Who makes a good barrel these days? Cheap stuff need not apply. - Page 1

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Who makes a good barrel these days? Cheap stuff need not apply.

Posted: 12/5/2016 8:26:20 PM EDT

I'm building a precision 20" upper for varmint hunting and need a good barrel. Not interested in cheap deals just want good quality don't really care about price. Is Wilson still good? Kreiger? Been outa the loop for a while..

Posted: 12/5/2016 8:40:37 PM EDT

[#1]

LaRue
Krieger
White Oak
Rainier Ultra Match

Posted: 12/5/2016 9:00:06 PM EDT

[#2]

Bartlien. Larue. Faxon .ect

Posted: 12/5/2016 9:09:28 PM EDT

[#3]

Larue barrels are still $225. That's the route I went.

Posted: 12/6/2016 2:18:02 AM EDT

[#4]

Wilson Combat has their Match Grade Barrel, .223 Wylde, Super Sniper, 20", 1-8 Twist, Stainless Stainless on sale for 20% off.

LaRue and White Oak also make very nice 20" barrels.

Posted: 12/6/2016 12:12:22 PM EDT

[#5]

I have been having excellent results with Criterion barrels. They are owned by Kreiger and demonstrate very high quality, but at a more attractive price point. With the half dozen or so that I have used, I have nothing but good things to say about them.

Posted: 12/6/2016 1:38:51 PM EDT

[#6]

Ive bought and used a couple Green Mountain barrels. Good quality.

Posted: 12/6/2016 1:43:32 PM EDT

[#7]

I'd be happy with anything FN. That includes a lot of Spike's and the PSA premium line.

Posted: 12/6/2016 3:21:22 PM EDT

[#8]

I regularly pop coyotes out to about 350 yards with one of my Ballistic Advantage barrels, it is good to go as far as I am concerned and I have no complaint at all with any of them that I own.

Posted: 12/8/2016 2:15:16 AM EDT

[#9]

I'd have to say the best bang for the buck until 12/31 when the sell ends is the Larue barrels. I got one when the sell started around May and my third will be here next week.

Posted: 12/8/2016 9:16:23 AM EDT

[#10]

Krieger, Lilja, & JP are going to be the most accurate highend barrels you can buy.

Posted: 12/8/2016 9:23:00 AM EDT

[#11]

Quote History

Quoted:
Krieger, Lilja, & JP are going to be the most accurate highend barrels you can buy.

View Quote

I'd add bartlein and shilen to that list.

My larue stealth shoots ok, but it's not on the same field as the barrel makers listed above.

Posted: 12/8/2016 10:18:04 AM EDT

[#12]

Add Compass lake

Posted: 12/8/2016 2:31:42 PM EDT

[#13]

I would get a LaRue Stealth while it is still on sale. Here is a target I shot last weekend doing load development with my 18" Stealth.

Posted: 12/8/2016 8:26:21 PM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
Krieger, Lilja, & JP are going to be the most accurate highend barrels you can buy.

View Quote

This. I have a Lilja AR barrel that has proven to be far more accurate than I am personally capable of shooting. Groups are consistently .5 MOA (even under) until I screw them up with my 66 year old trigger finger and bifocal eyesight. Kreiger will be the same. It takes a competition level benchrest shooter to wring the full accuracy out of these barrels or draw meaningful differences between Kreiger, Lilja, Shilen, Bartlein and other custom barrel makers at that level.

Posted: 12/9/2016 2:23:35 AM EDT

[#15]

Another vote for Lilja.

Posted: 12/9/2016 2:45:23 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Wilson Combat has their Match Grade Barrel, .223 Wylde, Super Sniper, 20", 1-8 Twist, Stainless Stainless on sale for 20% off.

LaRue and White Oak also make very nice 20" barrels.

View Quote

I just finished building a project gun using that Wilson Combat barrel. The gun shoots better than I can!!! I can't say enough good things about it.

Posted: 12/10/2016 10:22:10 PM EDT

[#17]

I have 2 Lilja Barrels and love them.
The last barrel I bought was Odin Works 18" intermediate 3gun contour. It shoots like a dream. I'll definitely end up with another one.
http://www.odinworks.com/ODIN_Works_Barrels_s/1828.htm

Posted: 12/11/2016 7:43:45 AM EDT

[#18]

I haven't tried one of their AR products, but my Lilja barreled bolt guns are the most accurate thing I have ever touched. I don't pretend to be the greatest shooter on the planet, but switching to the Lilja barrels cut my groups down significantly.

Since you say it's for varmint purposes, I also have a Shilen AR barrel in .204 that drills every little critter a can put crosshairs on.

My "budget" AR barrels are Black Hole Weaponry products (I guess they call themselves Columbia River Arms, now?), which are still more accurate than most in their price range, and good enough to have won some local competitions (although not in my hands).

Lastly, the only factory AR barrel I haven't felt the need to replace is my Rock River. I heard a rumor somewhere that they outsource their barrels from Wilson.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Who makes a good barrel these days? Cheap stuff need not apply.

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