Looking to build an upper with an 18" barrel.  Not a bench gun but a fun gun.

Thanks

I bought a 3g upper form Stag. Best thing I have done in a long time. It's perfect for what I am doing with it. Its a fun gun and a furtaker.

I went 16" for my 3 gun rifle.

ODIN WORKS !

Nordic

I like Green Mountain.  A month and a half ago I would have said Larue, but you missed their awesome sale.  They're still good barrels if your willing to drop the coin.

The FN/PSA 18" 410 CHF 1/8 .223 wylde barrel I have in my SPR has been a great performer. It's A2 profile so it's not super heavy. $199

Odin makes some nice stuff as well as some others mentioned.


http://palmettostatearmory.com/18-chf-stainless-steel-a2-profile-223-wylde-1-8-barrel.html

I have 18" Green Mountain barrel.

I bought a white oak arms 18  spr and really like it

My most accurate AR has a Black Hole Weaponry 18" barrel.  With the right reloads I get under 1/2 MOA at 100 yards.

Usually priced right about the same range as other match barrels.  Watch their website and they on occasion have 20% off sales.

Bill

I'm with Bill on this one.  BH barrels are good.

If you want light, I recommend a Faxon Gunner barrel from AIM surplus.

I am loving my Faxon 18" Flame fluted barrel. Accurate as all get out, at around 28.5 ounces it isn't too heavy, decent price (paid a little less then what they are asking on their site), and gets some comments.







http://faxonfirearms.com/18-flame-fluted-5-56-nato-rifle-length-416-r-stainless-steel-qpq/
 
 

Cool.

Quick question, you see many jp rifles in competition?

Txl

I have a JP 18" lightweight rifle.  It is awesome.  Burn a mag and the POI does not shift enough to tell and the groups only open up a little.  

Actually the heat in the barrel affects POI less than how long the rounds cook in a hot barrel.
example
burn a mag, insert fresh mag, immediately start shooting to about same POI with bigger group.
OR
burn a mag, insert fresh mag, let sit while you do this or that for 30 seconds or more, then the first shot goes off in space somewhere. You just pre-heated that round several hundred degrees before firing it.  I suspect ballistic tips might even melt if done this way.

YES, WITH DIRT CHEAP GUNSHOW RELOADED AMMO AND UNKNOWN POWDER.

However, I do feel I kinda wasted some money.  Accuracy has yet to prove of ANY importance to me in 3 gun.  My gun show reloads only group 2-3 MOA in any gun ever and I am still trying to use my supply up. If your range has under the clock targets over 200 yards, then you might want to use good ammo with a good barrel or at least just the ammo your cheap barrel likes.

Good barrels - any  17" or 18" with a RIFLE gas system.  Lightweight profile is fine, just makes sure the POI does not shift as the barrel gets hot or at least learn which direction it shifts and compensate.  Don't get a barrel any bigger than 3/4" diameter under the handguards...unless you want more weight for long range offhand stability.
JP
Nordic
Odin
Faxon
Black hole
Micro MOA
AR Performance
Ballistic Advantage

Now if you want a 16", I still say a RIFLE gas system.  This would be Micro MOA 16" RIFLE or a custom job.  The Stretch 16 with INTERMEDIATE gas would also be mighty fine.  16" will give you slightly more gas pressure to run your compensator a little better.

ADJUSTABLE GAS BLOCK REQUIRED FOR FULL BENEFIT

Primary Arms runs Odin works deals sometimes, but you have to act fast.

Note, cheap does not mean bad accuracy.  I had a Model 1 that posted 4 consecutive sub MOA groups.  Average was .79" or .76". Ranged from .71" to .89" with flyer.  This was a $500 kit with Walmart scope.  I would not bet the next upper off that same assembly line was not nearly as good though.