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Have you found that a variety of barrels shoot that load well? Every 223/556 I own shoots the 60gr Sierra Varminter over 26gr of TAC exceptionally well. My stock windham with a cheap bushnell scope has constantly put down .7" groups from that load.
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Quoted: 52gr seems a bit light for 1/7 twist curious to see how 77gr does View Quote |
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View Quote Looks like I need to fix the broken picture links in that one two. |
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I'm comfortable a load could be tuned to the Hodge barrel... but for comparison / testing purposes, it doesn't "like" a known to be accurate, proven load by the owner. ( Gotta have a standard somewhere )
For me... it would kind of be like a 308 barrel not liking a 168gr FGMM round. Bah Hum bug. I have to check the Hodge I have at home, just to see if the GP is the same. Thanks again Molon. I would still like to know the reason for the "A rather unique aspect of this barrel is found in the chamber. Located in the neck section of the chamber, is a ring of six triangular shaped “flutes“. The base of the triangle faces towards the breech end of the barrel." And not the "If you Know, you know" answer Lol. ... maybe in time I will find out. |
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Quoted: VhitaVuori N133 or N135, sorted and prepped Lake City or Lapua brass, Federal Gold Medal primers, 2.235" seating depth. View Quote Are those the AR15 specific 205MAR or the 205M primers? I've got some 205MAR but zero balanced with 205M. |
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Molon, without looking at your socom reviews, how does this hodge compare accuracy wise to the socom? And also if you have tested other FN made 14.5 ML barrels like a spikes for instance, how it compares to those.
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Quoted: Two different SOCOM barrels from over a decade apart. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/colt_socom_barrel_10_shot_group_at_10_ya-1305767.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/colt_socom_2020_10_shot_group_at_100_yar-1305766.jpg View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Molon, without looking at your socom reviews, how does this hodge compare accuracy wise to the socom? And also if you have tested other FN made 14.5 ML barrels like a spikes for instance, how it compares to those. Two different SOCOM barrels from over a decade apart. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/colt_socom_barrel_10_shot_group_at_10_ya-1305767.jpg https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/28568/colt_socom_2020_10_shot_group_at_100_yar-1305766.jpg Impressive. Ordered my 2nd socom colt barrel the other day from G&R for $230 shipped. Looking forward to putting it together in a block ii build at some point. Thanks again for the review. |
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Does hodges barrel contour resemble kac barrels. To my eye it does.
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Quoted: Nope. People who wear supreme don't cryptically suggest there's some sort of secret sauce to it I can't understand without buying it. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Hodge is the "Supreme" of the gun world. People who wear supreme don't cryptically suggest there's some sort of secret sauce to it I can't understand without buying it. Speaking of, what are those triangles for in the chamber? |
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Quoted: I'm comfortable a load could be tuned to the Hodge barrel... but for comparison / testing purposes, it doesn't "like" a known to be accurate, proven load by the owner. ( Gotta have a standard somewhere ) View Quote This barrel "liked" this load better than the several other loads that I fired through it. .. |
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Quoted: Did any of those include M855A1? Also, do have any way to verify if the bore is tapered? I've seen/heard that claim before, just curious. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: This barrel "liked" this load better than the several other loads that I fired through it. .. Did any of those include M855A1? Also, do have any way to verify if the bore is tapered? I've seen/heard that claim before, just curious. Please excuse my ignorance on the FN made hodge stuff. Are these suppose to shoot A1 like a laser or something? Are you serious about the tapered bore? ETA: looks like it’s common with the CHF process having the last several inches of the bore taper some for ease of mandrel pull out? Either way doesn’t look like it helped much in the accuracy dept…. And if the FN made hodge has the slight taper at the end of the bore, I’d think all of their CHF barrels have that taper and not unique to the FN hodge. |
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M855A1 is lame as far as accuracy is concerned. Quoted: Also, do have any way to verify if the bore is tapered? I've seen/heard that claim before, just curious. You would need an air gauge for that, which I don't have. ... |
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You can actually use lead balls tamped into the bore to measure rifling and bore diameter. Since it's a taper, one should do it if you pushed it back out the chamber after proceeding x distance at a time. It's how I would measure old milsurp bores, particularly Lee Enfield barrels that are notoriously poorly made. The lead will become more cylindrical, and impart rifling and bore size.
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Quoted: Please excuse my ignorance on the FN made hodge stuff. Are these suppose to shoot A1 like a laser or something? Are you serious about the tapered bore? View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Please excuse my ignorance on the FN made hodge stuff. Are these suppose to shoot A1 like a laser or something? Are you serious about the tapered bore? No, I don't think it's supposed to be a laser with A1, but supposedly was designed for heavy, suppressed use of A1. Yes, they are supposed to be tapered. Quoted: M855A1 is lame as far as accuracy is concerned. You would need an air gauge for that, which I don't have. ... Yeah, I understand M855A1 isn't a match precision round. I wouldn't expect it to be better than what you've shown, just wondering how it does in relation. |
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Quoted: You can actually use lead balls tamped into the bore to measure rifling and bore diameter. Since it's a taper, one should do it if you pushed it back out the chamber after proceeding x distance at a time. It's how I would measure old milsurp bores, particularly Lee Enfield barrels that are notoriously poorly made. The lead will become more cylindrical, and impart rifling and bore size. View Quote So basically slugging the barrel? |
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Quoted: No, I don't think it's supposed to be a laser with A1, but supposedly was designed for heavy, suppressed use of A1. Yes, they are supposed to be tapered. Yeah, I understand M855A1 isn't a match precision round. I wouldn't expect it to be better than what you've shown, just wondering how it does in relation. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Please excuse my ignorance on the FN made hodge stuff. Are these suppose to shoot A1 like a laser or something? Are you serious about the tapered bore? No, I don't think it's supposed to be a laser with A1, but supposedly was designed for heavy, suppressed use of A1. Yes, they are supposed to be tapered. Quoted: M855A1 is lame as far as accuracy is concerned. You would need an air gauge for that, which I don't have. ... Yeah, I understand M855A1 isn't a match precision round. I wouldn't expect it to be better than what you've shown, just wondering how it does in relation. See edit above. ETA : Also what rumored features make it ‘designed for heavy suppressed use of A1’? |
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Quoted: See edit above. ETA : Also what rumored features make it ‘designed for heavy suppressed use of A1’? View Quote Many barrels might have the taper, I don't know. These barrels are designed to last a very long time with the precision they have. No, I can't personally verify that with 20,000 rounds of suppressed and full auto use of M855A1. The main feature to make it conducive to that is the proprietary alloy everyone likes to bitch about. |
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Molon, I always enjoy your write ups. Very thorough and unbiased. Glad you are back. Keep up the good work. Thanks!
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Quoted: Many barrels might have the taper, I don't know. These barrels are designed to last a very long time with the precision they have. No, I can't personally verify that with 20,000 rounds of suppressed and full auto use of M855A1. The main feature to make it conducive to that is the proprietary alloy everyone likes to bitch about. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: See edit above. ETA : Also what rumored features make it ‘designed for heavy suppressed use of A1’? Many barrels might have the taper, I don't know. These barrels are designed to last a very long time with the precision they have. No, I can't personally verify that with 20,000 rounds of suppressed and full auto use of M855A1. The main feature to make it conducive to that is the proprietary alloy everyone likes to bitch about. Just like any FN made chf barrel.. not trying to be rude but you should read any manufacturers/resellers description on their rebadged FN barrels.. PSA would be a good start. Smells like snake oil to me. I mean if they made their own stuff this would be more believable. I’d wager that the only difference between the FN hodge and any other FN chf barrel is the profile. |
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Quoted: Just like any FN made chf barrel.. not trying to be rude but you should read any manufacturers/resellers description on their rebadged FN barrels.. PSA would be a good start. Smells like snake oil to me. I mean if they made their own stuff this would be more believable. I’d wager that the only difference between the FN hodge and any other FN chf barrel is the profile. View Quote "They" is essentially Jim Hodge. He's not going to mine and forge barrels from scratch. The barrels exist because of his working history with FN, it was his personal project. None of that part is a mystery, he's made plenty of public forum posts and interviews and a P&S Modcast plainly stating what it's about. I was super skeptical when I first read about his carbines on TOS, but I've learned a lot since then. His barrels certainly aren't for everybody. I don't have one, don't know if I ever will. I'm just trying to add perspective as to why someone would pay that much for a barrel that isn't made for precision over a PSA special. |
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Quoted: "They" is essentially Jim Hodge. He's not going to mine and forge barrels from scratch. The barrels exist because of his working history with FN, it was his personal project. None of that part is a mystery, he's made plenty of public forum posts and interviews and a P&S Modcast plainly stating what it's about. I was super skeptical when I first read about his carbines on TOS, but I've learned a lot since then. His barrels certainly aren't for everybody. I don't have one, don't know if I ever will. I'm just trying to add perspective as to why someone would pay that much for a barrel that isn't made for precision over a PSA special. View Quote View All Quotes View All Quotes Quoted: Quoted: Just like any FN made chf barrel.. not trying to be rude but you should read any manufacturers/resellers description on their rebadged FN barrels.. PSA would be a good start. Smells like snake oil to me. I mean if they made their own stuff this would be more believable. I’d wager that the only difference between the FN hodge and any other FN chf barrel is the profile. "They" is essentially Jim Hodge. He's not going to mine and forge barrels from scratch. The barrels exist because of his working history with FN, it was his personal project. None of that part is a mystery, he's made plenty of public forum posts and interviews and a P&S Modcast plainly stating what it's about. I was super skeptical when I first read about his carbines on TOS, but I've learned a lot since then. His barrels certainly aren't for everybody. I don't have one, don't know if I ever will. I'm just trying to add perspective as to why someone would pay that much for a barrel that isn't made for precision over a PSA special. I read some descriptions just now to include the hodge. They all talk about FN and FN’s proprietary steel in their descriptions. The bulk of Hodges description on their barrel is pumping and basically describing the A1 ammo, yet they word it vaguely to make it seem like their (FN made) barrel is something special needed to shoot A1. Very deceptive. It’s very brilliantly written to be honest. |
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Quoted: I read some descriptions just now to include the hodge. They all talk about FN and FN’s proprietary machine gun steel in their descriptions. The bulk of Hodges description on their barrel is pumping and basically describing the A1 ammo, yet they word it vaguely to make it seem like their (FN made) barrel is something special needed to shoot A1. Very deceptive. It’s very brilliantly written to be honest. View Quote I like digging deeper than product/marketing descriptions. Molon, for example, helps with that by providing data on a specific trait for a variety of barrels. I would imagine FN has a variety of proprietary steels for different uses, same with HK and their 416. The Hodge barrels claim to be optimized for M855A1 (hint: not your average gun enthusiast), I think interpreting anything else is a personal bias, it's widely known there are a few barrel brands that have used that ammo in service. |
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Molon in terms of general accuracy and longevity that the Colt 14.5 SOCOM barrels are the best "bang for the buck" at the moment?
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Quoted: This barrel "liked" this load better than the several other loads that I fired through it. .. View Quote Ouch.... pretty mediocre shooting barrel. Good thing the triangles in the chamber were free. ( Lol ) The Hodge I have is a 12.5" CLGS .064 gas port size. For some reason I thought it was a 14.5ish. |
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Quoted: I like digging deeper than product/marketing descriptions. Molon, for example, helps with that by providing data on a specific trait for a variety of barrels. I would imagine FN has a variety of proprietary steels for different uses, same with HK and their 416. The Hodge barrels claim to be optimized for M855A1 (hint: not your average gun enthusiast), I think interpreting anything else is a personal bias, it's widely known there are a few barrel brands that have used that ammo in service. View Quote Exactly what in the construction of 885A1 makes you think it needs some specially optimized barrel? Its a copper jacketed projectile like any other. Snake oil |
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As I suspected, you reach a point of diminishing returns with a $450 barrel and accuracy.
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