Alexander arms barrel?

[6BR4U2]

Would it be better to go with the upgraded shilen
Vs. stock ?

Or go stock and spend the money on a
Different barrel?

 

[DHD]

What is the price difference between the two?

I had an Overwatch barrel that was a dog, and ended up putting a Satern on the upper and could not be more pleased. The stock barrel would shoot a decent group and then the next would be a pattern. Same load, same day, same conditions. Looked inside with a Hawkeye, and it was, well PM me if you want my story.

My $.02, get the upgrade. I understand some may have accurate stock AA barrels, but I did not.

My Satern is a heavy 24", 5R. I want accuracy first and foremost assuming the thing functions of course.

 

[kjcpoint]

Check out brux. Very nice ar barrels.

Kyle

 

[kentuckytroutbum]

What is the price difference between the two?

I had an Overwatch barrel that was a dog, and ended up putting a Satern on the upper and could not be more pleased. The stock barrel would shoot a decent group and then the next would be a pattern. Same load, same day, same conditions. Looked inside with a Hawkeye, and it was, well PM me if you want my story.

My $.02, get the upgrade. I understand some may have accurate stock AA barrels, but I did not.

My Satern is a heavy 24", 5R. I want accuracy first and foremost assuming the thing functions of course.

My experience mirrors that of DHD exactly. Gave up on the AA barrel and made a tomato stake out of it. AA's compound throat gave me fits with seating the bullet off of the lands. Called Steve Satern, and he built me a 26" s/s, 1:8 twist 5R barrel for my AR. Have been shooting HP XTC matches with it for several years now.

Since the 6.5 Grendel is now a SAAMI standard, I don't know if Steve has gone back to making Grendel barrels. He, and several other barrelsmiths had stopped making barrels over Bill Alexander's updated licensing agreement. I think that it would be worth a call to Satern, and see if he is back making Grendels.

After shooting Steve's barrel, I had Dave Kitt at PTG, send me a throat reamer, and I lenghtened the throat slightly for 123 gr. bullets. I wanted the base of the bullet to be even with the neck/shoulder junction. And I knew that the 123's would exceed the magazine length, and would be single loaded for the 600 yd prone stage. The throat now is close to the dimensions of the .264 LBC.

 

[kentuckytroutbum]

An update to my previous post.

With my 26" barrel, Satern located the gas block 2" further out from the normal AR location. I assume that this was due to greater time that the bullet would be in the barrel, and to prevent premature unlocking of the bolt. I bought a low profile gas block from Larue Tactical, and Satern fitted the gas block, a longer gas tube, and a bolt with heavier locking lugs.