I have a chance to buy an Oly upper with Post-Ban 16" Black barrel marked SS 5.56 for $375.  Price includes bolt, carrier, and charging handle.

I believe SS stands for Stainless Steal, but the barrel is Black.

I think this is a good deal, but I have not ever owned anything from Oly and would appreciate any input.

Thanks, Natty

I'd pass.

Even though they are marked 5.56, unless it is brand new, it is a .223 SAAMI match chamber, and these are notorious for feed problems, and finicky with surplus ammo.  I know because I have had one.

For $375, you'd be better off getting a model-1/J&T upper.... or a RRA.

www.sableco.net
CAR A2 Upper Half with 16" Chrome Moly barrel, and 1:9 twist.  Your choice of CAR or Mid length handguards.
.......................................................................................$392.00

Or, save up, pay a little more, and get a bushmaster.... or look for a used one on the boards here.

I recently got a Colt 16" upper for $200, and a Colt 20" upper for $250.... add a $100 bolt carrier, and I am sitting pretty.  There are better deals.


PS - I'd stay away from a stainless barrel, unless I was opting for a match barrel.  For a 16" shooter, I'll take chrome lined, or at the least chrome moly.  SS is going to wear out the fastest.

Really.......dam.  All I shoot is surplus ammo.

Quoted: Even though they are marked 5.56, unless it is brand new, it is a .223 SAAMI match chamber, and these are notorious for feed problems, and finicky with surplus ammo.  I know because I have had one.

Oly changed to 5.56 2-3 years ago.  So if it is older than 3 or so years ago, then it is .223, otherwise it is 5.56 and a good deal - buy it.

I shoot surplus out of the the same barrel, mine is 2 years old it came on an Oly pcr16

Wow,
I am amazed that lonedorkboy hasen't jumped this thread with his anti-Oly bullshit!

I have a 100% Oly M4 upper on my Oly preban lower, it is marked 556 and it shoots EVERYTHING I feed it.
Wolf, mil-surplus, handloads, factory ammo, 223, 5.56, you name it, it shoots it.
Bump-fire, rapid fire, single shot, nothing stops it.

I also have a Colt SP1 that will feed and shoot anything through it too.

I'd pass. It isn't chrome lined. Personaly I wouldn't own a non chrome lined upper unless it was a match grade upper. But that's me.

If you do decide to get it, at least make sure it is a fairly new one to avoid the .223/5.56 issue.

You have mail

Quoted: I'd pass. It isn't chrome lined. Personaly I wouldn't own a non chrome lined upper unless it was a match grade upper. But that's me.

Won't I get the same benefits of chrome lined if it is stainless?

Quoted: Quoted: I'd pass. It isn't chrome lined. Personaly I wouldn't own a non chrome lined upper unless it was a match grade upper. But that's me. Won't I get the same benefits of chrome lined if it is stainless?

Nope.  Stainless barrels wear the fastest.  They also are less durable to abuse.  Chrome is hard.

Go chrome, or go home.

Quoted: Quoted: Even though they are marked 5.56, unless it is brand new, it is a .223 SAAMI match chamber, and these are notorious for feed problems, and finicky with surplus ammo.  I know because I have had one. Oly changed to 5.56 2-3 years ago.  So if it is older than 3 or so years ago, then it is .223, otherwise it is 5.56 and a good deal - buy it.

Wow!  You sure know your stuff!!!  I usually keep some of this Olympic Arms info on file for when all the Oly-Bashers get out of hand and need to learn the facts and not one of the infinite "I heard from my brother's ex-wife's second cousin's uncle who told me that these things are junky jam-o-matics that corrode and break after only 75 rounds, so I'll act like the stereotypical male by perpetuating rumors."

The truth of the matter is that it was 2-3 years ago that they "Made-The-Switch" to 5.56mm, and all the newer ones do say S.S. & 5.56 on their barrels.  These barrels are VERY ACCURATE.  The Chrome-Moly barrels are cheaper metal, will corrode, and are not as accurate.  That's why I opted for the S.S. 20" 5.56 Olympic Arms on mine.  It prints under 2" at 200 yards (When I do my part, and am not feeling rapid-fire-trigger-happy).  I don't know about how accurate the 16" will be, but I would imagine that Olympic Arms' quality S.S. barrel accuracy would carry over to their 16" ones...

At that price, if it was manufactured within 2-3 years, I'd buy that sucker in a heartbeat!  It's a good buy indeed.  Don't be a sucker for the Chrome-Moly.  You want your rifle to be accurate, and last long...right?  These barrels are not S.S. lined, they are made completely of S.S. and coated black so there is no reflection/refraction of bright light.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: I'd pass. It isn't chrome lined. Personaly I wouldn't own a non chrome lined upper unless it was a match grade upper. But that's me. Won't I get the same benefits of chrome lined if it is stainless? Nope.  Stainless barrels wear the fastest.  They also are less durable to abuse.  Chrome is hard. Go chrome, or go home.

Yes, the Stainless will wear faster than the others, but if I wanted a "beater" rifle, I would have bought an SAR-1.  I wanted ACCURACY.  Even in the 5.56mm non-match chamber, I can print damn good accuracy.  Yes, Chrome-lined is best for durability.  Let's just hope he's never con'd into buying a Chrome-Moly barrel.  They corrode much worse than any Chrome-lined or Stainless rifle I've ever seen.

Quoted: Nope.  Stainless barrels wear the fastest.  They also are less durable to abuse.  Chrome is hard.

So a chrome line bore barrel makes the barrel more durable to abuse?

Can you share where you get your information that the SS wears fastest?  If so, by how much?

The seller says he got the upper attached to a preban reciever.  He only got it a few months ago so he cannot place even approximate manufacture.  Are there any markings I could tell him to look for?    

I do not meen to keep giving info in drips and drabs, but I am finding out what to ask...asking it...then posting.

Heck, it you want a chrome lined barrel Oly will even sell you one of those.

I live in the Pacific North West and I shoot in the rain and my non-chrome lined chrome-moly  barrel has yet to rust out like a Yugo in the mid-east.

Natty, what do you want out of your AR15.
Mine is accurate (5 shots using mil-surplus ammo into a 3 inch group at 200 yards with iron sights).
If you are concerned about mil-spec'ness (of a non-Military rifle), you want a barrel that is going to last longer or you want one that you don't have to clean all the time then get a chrome lined barrel and chamber.
If you want accuracy then chrome lined (and flash hiders, muzzle brakes and any other shit hanging off the end of your barrel) is out, as is a 16 inch barrel.
The fucking morons who say they want accuracy shouldn't be commenting on a 16 inch non-chome lined bore other than to tell you what they use.
Bunch of Oly bashers, this is how they get their rocks off.
In the end it is up to you!

From Oly:

CALIBER
First off, every barrel is stamped with the caliber.
The standard .223 caliber rifles are marked "5.56"
(Which they are not, they are marked 556)

STAINLESS STEEL BARRELS
If after the "5.56" markings, if you also see "SS", then your barrel is manufactured from 416 stainless steel. This material is very resistant to corrosion, and is universally accepted as one of the best barrel materials available.

CHROMEMOLY BARRELS
If the only barrel stamping is "5.56", then the barrel is made of 4140 chromemoly steel. Chromemoly is a type steel that incorporates chrome right into the barrel metal itself. This barrel material is corrosion resistant, but not as much so as a stainless material. Using the 4140 chromemoly material allows us to give the consumer a barrel with similar benefits of a chrome lined barrel, but maintain consistencies in the bore that allow for superior accuracy.

Quoted: Quoted: Nope.  Stainless barrels wear the fastest.  They also are less durable to abuse.  Chrome is hard. So a chrome line bore barrel makes the barrel more durable to abuse? Can you share where you get your information that the SS wears fastest?  If so, by how much?

Mostly from my reading here, and my experience in our machine shop, where we make all kinds of parts for the manufacturing industry out of 416, and 4140.  In small parts manufacturing, on high wear products, 4140 typically outlasted 416 2-to-1.  Often, our food service customers only went to stainless when they were forced to by FDA regs.  Obviously, this may not apply entirely to barrels.

However, after doing a little more reading on this... it appears the issue is more complex.

Stainless barrels are more susceptible to abuse/cleaning damage than 4140 Chrome-moly... however, are less susceptible to throat erosion, which typically ends the useable life of a barrel...   so if a barrel was well taken care of, a SS would outlast a chrome-moly.  That, I did not know.

Chrome lined barrels are always less susceptible to abuse, bad cleaning practices, and throat erosion....   Mix that with the fact that chrome lined chambers are thought to be more reliable because of chrome natural lubricity, and the fact that they can go without cleaning, and last in harsher environments over time.... and that's why all my barrels (except the match barrels) are chrome lined.

www.bushmaster.com/faqs/barrels-accuracy.asp#Q.%20Is%20a%20Stainless%20Steel%20barrel%20any%20better%20than%20a%20chrome%20lined?

www.mikesshooters.com/faqs.htm

Quoted: Stainless barrels are more susceptible to abuse/cleaning damage than 4140 Chrome-moly... however, are less susceptible to throat erosion, which typically ends the useable life of a barrel...   so if a barrel was well taken care of, a SS would outlast a chrome-moly.  That, I did not know.

We all live and learn! :-)

It has been my expierance along with others I am around

4140 lasts the shortest
416 SS lasts longer ~+20-30%
chromed barrel last longest of the three. + 20-50%

The ~+XX% is rough ball parking based upon my expierence of additional usage as compared to straight 4140 non-chromed barrel.  This tries to take in affect some shoot FULL AUTO others shoot a round a minute, some shoot 80 grain bullets.

There are no magic answers, just ball parks.  Some will disagree with my numbers and they may be right in their expierence.

Best of luck!

I have two Oly barrels (20" HB and 16" HB) that were purchased before the switch to the 5.56 chamber.  To date, I have NOT had any chambering or extraction problems, but I use only brass cased ammo.  Nor have I had any problems in this regard with an Oly 20" SUM (Stainless UltraMatch) bull barrel.

I have enjoyed the good accuracy, and no problem with corrosion in the high humidity area where I live.