I bought an Olympic AR back in 2000.  Since then I have visited a man by the name of J.D.Jones.
and asked him about threading my barrel so that I could take the goofy compensator off.  He asked me how many rounds have been through the barrel and I told him about 18,000.  He promptly told me I was lucky my barrel never blew up and told me I should spend $600 and get a knew barrel.  My rifle isn't worth that much!  I saw the lighter barrels in a Model 1 Sales catalog with the threaded barrel for less than $200.  I am not shooting with optics anymore, so I am not looking to drive tacks.  Just another guy looking for info in case anyone has seen better deals.
 

          I just realized I wasn't  in the right place.  Sorry for the AR question on the AK board.
How do I put this on the AR forums without retyping it?

just highlight it and copy it and then make a new message in the ar forum and I would just get a new AR before fixing your olympic because other stuff will start going out too probably.

Better yet, replace that Olympic with an AK and you might not have this issue again . He he it was begging to be said.

18,000 rounds your bbl is past due for replacement.. J.D. Jones knows his shit, belive me..

thanks for the advice pertaining to the AR but I already have an AK, in fact it is the fourth one I have owned.  I just wanted to keep the accuracy the AR has using the iron sights that none of my AKs have been able to manage.  Ever since I fired my first M-16A2 at Fort Jackson back in 1996 I came to realize that all the other military rifles I have ever fired previously and since those months really don't have everything I was looking for.  Don't get me wrong though, they both have their advantages, but my AK is not the rifle I prefer when my fellow shooters and I do CQB drills to keep in practice.

18,000 rnds?...makes my wonder how many ive run through some of mine..i guess i dont keep track.

Oh and i love my AK.. SAR1 Rom Folder and an itchy trigger finger...oh wait either its itchy or just numb from triggerslap maybe ill work on that

I would look at DPMS, Bushmaster another Olympic or RockRiver Arms.
All are mil-spec Model1 is not.
I would think you should be able to get it done for around $200.00.
My .02

J.D Jones??

 The guy looks like Captain Kangaroo!!

I guess the DPMS or Rock River barrel he would put on would be $600...
Even though its the same $200 barrel you could have put on yourself.

AHHH!!  Wait....J.D. Jones would have made it into a single shot, in a caliber
that nobody makes commercial ammo in... I got it now....

Go buy an AK-74 and be done with the AR stuff....

KyARGuy

I just bought a brand new Oly A-2 AR-15 for $629.  Hard to believe a replacement barrel would cost as much as a new rifle.  Why not contact Oly and ask about a replacement barrel?  I hear they're pretty easy people to deal with.

I bought a Colt M4 barrel two years ago from RGUNS (yeah, I know) for about $250.00.  They don't have them anymore, but damn, you can get a DPMS rifle with all the evil features for $700.00 in AZ.

Wait a minute - he never said his barrel was causing his rifle to shoot inaccurately or had cracks, pitting or any other problems did he? If the rifle still shoots accurately enough for the the owner, and has no obvious problems, then why change it?  When I was XO for an Infantry Rifle company,  and was responsible for the arms room, My armorers never kept track of how many rounds went through a rifle, that would be impossible considering how many different soldiers qualified and trained with them. Some of them probably surpassed the 18,000 round mark. So what? They replaced barrels based on evaluated barrel condition and function, not "How many rounds" it had through it.


This guy went to have a flash hider put on. mr. J.D. Jones is way out of line telling him he must replace his barrel because it's going to "Blow up" simply based on the amount of rounds through without any hard facts on barrel condition, or detailed evaluation of the barrel itself. He's obviously just pushing a sale. The worn out barrels I have have seen become increasingly inaccurate when they are at the end of service life, they do not just "blow up" as long as you monitor headspace and use good ammo.

I'm calling BS on mr J.D. Jones.

Model I sales sucks ass big time.  Bought one of their 16 inch lite barrels and installed it on a bushy upper and the front post was canted about 2-3 degrees to the rigth.  The pin holes had been drilled incorrectly in the barrel.  When I sent it back they charged me a 15% "restock fee" for having the gall to return their defective product!  On another order of odds and ends they charged me double and had to fight with them for 15 friggen minutes on the phone before they would admit they fucked up!  They suck big time will never to business with them again.

Quoted: Since when did a new AR barrel cost $600? shillin, hart, walther, etc. can run into that range. most good match bbl.s start at $350 and run up to $700. but...yeah! i'ld like to know where he pulled that figure from? a new chrome lined pipe and a bbl. nut. wrench and vice blocks should only cost $250-$300. maybe think about putting in a new gas tube, gass rings and buffer spring at the 18k mark! i would call cmmg for a quality chrome lined mil-spec pipe, myself.

I don't know where you are getting your prices from, but you can get a 20" Krieger SS NM barrel installed in your AR upper by John Holliger for $430 (parts + labor).

You can get a Bushmaster 24" NM Heavy-Barrel (0.98" under handguards) that is made from 4150 chrome-moly, with a chromelined chamber and bore for $220 from Bushmaster.

Install it onto your favorite upper. I built my AR-15 from scratch and the total cost was $640 that includes shipping and FFL fee.

With my cars, I found that if I did the work myself I would save a lot more than going to a "tuner".

In firearms, a lot of these names that you guys mention sound like gunsmiths that know what they're doing (or not?) and charge a high premium for something you can easily do in your garage. The only solid reason I can think of for going to someone to accurize my rifle would be if I absolutely desired sub-MOA at long ranges.

You can get SS barrels for slightly more than what I paid for my Bushy barrel, but I felt safer going to a mil-spec setup for longevity.

BTW forget Model 1. I too thought about going to them because they were the least expensive. Now you know why they're the least expensive.

You can't go wrong with Rock River Arms receivers/parts, DPMS parts, and Bushmaster barrels.

These barrels range from $160 to $250 and you can get them for even cheaper if you go through one of the board sponsoring vendors.  I would definitely get one of these.

And yes, he did just go to get his barrel fitted with a FH, but for a few bucks more, he could get a whole new barrel.  It is just a suggestion, but I think a lot of people on the board would also suggest it.  I just don't think that it is necessary for the gunsmith to 1) try to scare the customer and 2) try and sell him a barrel that is either too expensive or too highly marked up.

Quoted: Wait a minute - he never said his barrel was causing his rifle to shoot inaccurately or had cracks, pitting or any other problems did he? If the rifle still shoots accurately enough for the the owner, and has no obvious problems, then why change it?  When I was XO for an Infantry Rifle company,  and was responsible for the arms room, My armorers never kept track of how many rounds went through a rifle, that would be impossible considering how many different soldiers qualified and trained with them. Some of them probably surpassed the 18,000 round mark. So what? They replaced barrels based on evaluated barrel condition and function, not "How many rounds" it had through it. This guy went to have a flash hider put on. mr. J.D. Jones is way out of line telling him he must replace his barrel because it's going to "Blow up" simply based on the amount of rounds through without any hard facts on barrel condition, or detailed evaluation of the barrel itself. He's obviously just pushing a sale. The worn out barrels I have have seen become increasingly inaccurate when they are at the end of service life, they do not just "blow up" as long as you monitor headspace and use good ammo.

+1.   A barrel wont blow up.  It will just start grouping larger then eventually start keyholing when the rifling is gone if thats even possible.  Headspacing is the best way to know when its time to replace.  The bore will wear out after the chamber I THINK.

Quoted: I would look at DPMS, Bushmaster another Olympic or RockRiver Arms. All are mil-spec Model1 is not. I would think you should be able to get it done for around $200.00. My .02

model 1 is not mil-spec?   as a noob looking for my first kit, is m&a mil-spec?

model 1 is not mil-spec?

M1S is absolutely mil-spec.  Just ask them, they'll tell you so.

They'll also tell you their barrels are 4150 steel if you ask.  Sometimes.  And sometimes they'll say 4140.  Then they'll stop answering your e-mails when you seek clarification.

For building your first AR, I really recommend doing what I did:  buy a complete upper.  A used Bushmaster or Colt if you can find one, or a new LMT if you can afford it.  Don't get the "enhanced" bolt.

Get a lower from the quality manufacturer of your choice.  If you want to put the parts in yourself, jtdistributing lower parts kits have a good reputation.  Pop on your choice of stock and start having fun.

Quoted: model 1 is not mil-spec? M1S is absolutely mil-spec.  Just ask them, they'll tell you so. They'll also tell you their barrels are 4150 steel if you ask.  Sometimes.  And sometimes they'll say 4140.  Then they'll stop answering your e-mails when you seek clarification. For building your first AR, I really recommend doing what I did:  buy a complete upper.  A used Bushmaster or Colt if you can find one, or a new LMT if you can afford it.  Don't get the "enhanced" bolt. Get a lower from the quality manufacturer of your choice.  If you want to put the parts in yourself, jtdistributing lower parts kits have a good reputation.  Pop on your choice of stock and start having fun.

just out of curiosity, how would you rate jt and m&a uppers?  are they mil-spec?

Quoted: model 1 is not mil-spec? M1S is absolutely mil-spec.  Just ask them, they'll tell you so. They'll also tell you their barrels are 4150 steel if you ask.  Sometimes.  And sometimes they'll say 4140.  Then they'll stop answering your e-mails when you seek clarification. For building your first AR, I really recommend doing what I did:  buy a complete upper.  A used Bushmaster or Colt if you can find one, or a new LMT if you can afford it.  Don't get the "enhanced" bolt. Get a lower from the quality manufacturer of your choice.  If you want to put the parts in yourself, jtdistributing lower parts kits have a good reputation.  Pop on your choice of stock and start having fun.

This is what I did, good solid advice.

Model 1 is customer hostile and pulls answers out of their butts.  

Quoted: Since when did a new AR barrel cost $600?

must be for a kreiger or some other high quility match barrel.

just out of curiosity, how would you rate jt and m&a uppers?  are they mil-spec?

M&A's upper assemblies are manufactured by a current Govt Contractor-  uppers manufactured assemmled, headspaced, test fired by LMT (Lewis Machine and Tool) . Our barrels are Chrome Moly Wilson Match Grade.

We are generaly hostile towards everyone, but most find that kind of endearing. Even the dog growls at me. Try to wait calling until I've had my coffee. 9-5 cst m-f  847 550-8246.

Doc @ M&A

Quoted: We are generaly hostile towards everyone, but most find that kind of endearing. Even the dog growls at me. Try to wait calling until I've had my coffee.

LOL, the two times I called you, you must have just finished your cup of joe then.

Tim W

Quoted: just out of curiosity, how would you rate jt and m&a uppers?  are they mil-spec? M&A's upper assemblies are manufactured by a current Govt Contractor-  uppers manufactured assemmled, headspaced, test fired by LMT (Lewis Machine and Tool) . Our barrels are Chrome Moly Wilson Match Grade. We are generaly hostile towards everyone, but most find that kind of endearing. Even the dog growls at me. Try to wait calling until I've had my coffee. 9-5 cst m-f  847 550-8246. Doc @ M&A

thanks doc, the responses i have received from you either on this board or from emails have always showed true professinalism.  when i buy my kit it will be through you :)