Barrels these days for a off the shelf build

[Dildobaggins]

Been a few years since I've done an AR build. Looking to do a 6.5 grendel or 6 arc for target and hunting.

Wondering what barrels for off the shelf builds people are using? WOA won't do a barrel off the grendel case. Which is what I originally was going to do. Right now I'm looking at a lilja, craddock RTR or rainer ultra match. Am I missing anyone that offers a great off the shelf barrel?

I had a criterion in 6.5 Grendel for a couple years and it didn't really impress me.

Thanks fellas.

 

[WeR0206]

Been a few years since I've done an AR build. Looking to do a 6.5 grendel or 6 arc for target and hunting.

Wondering what barrels for off the shelf builds people are using? WOA won't do a barrel off the grendel case. Which is what I originally was going to do. Right now I'm looking at a lilja, craddock RTR or rainer ultra match. Am I missing anyone that offers a great off the shelf barrel?

I had a criterion in 6.5 Grendel for a couple years and it didn't really impress me.

Thanks fellas.

Here are my favs for off the shelf 6 arc AR barrels in no particular order. Note the blackhole and x-caliber aren’t technically off the shelf (custom) but they seem to ship out within a few weeks/don’t have crazy lead times.

I’d try to stick with options that come with a headspaced bolt so Noveske, PVA Osprey, Craddock RTR, or X-Caliber would be my recommendation with a nod to the PVA Osprey for better machine work compared to the others.

I personally have built two 6 arc uppers one from PVA and one from blackhole and they both shot sub moa 10 shot groups during the first break in session (50 shots). Blackhole is 3 groove polygonal rifling which you may or may not want.

• Noveske 18” SS barrel with gas block, gas tube, & JP headspaced bolt ($540) (gas port on 14.5” is 0.074”)
• Blackhole Weaponry Custom AR15 Barrel - 6 ARC 416R Nitrided 5/8x24 threads (polygonal) (standard, SPR, or national match profile) ($380)
• Rosco 6mm ARC Purebred (16” or 20”) SPR barrel ($250)
• Craddock RTR 6 ARC 16” Intermediate w/ muzzle threads (+$60 for headspaced bolt) ($350)
• X-Caliber Custom AR Barrel 6 ARC 18” (add Rubber City headspaced bolt for +$110) ($387) (Total: $497)
• Patriot Valley Arms - Osprey 18” 6 ARC barrel with rifle +2 ($399) (add headspaced Rubber City bolt for $125) (Total: $524)
• Proof Research 18” (rifle +1) barrel with muzzle threads (with JP headspaced bolt?) ($489)
• Proof 16” 6 ARC Rifle length (# 128664) ($480)

If you need help with other 6 arc build part recommendations like bcg’s and mags feel free to ask. Im sure others will chime in.

 

[flogxal]

I can vouch for 18" Proof stainless steel 6 ARC, 16" Lilja 6.5 Grendel (SixSigma arms), and 20" OdinWorks 6.5 Grendel DMR.

The Proof 6 ARC shot excellent for about 250 rds and then Proof had a recall on the extensions, I have not shot the new extension yet. Just finished reassembling that upper last night. Tomorrow I'm shooting the Proof and the Lilja, I'll post some groups afterward for frame of reference.

 

[Dildobaggins]

@WeR0206 Thank you for the list with the links! I had completely forgotten about PVA barrels that actually might be the winner!

@flogxal id be very interested in the results. I hope both are shooters but for the price tag of the lilja that im seeing on the website, I hope it does well!

 

[flogxal]

The Lilja I've shot plenty already, it's a shooter for sure. It loves the 100gr ELD-VT factory ammo like it was made for it, and has shot every handload very well. That reduced group buy price from SigSigma makes it nice for sure.

I might be a lucky guy on this but I have two OdinWorks barrels and both shoot very well. The 6.5 Grendel mentioned above, and an 18" .223 Wylde 3-Gun profile barrel.

 

[WeR0206]

@WeR0206 Thank you for the list with the links! I had completely forgotten about PVA barrels that actually might be the winner!

@flogxal id be very interested in the results. I hope both are shooters but for the price tag of the lilja that im seeing on the website, I hope it does well!

You’re welcome! PVA osprey + headspaced rubber city 6 ARC bolt = good to go, also @bohem and team at PVA are good people who frequent the hide and offer group buy pricing etc…depending on how quickly you want the barrel you can wait for their black friday sale

 

[Markbsae]

I just got a Craddock RTR last week. 4 week lead time for fluting and cerakote. I shot it but was having cycling problems (buffer issues, not the barrels fault) but it shot really nice so far.

 

[bohem]

Been a few years since I've done an AR build. Looking to do a 6.5 grendel or 6 arc for target and hunting.

Wondering what barrels for off the shelf builds people are using? WOA won't do a barrel off the grendel case. Which is what I originally was going to do. Right now I'm looking at a lilja, craddock RTR or rainer ultra match. Am I missing anyone that offers a great off the shelf barrel?

I had a criterion in 6.5 Grendel for a couple years and it didn't really impress me.

Thanks fellas.

I have 6 ARC barrels in 18 adn 20" that can ship within 10 business days. Fluting adds 3 more currently.

https://patriotvalleyarms.com/osprey-ar-15-6mm-arc/

 

[flogxal]

@bohem, you make me want to pry open my wallet!

Didn't get to range today but tomorrow I will. The Proof will see Hornady Black 105gr and Precision Hunter 103gr. The Lilja will see more Hornady 100gr ELD-VT factory, and some hand loads of 100gr ELD-VT and IMR 8208 that shot well in the OdinWorks 20" DMR.

 

[Jsp556]

I’ve built a lot of Grendels and been through several 6ARCs. I’ve had better luck with the Grendel.

I used to hand load a lot but the older I get, the less time I have for it and would rather just shoot factory ammo. I still have a bench set up but I like shooting more than reloading.

Out of all the Grendels I’ve built for myself, family, or friends, I’ve only tossed 1 barrel that I couldn’t find a factory load that shot well. 95% of them have shot the factory Hornady ammo ranging from acceptably to really good. I’ve used stainless Proofs, Precision Firearms turned Criterion, Craddock RTRs, Rainier Match, AR15Performance, Wilson Combat, a Precision Firearms Bartlein, a Satern cut rifled, Aero/BA, Triarc’s, and an ER Shaw. The ER Shaw was the only one that wouldn’t shoot any of the factory ammo I tried.

I’ve tried 4 6ARC barrels and given 3 of them away. None of the 3 would shoot any of the Hornady ammo better than 1.5moa 5 round groups. The only one I have left was about to go down the road but shoots the 80grain Vmatch stuff really well so I kept it. I’ve given away a Proof stainless, Rainier Match, and a BA barrel. I still have a melonited Rainier match. Maybe I’d have had better luck if they’d all been top end cut rifled tubes.

Good luck with whichever you choose. They’re both fun rounds in a gas gun.

 

[flogxal]

Man that is dismal on the 6 ARC. My 18" Proof SS 6 ARC shoots Hornady Black so well, I used it in a local PRS match. It's a little better than the 20" OdinWorks 6.5 Grendel out past 750-800 yds though, wind effect wise. But to be fair that's 123gr in the Grendel, a little slower. I haven't shot any midweight or light bullets past 600yds with the Grendel, only 123s.

Don't know if this matters much, but -- I asked the folks at Lilja what they'd recommend if I wanted to optimize a Grendel AR for PRS. 24" barrel and Berger 130 AR bullets was their recommendation.

 

[supercorndogs]

I van vouche that I got two Rainer UM 6 are barrels with soft barrel extentions. On the second one they insisted they needed to out it together. There assembly was absolute shit and they out my gas block back on so tight I had to grind on screw out and throw it away. They did not replace it either. It had to be removed because it was installed crooked. There is at least one fucking retard assembling uppers there.

 

[Chaos Walker]

I try to stick to shaw barrels as much as I can.
But they don't offer everything ive wanted.

I went Gucci with my .308 JP
Jason Grey for my 7.62x39 AR
Alexander arms for my upcoming 6.5 grendel sbr

 

[flogxal]

Got the Proof 18" 6 ARC and Lilja 16" 6.5 Grendel to the range today. Went yesterday -- but that dumbass who looks back at me in the mirror, he must have tampered with the scopes since each was last used. Neither had a zero worth a damn yesterday, fixed it in the basement last night, today was more productive.

The Proof shot semi-well, it's shot better before the barrel extension was swapped. Probably just me though.

The Lilja also was a bit funky, last time it ran 100gr ELD-VT it was one-hole time, but not today. It did much better with my hand load of 8208, new Starline, CCI 41 and 100gr ELD-VT. 6 shots factory Hornady, 10 shots hand load.

Speeds:

6 ARC 105gr Black - 2625 fps AVG, 25.7 SD, for 10 rounds
6 ARC 103gr Precision Hunter - 2571 fps AVG, 19.9 SD, for 5 rounds
6.5 Grendel 100gr V-Match - 2608 fps AVG, 14.2 SD, for 7 rounds
6.5 Grendel hand load 100gr ELD-VT, IMR 8208 28.6gr, new Starline, CCI 41 - 2460 fps AVG, 16.7 SD, for 10 rounds

 

[Markbsae]

Got the Proof 18" 6 ARC and Lilja 16" 6.5 Grendel to the range today. Went yesterday -- but that dumbass who looks back at me in the mirror, he must have tampered with the scopes since each was last used. Neither had a zero worth a damn yesterday, fixed it in the basement last night, today was more productive.

The Proof shot semi-well, it's shot better before the barrel extension was swapped. Probably just me though.

The Lilja also was a bit funky, last time it ran 100gr ELD-VT it was one-hole time, but not today. It did much better with my hand load of 8208, new Starline, CCI 41 and 100gr ELD-VT. 6 shots factory Hornady, 10 shots hand load.

Speeds:

6 ARC 105gr Black - 2625 fps AVG, 25.7 SD, for 10 rounds
6 ARC 103gr Precision Hunter - 2571 fps AVG, 19.9 SD, for 5 rounds
6.5 Grendel 100gr V-Match - 2608 fps AVG, 14.2 SD, for 7 rounds
6.5 Grendel hand load 100gr ELD-VT, IMR 8208 28.6gr, new Starline, CCI 41 - 2460 fps AVG, 16.7 SD, for 10 rounds

I just replaced my Faxon 20" barrel with a Craddock 18" and have to retire my lot of Nosler brass that has taken a beating. I have 200pcs of Starline I just prepped but have shot very little of it. So far it seems less consistent than the Nosler which I'm sure why its $1.30 each vs 64 cents each. Have you got the Starline to where its suitable for something like PRS gas gun?

 

[flogxal]

I have only used it as new brass, haven't looked at post-firing and whether it's consistent in fire forming or resultant water volume. That's one of the things I'll be doing this fall/winter.