Just how bad is a $90 barrel ?

[Wolfdog91]

Somone might find this interesting. Just some some bore scoping of the barrel on my latest build, was gonna go with a ballistic advantage ( nothing but good reviews about them and their very cost effective even for my budget could have gotten some nicer stuff but honestly didn't see the need for my piddly lil use) but idk what's curious just how bad a $90 non brand specific battle could be ? How would it look on the inside ? Is this a case for barrel break ins ? Abrasives? Can a half decent reloader make it shoot ? Questions questions questions, and I've spent $90 on way stupider stuff so why not lol.

 

[Eagle1899]

Looking forward to seeing how it shoots.

 

[Straightshooter1]

Bore didn't look too bad to me, then you got to the lands. . . oh boy! I can only imagine what that throat will be doing to the bullets. Guess you'll know when you go to shoot it.

 

[snert]

Used I assume?

 

[Wolfdog91]

Used I assume?

New

 

[Fast14riot]

Looks like a zero freebore, renting a throating reamer and extending it .015-.025" will likely clean up that smear across the lead and not really affect reloading.

 

[B Nettesheim]

That leade is impressive

 

[Wolfdog91]

Looking forward to seeing how it shoots.

Egh ok so far , haven't been able to really put any work into a decent load. Brass what just some old stuff I had lying around,no clue on the firing sized it all enough for it to fit. And cycle without at lot of extra work to the brass . Just look to see what powder I had that would get me up around $2600fps found some 100gr ELDM's . Really these where more " hay let's see if this thing blows up !"
Loads more then anything lol. Probably should have shot more because I was still getting used to the gun but hay , also need to stop trying to shoot my AR's off of a front rest and rear bag and just run my bipod and bag . They just plain don't seem to work well of of a front rest . First two were rest last one was bipod

 

[ebb]

They are all a crap shoot, the match barrels just have a better percentage rate than the cheap ones.

 

[NorCalMikie]

They are all a crap shoot, the match barrels just have a better percentage rate than the cheap ones.

and a "higher" price.
Was wanting to build another wildcat. Didn't want to spend BIG $$$$ on a barrel and not like the final outcome.
Got turned onto a couple of barrels for sale @ auction. Bid on both but was only able to score one of them. Turned out to be Wilson gunsmith blanks. Contoured with no chambers in .270. Was told that they were JUNK cause they wern't lapped? For $125.00?? I'll take it!!
Shipped it out to "my man" with MY custom cut reamer and told him to "do your magic".
Not quite as heavy as I would have preferred but, it was threaded and chambered. The wildcat round is a 6.8 BR. (.270)
Shipped off a dummy round to copy for the reamer. Was told it was a "first in that caliber". Figured if the 30 BR was such a hot item, and the 6.8 SPC was picking up steam, why not a 6.8 BR.
Neck up a 6BR case to .270, stuff a bullet in the neck seated to MY specs, ship it off and have a reamer cut. ZERO free bore.
5 shots that can be covered with a DIME without too much work.
And NO, I do not own a bore scope. My target tells me all I need to know.

 

[nmkid]

Because I don't really shot my AR I purchased a $200 barrel. The groups I'm getting look almost like yours. I'm gonna hold out until I can find some 4895 for the 77 gr. Sierras I'm trying.

 

[ebb]

Like I said before, if I could pick up cases off the ground for 6.5 Grendel I would not own any 223 rifles. Keep us posted on this project I have another lower left that is not completed at this time. It may be a Grendel before it over and done with.

 

[5spd]

My stoner $90 20" ar15 bbl shoots pretty good, my 85, 95gr loads print an average of .850 to 1" at 100yds. Good enough for my new coyote night rig.
I've built a lot of ar15s with cheap stoner barrels, mostly SS, not one has been a bad shooter.

 

[butchlambert]

Looks like a zero freebore, renting a throating reamer and extending it .015-.025" will likely clean up that smear across the lead and not really affect reloading.

I think the adv showed nitrited and you won't be able to throat it.

 

[JSH]

A $90 barrel, I see spending a lot of time, money and effort to find out that it is a $90 barrel.
I believe one gets what they pay for.
I know a fellow that builds such things. Then expects ultimate accuracy and reliability, then asks why, only to find numerous people give him the same answer, which he doesn’t like or disregards. He then nickels and dimes it to death and ends up with more in it than a good build would have cost to begin with.
I work hard enough for my money, I won’t gamble on an out come, nor waste a lot of time on a maybe. Even if it is a truck or tractor gun, I want it to hit what I am aiming at.

 

[jds holler]

I always enjoy your threads Wolfdog, and I also appreciate a cheap -- ummm economical deal. But what I really want to know is if I'm the only one who thinks that you look like the well known movie and recording star, "Ice Cube"?? jd

 

[Lone Hunter]

Try some Factory 123 gr Hornady Black. Also, IMR 8208 and Hornady 123 ELD M shoot really good in my Grendel.
Also, you might want to try these to smooth the leade out.

FF Kit 264/6.5mm Cal

FinalFinish and FinalFinish TMS bullet kits and loaded ammo correct and improve reamer marks, dimensional uniformity, tool marks and surface finish issues in your barrel providing enhanced accuracy of your .264 or 6.5mm rifle.

www.davidtubb.com

 

[Wolfdog91]

Try some Factory 123 gr Hornady Black. Also, IMR 8208 and Hornady 123 ELD M shoot really good in my Grendel.
Also, you might want to try these to smooth the leade out.

FF Kit 264/6.5mm Cal

FinalFinish and FinalFinish TMS bullet kits and loaded ammo correct and improve reamer marks, dimensional uniformity, tool marks and surface finish issues in your barrel providing enhanced accuracy of your .264 or 6.5mm rifle.

www.davidtubb.com

About how fast you pushing yours ? And thanks for the reminder about those ! Been wanting an excuse to try tubbs "sand paper bullets"

 

[ebb]

My friend in Tennessee has an AR Stoner barrel that shoots way better than it ought to. When I was looking at the AR Stoner barrels I noticed that the adds at Midway USA look like they were cut and pasted from Bear Creek's website. I once read how much barrel steel they buy per month and could not believe it, it was so much. I assume that many of the affordable after market barrels come from them. Is this a fact, I am not sure, but it looks like it.

 

[David Milisock]

Somone might find this interesting. Just some some bore scoping of the barrel on my latest build, was gonna go with a ballistic advantage ( nothing but good reviews about them and their very cost effective even for my budget could have gotten some nicer stuff but honestly didn't see the need for my piddly lil use) but idk what's curious just how bad a $90 non brand specific battle could be ? How would it look on the inside ? Is this a case for barrel break ins ? Abrasives? Can a half decent reloader make it shoot ? Questions questions questions, and I've spent $90 on way stupider stuff so why not lol.

View attachment 1540650

I'm rarely surprised by an inexpensive barrel or rifle shooting well. What does surprise me is how much you can spend on a barrel or rifle that shoots awful.

Unfortunately for shooters, the AR market has become extremely dubious. In terms of how they shoot there're some great rifles out there but there're also a great deal of junk.

Can you hunt with it where you live? Is it accurate enough for your needs? If so be happy.

I have a Colt HBAR A2 in 5.56 x 45 that I got new for next to nothing decades ago that shoots very well. I also have an Aero Precision M4E in 6MM ARC that the entire package (extra mags, match trigger, ect) that was about $1,300, it shoots well also.

The difference is that the Colt shoots ok with 62 grain XM855, better with 55 grain XM193 and great (as good as the 6MM ARC) with Hornady 68 grain match handloads. The 6MM ARC shoots so good with Hornady 105 Black ammo that I'm not sure my handloads will do better.

I'm happy with both rifles.