I took an interest in Ballistic Advantage when I saw that they had 10.3 inch barrels in 5.56. I’ve been trying to find a 10.3 inch barrel with the correct gas port diameter so that I can replace the barrel in my Daniel Defense MK 18 with something that isn’t stupidly over-gassed.
After a couple of phone calls without producing any results but going to voicemail I sent an email to their customer service department asking if they could tell me what size of Gasport these particular barrels had. The response I received was that they would not discuss specific measurements of the gas ports on their barrels but it was “smaller than the industry average”. I did send a further inquiry as to whether they would refund and accept the return of a barrel that doesn’t meet the customer’s specifications and whether I would have to return it after taking a 0.071" and 0.072" pin gauge to the barrel after receiving it. It’s been close to two weeks with no response to that inquiry in my case.
I ask the same question in February of 2014 with the same answer.
Also my phone calls nearly always went to voicemail.
Nevertheless I have really enjoyed my purchase and wouldn’t hesitate to purchase again based on the product quality and generally very responsive emails. My guess is they probably don’t have enough staff to fully man the phones.
I went with an adjustable gas block, so port size wasn’t as big a deal for me in the end.
I too asked about the gas port size after purchasing a barrel in February. Email went unanswered. I wonder if their recent purchase by Aero Precision has anything to do with it?
I inquired in regards to gas port size and this was there response :
"Good morning,
Appreciate the inquiry. The gas port size of 5.56 10.3” Hanson carbine .073 and the 11.5” 5.56 is .076. Please let me know if you have any other questions.
Thanks!
Kyle Ware
Ballistic Advantage, LLC
2516 JMT Industrial Dr.
Units 106-109
Apopka, FL 32703
407-739-7664"
**I have not verified on my barrel, but my 10.3" Hanson seems very conservatively ported.
ETA:
Also per weaponoutfitters:
" The barrels are 4150 chrome moly vanadium and melonited for strength. The receiver extensions are Nickel Boron coated for durability and ease of cleaning. Gas blocks are factory pinned, and most importantly, the barrels are designed specifically to have the best balance of weight, strength, and accuracy.
A few unique things Hanson barrels do is that they buck trends: these barrels usually have shorter gas systems to better aid with inherent accuracy through superior harmonics. Years ago I learned that midlength gas system SPR barrels generally were more consistent and accurate than rifle length gas systems… through Denny of Global Tactical Supply (GTS) and now… I finally know why! Shorter gas systems also give the system more leway in regards to performance with and without cans. All that extra dwell time matched to an intelligent gas port size allows for the weapon to be less picky with ammunition and suppressor use."
Also, it’s worth noting that the non-hanson 10.3" barrels may have a different port size. When I spoke to them on the phone to request them to email me the port size, he said the Hanson series had the smallest port. The weapon outfitters blog post would seen to affirm that as well with the “intelligent port size” spec’d by the designer Mr. Hanson.
Ballistic did not include the government profile 10.3 port size in their email.
After batteling the gas port size on SBRs for a long time. Including my .082 gas port on my MK18, I recently purchased the Aero 14.5 carbine barrel with advertised .064 gas port and had it cut to 10.7 inches to work with true 10 inch handguards. I put it together last week and got to take it to the range this past weekend. With a lot of folks skeptical about the .064 running on that barrel length, I will say it does run. With a Vltor A5 system and the A5H3 buffer. The buffer weighed 6.24 oz on my scale. Ran awesome with federal LC xm193 ammo. It would however short stroke with 223, but ran on 5.56. This was by far the softest shooting rifle in any caliber I have ever handeled. Ever. This rifle was meant to be suppressed full time, but wanted to run it without the can to see what it would do. Just putting into prospective that much smaller ports run on shorty SBRs. With trying to battle or componsate large ports with adj gas blocks and crazy springs, buffers, gas busters, etc etc, I would really say the only way to go is just spend the 75-90 bucks to get a properally sized gas port barrel cut down.
I have a 10.3 Hanson profile barrel and love it. I’ve had it since last July and run it suppressed (m4-2000) and with a Vltor A5H3. I’ve had no problems and have primarily used Remington green/white box ammo.
I noticed a lot of the BA 5.45 stuff is on sale on their web sight, but I didn’t see any 5.45 bolts. Any of you guys know if they will be getting those in stock again?
I’ve been using BA barrels for the last 2-3 years now good success
18" premium barrel for my MK12 Mod 1
16" premium barrel for my 5.45x39 Recce
11.5" modern barrel for my SBR
I will be ordering a 20" premium DMR profiled barrel for my SAM-R build soon and I’d like to compare it to the Krieger SS.
I went to the Ballistic Advantage shop on April 9th 2015, and the staff was really great. Let me tell you, they are super busy and working on new products. They are working on getting bolts ready for manufacture and they will start pumping out completed uppers again in the future. I’ll try to post up pics of groups once im able to make it back out to the range with enough ammo.
16" Midlength barrel have from them has been running great, gas port is smaller than any of the other Midlength barrels I have ran. I want to say it was .062" vs .072-.085" in the other middys I have owned. Very accurate. The softest shooting AR I have ran, and very well behaved suppressed. I was suppressed to find it would still cycle wolf on a H2 buffer, I had expected it to be on the edge of cycling.
I have a few of the BA barrels and they’re pretty good. Regarding the discussion on the gas port sizes, mine are kind of all around the map. I have a 12.5" barrel that came with a 0.063" gas port. That’s pretty small for unsuppressed 223 use, but it works great suppressed so I’ve left the port alone for now and really only shoot that one suppressed. My AP branded 10.5" barrel came with a 0.078" port which is on the larger side. I prefer the smaller ports as I can just drill 'em out to a larger size if needed.
