https://www.primaryarms.com/Radical_Firearms_16_M4_Profile_Barrel_p/rf-1617.htm

$120 melonite 1:7 barrel? I know Primary Arms is a great place to buy from and I don't think they'd allow junk. This would be awesome to go with the rest of my budget friendly build, if the quality is there. I'm not a 1k rounds a month shooter, nor looking for benchrest accuracy, just an AR I can carry in the woods and shoot at random crap in the backyard and beat around on. Anyone else used a Radical Firearms Barrel?

EDIT: Screw it, I bought it. I'll guinea pig and update the OP with pics and dimensions and stuff.

12/8/14: Finally got everything together and test fired the rifle. I didn't bother dialing in sights and shot in my backyard at 30yds, standing, with wolf ammo so no report on accuracy. However, I shot 5 times, checked everything, 5 more, checked again, and dumped the last 20 in the mag as fast as I could go. No problems feeding, ejecting, etc. I have a carbine class on 1/3/15, so if any problems arise with being less than minute-of-cardboard-man accurate or feeding/ejecting I will let you know.

1/24/15:Sorry for the long delay, been busy lately.

I'm now one rain-soaked carbine class, and one other cold range trip into this rifle/barrel. Roughly 700 rounds, mostly Wolf .223, some ZQI 5.56, some unknown 5.56 found under the seat of the instructor's truck, and 40 XM193.

She's not a tack driver. I haven't done any rested shooting with it, but sighting it in at the class and the other plinking trip, accuracy is good enough for a sub 100yd fighting rifle, which is exactly what I wanted. We mostly shot coke cans at 30-40 yards, and shooting unsupported it's hard telling whether misses were me or the rifle. Probably me.
hit post limit, scroll down for more.

As promised.


Mocked up in my build platform (yes I used a bobby pin to hold the gas tube in place for the pic)















Came in a nice packaging with a thin coat of oil on the barrel, and a thick coat on the receiver extension. Fit snugly into my cardinal forge upper, feed ramps aligned perfectly. Don't have a headspace gauge or micrometer handy to check any further, but everything seems to be in spec. Feel free to ask questions or poke fun of my nasty kitchen.

Looks good to me. For that price if it meets "your" expectations I say it's a Win!

I've "HAD" 2 of them.

curious as to why you got rid of them?

IM Sent

I hope their gtg I have been looking at them recently.

I think I have the same barrel sitting at home waiting to go to ADCO

I'm curious as well.  Are they on par with the Palmetto State Armory barrels?  Better?  Worse?

I just replaced the RF barrels/uppers with PSA's

I'll make sure to keep updating this thread with my findings. With the holidays it might be a bit before I can get a handguard and test this puppy out.

As promised, build is finished. Updating OP with the following.

12/8/14: Finally got everything together and test fired the rifle. I didn't bother dialing in sights and shot in my backyard at 30yds, standing, with wolf ammo so no report on accuracy. However, I shot 5 times, checked everything, 5 more, checked again, and dumped the last 20 in the mag as fast as I could go. No problems feeding, ejecting, etc. I have a carbine class on 1/3/15, so if any problems arise with being less than minute-of-cardboard-man accurate or feeding/ejecting I will let you know.

Thank you for the update.

Thanks for the update .Glad it's working for you.

Adding the following to the OP:

Sorry for the long delay, been busy lately.

I'm now one rain-soaked carbine class, and one other cold range trip into this rifle/barrel. Roughly 700 rounds, mostly Wolf .223, some ZQI 5.56, some unknown 5.56 found under the seat of the instructor's truck, and 40 XM193.

She's not a tack driver. I haven't done any rested shooting with it, but sighting it in at the class and the other plinking trip, accuracy is good enough for a sub 100yd fighting rifle, which is exactly what I wanted. We mostly shot coke cans at 30-40 yards, and shooting unsupported it's hard telling whether misses were me or the rifle. Probably me.

Chamber has always cleaned up good, runs steel and brass fine, no weird markings on brass. In fact, I've only had one malfunction on this rifle, which was a round stuck in the chamber. Happened with the ZQI. Out of the same lot, someone else I was shooting with had it happen to their Stag, so I attribute that to ammo.

Overall, if I were building another budget rifle, I'd have no problems buying from Radical Firearms again based off this experience. I guess the only thing left to test is how long the thing lasts. Like I said I'm up to roughly 700 rounds. If I get 2500-3000 rounds out of this barrel, I'd say its paid for itself and I'll replace it with a better, more accurate barrel.