Ar 15 barrel at Urbarrifleman

[323]

$319 is extremely reasonable. 20” tube, .750 gas block, 1” under handguard, rifle length gas, standard crown. Take my money.

That’s for a post ban barrel and gettinh 419 for a pre-pan barrel majority of guys I think will go for a pre-ban barrel over a post ban as some said it’s all about looks.

 

[sneakboxer]

I'd also say about 50/50 crown vs bird cage. It might be more crown heavy in and around the ban states. I like the bird cage as a crown protector of sorts. I'd give one of your a try.

 

[urbanrifleman]

You might have a hard time selling a barrel for that, now get some big wins under the barrel probably sell like hot cakes. By big wins talking national matches at Camp Perry that’s where your barrel will get street cred. WOA sells their for $275 before shipping. Bison Armory selling theirs $245 before shipping. I have no idea what kind of deal WOA has with Wilson barrels to keep prices at $275. Both those prices are for post and pre ban barrels.

I looked at WOA and they are out of stock and backordered to 16 weeks. My plan is to be in stock at all times. I sell a lot of barrels because my lead times are two to 4 weeks. Period.

Like I said I don't get the ar15 market. It's like you are obligated to this pricing from 20 plus years ago. Barrels are the same price as when I shot highpower in the 1990s. A new truck cost nearly 4 times what it did 25 years ago. Just the price of steel alone says you are losing money. I'm too poor to lose money.

 

[323]

I looked at WOA and they are out of stock and backordered to 16 weeks MIN. My plan is to be in stock at all times. I sell a lot of barrels because my lead times are two to 4 weeks. Period.

Like I said I don't get the ar15 market. It's like you are obligated to this pricing from 20 plus years ago. Barrels are the same price as when I shot highpower in the 1990s. A new truck cost nearly 4 times what it did 25 years ago. Just the price of steel alone says you are losing money. I'm too poor to lose money.

I ordered my WOA barrel with that same message. I ordered on 1/26/26 on 2/16/26 they shipped the barrel. So 3 weeks to get it. When people see you are using Wilson barrels and WOA is as well, people will ask why spend the extra money for yours? What will you be doing that makes them $20-$120 dollars better than a WOA barrel? Ben at Bison Armory turns out a phenomenal barrel as well I forgot who he uses for a barrel supplier.

 

[jelenko]

ordered on 1/26/26 on 2/16/26 they shipped the barrel

I've had the same experience with WOA. Great company!

At the same time, I'm sure there are many Service Rifle buyers who when they went to buy would pass on 'backorder' if the same quality barrel were available 'down the street'.

 

[jelenko]

don't get the ar15 market

Right.
I think several things are going one.

There are a LOT of suppliers for AR barrels - and, in the past few years I know of at least one who gave up the ship. A few suppliers have gotten way down the learning curve - e.g., WOA. They've learned how to get costs out.
There is a very wide range of quality available - depending on the application, 2 MOA might be just fine.

But, to your point. The price of WOA's match barrel I bought 18 years ago was $275. Today, it's $325. And that includes a nice clamp on gas block - about $50 at retail.

ETA. Personally, I'm fine with $319 for a 24" match rifle barrel. I have lots of gas blocks - I reuse them until they get too loose.
Also, my perception is there are many AR barrel suppliers who want ~ $450 and they seem to be doing very well. As far as I know they aren't 'big names' - i.e., certainly not K or B. But, looking at their web sites, it looks like over 90% of the barrels they offer are 16" or less.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Right.
I think several things are going one.

There are a LOT of suppliers for AR barrels - and, in the past few years I know of at least one who gave up the ship. A few suppliers have gotten way down the learning curve - e.g., WOA. They've learned how to get costs out.
There is a very wide range of quality available - depending on the application, 2 MOA might be just fine.

But, to your point. The price of WOA's match barrel I bought 18 years ago was $275. Today, it's $325. And that includes a nice clamp on gas block - about $50 at retail.

ETA. Personally, I'm fine with $319 for a 24" match rifle barrel. I have lots of gas blocks - I reuse them until they get too loose.
Also, my perception is there are many AR barrel suppliers who want ~ $450 and they seem to be doing very well. As far as I know they aren't 'big names' - i.e., certainly not K or B. But, looking at their web sites, it looks like over 90% of the barrels they offer are 16" or less.

I went to the dentist the other day and he said I need a new bridge.

$4100...

I guess that is why I'm a bit touchy with this 1998 pricing stuff. This ain't 1998....

I do appreciate all the responses from people helping. I guess people want to turn away for $50 then I'm fine with that. I can't compete with Amazon either hahaha!!

I did talk to the CEO and we got it all worked out.

 

[323]

I went to the dentist the other day and he said I need a new bridge.

$4100...

I guess that is why I'm a bit touchy with this 1998 pricing stuff. This ain't 1998....

I do appreciate all the responses from people helping. I guess people want to turn away for $50 then I'm fine with that. I can't compete with Amazon either hahaha!!

I did talk to the CEO and we got it all worked out.

Sounds like 1998 was the year to buy stuff. If you sold post ban barrels for $319, will people buy them? Probably so. Will they buy a pre ban barrel from you for $419? That’s a tough one to answer. Me I have no use for a post ban barrel. Me buying a pre ban from you for $419 the chambers better be cut with a jgs reamer, gas port drilled right etc and guarantee a 3/4 moa at 100yds.

 

[Aaron23]

Me buying a pre ban from you for $419 you better be cutting the chambers with jgs reamer, gas port drilled right etc and guarantee a 3/4 moa at 100yds.

With so many makers producing excellent barrels currently thanks the modern machinery the costs have come way down -

Lots of competition for a particular product will do that...

For that much money in today’s market it better do a lot better than 3/4 moa at 100yds.

 

[Aaron23]

Right.
I think several things are going one.

There are a LOT of suppliers for AR barrels - and, in the past few years I know of at least one who gave up the ship. A few suppliers have gotten way down the learning curve - e.g., WOA. They've learned how to get costs out.

I think that with so much competition they were forced to ‘get the costs down’ or else not sell as many barrels / possibly go under.

Remember DPMS from back in the Randy Luth ownership days? Those barrels were outstanding and could be had with ANY option you wanted so long as you were willing to pay for it. I have one from back then that I gave over 300 for and it was worth every penny (SS, tight .223 match chambered (NOT honked out 5.56 crap), bull profile, target crown, fluted, cryo treated, blah blah)

As the market grew and they got squeezed they eventually folded and what they had left in inventory got sold off for pennies on the dollar...

Once I saw those old school DPMS barrels re-hit the market for dirt cheap - I bought bigly! I think I have either 7 or 8 of their barrels now and only paid full price for 2 of those. All the others were 100 bucks or just under...

Remember Delton?

After they folded up I laid in on a handful of those barrels for dirt cheap! Those were just under 50 bucks a pop and not bad barrels at all.

I hate to see good companies go under but it does happen and that inventory has to go somewhere and ultimately gets sold off cheap (driving prices down elsewhere).

 

[323]

Who remembers AR performance also known as ARP that fella could turn out phenomenal barrels. He had the 224 Valkyrie figured out. But he decided to retire sold the operation off I’m not even sure they are even in business anymore. I have two arp barrels once they give up the Ghost which is soon will buy 223 Wylde barrels for them.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I think that with so much competition they were forced to ‘get the costs down’ or else not sell as many barrels / possibly go under.

Remember DPMS from back in the Randy Luth ownership days? Those barrels were outstanding and could be had with ANY option you wanted so long as you were willing to pay for it. I have one from back then that I gave over 300 for and it was worth every penny (SS, tight .223 match chambered (NOT honked out 5.56 crap), bull profile, target crown, fluted, cryo treated, blah blah)

As the market grew and they got squeezed they eventually folded and what they had left in inventory got sold off for pennies on the dollar...

Once I saw those old school DPMS barrels re-hit the market for dirt cheap - I bought bigly! I think I have either 7 or 8 of their barrels now and only paid full price for 2 of those. All the others were 100 bucks or just under...

Remember Delton?

After they folded up I laid in on a handful of those barrels for dirt cheap! Those were just under 50 bucks a pop and not bad barrels at all.

I hate to see good companies go under but it does happen and that inventory has to go somewhere and ultimately gets sold off cheap (driving prices down elsewhere).

I'm pretty sure the Dcm service rifle and SS bull barrel DPMS barrels were made by Wilson.

I don't think people have any idea how many of the barrels sold in the past were Wilson barrels. But they were sworn to secrecy by many of their customers, wanting to let people assume they were producing their own.

 

[cmillard]

Yes, wilson is a big name and I think Rock River still uses them. When Northern Competition was still around, they used Badger barrels and they hammered.

 

[urbanrifleman]

I'm wondering if the service rifle would be best in 7 twist. Honestly, the Wilson 8 twist shoots everything for service rifle weight bullets with ease.

 

[jelenko]

I'm wondering if the service rifle would be best in 7 twist. Honestly, the Wilson 8 twist shoots everything for service rifle weight bullets with ease.

At 24" no question 8 is the right twist; in fact 7 is too fast.

The reason service rifle shooters like 7 twist is because 7.7 isn't available. The concern is that, in 20", if the twist is actually more than 8, it might not stabilize 80 grain bullets. So the 7.7 or 7.5 is a hedge against the rifling in a specific barrel being less than advertised.

I had a 24" 7 twist on my space gun a few years ago - after a while it started poofing Hornady 75's. I had to find two nodes down from my usual load.

 

[323]

I'm wondering if the service rifle would be best in 7 twist. Honestly, the Wilson 8 twist shoots everything for service rifle weight bullets with ease.

Camp Perry last year white oak had barrels for sale the 1-7 twist barrels in post and pre ban gone in a matter of days. But they still had plenty of 1-8 twist barrels.

 

[cmillard]

Call me crazy, but i think a 6.5" twist would be fun for the 95 SMK in a 20" service rifle

 

[jelenko]

Camp Perry last year white oak had barrels for sale the 1-7 twist barrels in post and pre ban gone in a matter of days. But they still had plenty of 1-8 twist barrels.

Yeah. There's something in people's heads that 'faster is better'. It's not per se.

That said, it is there and is a factor.

 

[cmillard]

At 24" no question 8 is the right twist; in fact 7 is too fast.

The reason service rifle shooters like 7 twist is because 7.7 isn't available. The concern is that, in 20", if the twist is actually more than 8, it might not stabilize 80 grain bullets. So the 7.7 or 7.5 is a hedge against the rifling in a specific barrel being less than advertised.

I had a 24" 7 twist on my space gun a few years ago - after a while it started poofing Hornady 75's. I had to find two nodes down from my usual load.

Are 75 grain hornadys known to have thin skin and jacket failures? The only jacket failure i have ever had that I know of were firing 52 grain bullets in a 7" twist m4 barrel.......I couldn't understand at first why the bullets weren't hitting paper at 50 yards. This rifle was an old co-workers rifle and they were expressing concern with it. I then had them shoot while I observed from the sideline and there it was, not far out from the muzzle I could see puffs of smoke and I knew what was going on. I will say this, in my 18" douglas with 7" twist, it hammers with 77 TMK and have shot it out to 1431 yards.

 

[ELR LVR]

Are 75 grain hornadys known to have thin skin and jacket failures?

Many Hornadys if driven past their intended design limits will have jacket failures, yes
Either from velocity or twist