Hey guys new to the forum. Always been a gun guy but somewhat new to the AR platform. I recently picked up a used LaRue LT15 with a 18” Stealth barrel. I swapped it to a 16” stealth and running a SureFire Recon 2 Mini Suppressor. Love the gun extremely accurate but it’s a tank. Thinking of buying and extra upper and adding a lightweight barrel just as an extra set up. What barrel would you recommend for a suppressed 16” to bring the weight down for more of a close range setup?
LW barrel choice for LaRue
- Thread starter Trtlvr
- Start date
Since you're in the Surefire ecosystem, what length barrel are you considering. If I remember right, surefire muzzle devices are on the long side. You could go to a 13.9 or 14.5 pin and weld. That'll knock some weight off. You could also consider a Criterion Core barrel. Those are profiled to move the weight more toward the center of the rifle.
It just so happens that I have a 13.9 criterion core barrel. It was a 14.5 that I had cut down to 13.9 by adco for a project that I decided not to follow through with. Lemme know if you're interested.
Regardless, if you want to avoid pinning and welding, I'd seriously consider a Core barrel. They shoot well and they carry and swing light.
If you decide to go pistol length, the 11.5 Core is perfect if you're gonna hang a heavy can on the end.
It just so happens that I have a 13.9 criterion core barrel. It was a 14.5 that I had cut down to 13.9 by adco for a project that I decided not to follow through with. Lemme know if you're interested.
Regardless, if you want to avoid pinning and welding, I'd seriously consider a Core barrel. They shoot well and they carry and swing light.
If you decide to go pistol length, the 11.5 Core is perfect if you're gonna hang a heavy can on the end.
Yup. Its threaded 1/2x28. I'd need to get $200 shipped for it to be worth it to me. It has less than 1000 rounds on it. Honestly, ar15discounts.com has them on sale for like $275 right now. I'd spend the extra $85 and get the brand spankin new one. Still, if saving around $85 is worth it to you, let me know.
I’m gonna get flamed here, but Faxon pencil profile barrels shoot pretty well if you need a lightweight barrel and will keep it inside 100 yards or so. For a lightweight build upper, you’re probably not gonna find one much lighter for any given length, and at their price point it’s not a bad choice.
I’d SBR the lower and run a 9” or so 300 BLK barrel for shorter range stuff myself, but a pinned 13.9 (use a NOX or similar), or a pinned 14.5” 5.56 with almost any muzzle device and you’ll be gtg too.
Or a pistol brace now that that nonsense if over and done with…again…and for now! LoL
I’d SBR the lower and run a 9” or so 300 BLK barrel for shorter range stuff myself, but a pinned 13.9 (use a NOX or similar), or a pinned 14.5” 5.56 with almost any muzzle device and you’ll be gtg too.
Or a pistol brace now that that nonsense if over and done with…again…and for now! LoL
If ultra lightweight, without going carbon fiber is the goal, pick a barrel with a .625 gas block journal.
I can't say that you won't get good results with a Faxon, but I can say that I had horrible results with Faxon. I don't know if it was due to improper or inadequate stress relieving or what, but mine had a serious wandering zero as the barrel heats up.
Another concern is barrel flex. A long skinny barrel may get you a pretty good point of impact shift going from suppressed to unsuppressed. I do, however, have a pencilish Ballistic Advantage Hanson 11.5 and shift hasn't been a problem.
I wouldn't suggest the same gamble but I have a BA "performance" or "premium" series fluted SPR 16" that balances very nicely with a Polonium K on the end, and a light. Shoots fine with decent ammo. I probably got lucky.
Yeah, I picked one of those up on sale for under $150. It's a pretty dang good shooter. I just wouldn't call it a hard use barrel due to the material. I put a couple hundred rounds through it of varying ammo, and it didnt disappoint. I replaced it just because I ran across a deal on a 16" criterion hybrid barrel that I couldn't say no to. It's still sitting in my barrel bucket though. I'll through it back in when I shoot out the criterion.
I bought it as a lark when I first wanted to try a different barrel. Before I knew anything about any company's consistency etc at the low end of $$. It didn't shoot well at first but that was down to a looser fit in the upper's throat. Snugged with a shim it tightened things up pretty well.
