Need a MSP approved barrel

[danb]

When the SHTF, you wont be hitting groundhogs at 200 yards. You will be hitting rioters, looters, and zombies at <25 yards. 2-3 MOA from a bench is plenty enough accurate for SHTF. Most medium to high end barrels will do much better.

 

[Frostburg]

Not fluted, but this is a great barrel.

https://criterionbarrels.com/products/ar-15/ar-15-hbar-barrel-mid-length-gas-chrome-lined/

So I'm currently looking at this barrel. But someone recently cued me on to Fulton Armory (which is located in MD), and looking at their site, it looks like they sell Criterion barrels. But they will apparently also attach a FSB upon request (for the price of the FSB), which would be cheaper than having a gunsmith put it on (I can't do it myself currently). Would any Criterion barrel that has the same listed annotated specs as the one in the link above essentially be the same barrel? Or is this a special barrel of which I need to take note of its specific SKU number? Because I can't find a part number on Criterion's website to match with. But I'm assuming that if I locate a Criterion barrel on Fulton's website, and it is also a 16" Hbar with 1/8 twist barrel, chrome lined, .223 Wylde, etc, it would essentially be the same one, or of equal quality, right?

 

[Frostburg]

When the SHTF, you wont be hitting groundhogs at 200 yards. You will be hitting rioters, looters, and zombies at <25 yards. 2-3 MOA from a bench is plenty enough accurate for SHTF. Most medium to high end barrels will do much better.

In that case, I want the lowest margin of error for a bad or missed shot as possible. The better accuracy, the better.

 

[Mr.Blue]

In that case, I want the lowest margin of error for a bad or missed shot as possible. The better accuracy, the

 

[erwos]

Personally I don't think it's worth going for top of the line unless you are also spending top dollar on ammunition as well. For me personally, I can tell you a mid-range barrel will do equally as well as a fancy custom ordered one.

Yeah, but the other side of this is that throwing trash ammo into a trash barrel gets you extra trash accuracy. I mean, I know most people shooting their ARs won't ever make it past a hundred yards, but if you want the ability to EVER play at longer distances, you need a quality barrel. I won't even get into how the gas port on lower-quality barrels tends to be too large.

This is just my opinion, but the ONE place I would not skimp on an AR build is the barrel. You can probably do the value purchase thing on almost anything else (maybe not the lower), but reliably good barrels just cost money.

If I were going to build a new 16" upper tomorrow, it would be a Faxon fluted HBAR. Not because I think Faxon is the best, but because they usually shoot ~1MOA and have one of the cheaper fluted HBAR options.

 

[danb]

In that case, I want the lowest margin of error for a bad or missed shot as possible. The better accuracy, the better.

You can hit a man size target at 100 yds with virtually any semi auto rifle on the market. If you cannot, what you need is practice. An off the shelf medium quality $800 AR will out shoot you for a very long time.



What you want is a rifle you can afford to shoot all the time for practice.

 

[Frostburg]

You can hit a man size target at 100 yds with virtually any semi auto rifle on the market. If you cannot, what you need is practice. An off the shelf medium quality $800 AR will out shoot you for a very long time.



What you want is a rifle you can afford to shoot all the time for practice.

Yes, but there is a 500 yard range an hour 1/2 away from me, that I want to shoot at. And I would love to ping targets there at distances up to 500, because I can.

 

[Frostburg]

So I'm currently looking at this barrel. But someone recently cued me on to Fulton Armory (which is located in MD), and looking at their site, it looks like they sell Criterion barrels. But they will apparently also attach a FSB upon request (for the price of the FSB), which would be cheaper than having a gunsmith put it on (I can't do it myself currently). Would any Criterion barrel that has the same listed annotated specs as the one in the link above essentially be the same barrel? Or is this a special barrel of which I need to take note of its specific SKU number? Because I can't find a part number on Criterion's website to match with. But I'm assuming that if I locate a Criterion barrel on Fulton's website, and it is also a 16" Hbar with 1/8 twist barrel, chrome lined, .223 Wylde, etc, it would essentially be the same one, or of equal quality, right?

https://criterionbarrels.com/products/ar-15/ar-15-hbar-barrel-mid-length-gas-chrome-lined/

https://www.fulton-armory.com/ar-15-barrels.aspx

Anyway, I just wanted to emphasize this question.

 

[erwos]

Yes, but there is a 500 yard range an hour 1/2 away from me, that I want to shoot at. And I would love to ping targets there at distances up to 500, because I can.

At 500yds, you need a good barrel and decent ammo. Especially if we're talking 1-2 MOA sized steel and you don't want any misses in there.

 

[danb]

Yes, but there is a 500 yard range an hour 1/2 away from me, that I want to shoot at. And I would love to ping targets there at distances up to 500, because I can.

"Because I like expensive toys" is also a good reason... but the scope you put on won't be good for SHTF zombies and rioters at close range.


I think you will simply need two rifles. Lol.

 

[Frostburg]

I'm planning on using an ACOG.

 

[Frostburg]

"Because I like expensive toys" is also a good reason... but the scope you put on won't be good for SHTF zombies and rioters at close range.


I think you will simply need two rifles. Lol.

I'm planning on using an ACOG, which should be fine for both 500 meters or 25 meters.

 

[ken792]

This barrel seems to have blackened feed ramps, not chrome lined or what-have-you. Are these smooth feeding and reliable? Are these M4 feed ramps? This will be a SHTF rifle and I need it to perform under adverse conditions.

Feed ramps and barrel extensions aren't (generally) chromed. Blackened probably means it's nitrided, which hardens the surface and gives it excellent corrosion resistance

 

[River02]

So I'm currently looking at this barrel. But someone recently cued me on to Fulton Armory (which is located in MD), and looking at their site, it looks like they sell Criterion barrels. But they will apparently also attach a FSB upon request (for the price of the FSB), which would be cheaper than having a gunsmith put it on (I can't do it myself currently). Would any Criterion barrel that has the same listed annotated specs as the one in the link above essentially be the same barrel? Or is this a special barrel of which I need to take note of its specific SKU number? Because I can't find a part number on Criterion's website to match with. But I'm assuming that if I locate a Criterion barrel on Fulton's website, and it is also a 16" Hbar with 1/8 twist barrel, chrome lined, .223 Wylde, etc, it would essentially be the same one, or of equal quality, right?

Correct-- the same barrel

 

[Frostburg]

Correct-- the same barrel

Nice! I'm gonna call them and ask if they have the exact barrel in question in stock, and if so, I might drop off the rifle to them and have them put it on. They are located only an hour from me. That way they can check headspace and everything. I can drive whenever to pick it up once it's finished.

I ordered a new Magpul MOE handguard to accomodate the midlength gas system, so as soon as that arrives, provided Fulton has the barrel in stock, I should be ready to go sooner than I thought!

 

[babalou]

Criterion

Not fluted, but this is a great barrel.

https://criterionbarrels.com/products/ar-15/ar-15-hbar-barrel-mid-length-gas-chrome-lined/

You know Criterion is good if CMP uses them for Garands.

 

[lazarus]

Hi, so I am in the market for a quality HBAR stamped 16" AR15 barrel (fluted for reduced weight if possible) to meet MD requirements. I want the shot to shot consistency of an HBAR profile, chrome lined for a SHTF rifle if need be, a midlength gas system. The upper it's getting swapped out from has a standard govt. profile 16" carbine gassed barrel, which is a no go in MD. I want to transfer the current residing FSB to the new barrel.

Any solid recommendations?

Don’t get chrome lined. It reduces accuracy. Get nitrided. It’s harder than chroming and about as corrosion resistant. And a plus it covers the entire barrel. Nitriding does not reduce accuracy.

Either way, with an AR-15 you are getting probably 10k rounds out of it if you mildly abuse it for those 10k. It takes 10 minutes and basic tools to swap the barrel for another $200 for a quality barrel.

Barrel life just shouldn’t be that much of a concern.

 

[TheBert]

In that case, I want the lowest margin of error for a bad or missed shot as possible. The better accuracy, the better.

You need to provide some specifics on what you believe accuracy is.

At 100 yards what size 5 shot group?

At 200 yards what size 5 shot group?

At 300 yards what size 5 shot group?

Have you shot an AR-15 or M16/M4 for qualificaiton before? If yes what course did you shoot and what was your score?

Are you capable of shooting a 5 round 24" group at 500 yards?

 

[pidevildog07]

I've got a 16" hbar that came on a core 15 rifle. Maybe shot 500 rounds through it. It's a govt/hbar, nitride, 556 chamber, carbine gas, 1:9 twist

 

[Frostburg]

Not fluted, but this is a great barrel.

https://criterionbarrels.com/products/ar-15/ar-15-hbar-barrel-mid-length-gas-chrome-lined/

Okay, I called Fulton Armory and they said that if that specific barrel is not listed on their website, they don't have it. So I looked at the page with all their barrels on it, and these are what they have:

https://www.fulton-armory.com/ar-15-barrels.aspx

As you can see, they are different variations of that barrel. One being 1/9 twist. So I'm debating whether I should select one of these barrels intead, or just order the one criterion barrel and have a private dealer install it. One of my considerations is that Fulton Armory said their turn-around-time is about 6-8 weeks. Which is a long time! I could probably get a gunsmith to get it done in a week or less. So should I order the Fulton Armory barrel and have them install it in that period of time, or just order the 1/8 twist barrel online and have a good gunsmith do it in less time? 6-8 weeks is much longer than I want to wait.