I have done many searches and read a lot of opinions about how the pencil lightweight barrel is inferior to the heavy barrel but has anyone on here actually had a lightweight barrel fail. If so, how many rounds, what ammo etc???
I like the weight savings and have heard a lot of great things about daniel’s defense…
I don’t recall reading any reports of a pencil barrel from a reputable manufacturer failing, and even the idea that it’s “inferior” is debated.
I keep reading the barrel losing accuracy because it heats up faster, wears out faster etc…I just want to hear from someone that has actually had an issue. Tired of reading opinions, I am pretty set on getting the version 5 LW…
You may have read that. But probably not here. There are a couple threads here where people debate the issue. But by far logic and experience rule in the end. The lightweight barrels are not inferior.
Compared to the government profile, they are the same diameter under the handguards. Theoretically, they should both fail at the same time.
i agree with pira114. the heat sink will be on the chamber end. there could possibly be a difference if you decided to dump several mags as fast as you could.
I still pull fist sized groups at 100yds from at Colt 6720 after the barrel is nice and warm from several hours of shooting. Never had any issues occur, at anytime yet. YMMV
The only issues that I have heard of is when putting a suppressor on a light weight barrel.
Veterans Day and you boys are arguing barrel failure… Its almost funny…weight difference from the truck to the range between a pencil and gov profile…just buy a mil spec barrel and call it a day
Lightweight barrels will heat up faster, but they also will cool faster.
Groups will open up as the barrel heats up faster than a standard profile barrel will.
A good question to ask is what your intended use for the rifle is.
I am happy with my M4V7 upper. A Colt 6720 with a T-1 is very handy.
I am happy with my M4V7 upper. A Colt 6720 with a T-1 is also very handy.
My intended use is three gunning and range time. I do not carry the weapon for any form of work but want something built to last. I want to get about a 30k round count out of the rifle. I know that the entire Vietnam war was fought with A1 pencil barrels so that inspires some confidence.
I just think we are getting back to opinions again, IE the possibility of suppressor issues. I would like to see some viable evidence that it is could have issues the heavy does not have. And correct me if I am wrong but isn’t the heavy barrel necked down after the receiver to a pencil diameter and the increases back to heavy after the gas block?
Anyone had any warping issues due to heat? Anyone with a high round count like 9 or 10k?
I am pretty set on the light weight as I can’t imagine Daniels Defense would put their name on something that would fail so easily. I just want to see a post from someone that has had an actual failure. Not trying to argue just discussing.
How would that create an issue? I am assuming accuracy would be affected when it gets real hot as the barrel would flex due to the extra weight on the end?
Anyone ever experienced this?
He may be referring to the test where the M4 SOCOM barrel kept shooting on long after the standard profile barrel shut down. 
There’s no roll, for me, that a light weight/Pencil barrel fills.
Actually the military is starting to adopt the pencil barrel back in some of their rifles. So the lightweight barrel is to be considered milspec? Correct me if I am wrong but milspec is the minimum qualifications a rifle can be built to and more pertaining to parts sizing than anything. I asked a rep at Daniels Defense why they do not use any magpul or tango down accessories IE grips etc on their rifles and was told they keep them milspec due to their gov contracts.
Well sort of, I just want to see where someone had one fail, warp, bend etc etc. All I can find are opinions which I like to see but would like to see some actual failure information but can’t find any.
Speaking of opinions why no pencil barrels for you?
That test involved modifiying an M4 to shoot automatic and shooting magazines after magazine through it as quickly as possible.
At least for me, that type of situation has as much chance as happening as the zombie appocalypse.
That’s funny and I agree. Do you have a link to the test you are referring to? What barrels were used?
They make no sense for me…
I look at the barrel like this… The farther the target, the slower the rate of fire, and the heavier the barrel the better for making those shots.
The CLOSER the target, the higher the rate of fire, and the heavier the barrel (to a point of diminishing returns), the more heat it can absorb. Hot chambers/barrels were cited as the cause of Malfs in the development of the Mk262 round. Higher chamber pressures from a round sitting in the gun during the pause in heavy firefight caused failures to extract.
can’t find the original, but this is part of it Utube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kzfm4pYhIyY
It compared a standart M4 profile to a heavy profile barrel. This is the second, heavy barrel (SOCOM?). I can’t find the first.
Found it
CRAZY. I think I’ll be fine with the lightweight or heavy. That is abou as many rounds I will shoot in a year. LOL