can anyone educate me, on these barrels from brownells.  how are they?  and how do they compare?

I have one. 16" HEAVY barrel, that sucker is extremely heavy. The chamber is very tight, won't shoot surplus ammo reliably, not even Lake City. It is very accurate though.  It's a good barrel, but I don't shoot match ammo through it so it doesn't work very reliably. If you want match accuracy, great bbls, if you want to shoot surplus ammo, look elsewhere IMHO.

Steve

I know Barnett, he was the armor for the National Guard team.  He makes excellent barrels.  Years ago when I frist started shooting for the guard he rebuild my standard grade M1A with one of his barrels and a heavy target stock.  Since I have went through 6 barrels on mine.  I don't think you will find a better barrel.  I have several thousands of rounds through mine I got in 1978 and I wont use any barrel.  

I have to get one of his barrels for my dcm M1 I go in the early 80s.  I have been putting it off because I stuck to the M1A until I graduated to a Bolt gun after getting distingushed.

I think you will see more Barnet barrels on Guard guns then anything else.

When I took over the Alaska National Guard Marksmanship unit I started buying the barrels for our guard guns.

You won't go wrong with these barrels

KraigWY

PS if I can find my camera I'll post a picture of a Barnet built gun later to day

Here is the picture of my NM M1A with heavy barnett barrel and heavy stock
imageevent.com/kraigwy/posting?p=4&n=1&m=24&c=4&l=0&w=4&s=0&z=

lets try again
http://photos.imageevent.com/kraigwy/posting/websize/M1A%20_1_.jpg

thanks for the info.. lookin into these barrels for a build...  
has everyone experienced tight chambers?

Personaly I like tight chambers having only been a target shooter with my M1A.  When Gene Barnet build my gun it was tight but would take LC ammo, However 99% of the LC ammo I shot was mexican match; (pulling the 173s and replacing with sierria),  I deleverty left the 180s long when reseating so the final seating was done with the bolt and lands.  Any reloading I did was with a small base die.  Later when the Army came out with LC match ammo loaded with the serria bullets it still worked in my tight chambers.

I've got the Douglas/Barnett 1-10 twist, 6 groove airgauged medium weight barrel on my poly and it's just beautiful.  My smith (who is a competitive M14 shooter, too) cut the chamber so that my TRW bolt will not close on a "no-go" gauge but I can shoot both commercial and surplus ammo without a hitch.   I paid $250 for the barrel and $75 for him to cut, mount, finish, and install it.  I can not say how much I love that rifle.  

Rome

My smith (who is a competitive M14 shooter, too) cut the chamber so that my TRW bolt will not close on a "no-go" gauge

Correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the way it's supposed to be-hence "no-go".

I've got an M14 built using a Barnett barrel and have no problems with the chamber being overly tight. Thats in the control of the 'smith anyway since he needs to finish ream it anyhow since the barrel is sold short chambered. You can specify how you want the chamber cut. If you want a match chamber that will be shooting nothing but reloads and match ammo, then say you want the chamber cut so that it's .001" or .002" over a "go" gauge. If you want to shoot anything else, then have him set the chamber a little longer.

Sorry for being a bit obscure.  Of course a new barrel will spec out with the go-no/go.  I was just comparing it to the usual Chinese bolt which will quite often close on the no-go gauge but not on the field-reject.  If it closes on the no-go gauge but NOT the field reject, the rifle can still use surplus ammo but should not shoot commercial ammo.  With the new TRW bolt he lapped for me and the proper cut in the chamber, I can shoot both ammos without a hitch which is wonderful because you can now hunt with some of those commercial softpoints.  I have!

Rome