I got a Brownells 16 pencil, nice and straight fsb but the handguard cap off a bit and was very tight to move.

Putting OKT handguards on with a flat slip ring and no tool was finger workout!

Tight is good though..

Brownells has the 20” A1 barrels back in stock @ $220.00.   Use Discount code Cart30 for $30 off.   I gave up on waiting for H&R/PSA to figure out how to put the FSB on straight.

Careful the PSA purse swinger’s will attract you for even the slightest negative comments

Spade’s a spade.

I thought they had the same supplier?

my Brownells16 pencil has old rifle ramps and matches my slick side upper (no ramps) perfectly..
Very happy except for the crappy packing job.
It was thrown loose in a big box with a sheet of quilted Kraft paper and arrived poking out of the box .
I was surprised it was undamaged.

I believe that the Brownells barrels are sourced from from BA, and PSA/H&R barrels are sourced from Green Mountain Barrels.    Green Mountain Barrels are considered a higher quality barrel.  However, Green Mountain Barrels does not install Front Sight Bases.   They just don’t do it for anyone.   I contacted them and asked.    The H&R CEO (Mike) has posted that he had the .625 Front Sight Bases made to Spec.   I suspect that he has the PSA Gunsmiths installing the the Front Sight Bases.    PSA has a long history of screwing up FSB installation; read canted Front Sight Bases.   I don’t know if PSA just doesn’t have the proper equipment,’or if it’s incompetence, but you can Google PSA & Canted, and see a historical problem which is a big contributor to their reputation as a wonky outfit.   If you checkout the H&R offerings, half their stuff is “Blems”.   Nonetheless, they seem to be doing well.   There’s no competition because PSA owns the forgings dies for the various uppers.   In the past, Nodak Spud sold raw forgings to competitors,’but PSA now has a monopoly.   I don’t really care provided I can buy quality gear, but PSA just can’t get their shit together.   Good Times.