I've been looking at the Operator and Recon barrels from Denny's/Global Tactical.

I see that the Recon is SS whereas the Operator is chrome lined; and the Recon comes with a bolt but no FSB and is a few dollars less.  (I don't want a FSB anyway).

Any other major differences?

I'm doing my first build, and plan to use the rifle for just fun ole shooting.  But, I'm willing to pay more for a quality barrel that would also be more precise/accurate when I felt like a little informal out in the desert target shooting.

I have a CMT upper and Troy FF handguards ready to install once I decide upon and order a barrel.  Any thoughts on which one I should get?

I think the only other difference  is the profile under the handguards.

not really, the operator will last longer than the ss barrel..and it more suited for hard use.

Accuracy equals typically short lifespan before the throat is shot out of a match grade barrel. Typical High Power match barrels last ~3500 rounds give or take a few hundred rounds on my Kriegers and you start to notice loss of accuracy. But the question is how accurate do you need. 1.5 MOA Barrell is more than fine for most applications.

I own neither, but considering an Rock Creek Operator Barrell in the near future. I hear the Recon barrel is typically approximately a 1 MOA to 1.5 MOA barrell from people I have talked to. The Operator I hear is a 1.5 MOA barrel typically, but is chrome lined and will last far longer. As with any barrel there will be better ones and there are worse. My most accurate chrome lined barrel for the 1st 10 shots is actually a free floated Colt 6520 barrel, then it heats up (pencil barrel) and becomes considerbly worse.

 

+ 1 what they said.

I would also want to add that the Recon barrel has Wylde chambers and the Operator has 5.56mm NATO chambers.

If you prefer the more accurate barrel I would suggest to get the Recon.

I have an Operator barrel, I like it because its medium contour have more heat resistance here in the hot desert where I live and it's accuracy of 1.2" to 1.7" at 100 yd is good enough for me.

I have a Diemaco-Colt M4 upper and LaRue 9.0 FF rails.