikes tactical ar which had spikes CL barrel (made by FN) that shot submoa reliably I shot maybe 1k before selling that ar. I had major difficulty removing barrel on that son of bitch spikes. However, I then went to FN CL 1/7 gov. profile barrel which is one of my favorite, the bore was mirror smooth shot submoa easily. I shot maybe 2k mixed ammo between federal value pack 223 that walmart used to sell and cheap steel case it still shot submoa before I sold it. Then I went to Bushmaster 1/9 HBAR CL which is my other favorite barrel that shot submoa and I could shoot longer and more accurately with it. I would buy CL over any other barrel every time but I respect untreated and unlined CMV barrel they can shoot well for long time if you just shoot really slowly and let it cool. I have yet to come across any ar-15 barrel that was not submoa *knock on wood. I especially I hope my Daniel Defense 18" CL middy is submoa too. I single like single loading my ar if I'm shooting for group for I noticed the magazine tension changing as it unload underneath BCG affected group size. I am of belief that for most case most barrel even cheap barrel will shoot submoa with right load (sometime handloading required) unless it's really trash barrel with bad chamber, uneven stressed barrel, bent, bad crown, wrong length for harmonic, wrong muzzle device weight and/or length for the barrel profile and length etc.

If you get bad barrel, don't feel bad, just see it as beater upper for magdumping and build another with nice upper and barrel. Nothing feel better as magdumping after stressful day, ahhhhhhh. Even if your barrel are 2 moa you can still hit your target, it just might take more shots...

Grab Faxon, if it shot like shit with few match ammo(be sure to try 69gr SMK FGMM) maybe Faxon might replace it for you, they have reputable to keep. Be sure to clean and grease the upper threading and tighten the nut to at least 40ft/lb and loosen it repeat that at least 3 time then tighten it to spec requested by manufactuer of upper, barrel, or handguard take your pick. I prefer tighter like 60 ft/lb. Be sure the upper face and barrel extension shoulder are absolutely clean and greased. Be sure to mount your quality scope in quality ring properly and employ all marksman fundamentals repeatability and being consistent is key to tiny groups. Also barrel can go from shit then submoa with polishing of the bore or cleaning of the bore.

[5shank]

Keep talking cause I'm still listing! Where else can I get good info with out opening my wallet? It's nice when a guy can sidestep a money trap and with so many options there is no limit to the mistakes a guy can make.

[titsonritz]

No personal experience but for a cheap barrel I'm hear good things about the Rosco Bloodline Barrel from ADM...
https://www.americandefensemanufactu.../product/1490/

[everready73]

Right to Bear, primary arms, and Granite Ridge soon sell BA barrels, have good prices and are gtg.

Right to bear and primary arms ship very fast and usually my go to s if they have what I am after

556 or Wylde chamber are fine. I like 556 personally for a hard use gun, but for precision barrel Wylde or compass lake chamber are good