If you had to choose 3 of these for builds, which would you choose and why? Thanks.
16" Global Tactical Recon II 416 stainless 1/7 barrel from Douglas Blank with .223 Wylde chamber and mid-length gas
16" Rainier Arms Medcon Select stainless 1/8 barrel with 5.56 chamber and mid-length gas
16" Daniel Defense 1/7 CHF gov’t profile barrel with 5.56 chamber, pinned FSB and mid-length gas
18" Spikes Lother-Walther SPR fluted 1/8 LW-50 barrel with .223 wylde chamber and mid-length gas system
Refer to the chart…Daniel Defense should do!
I don’t follow? Should do what?
I don’t follow. Are you just wanting people’s opinions? What are you going to be doing with the guns? You’re going to get a hundred different answers if you’re merely asking for personal preferences.
Exactly what I was thinking.
I would chose one 16" barrel and an RDS and a variable scope mounted on quick release mounts. What will one 16" barrel do the other two won’t? Is the extra 2" of the 18" barrel going be enough of a difference to justify the extra cost? Instead of three ARs, you can build just two- “Two is one, one is none”
The only brand of barrel that you have listed that I have any direct experience with on an AR is the Daniel Defense option. I put an 18" Daniel Defense nitrocarburized 1:7 CHF barrel on one of my AR’s that needed a new barrel. If their 16" barrels are as good as the 18" that I received then you can’t go wrong with one from an accuracy and reliability standpoint.
My DD barrel is well finished inside and out, installed easily, head spaced correctly, and has functioned without any issues after getting some gas system issues sorted out. With 77gr Sierra Matchkings over a listed charge of Hodgdon CFE 223 I have been able to obtain multiple .5" five shot groups at 100 yards, with none going over .8" at the same distance shot off of a bench with sandbags. I even ran one group off the bipod of 15 rounds, and went into right at .9" at that distance.
I started reading the thread about .308 replacing the SPR rifle role and it got me questioning the use of the 18" barrel since I also have a .308 AR build. I guess I’m just in a quandary about which make most sense
Not what you’re wanting to hear, but I’d build both 16" stainless barrels into similar rifles and sell both other barrels and your extra parts for the third build to get high end optics for both rifles
I’ve got separate funds set aside for optics so that’s not a concern.
Keep the DD barrel. Turn that into a general purpose carbine. Or an M4A1 RIS II clone.
Keep Ranier barrel. Turn that into Mk. 12 Mod 01 clone, or SPR or something.
Shitcan the other two.
I understand the DD comment but anything you can add on why keep the Rainier select over the other two? Thanks.
Because I’ve never heard of Global Tactical II or whatever.
And I don’t know/trust Spikes.
Fair enough. Global Tactical was a shop run by a guy named Deny that produced some good products, so I’m okay with this barrel. Not sure who made it for them, but it was built using a Douglas barrel blank. The spikes is produced by Lothar Walther and I purchased through Rogtac. I feel is a good barrel as well.
That said, I understand your position on them. Thanks.
Ultimately, those are probably fine barrels as well. But I have no experience with them, and cannot recommend them.
My girlfriend’s dad has an SPR built with a Ranier barrel, and it’s all good. And DD is not usually the wrong choice.
So I guess the decision should be between the rainier select medcon and the spikes lothar walther spr barrels. I’ll continue to do my research to see what I want to do but still appreciate others thoughts as well. Thanks.
Lothar-Walther makes fine barrels. I have a 20" L-W that will place the shots touching at 100 yards with the right ammo. The barrel should also have come with it’s own matched bolt
No, this barrel didn’t come with a matched bolt. The ad didn’t indicate it would either though. It looks to be a very nice barrel but I’ve not assembled it or tried it.
**According to a little reading, the Global Tactical Recon barrels were made by WOA. I would assume that they might have made the “II” version of it as well, but I don’t know that for sure… only that it was a Douglas barrel blank.
If you’re looking for a precision gun there’s only three honestly good answers.
Monty’s Centurion Mk. 12 Mod. 01 guns/uppers that are built 100% to spec.
KAC LPR guns.
LaRue.
I prefer the above two options, with a slight preferance to KAC.
Those are all places you could look for good precision AR parts.
The Rainier barrels are damn good shooters. That I can confirm.