Been looking at the Daniel Defense 18 inch s2w barrel, On the verge of building a SPR in a 556 it’s about half the price of a Noveske SPR barrel which makes it an attractive candidate for the build. Thanks in advance.
Tagged for interest.
Profile looks interesting. Also thinking of building an SPR type rifle, this barrel may have some promise.
got a reply from a DD rep basically it’s your standard CHF barrel and what makes it different is the profile, less whip thus more accurate since it’s very ridgid. Might try it out at some point but I ended up ordering a Noveske SPR with a switchblock MAN I can’t wait.
Is it chrome lined?
My bad, yes it is. 1:7 twist mid lenght gas system.
I’ve had one since spring of last year. Built up with a FSB and 12" lite rail FSP. A battlecomp up front and an A5 reciever extension/spring/buffer on the lower.
With black hills 77 grn reloads I was getting under 1 moa without a solid rest. Rifle shoots great and very smooth. They definately seem to have done their homework on the gasport sizing. One other thing I noticed is that the bore appears to get tighter towards the muzzle when running a patch or brush down the bore.
The barrel also does not get nearly as hot a government profile barrel when running a bunch of rounds through it.
also interested, the S2W has a lot going for it on paper
How many shots in the sub-moa group?
I think it was 10 shot group. May have been 5, not sure since it’s been over 9 months since testing ammo with it.
I’ll have to throw a scope on there and try again some time.
As I’ve had way too much fun with it using just irons lately.
I will say that it did not like 75 grain ammo when I did test it. Though it did seem to like 69 grain.
Thanks, AUW.
Any more builds/info on this barrel?
During the panic parts shortage, I ended up finishing a build with a 16inch CL gas barrel/mock dissipator RL magpul handguards that was originally planned to be an 18 inch build.
I had planned on a RL gas with the 18 inch , not ML like this one, but for some reason still a little interested in how this barrel has panned out for others.
Thanks.
After a look on the DD website, the additional information about the 18" S2W 5.56 barrel states “No” where it says “Chrome Lined”. I have heard many things to the contrary in researching the S2W barrel, including websites selling it stating that it is CL in the description. Can anyone give absolute clarrification? DD itself says no, that it is CHF and the “Outside” finish is Salt Bath Nitride. It would only make sense if the bore is not CL that the whole thing be SBN (read Melonite-like characteristics). Given the reports of the excellent accuracy of this barrel, this would be consistant with what others are saying about inherent accuracy of Melonite or SBN barrels over that of equal barrels that are CL. While the thicker profile of the barrel would help in the accuracy department, a CL sub-moa barrel would be tough to do given the inconsistencies often found in the CL of even the best CL barrels (DD being among the best). If anyone can verify the Salt Bath Nitride coating on the inside as well as out instead of CL, please do, as I really want this barrel; however, I want to know EXACTLY what I am getting.
Also, anyone with more accuracy reports on this barrel? I am looking for it to be pretty awesome to overcome my disappointment in DD for no longer using Mr. Vickers to endorse their product. If this makes me a “fan boy” or “Desciple of Vickers”, so be it, I have been called much worse!
I can’t comment specifically about the 5.56 s2w barrel, but I recently received a 16" 6.8 s2w. It is not CL and by looking into the chamber and bore you can see it has the same finish inside and out.
It would be pretty silly to plug the bore and chamber before dropping it into the salt bath.
FWIW, my S2W blackout barrel is not chrome lined.
Not chrome lined, but melonited. This is where a lot of its accuracy comes from. I would expect it to outlast a SS barrel.
If they made 11.5’’ ones, they’d be win.
If their 14.5 chf barrels are any indicator it will be great. I shot mine for groups using a 2.5-10 and my first 5 shot group was .69 using 69grain federal gold medal. 10 shot group was right at 1 inch. All shot from a bag not bipod.
I would have pulled the trigger on this barrel already, except I want RL gas on an 18.
A light profile, RL gas, accurate 18 inch is on my list for my “last” build.
What are some good contenders?
Something reprofiled by ADCO. Even a 20" cut down and rethreated might be easier than finding the perfect 18".
If DD didn’t mandate you buy a midlength gas port (or even sold undrilled barrels), I would have bought one already.