So I’m looking to build a general purpose rifle. I already have a short gun and a heavy barrel rifle so I want something in between.
I was thinking a pencil barrel 18 inch rifle with a LPVO. I was looking at both true pencil barrels and Faxon’s Gunner profile but the general feedback was both are very heat sensitive.
I’ve expanded my research into Ballistic Advantage Hansen Profile, Roscoe medium profile, or Faxon Gov’t profile barrels. I’m trying to stay under 30 ounces and $300. Any suggestions?
I think that a BA Hanson 16" would fit the bill well for you… All the ones I have shot were very accurate. Weight distribution was good… Not sure I understand why you want to go to 18" for GP rifle but… I personally would stick with 16".
Triarc is another barrel with Great profile and superb accuracy, along with Criterion ( if you can find one)
Asking what barrel is best is like asking what flavor Ice Cream someone likes. I am not a fan of Faxon based on several experiences with their barrel
Im just giving my $.02 based on my experiences… YMMV
*** Just saw an 18" Criterion in EE Section for a good price…Just saying… I have no dog in this hunt… but it is a nice bbl****
My personal experience with Hanson Profile BA Barrels has been favorable. My two 16" are around 1 1/4" to 1 3/4" at 100 yds, 5 shot benched groups with 1-6X LPVOs using BH mk 262.
These may have grouped better using more glass.
I have a Criterion 16" that is 1" to just under at 100 yds. with similar optic and same ammo.
I used to think FN was a guaranteed good choice for precision, till I got one that’s mediocre at best. My first one, part of a PSA Premium upper assembly, is better but not what I would consider good.
IMHO, for the money ($280. free shipping and no sales tax), the Criterion Core series 18" inch, chrome lined, rifle gas, 1-8 twist, 30.4 ounces, Wylde chamber, matte black barrel is hard to beat. For an accurate and hard use rifle, the pre lapped chrome lined barrel will have a longer barrel life than comparable stainless steel barrels.
The inherent accuracy of the Core series barrels with good match ammo is usually 3/4”-1 MOA .
I was just shopping around on my buddys site (John Hwang of Rainier Arms) looking on my own quest for an 18" barrel, and ran across the below. I have a barrel from the same RA series that someone had returned and claimed it didn’t group well.
I wrote up a thread about one of the barrels in this series that was returned, but the end result is shown below. Again, this is a supposed defective barrel, that once cleaned, shot groups off a bipod that measured out at four groups of five rounds each that averaged .724 MOA with 69 grain Sierra Matchking, and a best group of .480 MOA.
I make no claim in being the best shooter, but that sold me on the barrels in that series from RA. Best of all, its $260 (I think your mark was under 3 hundo), and in stock.
I had the heavier version of that one, and it was a fantastic shooter. I can’t say that it was as good as the one I linked to, but I’ll happily admit that I don’t know if I shot all the same variations of ammo, it perhaps that would have made the difference. I also feel that some barrels that come off the line are “magic”, while others produced that same day are only “really good”. Not sure if that makes sense or not to anyone else. I gave my WOA barreled upper away to a good buddy who has shot more people than me and is an awesome vet and fantastic guy. That dude is cool enough that he got the upper with DD rail and 4x optic for being so great.
Light weight, within budget, and from a company that allows returns if you are unhappy for any reason. Stick says his shoots very well. They have a military discount.
Just order it
I would suggest emailing them and asking if they will verify headspace if you purchase a bolt.
Edit - I do realize that other great barrels have been suggested. GM, WOA, Criterion, etc. and you are almost guaranteed to end up with an AR that just flat out shoots with any of them.
I also agree there are a lot of great barrels out there. RA is probably not the only one who has a guarantee, but it is something to think about if the barrel being a good shooter concerns you.
While the Crane Spec Centurion Arms MK12 18 inch barrel is an excellent barrel, it weighs 38.3 ounces. The OP said he is trying to stay at 30 oz or under.
