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Posted: 5/2/2026 12:09:05 AM EDT
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Freinds, recommendations for a light weight 16" midlenth gas barrel? I'd like the smaller gas block journal. Building a light weight carbine. Thank you for your time. |
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I purchased a Ballistic Advantage barrel today from BK firearms. Should be all I can ask. They had their house brand and for a bit more the ba barrel. Should have all the other stuff for the upper. I am debating on wether or not to order a light weight bcg. BK didn't have any in stock. |
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The lightest .625" 16" midlength will be Faxon nitrided. My lightest rifle uses this. Its a 3-3.5 MOA barrel. 2.5 MOA with 77 grain IMI Razorcore. Criterion will be among the heaviest. I have a super pencil Criterion for making lightweight builds I keep as spares. It will shoot PMC XTAC 55 grain about 2-2.5 MOA. Not as light but far cheaper to feed since it has better accuracy with FMJ it likes than the Faxon with match ammo. Also keep in mind Criterion lightweight is actually a heavier profile most other companies would call "optimised" or something. Look at the weight specs. My old Criterion spares are "ultra pencil" profiles. Which is just lightweight. Some companies will be as light as 17oz while others will be as heavy as 23oz. A massive difference. The Ballistic Advantage pencil is 23oz I believe. Daniel Defense is so heavy it is not even in the same class as they are only .750" gas blocks and full length for an A-frame sight install vs a shorter gas block section for a shorter low profile SPR spec block and the slimmer .625 gas block of the others. I also have this barrel and it is WAY more accurate than the two above. But at 24oz it should be. To keep it in perspective, I have had stainless heavy barrel match fluted barrels made that are under 28 oz. These are .775" behind the gas block, .750" gas block and .73" in front of the gas block and capable of sub MOA accuracy. Is there some accuracy standard you want to hit or will it just be a red dot blaster? Keep in mind stainless of the same profile is always heavier. You will want an adjustable gas block if going with a lightweight carrier. You will want titanium if going all out light. There are very few titanium adjustable gas blocks. I reccomend the Superlative Arms version over the even lighter SLR because it is more robust, less expensive, has better adjustments, and fits into slimmer rails better. Keep in mind... your gas block will likely cost as much as or more than your barrel. The other option is a lightweight skeletonized titanium fixed gas block and EZtune gas tubes. Even lighter and cheaper, but that is a super duper pain in the ass to get right as you must remove and install multiple gas tubes to get gassing right. My suggestion, if you are willing to not have an FRT but want 100% reliability with minimal recoil is dont go under 3.0 oz carbine buffer and dont go under the JP LMOS carrier weight... especially if you might go suppressed ever. |
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