Need Barrel recommendation

[DackJaniels]

Looking for an 18-20” barrel with rifle length gas system. Looking at all the top manufacturers with Bartlien at the top of my list at the moment. Been looking on White Oak and Compass Lake. Requirements are

Rifle Length Gas

18-20”

Doesnt need to be threaded

.750 Gas Block

It’d be cool if it was fluted behind the gas block but not necessary. No flutes in front though

 

[drewthebrave]

White Oak is really hard to beat for the price. Brownells had some SPR barrels available yesterday - not sure how long they'll last.

 

[Brandon05_88]

CLE has a sale going on right now. Their wait isn’t too bad considering the industry right now.

 

[mheimer_45]

Call keystone accuracy. Probably have it next week if the blank is in stock. CLE has a 10 week lead time as of last week.

John is very good to work with and my one barrel I’ve tried is a laser. Still waiting to assemble the other. I had him do a Bartlein and a Krieger.

 

[LRRPF52]

What exactly are you trying to do with the rifle in terms of performance?

1. I need National competition-level accuracy and am prepared to pay and wait, no matter the cost.

2. I need to be able to shoot varmints at _____yds consistently off a field table.

3. I just want to shoot steel targets out to a few hundred yards maybe.

 

[DackJaniels]

What exactly are you trying to do with the rifle in terms of performance?

1. I need National competition-level accuracy and am prepared to pay and wait, no matter the cost.

2. I need to be able to shoot varmints at _____yds consistently off a field table.

3. I just want to shoot steel targets out to a few hundred yards maybe.

I won’t be shooting competition. It’ll be a mixture of shooting for groups from 100-300, coyotes, hogs, and other small t up to 400 or so, and punching steel out to 700-800.

It’s for a new project, and after the barrel is purchased I’ll be sending it to D. Wilson to be cut down, the receiver lapped and bed the barrel and assemble the upper.
I have a 16” Douglas and I have gotten 2 groups of 5 all touching and most other groups between .9-1.25 MOA with razor core and 75 grain Hornady T2 frontier loads. I’m gonna be selling this barrel after I receive this custom spun one. Great barrel but want a rifle length gas system


ETA: Just saw who I was replying to! This is for a 223/5.56 build, when I go for the 6.5 Grendel I’ll be calling Mark for an upper haha. Thanks for the PM over on 65 Grendel forum a few weeks ago!

 

[TonyTheTiger]

It’s for a new project, and after the barrel is purchased I’ll be sending it to D. Wilson to be cut down, the receiver lapped and bed the barrel and assemble the upper.
I have a 16” Douglas and I have gotten 2 groups of 5 all touching and most other groups between .9-1.25 MOA with razor core and 75 grain Hornady T2 frontier loads. I’m gonna be selling this barrel after I receive this custom spun one. Great barrel but want a rifle length gas system

I hate to play devils advocate here, but unless you like testing and tuning and testing some more, a RLGS 16" barrel may not be your thing.
Handloading can really help to get them running right too.
Not saying it can't be done, but be warned if you think it'll be a simple plug and play system.

 

[DackJaniels]

I hate to play devils advocate here, but unless you like testing and tuning and testing some more, a RLGS 16" barrel may not be your thing.
Handloading can really help to get them running right too.
Not saying it can't be done, but be warned if you think it'll be a simple plug and play system.

I actually love tuning and testing. I think it’s the only way to truly make a gun run like a sweet smooth machine. It’ll be cut down to around ~16.5” ish To be used with a gas block that will mount an AEM5 suppressor. I’ll have D.Wilson cut it down to the appropriate length. There’s a guy running one with a URX 3.1 13.5” Handguard so it should work with opening up the gas block a little. Only taking an inch and a half off and I’ve been getting practice drilling through plates for a MicroMOA Govnah on another build.

 

[Bigjake83]

Compass Lake Eng and be done. No matter what the role of the rifle may be I build it to be as accurate as possible. Every rifle in my stable either has a Bartlein or Krieger blank turned by CLE or Craddock.

 

[rlsmith1]

@bigjake83 any experience with CLE and their Criterion blanks? Why do you go Bartlein / Krieger? I want my gun as accurate as possible but it will be run fairly hard

 

[Bigjake83]

@bigjake83 any experience with CLE and their Criterion blanks? Why do you go Bartlein / Krieger? I want my gun as accurate as possible but it will be run fairly hard

No I've never used Criterion. Bartlein and Krieger barrel blanks are single point cut Barrels and are about the best you can get for pure accuracy.

Barrels are consumables, you use them till they wear out and then you replace them, And me personally I don't mind spending $400-$500 per barrel even it's in my hard use guns because the whole point of shooting is to hit your target and Bartlein and Krieger barrels have very consistent and repeatable accuracy and that's just what's important to me.

If you're concerned about Barrel life then I would recommend trying to pick up something that's Chrome lined.

 

[mjh30]

CLE, had Frank cut me a one of his chambers on an 18inch Kreiger before, superb work, matched a bolt. Use it for yotes, 1-7.7, actually use 52 amax or eldm with surprising accuracy. Mr Hollister is excellent as well.

 

[S197]

Looking for an 18-20” barrel with rifle length gas system. Looking at all the top manufacturers with Bartlien at the top of my list at the moment. Been looking on White Oak and Compass Lake. Requirements are

Rifle Length Gas

18-20”

Doesnt need to be threaded

.750 Gas Block

It’d be cool if it was fluted behind the gas block but not necessary. No flutes in front though

WOA or CLE spun Bartlien barrel

 

[TonyTheTiger]

I actually love tuning and testing. I think it’s the only way to truly make a gun run like a sweet smooth machine.

Well you've got the right mindset then. I wish MicroMOA was still a thing.
Craddock will make you a Bartlein 16" RLGS barrel, it'll save you a step getting it cut down. You'll probably have to wait half an eternity for it though.

 

[DackJaniels]

Well you've got the right mindset then. I wish MicroMOA was still a thing.
Craddock will make you a Bartlein 16" RLGS barrel, it'll save you a step getting it cut down. You'll probably have to wait half an eternity for it though.

yeah man I do too. I’ve bought 3 since they closed doors and 2 are set up just right with no idea for the third. After the holiday I’ll be calling or emailing WOA and CLE.

CLE Bartlien SPR 18”

This is the first barrel on my list at the moment, may just order later. 1/7 twist. Which chamber, Wyle or CLE? Is there anything I can do to improve this barrel? Is fluting like the SDMR worth it?

 

[LRRPF52]

I won’t be shooting competition. It’ll be a mixture of shooting for groups from 100-300, coyotes, hogs, and other small t up to 400 or so, and punching steel out to 700-800.

It’s for a new project, and after the barrel is purchased I’ll be sending it to D. Wilson to be cut down, the receiver lapped and bed the barrel and assemble the upper.
I have a 16” Douglas and I have gotten 2 groups of 5 all touching and most other groups between .9-1.25 MOA with razor core and 75 grain Hornady T2 frontier loads. I’m gonna be selling this barrel after I receive this custom spun one. Great barrel but want a rifle length gas system


ETA: Just saw who I was replying to! This is for a 223/5.56 build, when I go for the 6.5 Grendel I’ll be calling Mark for an upper haha. Thanks for the PM over on 65 Grendel forum a few weeks ago!

Just have the barrel cut how you want out of the gate to the length, gas system length, profile, journal, gas port diameter, and muzzle exactly how you want it. I knew this was .223/5.56, which also brings up chambering.

I have at least 1x 16” RLGS 5.56 in my 605 Clone, and it runs great.

 

[TurboTrout]

I have a 223 wylde JP med contour with a blended brake and their thermal heat sink, thing is a tack driver

 

[DackJaniels]

Just have the barrel cut how you want out of the gate to the length, gas system length, profile, journal, gas port diameter, and muzzle exactly how you want it. I knew this was .223/5.56, which also brings up chambering.

I have at least 1x 16” RLGS 5.56 in my 605 Clone, and it runs great.

The only problem is that I’m not 100% certain what the exact measurement needs to be because it’ll need to be cut where an Allen Engineering AEM5 lines up with the taper on the gas block. I’ll have the gas port drilled a size or two bigger than an 18” and I can get it bigger if I need to. Chamber I’m not sure if I should go with CLE, Wylde or what ever

 

[JohnInLa]

Criterion.com which is a spin off of Krieger has the best IMO all around barrels for hunting and steel. And for around $600.00 you can purchase two instead of one extraordinary bling barrel for $500.00.
Criterion also offers a 16" rifle length gas blem. It's tempting to purchase one because I have everything but a barrel to complete a rifle length gas build/assembly. My 18" and 20" Criterions cycle without issues, only concern is chancing the 16" rifle gas keeping up without any hiccups.

 

[RUTGERS95]

agree with CLE recommendation for accuracy