I am putting together my first AR-15 built specifically for Service Rifle competition.

I have a lower with a UBR stock.  A Viper PST 1-4X24, and Geissele National Match trigger.  What I am shopping for is an upper.  Many of my searches led me to White Oak and the choices are their own WOA barrel, the Shilen "normal" and ratchet barrel, and the Krieger.  I don't know if they were keeping it simple or not, but when asked, they said they were all accurate and it was a matter of preference.  Seemed like a simplistic answer, and if that was the case, why would I want to spend more for a Krieger or Shilen vs. their WOA barrel?  The Ratchet barrel is 1:8 and I was looking at 1:7.  I saw a lot of discussion about Krieger and other brands like Douglas, but are these barrels (at least those listed) really that equal to one another?

Someone said everyone on the left coast was shooting WOA.  Don't know if that is fact or heresay.  I am getting close to pulling the trigger, and need to choose a barrel/upper source.  Like others have said, I know the rifle or barrel won't be the lowest common denominator, that will be me, but there is no reason to waste money if these barrels are really quite similar, at least for my purposes?

Thanks,
Lew

Cool!  Welcome to the game.  1\8 is fine with 80s.  All barrels are good.  In general you will replace the barrel every 3000-6000 rounds.   Since you are just starting, start with the most affordable.

As of a few year ago, all the people I talked to felt that a WOA barrel wouldn't last as long as a higher end barrel, but it would last long enough and was well worth the money.

This. 1/8 will pretty much hand any weight of 5.56/.223 rounds without issues. Hell my cheapy Ruger ar556 is more accurate than I am with it's 16" barrel. I did replace the trigger with an RRA Varmint trigger and can get damn close to MOA which I know is all me.

I went Distinguished with used Rifle barrels.

Any that you listed will clean targets. Get one and start to build your data book.

Shoot every match you can. Shoot with the best shooters you can. Pick their brains. Take constructive criticism.

^^^ All that.

I got my points with DPMS and RRA barrels.

If you have more specific questions: https://www.ar15.com/forums/training/High_Power___DCM___CMP/14/

Requires registration, but some of the best shooters chime in here: http://www.usrifleteams.com/forums/

Buying a White Oak Armament service rifle upper is never a bad choice. It won't matter which barrel you get just starting out. I've had the standard (Wilson blanks) outshoot some of my very expensive Krieger barrels.

I clean and lube the rifles every time I shoot them, they have always been under 1 moa with match grade bullets. FMJ's are usually junk. If you want accuracy better bullets are required.Click To View Spoiler

I wrote to WOA about their barrels.  They buy rifled blanks from Wilson, Shilen, and Krieger.  Their "house brand" barrels are Wilson Arms match grade, lapped, and button rifled.   For more money they offer the Krieger cut-rifled blank or a Shilen ratchet-rifled blank which they chamber, profile, drill gas ports, and crown.

I haven't bought an upper, so instead of just picking up a barrel, I need the whole upper.  So it is a matter of where I can get the best, or near best barrel matched up with the other upper components.

I tried to find a comparable option on the CLE site...although I chose Krieger, it kept taking me to a Bartlein config for more money.  Before it takes me away from the Krieger option, a 1:7.7 is $925 and WOA has the same choice for $910.  Didn't compare shipping as I was unable to get the CLE site to let me choose the Krieger.  Looks like the Bartlein was $45 more.

The cheapest choice at CLE is a Criterion 1:7 or 1:8 for $765.  Cheapest Service Rifle upper at WOA is their Wilson for $685.  How would you compare those two barrels?  I read the Criterion is made by Krieger, but doesn'tmean it is comparable quality.  Found another site, Bison Armory, they start over $1K.

Are these the places my best choice for something like this?

Thanks to everyone who responded....as an aside, I subscribed to this thread but got nothing in the mail to indicate anyone had replied.

I did just go to the RRA site.  My previous AR was from them which was a traditional carbine with 16" barrel and a very heavy quad-rail.  Since a link on here referred to their NM A4 offering, I checked it out.  The other options I was looking at in the $700 range had a standard handguard (with free floating tube).  The RRA option has a railed handguard instead, but otherwise the specs are similar, but I have no way to compare the barrel quality.  The price for that is $765.

I should mention that I am an FFL.  The upper doesn't require an FFL to ship to, but maybe there are some options I am overlooking where a discount is offered to FFLs.  I was able to save quite a bit on my UBR and Geissele by going the FFL route, but I haven't found FFL pricing on any of the sites I have discussed here.

I just emailed RRA to see what their response would be and I would really appreciate any other feedback on "best" barreled upper and where to buy.

Thanks again!

Back again :)  OK...mentioned I had requested a dealership with RRA.  Submitted the request yesterday and a nice young man called me this afternoon and said I was in their system and good to go.  Also a catalog was already in the mail to me.

He got my signon information, and minutes later, i was able to view dealer pricing on the site.  Further, they are having a sale.  When I logged in, it said 12% off dealer price, then when placing the order, it said 20% off.  Their prices are competitive on a retail level but after taking off a dealer discount, then 20% the upper was almost "cheap".

I had read somewhere that they used Wilson Arms match barrels but that was 2008 information.  He rep I spoke to said they were still using Wilson Arms match barrels.  That meant I was getting the same barrel that WOA sells for their house brand.  I don't know what RRA does to the barrel but I do know that WOA does the crowning, chambering, gas ports, etc.

Anyway, I placed my upper order and am anxious to have it shipped.  It might not be a Kreiger or Shilen ratchet rifled barrel, but is certainly good enough for a beginner.

Thanks again to everyone here!

RRA builds a fine SR upper.  If there was a down fall, it was in the iron sight days.  WOA was a little more desired due to the fact that you could order the upper with the rear sight pinned.

RRA has used Wilson blanks for a long time.  I’ve never had one that didn’t shoot good enough to hold the X- ring. As many have said, they have earned their points with RRA.

You won’t go wrong with any of them.  I generally bought based on price and availability.

Since WOA and RRA seem to use the same barrel, is there much of a difference?  I am only buying their upper as I have a lower with a UBR.  If I wasn't getting the FFL deal on the RRA upper, the retail on the RRA with rail is close to the price of the WOA without the rail.   With the dealer pricing and an additional 20% off, I am getting the RRA for less than 2/3 the price for railed RRA vs. the non-railed WOA version.  Just too cheap to pass up

I am getting a flat top so the sights aren't an issue.

Thanks!