Good evening everyone, I need some assistance with picking a barrel.  I was leaning toward the 16inch Faxon Gunner Barrel, with the gas block already pinned.  But Aim has been out of stock for a while.  Then I started looking at the Ballistic Advantage 16" 5.56 BA Hanson Midlength AR 15 Barrel w/ Lo Pro, Performance Series which is about $30 more then the Faxon.  My other choice would be to just get an unpinned barrel and add the gas block my self unpinned for the time being.  I would greatly appreciate any advice.  Thanks

I just got my 16 inch ba Hanson barrel in the mail.  Everything quality wise looks amazing and shipping only took a few days. I got it when they had the free upper reciver deal going on. Im not sure but I think if you order over 175$ now you will get a free vg6 muzzle device of your choice when you put in a certain code. It's on their website.

Faxon Gunner gets my vote due to the profile, I love mine.

BA also makes an awesome barrel, cannot go wrong with either one.  But it is worth it to get the pinned block IMO(from either MFR)


eta:  also Granite Ridge outfitters, and I think Monmouth reloading?  are doing 25% off BA barrels right now(both are site sponsors)

You'll love either one. BA and Faxon are always what I suggest to people.

Interesting, what's that instagram badge you have over there?


I have both, and I can't tell the difference. They are both high options on any build.

This. I like faxon, I shoot faxon. Lots of folks have just as good luck with ba. Faxon's are lighter though, and just as accurate.

Faxon Gunner 18" rifle length gas system.

I have both. BA in the 16" Hanson mid-length with the .625" gas block journal and the Faxon 11.5' Gunner with the .625" journal. My best shots at a 100 yards with the BA is just over .40' with 25 grains of H335 and the hornady 55 grain FMJ. The only thing that I wish I would have done differently was not get the .625 gas journal. You are very limited on the selection of adjustable gas blocks.

Thank you everyone for your feedback, I think I am going to go with this barrel since I'm starting to get a bit antsy waiting for Aim to get the Faxons back in stock.

16" 5.56 BA Hanson Midlength AR 15 Barrel w/ Lo Pro, Performance Series  $180 from Manmoth or Granite, thanks for that tip.


Now a little more help with the puzzle device, I really like the Surefire Warden blast diffuser.  Has anyone used it or would you just recommend something simple for first build.  This is primarily for sport, maybe some hunting and home defense!!!  Thanks

Surefire stuff is usually good, but pricy. Simple is the standard, milspec A2 flashier. Dirt cheap and they work. Want something a little snazzier, a Yankee Hill Phantom is still cheap and suppresses flash even better. If you want good recoil compensation then I'd go with Precision Armament  M4-72, but any good recoil compensator will be flashy and blasty. The best device for both flash suppression AND muzzle control is Precision Armament AFAB.  Best combo device there is IMO.  Not cheap though.

Actually the very best is a suppressor, but I doubt you're ready for that.

I'm thinking about one of these. Have you shot yours much?

That smooths out the recoil a good bit doesn't it? 

I built 3 AR's in the past 3months using Green Mountain barrels, 2 were 16" SS, mid length gas 1:8 twist, mid weight and the other was 18" SS, rifle length gas, 1:8 twist, mid weight. All 3 barrels have no issues feeding various types of ammo and got sub 1" groups @ 100yds  first time out, after 300rds I'm seeing 5/8-3/4" groups depending on ammo.
I just ordered a McGowen barrel for a 6.5Gendel build, 18" SS HBAR profile, rifle length gas, 1:9 twist. If you have the time to wait and the money McGowen makes a great barrel that you can have built to you spec's.

Thank you guys for all of your help, I went ahead and went with the BA 16 Hansen barrel with the pinned gas block.  On a funny note, I received the barrel today and got an e mail from Aim surplus saying they had the Faxon 16in gunner barrel back in stock!  Let me know what you think of her so far.  Optics and muzzle device left.  I believe I am going to go with the AFAB Hybrid.  I like the Surefire but a bit pricey for me, my wife is already starting to cut me off!!!  New baby on the way!  


https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4383/36503872521_50030091d9_k.jpg20170817_134956 by leon, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4374/35832765293_d196d79e28_k.jpg20170817_135002 by leon, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4415/36503871391_3b02e6cfd6_k.jpg20170817_135008 by leon, on Flickr

+1 for Green Mountain barrels.  My first build was a 5.56 military model, with a 20" govt profile 1in8 barrel from Green Mountain.  Cost is still very reasonable (approx. $180) and they have chrome-lined bore, so I didn't expect extreme accuracy capability, but surprise - 10 round groups of less than an inch at 100 yards are common.  Later I built an upper using a heavy match barrel costing 3 times as much, but the accuracy is only marginally better than my Green Mountain barrel.

Also, regarding pinned gas blocks, they may make sense with GI type front sight/gas block components, where the rifle is thrown around in vehicles and dropped on rocks, but not for the typical lo-pro BG or even one with a folding front sight.  For most civilian purposes, a common clamp-on or set screw gas block is perfectly adequate and more practical insofar as taking on and off.  Just my opinion, of course. - CW