X caliber AR barrels or anyone else?

[gunsandgunsmithing]

I'm sure Rainer arms has there reasons, but that always bugged me. Why not just say who makes the blank? I had a WOA .223/5.56 barrel and it was the most accurate AR I've ever shot. With the right load it was sub moa consistently. I shot a lot of groups in the .2s and .3s and I was using Hornady 55grain spire point, with H335. Can't believe I sold that upper.

I'm very interested in the Craddock now though

I think a reason can be that a bbl maker of premium bbls, making them differently in some fashion, to be a budget friendly bbl for more mass produced guns, like AR's for example..associates the bbl makers flagship barrel with their lesser quality budget line. I can see why they would not want their flagship name associated with something less than the best they can offer.

Different ways of looking at that. Kreiger has its Criterion line. Shilen has its Match vs Select Match lines. In a day of $50 bore scopes, I would not want to be a premium barrel maker and let my name be associated with a barrel that wasn't lapped, for example. We've all seen pics of Savage barrels on here. They look like hell but they typically shoot very well for a factory barrel. Still, I think we tend to think of railroad tracks rather than how it performs, when we think of Savage barrels. Perception.

 

[troupe]

Rainer Arms does not make their own barrels, they are subbed, like many others.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Rainer Arms does not make their own barrels, they are subbed, like many others.

I think that's the case with the vast majority of AR's out there. They generally contract with someone to make bbls for them. That's kinda my point, in a roundabout way. I don't think many if any bigger makers are using a premium barrel maker's flagship product. Sure, there may be an exception or two, at a price but generally, if you want a truly premium bbl on an AR, most will be a custom build.

Nothing wrong with a Wilson or Criterion, for example, but I wouldn't consider either to be absolute top shelf, even though they may well be better than the complete platform or shooter. Generally, it takes a br type rifle to see the difference between a very good bbl and a top of the line one. So, unless we're talking br levels, you or I may never see a benefit from the very best bbl on an AR, for example.

 

[Sandstorm]

So, unless we're talking br levels, you or I may never see a benefit from the very best bbl on an AR, for example.

An Ar is difficult to shot consistently tight due to many factors..like triggers and recoil impulse with gas guns in general gets hard for most casual shooters. Now they do shoot much better with a Bartlein barrel and a Trigger tech trigger from my experience, however not sure its worth the cost in the long run for a gas gun...just my 2c and your MMV as always.
Do love my jewel triggers....and that's not an option here.

 

[Jdne5b]

I have three ARs made with unturned barrel blanks from Xcaliber. My smith turned, and chambered them for the AR. Two 458 Socom and one 20 Practical. They all shoot very good.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

An Ar is difficult to shot consistently tight due to many factors..like triggers and recoil impulse with gas guns in general gets hard for most casual shooters. Now they do shoot much better with a Bartlein barrel and a Trigger tech trigger from my experience, however not sure its worth the cost in the long run for a gas gun...just my 2c and your MMV as always.
Do love my jewel triggers....and that's not an option here.

Yes agreed. That's my point really. If the platform will only shoot in the .3's(just a number) with a $200 barrel and the same with a $500 barrel, then you don't need to spend the extra $300 to get all the gun can do from it. Same principle for hunting rifles. Not a thing wrong with using top of the line bbls for them but there are just bigger factors than the difference between a very good vs a great bbl when both are often shot from a fence post. That fence post is the great equalizer, if you will.

 

[Kevin1990]

I pretty much agree with everything said here. It's one of the reasons I was asking about x caliber. When I was using WOA for my .223 build. I chose them because I (.1 didn't think I'd be able to shoot the difference between that and a CLE barrel, for twice the price. And (.2 I didn't think I could justify an extra $400 for perhaps a .1-.3 difference in group size if I could shoot the difference.

That being said. If White oak can't make me one, I'm going to pick one up from Craddock with a BCG. They have them for $112 no idea what brand they are.

 

[Gundog]

X-Caliber is running a 20% off sale until the 18th of March.....