I’m looking to build up a varmint rifle. looking for the heavy target barrel.
Other than bushmaster’s website, any suggestions where to purchase a 24" Bushmaster Varminter Extra Heavy Fluted Barrel Assembly?
thanks
wired1979
I can’t help you on the bushy barrel, but if you want serious accuracy you can’t go wrong with any of these;
http://www.whiteoakarmament.com/
http://noveskerifleworks.com/cgi-bin/imcart/display.cgi?cat=17
http://www.riflebarrels.com/products/ar.htm
http://www.shilen.com/ar15Barrels.html
http://www.hartbarrels.com/ar-15.php
http://www.lothar-walther.com/473.php
http://www.kriegerbarrels.com/DCM__AR_15-c1246-wp3394.htm
pkfirearms.com stocks selected BM barrels. Check with them, and if they don’t stock what you’r elooking for, perhaps thay can get it quicker than you.
ftf industries has bushmaster barrels… i know they have 20" hbars, dont know about 24". i’d call 'em if its not listed on the site.
Not to mention the price of the BM barrel is almost as much as some of the better barrels listed…
hmm,
you say “better barrels”
which would you consider higher quality and more accurate barrels?
thanks
wired1979
I dont have any experience with any of them, but the general consensus has been (for my purchase as well) that Sabre Defense, Noveske, and WOA make some amazing barrels for accuracy, and using the Bushmaster website as a price base, the BM barrel is $391 (with a tube handguard).
Sabre Defense heavy bench target (24") will run you $409 per their site, $325 from a certain site. This will probably offset the handguard cost, assuming you want to match what the Bushmaster comes with.
a Lothar-Walther barrel will run you about $400, per the link above.
From my readings, Noveske seems to be the brand to buy when accuracy is in question, but it does not appear that they make a barrel over 18" in length. I have had some detailed discussion with a worker there, and I was told that they were nailing prairie dogs at 450 yards with their barrels, so I can only assume, length aside, your needs will be met. The only loss is velocity, which may make or break the deal for you.
white oak armament will run you ~$300…
So all of that being said, allow me to rephrase my original post…
based on the needs it seems you have, there may be better choices based on the results I have read from other users here, and personal recommendations from companies who even went as far to comment on the superb quality of other companies.
you’re also going to need to take twist rate into account… as a varmint shooter, you’re probably using light varmint loads and will want a 1/9 or slower twist… noveske, for instance, doesn’t make anything slower than 1/7… most of the rest of those guys probably make varmint-specific barrels that’ll serve you well, however.
I do know that when bushmaster wants to make an accurate rifle they use Hart barrels, as they do with their PMR.