I'm building a new 6.5 G rifle. I'm trying to stay on a reasonable budget, but splurge on the stuff that actually matters for accuracy or rifle functioning. I suppose to some extent everything matters a little bit, but I would assume that some things matter *more*. So what should I spend the $$ on? We are ignoring shooter skill.

1) Barrel/Bolt
2) Barrel/Upper Connection
3) Trigger

If #1 is really #1, is a $450 Satern Barrel* worth the money over a $285 Odin* or a $223 Doublestar?

* Includes Bolt (Satern) or Gas block (Odin)

I think that's tough to answer, OP.  From my observations, what I think you're actually paying for with the different barrel prices is the probability that one is going to be better than another.  I cannot speak to Satern but I know Odin's are great, and most speak highly of White Oak Armament as well.  

For instance, I know JP's barrels are going to be accurate, and that the probability is high that one will be accurate once I buy it so I believe I am paying for that likelihood. JP's barrels also come with the bolt too!  (Did I make my sales pitch overly obvious)...

ETA- yes, I believe the most cash should be spent on the barrel and trigger, but again, that is just my humble opinion.  Also, I believe an often overlooked component on precision AR's is the buttstock. Good, consistent cheek weld is paramount to maintaining a solid NPOA, thereby enhancing one's ability to be accurate/precise, so don't be stingy there, either!

Barrel and Trigger. Don't fall for gimmicky billet upper or matched upper/lower. They don't matter.

Barrel and Chamber
With 6.5 Grendel, the thing that matters the most is that you have any of the proven barrels using the SAAMI chamber.  I've shot multiple samples ranging from AA, AA/Satern, BHW, Brownell's, Lilja, Midway/AR Stoner, and Precision Firearms/Bartlein/Lilja.

I own AA (3), Lilja (2), Satern (1), and have built a lot of guns with AA, Satern, and Lilja barrels.

I have also seen and tried to get shooting barrels from Satern and Lilja that didn't have the SAAMI chamber in them.

Only one of them would shoot well (.75-.89" 3rd groups in a lightweight 16" Wasp barrel), and it was one Lilja out of many other Lilja's with an oddball chamber in them, the others wouldn't shoot for me.

Put next to the same barrel profile Lilja with a SAAMI chamber, and that SAAMI chamber shot bug holes, shoots great no matter what we load.

Same with Satern.  The really amazing barrels were the Satern barrels cut with an AA/SAAMI reamer.  We're talking 8rd groups in the .2s at 100yds, 700yd hitting 10" plates boring.

I simply have not put my hands on an Odin barrel yet, so I can't honestly provide any assessment of them.

These little 16" fluted Lightweight AA barrels have all been shooting, and I've built or helped others build many of them over the past 6-7 months.  For $195, they are the deal to beat, but you will have a super light little AR15 when using them, unless you purposely try to weigh them down.

I have 2 more barrels on the way from Alexander Arms as we speak, 18" fluted.

Receiver Mating
When AA did fleet testing and constant QC/QA with 20-28", he noticed that half of them would shoot with normal install, and half needed bedding, so he decided to bed anything 20" and longer, including the gas blocks.

My little 17.6" Lilja actually shoots amazingly well with just a factory trigger, polished and tuned.  I bedded the barrel into the upper, and used at least 60 ft-lbs of torque, which is what you want on Grendel's and the AR10 at a minimum.

There is a formula of balance and consistency that goes into an accurate AR15.  A lot of people like to say, just get x and y and you're good to go, but it really is a balancing act, starting from who made the barrel, who chambered it and what reamer they used, who made and installed the extension, how the barrel is mounted to the upper, how the gas block is attached, gas tube alignment, no heavy torque on the muzzle device, balanced torque on the optic mount, optic that will actually take semi-auto abuse, track consistently, before even talking about the load.

The thing with the SAAMI chamber is that it is very load-tolerant.

Learning how to shoot an AR15 that recoils just a bit more than .223 Rem is a pretty big factor though, especially with a light gun.  Once you get it down, rapid-firing groups like this becomes routine:

Barrel and bullets.

I built my AR(.223) with a Brownells BCG, Bushmaster blem stripped upper, 80%lower, Stag car stock, plain DPMS free float tube etc everything cheap as possible.

The only thing I didn't go cheap on was the barrel which is a WilsonCombat(even that was kind of cheap), trigger and the scope and mounting.
With 90gr SMKs it is reliably under 1moa with with very little time spent on work up, this is plenty good for my uses.

3000 rounds through it so far, none of the cheap shit has failed not even the Caldwell bipod which I have abused. I've had it out to 1050 and was happy with the results. I got roughly 4moa over 20 shots not great but I think it fairly good for an 18" budget .223.

The more I learn the more I disagree with that last part.


However, the first part is the most true.  Good barrel and good trigger account for a LOT of the accuracy in a rifle.


Also.....part of the "trifecta" is good glass.


I know a guy who spent money on a great rifle in a "semi-custom"  bolt action.  He was telling me how it was a waste of money and it didn't live up to it's reputation.  We chatted about it briefly, then about a year later I went to visit him and saw some of his guns.

He had a 'Barksa' scope on a $2,500 rifle

He told me he "ran out of money" after the rifle and didn't have $$$ for a good scope.  The rifle didn't shoot like crap....the scope did.



Rule of thumb.....your glass should cost almost as much as your rifle.

Absolutely right on this one. AR accuracy is dependent on 3 things, Barrel, Trigger and Glass. (This is assuming you're using high quality, match ammo) All else is supplemental.

Your right about needing good glass on a good rifle to get its full potential but the old rule of spending the same as the cost of the rifle is outdated.

There are many good scopes in the $800-$1300 range no need to spend $2500 an up unless your really serious just stay away from the $300 and under scopes

I would say barrel, trigger and glass.  I bought a 22" rock creek from rainier  as a second choice over a 24"shillen 1-8 twist then discovered at the range it was a 1-12 twist when it wouldn't hit paper with 77 grain razor core. To say the least I was pissed at my self for not double checking thinking I had wasted my money.  Then loaded up 50gr varmint bullets and it shot consistent 1/2" groups. Took it to a prairie dog town in Wyoming earlier this week and got kills with it out to 650 yards. 200 yard head shots were not a problem.with a nightforce SHV that tracked great by the way.  I guess I was supprised that the 50s would do so well at that range, I had it in my head I need 69s or 77s to get to 600 accurately.  I'm using a 3 1/2 pound trigger now but I'm thinking about getting a 2 pounder. Makes a world of difference shooting long range.

I know some will disagree with me, but I believe in concentrating on the upper (barrel, bolt, receiver etc...). Good scope is important too. What is sending the projectile downrange and marking the spot accurately are the high points on my list.

Triggers are a preference. While I like and run some nice triggers (in my opinion), I have gone with standard triggers for a while so I could focus my budgeted funds on what are the key pieces to me. Afterward (if necessary) I save up and work towards the trigger I wanted and replace the standard.

Aint that the truth.

A "standard trigger" that has been polished correctly can feel like an expensive after market trigger.

I haven't gotten around to it yet but I plan on putting a standard trigger in my SBR that has been polished as I don't need/want a lightweight competition/precision trigger.

FWIW, my stock Glock trigger on my G27 feels smoother than many after market triggers. I learned how to do a trigger job years ago from a competent gun smith. It was tedious as you MUST go slow but it was worth it.

Agreed, that is why I still have standard triggers on a couple of mine. Never saw the need to replace them. The triggers that were replaced on others were because I wanted them but they did not need to replace the others. On my pistols I dont replace anything. The tend to get nice and smooth from a lot of practice.

Barrel.  
Twist rate trickles down into everything. Bullet weight and distance  
Trigger
Floating forearm.
Compatibility- ergonomics



A really good machinist-armorer who loves his work is also a great asset when building a rifle.

Here is an alternative view. For pure accuracy and to help the human condition for an above average build...
1-Ammo. Find the right one. Control variation
2-Trigger. A good trigger will net you instant positive results.
3-Sight picture or optic. You can not hit what you can't see.
4-weight/balance. A heavier gun will help you with better groups. Find the right balance for the task at hand. Offhand, Bench, Barricade..?
5-Barrel. You can not out shoot the worst piece of crap barrel made. no one can because whatever a barrel is capable of no human can match offhand or from a bench. How would you know how good a barrel is unless you locked the gun down in a rest and fired a group ? Not advocating starting with known marginal barrel that most likely will not hold a good group. just go with known middle upper quality barrel maker and you will be fine.

I'll add:

A)  Headspace on supplied bolt
B)  Bolt Space Gap, 0.002" for a made to order barrel

Since 1999, never met an ARMALITE AR-10A4 {20", that's chrome-lined for those in Rio Linda} or 10T {20"-24"} that couldn't shoot multiple 5 shot,  sub 0.5" groups @ 100yds with .308WIN fodder that it liked.

Met a ton of shooters that couldn't.