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balisic advantage barrel question

mosin46

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Aug 11, 2010
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looking at a build that has one; 1/7,16",5.56,nitride finish. says guaranteed < moa with match. everybody says that-LOL. actually a bit suspicious of such claims as no way maker can access shooter up front. these are priced pretty low for a barrel saying "will do moa" and have learned you DO get what you pay for,usually.big D$ doesn't assure big outcomes,BUT.... any input (i.e. regarding the subject) appreciated.
 
IMHO, stepping up to a well proven manufacturer, will increase the "odds" of you getting a MOA AR.

White Oak, is a very well respected producer of "precision" uppers...add a quality lower, and go develop your skills.

And I have seen some great shooting BA barrels, but ... I have also seen as many moderately well shooting BA barrels.
 
tx. just asking about ONLY BA barrels. looking to buy a build with one on it. if i had a choice would go lothar walther.
 
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I had one BA barrel a few years ago that I put on a Mk12-ish build. It seemed a picky to me and I never shot really great groups while doing load workups. Switched to WOA and everything got better. n=1 so get more opinions, but BA = Budget build for me, and Budget build does not equal precision build.

*edited for typos and clarity
 
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looking at a build that has one; 1/7,16",5.56,nitride finish. says guaranteed < moa with match. everybody says that-LOL. actually a bit suspicious of such claims as no way maker can access shooter up front. these are priced pretty low for a barrel saying "will do moa" and have learned you DO get what you pay for,usually.big D$ doesn't assure big outcomes,BUT.... any input (i.e. regarding the subject) appreciated.

They are a MOA barel, or they will send you a new one.

Not every other manufacturer says that, actually very few do..... and those that may say it will not back it up.

I have several BA barrels and all of then are sub MOA with BlackHils MK262.
 
Google is your friend on this one. I was about to buy one before I started reading reviews on BA. Lots of happy customers til 2018/2019, then lots of bad reviews. Too many guys reporting getting a barrel that wouldn't do better than 2-3 moa, then having to battle sketchy customer service, send it back, get a replacement, then find the replacement wouldn't shoot any better. I went elsewhere..
 
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Google is your friend on this one. I was about to buy one before I started reading reviews on BA. Lots of happy customers til 2018/2019, then lots of bad reviews. Too many guys reporting getting a barrel that wouldn't do better than 2-3 moa, then having to battle sketchy customer service, send it back, get a replacement, then find the replacement wouldn't shoot any better. I went elsewhere..


This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Why play BA roulette when there are much better, more consistent sources for only a little more money?

I used one, a premium SS, won't use another even if it was free..............not worth my time. Even the barrel's muzzle threads were bad.

So to the OP, YMMV, so suit yourself.

MM
 
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well accuracy expectations and machinging mostly. really want consistent,repeatable 2 MOA even from a carbine with factory (75gr hornady of various types). longevity matters but i don't shoot fast at all so any decent barrel will last me. as you likely know there are a variety of assembly and CS issues floating around. mostly in 2018 that i have seen. the problem is it's presence on what seems to be a quality build- mostly aero and giessle parts. if it was a walther barrel,i would already have bought it. the barrel is linked to $160 ad. you usually get what you pay for. thanks for all the feedback.
 
I'll say this, regardless of how they shoot, Ballistic Advantage does stand next to their product. I had a 308 barrel that had headspacing issues and they replaced it no questions asked. Now the bad news... they had to replace it twice due to closing on a No Go gauge.

That said, both of my 223 Wylde BA barrels shoot extremely well.
 
Well I just bought one, 6.5CM 22" Rifle Length Premium Series, shot like crap, was not MOA. I started inspecting it after I finished the 2nd ladder test, at 82 Rnds, found the barrel lugs weren't cut correctly, it tooks chunks out of my new bolt. Got the bolt replaced by Toolcraft, they were awesome BTW, totally recommend Toolcraft. I sent these pictures to BA, they RMA the barrel and sent a replacement, waiting for it to arriving today. I'll have more feedback this weekend if the barrel shoots or not, hoping the 1st barrel was horribly inconsistent due the bolt issue.
Notes.jpg20200624_182015.jpg
 
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My sample of 1 1/7 18" shoots sub moa with 77 grain smk's and 75 grain hornady bthp. Purchased in 2018.
 
I've been shooting HDY 75gr HPBT Match in 24" 1:9" 223 (Bolt and 1:8" AR), and it's stable out to 600yd that I've personally managed.
 
I own one, an 18" fluted 1:8 in .223 Wylde.

I'm not on here to bash it, because the barrel has maybe 150 rounds on it. But I've yet to be amazed by the accuracy.

I'm also handicapping it by using pretty thrashed and dinged up RP brass, so I'm going to assume some of the guilt. Still, after 68 and 75gr Hornady, and 69gr SMK with two powders, the best I've seen is 1.3 MOA at the oddball range of 160 yards.
 
well,for me,1.5 on a "fighting" carbine-consistent,repeatable,well shaped groups will work with TAP,frontier 75gr etc . gonna buy the gun and hope the + guys are right on.
 
Google is your friend on this one. I was about to buy one before I started reading reviews on BA. Lots of happy customers til 2018/2019, then lots of bad reviews. Too many guys reporting getting a barrel that wouldn't do better than 2-3 moa, then having to battle sketchy customer service, send it back, get a replacement, then find the replacement wouldn't shoot any better. I went elsewhere..

This was my experience.
 
Google is your friend on this one. I was about to buy one before I started reading reviews on BA. Lots of happy customers til 2018/2019, then lots of bad reviews. Too many guys reporting getting a barrel that wouldn't do better than 2-3 moa, then having to battle sketchy customer service, send it back, get a replacement, then find the replacement wouldn't shoot any better. I went elsewhere..
Exactly my experience with a BA 224-Valkyrie barrel. 2-3 MOA ... replaced ... no improvement. Went with a WOA barrel and cut that in half, but still not overjoyed with that one either. Probably not the shooter, since I'm sub-MOA with all my other rifles.
 
Exactly my experience with a BA 224-Valkyrie barrel. 2-3 MOA ... replaced ... no improvement. Went with a WOA barrel and cut that in half, but still not overjoyed with that one either. Probably not the shooter, since I'm sub-MOA with all my other rifles.

WOA barrels are supposed to be great. If your barrel extension isn't a really tight fit in the receiver, installing the barrel with shims/loctite may really tighten up those groups.
 
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Here is my replacement barrel with properly cut barrel lugs, this is was a random starting load for barrel break in, I wasn't taking time to get great shot placement in between barrel cleaning.

6.5CM 22" Rifle Length Premium Series 18rd at 100 yards, the flyer was my 1st shot, I then adjusted the reticle.

This looks promising for the ladder test.

20200718_112043.jpg
 
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In reading through this thread I find it interesting that there was not one mention of which BA barrel level was being chosen or which one was being bad mouthed.
 
In reading through this thread I find it interesting that there was not one mention of which BA barrel level was being chosen or which one was being bad mouthed.


I have used allof their models; Hanson, Modern, classic, and performance. So my statement above reflects on all of them.

I have also used them 5.56, 223 W, 308, 6.5 Creedmoor, 9mm , and 300 BO.
 
I have added the barrel info to my previous posts

6.5CM 22" Rifle Length Premium Series
 
I have 2 BA barrels. One is MOA the other is sub-MOA. Like just about any rifle I have owned I had to play around with ammo a bit to get groups like I wanted. I am happy with these two.