First build for AR 15...I was thinking 6.5 Grendel but decided to keep it simple for starters.
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Maybe it's not a for sale ad, but it sure looks like one. Your post is about as useless as an unlabeled can of corn.
What barrel length ? ... and where are you seeing it for 600 bucks ?
Brownells sells a Criterion Barrel / headspaced bolt for about $400 ( no gas block )
https://criterionbarrels.com/media/...w-available-through-brownells/?v=00dc5da36527
Brownells sells a Criterion Barrel / headspaced bolt for about $400 ( no gas block )
https://criterionbarrels.com/media/...w-available-through-brownells/?v=00dc5da36527
I’d say it really depends on the bcg and the gas block. Barrel can be had for $270. A bear creek complete bcg is only $68... And, a non adjustable gas block can be had for like $30... But, you could drop $360 on a surefire complete bcg and another $125 on an SLR gas block. Whatever you’re looking at is probably somewhere in between those 2 extremes. That barrel plus a toolcraft complete bcg plus an SLR block should run less than $500. Unless you need it today, I’d say $600 is high. But, cheap and fast are often opposing wants- especially during an election year plandemic.
sorry, it was a question...not an add...life is like an unlabeled can, you never know what you'll get inside.
Criterions site...is a matching bolt (headspaced) that big a deal?
how necessary is a adjustable gas block for say a 20 inch 224 Valkyrie or an 18 inch 6.5 Grendel? And yeah, I think I will wait on the BCG until things settle down...just wondering how much a matching bolt from Criterion was worth (headspacing)...the barrel was 269.00....and after more thought I'm leaning towards just a good barrel this month....either Rainier 18 inch 6.5 Grendel or a Faxon .224 V heavy fluted 20 inch. Not a fan of Bear Creek.
I have an adjustable gas block on a 22" 224 predator (just a hair more case capacity than a 224 Valkyrie) Required for function? Probably not, but it is also a +2 rifle gas system. The block is opened up at least 1/2 way, maybe more. It would probably be just fine with a standard gas block. But, I started with the adjustable gas block. The block was not added to address a functional issue. It was part of the build to make remedying potential issues somewhat easier.
I have a standard gas block on a 18" Odin Works 6.5 Grendel (Mid-length gas?) that runs equally well suppressed or unsuppressed.
I referenced Bear Creek just as a point of reference for how low you could go.
If I were building today, I would pick up an SLR or Odin Works adjustable block (the 2 that I have experience with, though I would lean toward the SLR). At the end of the day, if you're building a upper-mid tier rifle you are approaching $2000- the cost of a gas block is background noise compared to the rest...
Skip the faxon option.
Yes criterion is worth it.
No you do not need to spend 600$ on that setup unless you get the complete BCG not just the bolt.
Personally I am going to get the barrel, gas tube, gas block, and bolt (they sell the BCMs) from criterion and then get a DLC BCM BCG from BCM so I can get the pretty little FDE one and have a spare bolt still... assuming I don't just get a complete upper somewhere which is another conversation entirely
As a general rule if a company is offering to sell you a headspaced bolt with your barrel you should take them up on the offer.
No you do not need to spend 600$ on that setup unless you get the complete BCG not just the bolt.
Personally I am going to get the barrel, gas tube, gas block, and bolt (they sell the BCMs) from criterion and then get a DLC BCM BCG from BCM so I can get the pretty little FDE one and have a spare bolt still... assuming I don't just get a complete upper somewhere which is another conversation entirely
As a general rule if a company is offering to sell you a headspaced bolt with your barrel you should take them up on the offer.
I always wonder if everyone selling headspaced bolts are just throwing them in a field gauge and calling it good, or actually measuring/fitting the right bolt from a large batch of bolts a la like MSTN. Just throwing the field gauge, even go-no go gauges constitutes “headspaced.” BFD on AR15 spec QUALITY parts.
The barrel manufacturer telling me the bolt is fit/chosen to specific tolerances like Wes does, that would be worth every penny, IMO.
The barrel manufacturer telling me the bolt is fit/chosen to specific tolerances like Wes does, that would be worth every penny, IMO.
Is a headspaced bolt a big deal ?
Given current match ammo prices... a headspaced bolt is a very useful bargain, especially with a good, well made barrel. A barrel from a company that stakes its reputation on its product.
I would pay for a headspaced bolt most certainly if the utmost precision is the goal.... have I done it every time ... no.
You may not see drastically improved groups within 100- 300yds.... but like many improvements, you may see improvements at long ranges.
Quality ammo and bolts "tend" to be certainly adequate. If you want a good fit of your ammo in the chamber , a headspaced bolt is going to help assure that.
Kind of like ( IMHO ) a better supported tail end of a BCG ... I tend to believe in consistent repeatability in AR parts firing and coming back into a same easy / smooth position every time.... and a better aligned BCG "might" help at longer ranges.
Again you might not see any clear advantages at closer ranges, but any help isn't going to hurt.
And while some improvements might be snake oil... a Headspaced bolt has been proven to help precision.
Bear in mind.... ( again IMHO ) there are many "ingredients" to the "recipe" of assembling a precise shooting AR.
I believe in a snug upper to lower fit... ( easier for you to consistently wield the AR at the bench or such )
I believe in Loctiting / Shimming / Thermal fit on a barrel install into the upper.
Zero contact between a Freefloat handguard and the barrels gas block.... with zero chance of it happening from any barrel whip.
Smooth / easy Gas tube to gas key interface.
There are plenty of other finessing tricks that help consistent groups.
And....Including ( no offense intended at all...) your abilities to hold a consistent position at the bench.
Some day... after I am a millionaire ... I would love to do a full test between a match oriented and assembled AR and a just put together AR.... until then, I am relying on the experience of other more knowledgeable AR "builders".
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As for a adjustable gas block... the ability to fine tune the amount of gas needed for function, also has its advantages to me.
All my Large Frame AR's use them. Out of all the brand barrels I have tried... only the Krieger has what I would call a reasonable gas port size.
So if you don't know your gas port size... a Adj. GB makes tuning easy.
I tend to tune for the least "abrupt" recoil impulse needed.... less movement at the bench.
All my Large Frame AR's use them. Out of all the brand barrels I have tried... only the Krieger has what I would call a reasonable gas port size.
So if you don't know your gas port size... a Adj. GB makes tuning easy.
I tend to tune for the least "abrupt" recoil impulse needed.... less movement at the bench.
Go to criterions actual website. They have a code you can find online. You can get the barrel and bcg for under $500 with the promo code.
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