There is a new thread on WW, but I didn't want to hijack that one since my question is actually a little different.

20" A2 chrome-lined barrels with the FSB are out there, but I'm not sure what is good or not. I know about the Del-tons and the TNTsales ones. But I want a really good barrel and I'm not sure how good those are. I found this one:

https://shop.windhamweaponry.com/products/ba20gvt-7

Anyone ever use one? What is the accuracy like? How would this one compare to a Colt, PSA FN or BCM barrel? Thanks

The Windham Weaponry 20" A2 barrel assemblies are EXCELLENT. I have three ARs with them. They are accurate and no issue with FSB alignment. I highly recommend them. Here are the three.


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What are Model 1 Sales barrels?

I agree. I have used a few over the years and have never been disappointed. I still prefer the WW over the M1S when it comes to the 20" A2 barrel.

Nice Rifles, don't see many 20 inches now a days.

@jrs93accord
@Tigwelder1971
Why?

I have a WW 20" barrel on my A4 wannabe. I have no complaints. I ordered in the morning and it was on a Fed ex truck that afternoon. So they ship pretty fast.

I have a WW 20" A2 barrel on my C7A2 inspired build. Barrel itself is great. Only thing, and this isn't a complaint as it is a known fact, I had to change out the front sight post for a taller one. That's because WW doesn't use F marked FSBs and I assembled my barrel to a flat top upper. However, when I installed the taller sight post, it didn't take hardly any adjustment to get it zeroed. It was right where it needed to be. Good barrels, indeed!

Glad to hear all of the replies to this question, because I built an A4 clone about six months ago that I have yet to shoot.

IMHO, the overall quality of the barrel lies with the WW. M1S barrels are good, but the WW barrels seem to be a bit more accurate. Like was said, the fit and finish between the WW and M1S are similar. I am not sure who makes the M1S barrels, but I do know that WW makes their own.

You changed the FSB. I know the differences between the bases, but what about when you use a detachable carry handle? Will it still need to be switched out for an F marked one? I hope thats not a dumb question.

He changed the front sight post, not the FSB. The FSP fits inside the FSB. Because he is using a flat-top upper, he had two choices. He could have replaced the entire FSB with a F marked FSB or simply change the FSP to a taller one. A non-F marked FSB is primarily for use with an A1 and A2 upper (fixed carrying handles). Personally, I did not have to change anything to make the barrel assembly work with my A2 upper or to work with the detachable carrying handles.

Gotcha! I misread it.

Beautiful rifles. I love 20" ARs

WW still uses A2 FSB (non-F), I believe.  If correct, they're the best game in town for an A2 or C7 build, but I would look elsewhere for an A4 build.


WW on top

The WW barrel assembly works well for an A4 if you are going to use the detachable carrying handle. If you are going to use a rear BUIS, then you want to change to a taller FSP.

I put a 20" WW barrel on my USGI (ish) M16A2 copy I did last year. I wanted a quality barrel for a working mans price. I chose WW. It did NOT disappoint. Very accurate. Longest I've shot is 100 yards at a local range. But I put 4 rounds touching at 100 with irons and I was blown away. For one, I have crap eye sight and this was before I got my contact lens and two, the fact its WW and shot that well (warm barrel too) amazed me. I was very glad I chose it for my build. I wanted a Colt or FN A2 barrel but clearly as I was outa the 20" game for a number of years the prices of those two have sky rocketed. Go ahead and invest in one, you'll be glad you did.

Okay so, I am building an A1 clone, with an A2 barrel, and an A4 upper receiver/detachable carry handle . . . . I know I know I'm lame, but I'm a sucker for triangle handguards.

Just had a difficult time with Dad's Bushy/WW build with a detachable carry handle.  Had to get taller front sight and it's practically level with the FSB ears.  

I would not call it an A1 clone. What you are building is more like an A4 clone, but with triangular handguards. That is what I did with my wood AR build. A new school AR with an old school look.

Yes, I know. I was just trying to be funny. But as cool as the A1 was and is, the A2 better and the A4 was better than both. So I like to have my cake and look cool eating it.

Info: Each pinned FSB is specific to the barrel it is installed. The holes are drilled through the FSB and barrel at the same time and then taper reamed specifically for the taper pins you are using, basically a hand fit.  It is tough to line up the existing holes in the barrel with a new FSB and vice versa.  I'm not saying it can't be done, but you better know what you're doing.

I am sure the Windham barrels are really good from all of the positive reviews but I would personally still go with a Green Mountain if I were to build it myself.  All of their barrels have always shot amazing for me and the people I know that owns them.  They also have very competitive pricing and are likely about the same price as the Windham ones.  That said, the Green Mountain may not shoot any better then the Windham ones, but I would bet about anything that they won't shoot any worse.  

I am also pretty sure that the barrels that TNTE sells with the FSB already installed are the Green Mountain barrels since their A1 profiles are for sure Green Mountain barrels I imagine their A2 profiles are as well especially considering they offer both 1/8 and 1/7 twist barrels which is the exact same as Green Mountain offers stripped without FSB.  I would personally get a 1/8 twist since I don't see the advantage to the 1/7 for 55-77grn shooting but to each his own.  I would call to make sure TNTEs barrels are Green Mountain ones before I bought them... you could just ask for the barrel markings and the Green Mountain ones will likely have a G stamped on them somewhere.  For $235 they offer the barrel assembly in 1/7 or 1/8 and with either an F marked FSB or non F marked FSB.. and they even offer some with or without M4 extensions.  

An example of one on their site that I would probably go for.  
Link to A2 20" barrel

Either way, I doubt you can go wrong.  I may even end up with a Windham in the future myself if I find a good deal on one.  But you can't ever go wrong with the GM barrels they are one of my favorites right there with the Faxons

Yes sir. I learned this the hard way. I lined up an odd FSB to a notched barrel and it worked, but it has a slight cant. It zeroed, but my rear sight is justified to one side to compensate.

1/9 twist (all or some, not sure), so that's a plus or minus, or neutral depending on what you want to shoot.

Not parkerized under the gas block. And yes, water can get in there and the barrel can rust. I had pics on my old phone of rust under the gas blocks on a few barrels.

It seems like some here are confused about the need for the taller "F" marked Front Sight Bases and the taller Front Sight Posts. They are not needed for rifle length sighting systems, they are only required for carbine length sighting systems.

The below paragraph is from Windham Weaponry's site, found in the description of their taller Front Sight Post > here <.


"For use with the Colt A4 Removable Carry Handle or other "Mil-Spec" height carry handles or rear flip sights, the .040 taller Sight Post is required in the A2 Standard Front Sight Base on carbine length sighting planes. Other than the height difference, it installs and functions exactly as the standard front sight post and is machined of quality gun steel - finished in black manganese phosphate."

They can say what they want, but most other companies use F marked FSBs on 20" barrels that will be mated to flat top uppers. My personal experience is that while my 20" WW barrel mated to a flat top did sight in, the front sight post was abnormally high and closer to being out than in. I replaced it with a taller front sight post, and with it now sighted in, the base sits about flush.

This is nothing to detract from the quality of the WW barrel. I love the barrel. I'm just explaining that if mated to an A3 type upper, you may probably need the taller frame my sight post like I did.