I have received all of my items from the great Centurion Group Buy. I have some parts already purchased but for the first time ever, I am stuck on a barrel for this build.
Hers is what I have planned or already have for this build…
Centurion Lower, Upper receiver and 13" CMR handguard.
Centurion BCG
Colt Lower parts kit and Receiver Extension
Geissele Super Tricon Trigger
Geissele Airborne Charging Handle
BCM Stock and Grip
DD Fixed front sight
KAC rear sight
Trijicon MRO on Sphur mount
Dead Air Sandman K suppressor and mount…
I have no clue what barrel to put on this build. I am leaning heavily toward a 14.5" middy of some type. I was also kicking around a Noveske Afghan barrel but I don’t know if i want a stainless steel barrel that will be suppressed most of the time.
What are your thoughts?
Price isn’t much of a concern.
I’d like to keep it light but the barrel must also support the suppressor without crazy POI shifts.
Cory, check out Faxon. I don’t see any reason to not use a SS barrel with a suppressor. I ran that 10.5" SS barrel with a suppressor and the Binary trigger for awhile and it held up fine. I would suggest that you Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200 and go straight to the Colt 14.5" SOCOM barrel, but it’s not a middy.
The Faxon Gunner profile is a good choice. It tapers like a sporter weight barrel, putting mass at the chamber for better heat control and quick handling. There’s a reason the sporter weight taper has been the most popular hunting rifle barrel profile for many decades.
14.5" Gunner 4150 QPC, if you prefer. Costs less than the SS version. I replaced the 10.5" SS barrel with the 11.5" QPC barrel from PSA because it was cheap and I wanted the extra velocity. It too has held up well. http://faxonfirearms.com/14-5-gunner-5-56-nato-mid-length-4150-qpq/
Faxon used to have the option of selecting a matched bolt on the website. I didn’t see it offered with either Gunner barrel. I don’t know if they are no longer offering that service, but in my opinion, it helps precision and is worth doing. You might call them on the phone and see if you can still get a matched bolt with the barrel.
Plan on using an SLR adjustable gas block with the suppressor.
I have and have had several Daniel Defense barrels.
I think they are too over gassed for my application.
I am not planning on using any adjustable gas block, the Sandman K is a 30 cal can and should be able to be tamed with an H or H2 buffer.
I do like my Colt SOCOM barrel but it is not a middy, still not a definite no.
I have a DD 10.3" that is pretty over gassed. It’s the only rifle that gets finicky when I suppress it.
I have a DD 14.5 Mid that fails to lock back with 223 pressure ammo.
I had a DD 12.5 on my M-16 that I shot out. I didn’t think it was too over gassed, had no functioning issues but I replaced it with a Noveske 12.5 CHF and this thing shoot like a dream.
I had a DD 11.5 and it was super smooth and I should have never sold that upper but money was tight.
So from my experience, DD is too unpredictable for me.
No worries.
I’m still open to anything.
This rifle could potentially be a patrol rifle for work if they approve the SOP I wrote for them and allow personal owned patrol rifles. That’s why I want to keep it light, accurate and simple.
I have an Noveske Afghan and like it very much. I run it suppressed 100% of the time. Ill take it out tomorrow and see how gassy it is. I don’t remember it being gassy, but Ill check. It has an ACOG so Ill try some groups for shits and giggles and see how can do.
First off, I readily admit I am a Green Mountain Barrel fanboi.
Keeping this mind from your OP:
Price isn’t much of a concern.
I’d like to keep it light but the barrel must also support the suppressor without crazy POI shifts.
This is a 14.5 mid-length: http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/gm-m19-14-5-5-56mm-midlength/ $177.00 5.56 mm, 1:7 twist, 14.5", 4150 steel, M4 Replacement barrel for mid length gas system, chrome line bore and chamber, button rifled, stress relieved, air gauged, drilled gas port hole, assembled with M4 extension, muzzle thread 1/2 x 28.
If you look at the pictures the profiles are the same except the 14.5 only has a little over 3.1 inches of the final profile versus a little over 4.6 for the 16 inch. I really haven’t measured POI shift, I get on 2/3 IPSC plates at 200 yards with and without suppressor on this rifle.
It weighs 1.9 pounds so I imagine the 14.5 would go at about 1.6 or 1.7. It is a 1:8 twist so I can’t speak to the 14.5’s 1:7 twist accuracy.
I run the 10.5 inch little brother of these on my SBR - http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/gm-m26-10-5-5-56mm-nato-1-7/ It is also a 1:7 and weighs 1.35 pounds, so I reckon 1.7 would be a close guess for the 14.5. (ETA - this is my HD rifle, I generally shoot it suppressed - Silencerco Omega - and honestly, I couldn’t speak to poi shift with and without suppressor.
I’m really happy with the accuracy of all the GM barrels I have used - probably around a dozen.
Current Noveske midlengths are on the gassy side of port sizes, they run 0.081-0.082" on both 14.5" and 16". Faxon is about the same 0.080" for midlenth.
I shot my Noveske Afghan today and it shot lights out. Mark shot a .5 MOA group with out 62 grain BTHP and a sub MOA group with 77grain Nosler OTM’s. Should be the other way around but fatigue is fatigue. I ran it out to 750 yards no problem starting at 100 yards.
Great barrel , buy with confidence. It wasn’t too gassy either with a Sig Ti 556 QD can.
Build
Mur Upper
Vltor A5 buffer
Noveske barrel
Geiselle rail
Sig QD Ti 556 can
BCM lower SSA trigger bla bla bla