Looking to change out a standard 16 in mil spec barrel on my AR10 .308, Id like to get a good Is precision barrel to take its place. What are some of the best 20" barrels for the AR10? The weapon is being built as a hog gun.
- Thread starter mongo12s
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Because i dont like a 16" I swaped my 16" to a 18" on my 300 black out and it grouped way better. I think a 16" or smaller is ok for short barrel work in houses or around corners for a 5.56 . But for what im doing a 20 inch is going to work better for me . I would go with a 24 but im putting my can on it so a 24 would be way to long.
To be honest my 300 is a tack driver out to 200yrds with the 18 inch on it
For .308 I’d go 20”, I have one with a 16” and I never shoot it, haven’t even worked up any loads for it.
Bartlein & Kreiger make the best barrels in many folks opinions but if it’s a big gun may be overkill for your needs. Wilson makes an excellent barrel at a lower price, get it fluted if you want to save weight if your lugging it around.
Bartlein & Kreiger make the best barrels in many folks opinions but if it’s a big gun may be overkill for your needs. Wilson makes an excellent barrel at a lower price, get it fluted if you want to save weight if your lugging it around.
I was looking at bartliein but i didnt see an option for the AR10. I havent spoken to anyone at kreiger yet but its an option im looking into . Thank you for the info
Call keystone and see what he has. I personally wouldn’t bother with CLE. I’ve recommended them in the past but every keystone I have shoots better.
Look at Compass Lake Engineering and White Oak Armory...they do most quality brands like Bartlein, Kreiger, etc plus others.
I went 18" SS Proof Research for my AR 10 308 build...and am pleased with the accuracy., shot a. 3" and .4" back to back 5 shot groups.
Do a search some are many times in stock at Midway, and other outlets. They also make a carbon fiber for weight reduction.
I went 18" SS Proof Research for my AR 10 308 build...and am pleased with the accuracy., shot a. 3" and .4" back to back 5 shot groups.
Do a search some are many times in stock at Midway, and other outlets. They also make a carbon fiber for weight reduction.
Yeah, I just had them make a 6.5 Creedmoor barrel for a Ruger Precision Rifle ...never occured they did not make a 308...or did not make barrels for the AR 10. ..they are known for accurate competition rifles in AR 15 calibers.
You do know length doesn't have anything to do with accuracy right? Changing length doesn't make your barrel group better..
Here my 10.5" 300blk... 7 groups, 5 shots each at 100yd... groups pretty good huh???
My 10.5" shoots 125 TMK's accuratly to 500M. 18" is absurd for 300blk... you can't stuff enough powder in the case to take advantage of that length
I think that the longer barrel helps with speed however each rifle is different my rifle shot like crap with a milspec 16" but after i changed the barrel to a 18" milspec my groups went from 1 inch moa @100 to 1/2" moa @100 iwhile i cant speak for every Ar15 milspec rifle my 300 black out did show improvement.
I think that the longer barrel helps with speed however each rifle is different my rifle shot like crap with a milspec 16" but after i changed the barrel to a 18" milspec my groups went from 1 inch moa @100 to 1/2" moa @100 iwhile i cant speak for every Ar15 milspec rifle my 300 black out did show improvement.
I dont reload all i shoot is store bought rounds
Take your pick! There are so many great manufactures out there these days.
Noveske
V Seven
Rainier Arms
Jp Enterprises (every manufacture uses their hp bolt for head spacing, and I mean every one.)
Craddock Precision
White Oak
Compass Lake
Lilja
Kreiger (their M110 is what your looking for)
Proof Research
Pick up a barrel for any of these company’s and you are good to go.
Noveske
V Seven
Rainier Arms
Jp Enterprises (every manufacture uses their hp bolt for head spacing, and I mean every one.)
Craddock Precision
White Oak
Compass Lake
Lilja
Kreiger (their M110 is what your looking for)
Proof Research
Pick up a barrel for any of these company’s and you are good to go.
Rainier arms ultra match
Speed isn't accuracy...and when you changed your barrel not only did you get a longer barrel, you got a new different barrel. That barrel obviously shot better than your original barrel.. it didn't shoot better because it's 2" longer is what I'm telling you
It's hard to bust 100 year old myths man. Good luck trying to change people's minds on this one, I've pretty much given up on it.
You are correct…
But considering mongo joined SH, last night a 9:00pm…that might say a little…
Yeah i joined last night but this aint my first build . The length of barrel matters alot to me for the application im using it for. Ive got a .308 bolt action that is a full custom build . I originaly set it up as a long range tournament rifle with a 24 inch barrel until i realized punching paper gets to be very expensive so i changed the stock to a Mcmillan A5 and its now a sub minute deer rifle . I do know the age old argument of speed vs. Acuracy and im sure there is scientific proof of the matter . But like someone else said when i went from a 16 to in 18 inch barrel i evidently found a happy medium for my 300 black out .
And that's why I start off educating and providing data. I have many Terabytes of it on my server in any caliber or barrel length he desires.....data is data, facts don't lie
How did you get a 300BLK to shoot so well? I know a lot of guys from some of the top names in the industry to Nationally-ranked PRS shooters who have tried and ended up never getting below 1.7 MOA consistently. Those are some amazing groups. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a 300 Whisper/BLK shoot like that to-date. Very impressive.
Hahah. Funny you say that... I have a few buddies that always told me the same thing about 300blk...that it was a fun gun but not accurate years back. I never owned one and took.the challenge.
I found its not 300blk....it's the barrels...I actually went through 2-3 barrels that shot exactly as you described and almost gave up. Decided to test 1 more (Rainier Ultramatch) and boom....tiny little groups. I've know owned multiple 10.5" Rainier Ultramatch 300blk and they all shoot just as tight..
Here some of my.initial load workup before doing the accuracy load confirmation tagert I posted above
This is the 1st shots out of thst barrel with 125 smk. Starting top left and going right then dropping down to next row... see it tighten right up in only a few rounds
Here 125 TMK....my go to load.. expands like crazy and is what black hills uses in their 300blk defensive ammo
And, not only does it shoot supers stupid accurate. It LOVES 220SMK SUBS!!
It also loves 110 vmax and 110 Tac-TX. Shoots them.into tiny groups
Your buddies being national shooters, prs gurus,....has nothing to do with getting 300blk to shoot. It's 80% the right barrel, 10% load development and 10% shooter
OP logic…
I want a Toyota Tacoma, because my Nissan Altima gets better gas mileage than my former Hyundai Sonata…
I want a Toyota Tacoma, because my Nissan Altima gets better gas mileage than my former Hyundai Sonata…
My 300 Blackout shoots or was the last time I checked for accuracy shooting tiny groups with Speer 125 TNT or 130 gr HP loaded with W 296, all super sonic. It has some good quality parts, but at its heart is a cheap BA barrel on sale, I bought just to try out the 300 Blackout. I never changed it for an expensive barrel, cause it works a 7 twist 5 R shooting cheap 125 TNT.
But I do not recommend them, about 1 in 3 were acceptable to me.
A barrel can shoot pretty good if you shoot the bullets it likes, at the speed it likes...expensive or cheap or in-between. Or a good quality barrel can shoot crap, dirty pulled brass with military primers, just resize so it can be used, run it through the Dillion charge with old stock 748, seat a 15 cent old stock Speer 130 Varmint. Throw cartridges in plastic zip top bag about 100 rds. First 5 shot group a .3" a fluke no load work up, large bullet jump, thrown powder charges, nothing done to brass, nothing weighed or sorted, and military staked in primers, in filthy LC cases, with bullet sealent on the case body...the second 5 shots went into .4" the barrel liked this combo. It amazes me how accurate an AR can be slamming rds into the chamber. The most accurate load I shot in it so far...junk surplus. Beats all the Berger & Hornady, match bullets with lapua cases to date. But I do not recommend it for longer distances, but its a fun 100 yd load...the cheap 130 gr crap load also shoots great in my 8 twist 30" target rifle throated for long bullets 200 grs & over, with a ridiculous amount of jump, shoot one enlarged hole groups, at a mere 100 yds. But its not a 100 yd gun for my purposes. Just to show the barrel may like a bullet you do not want to use, you almost can not make it shoot bad...
But I do not recommend them, about 1 in 3 were acceptable to me.
A barrel can shoot pretty good if you shoot the bullets it likes, at the speed it likes...expensive or cheap or in-between. Or a good quality barrel can shoot crap, dirty pulled brass with military primers, just resize so it can be used, run it through the Dillion charge with old stock 748, seat a 15 cent old stock Speer 130 Varmint. Throw cartridges in plastic zip top bag about 100 rds. First 5 shot group a .3" a fluke no load work up, large bullet jump, thrown powder charges, nothing done to brass, nothing weighed or sorted, and military staked in primers, in filthy LC cases, with bullet sealent on the case body...the second 5 shots went into .4" the barrel liked this combo. It amazes me how accurate an AR can be slamming rds into the chamber. The most accurate load I shot in it so far...junk surplus. Beats all the Berger & Hornady, match bullets with lapua cases to date. But I do not recommend it for longer distances, but its a fun 100 yd load...the cheap 130 gr crap load also shoots great in my 8 twist 30" target rifle throated for long bullets 200 grs & over, with a ridiculous amount of jump, shoot one enlarged hole groups, at a mere 100 yds. But its not a 100 yd gun for my purposes. Just to show the barrel may like a bullet you do not want to use, you almost can not make it shoot bad...
Criterion stainless from fulton armory is a good basic off the shelf choice, get it with a headspaced bolt to save on headache. They're heavy though.
This is the rifle I plan on using for Javelina here in arizona it's a very basic 16:
1. Barrel length doesn’t have anything to do with the precision you are seeing with either your 300blk or your 308. I guarantee you that.
2. A 16” 308, even shooting a low BC bullet like a 130gr TTSX (excellent hog bullet) won’t go transonic until like 800 yards. It can easily be MOA for you out to any hunting distance you’re doing with hogs.
3. Why are you so interested in stainless match barrels for a hog rifle? You don’t need sub-MOA for a hog rifle. But even if you do want good precision, you can get it with a chrome lined or nitride barrel. My 16” chrome lined Criterion 6.5 CM Hybrid shoots 3/4-1 MOA with factory Hornady 143gr ELD-X. And hitting 1k yard coyote silhouette targets isn’t all that hard (as long as I get the wind right).
There is a huge range of options that exist between a “milspec” barrel, whatever means on your 308, and a $400+ stainless match barrel. You can easily pick up a 16-18” 308 barrel that will get you more than suitable precision as well as longer barrel life and be cheaper than a high end match barrel.
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I never really have wondered why. As stupid as it sounds, I have always gone off of what ive delt with in the past and some what limited knowledge on the AR 10. I carried the M16A2 while i was in the Marines but thats really been it on a AR platform . Everything else has been bolt guns and a few hand guns
i'm a little skeptical that a 12" barrel is equally accurate as a 24" barrel, out to 800 yds. but maybe it's true. I haven't tested that hypothesis. 
It would help to say what brand AR10 rifle not all of them are 100% the same as far as barrels/bolts.
To each his own, for me it depends on what I'm doing as to what bsrrel length is best, or how much accuracy is required.
I went from 20" to 26" in 308 for past 1000yds, it was more accurate for me immediately, because I had more velocity, made it easier to hit with, then to 27" then to 30" and 8 twist, shooting 200 gr .715 BC SMK at 2856 fps, for over 3600 ft/lbs of muzzle energy, or 225 ELDM at 2675 fps .777 BC, for those mile shots.
Then my AR 10 with a 18" barrel is for a different purpose, even though its capable of excellent short range accuracy with loads it likes, its not even close to the heavy palma 30" 8 twist in Aluminum chassis on a long action bolt rifle at any extended range. But I wouldn't take it hog hunting, cause it's too heavy and I don't need the range or accuracy for that type of hunting. Down to 6 308s all with different purposes, twists and barrel lengths. Build, or obtain the one that fits your immediate needs, then expand and add more rifles to your collection, as dictated by your new interests...
You will still use the same case but have a rifle for every occasion...elegant, refined, sophisticated, or well used, nicked, and worn, to the point of being ugly.
I went from 20" to 26" in 308 for past 1000yds, it was more accurate for me immediately, because I had more velocity, made it easier to hit with, then to 27" then to 30" and 8 twist, shooting 200 gr .715 BC SMK at 2856 fps, for over 3600 ft/lbs of muzzle energy, or 225 ELDM at 2675 fps .777 BC, for those mile shots.
Then my AR 10 with a 18" barrel is for a different purpose, even though its capable of excellent short range accuracy with loads it likes, its not even close to the heavy palma 30" 8 twist in Aluminum chassis on a long action bolt rifle at any extended range. But I wouldn't take it hog hunting, cause it's too heavy and I don't need the range or accuracy for that type of hunting. Down to 6 308s all with different purposes, twists and barrel lengths. Build, or obtain the one that fits your immediate needs, then expand and add more rifles to your collection, as dictated by your new interests...
You will still use the same case but have a rifle for every occasion...elegant, refined, sophisticated, or well used, nicked, and worn, to the point of being ugly.
i'm a little skeptical that a 12" barrel is equally accurate as a 24" barrel, out to 800 yds. but maybe it's true. I haven't tested that hypothesis.
Again....you added 800yd to your statement. Length doesn't make a barrel more accurate. But at distance, speed is going to factor into stability and that distance is going to be different for each length barrel typically because your longer barrel is usually going to be faster...but ammo/load plays a part in that as well...
But from a pure accuracy standpoint...I can shoot 4 223rem rifles at 100yd...10.5, 16" and 20" and 26" and shoot equal size groups....
Have you shot it yet? It might shoot quite well, or at least good enough. No need to spend $$$.
You are also mixing accuracy with velocity. Of course your 30" bolt gun is going to be more consistent at 1000yd than your 16" AR308....it's shooter heavier bullets, with hotter ammo at faster speeds.. thats not accuracy... thats ballistics.. your bullet isn't going transonic....
There are accuracy differences between barrel lengths at greater distances, yes. Moreso with the 12/24” extreme you bring up, compared to a 16-18” (or 20”) difference brought forward by the OP. Also note that I’m discussing accuracy and not precision. Precision should not be tied to barrel length at all (as long as the bullet is stabilized).i'm a little skeptical that a 12" barrel is equally accurate as a 24" barrel, out to 800 yds. but maybe it's true. I haven't tested that hypothesis.
- The faster velocity means that there will be very slight reduced effects from wind. Making accuracy, potentially, very slightly better. But you won’t observe that until further distances. The distance it’s observed depends on the velocity difference, as well as how much the wind is changing while you’re shooting. But the difference would not be observable at the 200 yards the OP is talking about.
- A longer barrel may involve more consistency in powder burn completion. Which would result in better standard deviations and less vertical spread at distance. Again, observable results and what range they’re observable at depends on standard deviation change. But this definitely was not a cause for thr OP’s accuracy difference between 16 and 18” on a 300blk.
* all of this would be very small potential differences in accuracy and really has no value in a discussion on a hog hunting gas gun.
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If the 2 barrels are of the same diameter, then the 12” will be stiffer and resist whip harmonics better. The 24” will have more velocity but will whip and flex more. CF wrap is a method that is supposed to fight the flexing and whipping effects.i'm a little skeptical that a 12" barrel is equally accurate as a 24" barrel, out to 800 yds. but maybe it's true. I haven't tested that hypothesis.
There technically isn’t much difference between 12” and 22” barrels in terms of accuracy and precision, though the 12” guns tend to be much lighter weight, and therefore more prone to larger extreme spread in mv when shot by a person. Squirrely guns recoil more, which breaks position more, which affects shot-to-shot consistency. If you lock a 12” barrel into a weighted mechanical rest, you will see the same or better groups sizes, assuming they are cut from the same barrel maker and reamed with the same reamer by the same smith.
I shoot 12” 6.5 Grendel suppressed out to 800yds regularly and was just doing so this past weekend. A friend of mine with his suppressed 12.5” Grendel made a 1st-round hit on a 12” steel plate at 760yds using 123gr Hornady American Gunner BTHP, witnessed by 4 of us. This was at 6300ft above sea level on a hot day.
Obviously...."More consistency" equals "more is accuracy" especially at long range, plus the extra ballistics really help with the wind, and those who actually shoot long range, In competition use long barrels, where 24" may be the shortest in a PRS match. Long barrels provide lower S/D with more complete powder burns so ya don't have a lot of vertical, or miss high and low on the target.
You won't notice that at shorter ranges but you will most definitely at long range. You want to be competitive at long range you want a long barrel, 30" palma very popular, 24 to 28 in precison rifle competition. I ran 17,000 rds match grade rds of 308 at 1000yds to 1400yds with 26" and 27" barrels my 20" could not keep up, even at 1000yds, but inside 500 yds it was pretty good but that is not LR. Been there and done it. Ran the transonic experiment where the bullet was 130 Speer at 2675 fps about .26 g1 bc hit subsonic somewhere around 750 yds as I remember....took 61MOA to get to 1000yds but it would bounce a milk jug at that distance ...on a few shots...that does not mean it's a viable 1000yd bullet. The king of 2 miles shooter is not likely to use a 16" barrel on his 416 Barrett...just because its handy and lighter, and maybe he could even hit the target once, in the match...but you want to win, so serious people go for long barrels, for LR.
Short barrels have a place and I like them but those who shoot a 1000yds or greater use a long barrel for "consistent hits"...and thats just the facts.
Lolo. I'll stop wasting my time. Your rambling on some other shit now.
Short barrels can get there but its hard to make up for lost velocity imho.
Showing up to 600yd f class practice and being squadded with the BR dinosaurs because the organizer couldn’t figure out where my pws mk214 fit in was pretty hilarious. “OH MY GOD THAT THING IS LOUD” hahahaha
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