I am at the point of a accuracy build AR-15 where I need to get an order for a barrel sent in. I am going to order my barrel from Compass Lake Engineering but can't decide between the Bartlein and Krieger brand. Does anyone have a preference? Frank at CLE says they are equal....just trying to find out if that is the concensus with everyone else. The deciding factor may be...is the Bartlein worth $45 more than the Krieger? Which brand is more popular? Has anyone had a dud with either brand? Thanks for any comments back to sway me one way or the other.
- Thread starter bbush
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try one or the other I can't believe you could go wrong with either choice then try the other the only way you will know for sure which you like and why .
buy both just in case the next time you need or want one you already have it ready . no hard choices involved it's just simpler
buy both just in case the next time you need or want one you already have it ready . no hard choices involved it's just simpler
I use them both for customer builds and my own guns. Equal straightness, equal finish, equal bore tolerances. Both offer 5R, but it will cost you on the Krieger and equalize the prices between them. Bartlein has the gain twist and left hand stuff cornered. Krieger has been delivering blanks way way faster, like 1/3 the time. Krieger also does AR barrels. Dont know what youre looking for, but they may have it as a catalog item(limited overall), and it may even be in stock.
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No I dont think Bartlein is worth $45 more. I don't think there is a dimes worth of difference.
I spoke to Paul at CLE about this. They both make awesome barrels. The four groove on the Bartlein allowed them to situate the gas port in a groove easier.
Krieger AR-15 barrels in 5.56/223 Remington are four-groove barrels and unlike Bartlein, Krieger Barrels Inc will chamber their own AR-15 barrels , install the barrel extension and put the gas port dead center in a groove.
Thanks for the info. I didn't know Krieger offered that service. The OP was asking in regards to a CLE fitted barrel, and I offered my experience of discussions with them.
Krieger gets my vote. Bartlein still has to go through CLE or somebody to complete and by then it's what, $600, right? KAC used to use Krieger before doing it in-house FWIW. I put together a USN recce rifle using the Lilja barrel, 16" carbine gas, 1-8. It's a really nice rifle. I put together another using a little lighter profile Krieger mid length 16" 1-7.7 and holy shit! How the navy missed this I'll never know, supposedly they tested dozens, but it's softer and subMOA, I don't even know how well it actually will shoot yet but the first time out it stomped that Lilja bbl'd recce rifle. And it weighs so much less with the lighter barrel and URX4 handguard, which also makes it handier.
Satern is another cut rifle mfg. but unless it's actually in stock, pass.
Satern is another cut rifle mfg. but unless it's actually in stock, pass.
$525 for the barrel, and $50 if you want them to assemble the upper.
The best bartlein AR barrel finisher is Craddock precision. He also usually has some on hand.
I prefer the CLE chamber over the Wylde, and l'd rather allow them to assemble it.
I don’t Wylde or AI anything. It’s dumb.
Krieger,
I chambered hundreds of barrels from 2006-2009 and checked every one for straightness. Never once saw a crooked Krieger. I'm sure they drill some that aren't straight but they never let them out of the shop.
That being said Broughton has the slickest bore of any barrel I have ever seen. No idea what grit they used but it was a true mirror finish looking through a 24X Eagle eye borescope, while most look like the finish on a brushed stainless ashtray.
I chambered hundreds of barrels from 2006-2009 and checked every one for straightness. Never once saw a crooked Krieger. I'm sure they drill some that aren't straight but they never let them out of the shop.
That being said Broughton has the slickest bore of any barrel I have ever seen. No idea what grit they used but it was a true mirror finish looking through a 24X Eagle eye borescope, while most look like the finish on a brushed stainless ashtray.
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I liked broughton too, sucks they're out of business now.
Just spec'd out a barrel on Kriegers site for giggles. $125 to thread a barrel is a bit wild.
Just ordered 2 Kriegers and 1 Bartlein from Deep South Tactical. Can’t beat their prices on chambering and threading muzzle. Check’em out..
We use to buy the short chambered .224 AR barrels, profile finished, ported and threaded. That was the best deal they had.
Personally I favor Bartlein but Krieger is a mighty fine barrel no boubt.
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