Screaming Deals on Armalite Barrels

[Green461]

I've never seen a coated Faxon barrel, all of mine were nitrided, but they all looked pretty good. Shot terrible, but looked good..

I bought an AR15 one precovid, was awesome. Perfect finish like you describe. Post covid.... I dont know what the F I got. Tiger stripes all over it, rough machine marks all over it, faded uneven nitride finish, all the nitride coating (its listed as NItride) is flaking off all the razor sharp edges so sharp you could shave with it. lol. The machine marks around the barrel were also rough.. The finish was the least of the problems though.... gas port in wrong location, breach was never finished. It never worked and I sent it back... all 3 that they sent me. But the finish was the worst ive seen on anything.

 

[Jsp556]

Ah, well, it's not, so he shouldn't.

Preach it….

 

[Jsp556]

I bought an AR15 one precovid, was awesome. Perfect finish like you describe. Post covid.... I dont know what the F I got. Tiger stripes all over it, rough machine marks all over it, faded uneven nitride finish, all the nitride coating (its listed as NItride) is flaking off all the razor sharp edges so sharp you could shave with it. lol. The machine marks around the barrel were also rough.. The finish was the least of the problems though.... gas port in wrong location, breach was never finished. It never worked and I sent it back... all 3 that they sent me. But the finish was the worst ive seen on anything.
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Nitride is just a surface treatment and doesn’t flake. It would have to be the steel it’s self chipping off. Different chemicals can change the color. The black is just carbon. It can be polished off and the surface retains its hardness and corrosion resistance and abrasion resistance.

 

[TonyAngel]

I turned one of the Armalite 11.5s that I got into a dedicated suppressor host. Took it out to get a taste of what it can do.

I had a small variety of ammo on hand.

From left to right top, then bottom ...

Black Arc 77gr, Winchester with Barnes 77gr Matchburners, PMC M193, PMC M193, Winchester M855, PMC M855.

The target dots are 2" in diameter shot with a 3.5X ACOG at 100 yards off of a bipod. Sorry for the 3 round groups on the first two. The Black Arc is $1.40 a round and I'm running low on the Matchburners. Extrapolate what you will.

This particular barrel was way overgassed with my Fat Cat suppressor. I used a Superlative Arms gas block and in full bleed off mode and it was still over gassed. I switched over to restrictive mode and 2 clicks from fully closed and an A5H1 buffer had it running right. Riflespeed on the way.

Still, the best $80 I've spent in a while.

 

[BCP]

I turned one of the Armalite 11.5s that I got into a dedicated suppressor host. Took it out to get a taste of what it can do.

I had a small variety of ammo on hand.

View attachment 8678717
From left to right top, then bottom ...

Black Arc 77gr, Winchester with Barnes 77gr Matchburners, PMC M193, PMC M193, Winchester M855, PMC M855.

The target dots are 2" in diameter shot with a 3.5X ACOG at 100 yards off of a bipod. Sorry for the 3 round groups on the first two. The Black Arc is $1.40 a round and I'm running low on the Matchburners. Extrapolate what you will.

This particular barrel was way overgassed with my Fat Cat suppressor. I used a Superlative Arms gas block and in full bleed off mode and it was still over gassed. I switched over to restrictive mode and 2 clicks from fully closed and an A5H1 buffer had it running right. Riflespeed on the way.

Still, the best $80 I've spent in a while.

Those are really good groups considering the ammo choices

I've seen plenty of rifles that are 4-5MOA with PMC 55gr etc

 

[m6z]

So, were the EGP Armalite barrels chrome lined?

 

[BCP]

So, were the EGP Armalite barrels chrome lined?

One was, they had a stainless 18" as well, both are gone I think

 

[TonyAngel]

Those are really good groups considering the ammo choices

I've seen plenty of rifles that are 4-5MOA with PMC 55gr etc

Thanks. Yeah, those 10 round groups kinda caught me off guard. Those were pretty nice. In all fairness, the barrel and suppressor were smoking hot when I shot the group with the winchester m855. I shot the group with the PMC after the barrel cooled.

I have about 30 rounds of the Black Arc left. I'm gonna save them for the 800 yard range and see how far I can stretch it out with a higher magnification scope.

 

[TonyAngel]

Just an FYI, when I setup my 11.5 Armalites, I didnt bother messing with gauging the gas port, I just knew it looked big and went with a gas block with a .070 port in it. Last night, I rebuilt the upper I had one of the barrels on and decided to gauge the gas port. It pinned out at .080.

That's pretty danged over gassed. Maybe the reason they were selling so cheap. I'm not complaining, just letting you guys know.

 

[rlsmith1]

Mine showed up today. SS ones from AIM Surplus. Appearance looks good, no complaints. One for a 7" i might turn into a rifle and the other a spare. So wont be testing it any time soon.
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Any idea what it weighs? Want to maybe pick one of these up to use with an FRT so heavier fire schedule, price seems right

 

[Trigger Monkey]

The 16" SS barrel weighs 2.052 lbs.

 

[TonyAngel]

Any idea what it weighs? Want to maybe pick one of these up to use with an FRT so heavier fire schedule, price seems right

If you're looking at the 16" mid gas stainless, for your stated purpose, you might be better off with the 16" carbine gas HBar from EGP for $50. I don't know how long that stainless barrel is gonna last if you're rockin' that FRT. I'd call EGP and ask if their barrel is chromelined. If it is, that's the way I'd go.

Yeah, for a 16", I'd prefer mid gas, but there ain't nothing wrong with a carbine gas 16". Plenty of them out there still kicking. Plus, once you get that FRT and decide to add a suppressor, you can get the barrel chopped to 11.5 and have it threaded 5/8x24 and you'll have a heck of a rig for not much money.

Shoot, for $50, I might grab one of those too. Lol, been adding a lot of Armalite to the stable lately.

 

[rlsmith1]

If you're looking at the 16" mid gas stainless, for your stated purpose, you might be better off with the 16" carbine gas HBar from EGP for $50. I don't know how long that stainless barrel is gonna last if you're rockin' that FRT. I'd call EGP and ask if their barrel is chromelined. If it is, that's the way I'd go.

Yeah, for a 16", I'd prefer mid gas, but there ain't nothing wrong with a carbine gas 16". Plenty of them out there still kicking. Plus, once you get that FRT and decide to add a suppressor, you can get the barrel chopped to 11.5 and have it threaded 5/8x24 and you'll have a heck of a rig for not much money.

Shoot, for $50, I might grab one of those too. Lol, been adding a lot of Armalite to the stable lately.

I've already got chrome lined 12.5" and 13.9" barrels but neither are heavy enough for what I'd like (the 12.5" is the heavier of the 2). I figured for $90 I could buy 2 barrels and still be ahead of a quality chrome lined barrel. Another option is a KAK HBAR 16" but I'd have to thread it and it's $150 I think

 

[TonyAngel]

I've already got chrome lined 12.5" and 13.9" barrels but neither are heavy enough for what I'd like (the 12.5" is the heavier of the 2). I figured for $90 I could buy 2 barrels and still be ahead of a quality chrome lined barrel. Another option is a KAK HBAR 16" but I'd have to thread it and it's $150 I think

Well, nonetheless, for running with a FRT, chromelined beats stainless. Heck, it wouldn't surprise me if a chrome-lined barrel outlasted two or three stainless barrels.

 

[BCP]

Well, nonetheless, for running with a FRT, chromelined beats stainless. Heck, it wouldn't surprise me if a chrome-lined barrel outlasted two or three stainless barrels.

Barrels are cheap wear items, 5000rds of ammo to start wearing out your barrel costs you ~2000$

The 11.5" chromed armalite would be a good candidate for that but they're all sold out (it's a heavier profile)