Ok I can buy a Spikes or DD hammerforged barrel for the same price
A friend who works at a lgs says DD because they forge their own barrels & Spikes are forged by FN who does them for alot of manufactures & each manufacturer might have different specs.What says the members?
both good barrels but at the same price I’ll go with the DD
They’re the same barrel length and profile?
If that’s a yes, the DD all day.
Although probably the two barrels are equal in quality and performance, I would go with the DD simply for resale value.
Buy both, and sell me one. (As long as its 10.3" or 10.5"). :dirol:
What they said…:dirol:
Sorry their 14.5 middys.
Eh that’ll work too. Been wanting to do a M4A1 RIS II build.
Go for a DD.
The spikes branded fn barrels are a lighter profile than the standard dd but not as light as the dd lw. I’ve assembled many uppers and rifles with the st barrels and they are gtg and most are capable of sub moa. They run better with at least an H buffer.
Between those two… DD hands down!
Between DD and BCM, whichever available and cheaper for me :).
What is funny about your comment is that FN is also doing BCM’s barrels. So the BCM and ST are essentially the same.
FN makes a lot of barrels for a lot of vendors, the difference is going to be the QC standard they are held to in those contracts, the tolerances in those contracts and the weight profiles for those contracts.
The only thing we can say for any certainty in regards to FN-originated barrels is that they are from FN.
The problem with is FN makes HF barrels or rumored to make HF barrels for at least 5 AR Builders. These are the following:
Spike’s Tactical
Palmetto State Armory
Noveske
Centurion Arms
BCM (rumored)
I would imagine the specs and Q/C would be similar because I think it would be more costly for FN to set up five different barrel lines and train your employees for five different specs.
Very true. In my experience they have been excellent barrels, but for some reason the ST brand doesn’t hold much weight around here. It could be the double dong logo, good thing the barrels mercifully do not have this logo.
This is right off of ST’s web site.
These Amazing CHF barrels are extremely durable with a 20,000+ round service life. These CHF barrels are turned to ST’s New Optimum barrel Profile. This New profile is lighter than government profile but beefier than a lightweight profile, it’s an “Optimum” profile. It weighs 26.4oz with M4 Barrel extension and no FSB on the 16" Barrel. The barrels have a .750" gas block seat with a properly sized gas port and the muzzle is threaded perfectly concentric to the Bore with 1/2x28 threads. These CHF barrels are made to the Mil-Spec for the M249 SAW. The Cold Hammer Forging process Work Hardens the steel around a rifled mandrel, which creates the lands and grooves. These barrels are chambered in 5.56 NATO, with a 1/7 Twist Rate. The barrel blanks are the correct Certified CMV material and they are also Hard Chrome lined to the M249 SAW Mil-Spec, which is almost twice as thick as the Hard Chrome on a Mil-Spec M4. The End Result is a Rifle that can be Run Hard Day after Day! Each barrel is HPT and MPI. They have Mil-Spec M4 barrel extensions, Mil-Spec Phosphate finish on the outside (under the front sight base as well).
The Spike’s “optimum” profile barrels from FN are awesome. Slightly heavier profile than a LW barrel, but lighter profile than a Government profile barrel. The barrel’s diameter is the same on both end of the gas block.
Here’s a picture with a profile-view of the different Spike’s barrels.
Top to bottom:
Spike’s Tactical 16" Lothar Walther, Mid-length, Medium profile, .750" gas block seat - 2lb 3oz, 994g
Spike’s Tactical 16" Lothar Walther, Mid-length, Melonite, Heavy Government profile, .750" gas block seat - 1lb 14oz, 856g
Spike’s Tactical 16" Lothar Walther, Mid-length, Medium profile (Fluted), .750" gas block seat - 1lb 13.6oz, 838g
Spike’s Tactical 16" LE, Mid-length, Government profile, .750" gas block seat - 1lb 11.7oz, 786g
Spike’s Tactical 16" FN CHF, Mid-length, Optimum profile, .750" gas block seat - 1lb 10.4oz, 748g
Spike’s Tactical 16" Lightweight LE, Mid-length, Lightweight profile, .625" gas block seat - 1lb 9.3oz, 718g
Spike’s Tactical 16" Lightweight Dissy LE, Lightweight profile, .625" FSB location with .750" gas block seat - 1lb 7.4oz, 664g
Many companies setup direct manufacturing lines to support a specific customer/contract. It streamlines production.
Can they produce good stuff? Absolutely, most of their rifles are actually pretty decent when you read the spec sheet.
Spikes’ problem is a)corporate attitude b)target customer base.
They are a local company to me and have always treated me right, going as far as when I went to their shop once being able to have my questions answered directly from Tom. But, after their price increase hours after the election in 2008 and attitude, they lost my business.
Never heard of it… but hey thanks for the info.
Just FYI, it has never been confirmed that FN is the manufacturer of BCM’s BHF barrels. It could also be DD, Remington, Ruger, Thompson Center, or even Colt Canada. I have no idea who makes LWRC’s barrels, but they may make their own. Also, Lilja sells hammer forged barrels here, as well, so they could also be the producer.
My bad, I was always under the impression that the BFH barrels were mfg’d by FN.