Barrels: Ballistic Advantage, Noveske, Rainier Arms

[rxer311]

I am looking for a barrel for my next high quality build. (Forget my post below about the 13.7" barrel...going with a 14.5") I know that I want to go with a 14.5" barrel but am torn about which way to go.

I am building off of a Rainier Arms forged receiver set with a 12" SLR rifleworks keymod rail as seen here:


1. You could call me a Noveske fan boy and I have been leaning towards a Noveske Afghan barrel. I have 2 Noveske CHF 14.5" barrels and they have been awesome but have yet to use one of their stainless barrels. Would love to put one on this gun, but at a price tag of $400-$430 I could probably get a better bang for my buck elsewhere. I also do know that I could expect a 15000 round life expectancy out of this barrel. Also, I get a pinned on gas block.

2. I am building off the Rainier Arms receiver so naturally I was looking at their barrels. I had one of their 14.5" select barrels in the past and it was an absolute tack driver. I had some issues with my gas block on it and since I had a pinned FH on it I had ADCO cut it down to 13.7" and pin on a KX3 flash hider. Believe it or not, I actually liked that barrel in the shorter configuration, but I eventually got tired of it and sold off the upper. I kind of regret it. I am looking at getting another select barrel or going with one of their rock creek barrels. The cost of this is in the middle of my options but I would have to purchase a gas block and pay to have it pinned (all my gas blocks are pinned and I don't do otherwise).

3. Ballistic Advantage barrels seem to have a pretty good reputation around here for very good quality at a value price. I have yet to use one for myself. With this barrel, however, I would achieve the lightest weight (Hanson profile), with a pinned gas block included. I am wondering, however, about the expected barrel life of one of their stainless barrels compared to the Noveske and Rainier arms barrels of which I am familiar with. That does lead me into the option of getting one of their melonite barrels. I was really wanting to do this build with a stainless barrel, but this does give me another option. With such a fantastic price I can get some of the other parts I need to finish this rifle and possibly finish it before Christmas for a Merry Christmas present for me.

Over the past day I have had all 3 of these barrels in a shopping cart at various retailers but have not pulled the trigger yet. I guess I am a bit undecided on what my best option would be in this situation.

[alamo5000]

I asked about the BA barrels and it's a 10-15K round barrel. This obviously depends on your shooting habits.

If you want to get the maximum bang for the life buck then see the mountain series from Rainier. I've been looking at those for a really long time although I've never used one before. I think you can pick one up for around $300 bucks. If you ever shoot one of those out let me know...in like 10 or 20 years from now. They are made the same way a M249 machine gun barrel is made.

I have a long list of 'want' items and an upper with one of those barrels on it is on the list... that will probably be another AR build for me at some point but I have too many things to buy as is.

On one of my AR's I've been using a Rainier Select medcon and it is easily a sub MOA shooter with the right ammo.

On my SBR I have a 10.5 BA barrel but I haven't bothered to do any extreme accuracy shooting with it. To me that's sort of a pointless exercise considering what it's on and how I am shooting it. Minute of Man is good enough for me on that although I can tell you that it's capable of way better than that.

With that being said I don't see the need to get a Noveske barrel when you can get as good or better performance for 100 something bucks less. I've never gotten on the Noveske bandwagon but then again I've only been in the AR world since after Mr. Noveske passed.

[Default.mp3]

Ballistic Advantage is a budget option for a reason: http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread....age&highlight=

They're not bad for what they are, they're simply not the best barrel around.

[fledge]

May as well look at VSeven and Griffin barrels too, if you are going stainless.

[Axlnut]

Ballistic Advantage is a budget option for a reason: http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread....age&highlight=

They're not bad for what they are, they're simply not the best barrel around.

The gas port in the groove thing is super debatable. In testing (print article I have to find again) that variable alone has shown no effect on consistency. Some are all about it, some don't care. Half in the groove, half on the land did show longer resistance to port erosion. Interestingly enough, spec for an AK barrel is to always place the gas port first, in a groove, and index the rest of the operations from that datum point.

Barrels like Kreigers are sums of their parts - there is attention to all the details.

The raised burr is poor QC, but poor QC that's a magazine away from being solved.

[BoilerUp]

Alamo, when you say BA barrels are 10-15K round barrels, are you speaking of the SS or nitrided barrels?

Default, do you own any BA barrels? I don't think the OP in that other thread was bashing BA, but showing the extra benefits you get when you step up to a Krieger.

rxer311, I suspect you actually know what you really want. Is sub-MOA good enought? Both the Rainier and BA have MOA guarantees. Noveske is the most expensive but won't guarantee accuracy. Frankly, I don't blame them, but they're lower priced competition willing to put the guarantee in writing. The RA Select sounds like it already has you won over so I'm sure you wouldn't regret paying a few more $, but if money is tight, I say get the BA and be prepared to hold Clint to his guarantee. One of these days I'll pick up a Hanson profile barrel to check it out.

[Default.mp3]

Default, do you own any BA barrels? I don't think the OP in that other thread was bashing BA, but showing the extra benefits you get when you step up to a Krieger.

I don't, but by that same token, nor was I bashing BA, but merely pointing out that they're not best in class, and comparing them to Noveske seems like a strange choice. Nothing wrong with a budget barrel, just stating its a case of getting what you pay for, and thus I would not consider a Ballistic Advantage barrel for something I'd call a "high quality build". Either way, no desired purpose was stated for the rifle, so that makes selecting a barrel quite difficult.

[Axlnut]

Rxer311

You know what we all forgot to ask?

What are your goals and expectations from the build (besides a badass finish )?

I'd be willing to bet that at the end of the day, answered honestly - BA is going to be the best choice for this build at this time.

That barrel life round count stuff.. that's total BS. Depends what you are shooting and how you are shooting it, along with what "lifespan" means to you.

[alamo5000]

Alamo, when you say BA barrels are 10-15K round barrels, are you speaking of the SS or nitrided barrels?

I emailed the guys from BA and told them which barrel I have and a bit about my shooting habits (I am not a super hardcore 1000 rounds a day shooter) and asked them point blank about it. "What kind of barrel life can I expect" and that was their response to me.

Basically for light to medium duty that is what I am expecting.

http://ballisticadvantage.com/10-5-i...rn-barrel.html

[Axlnut]

I emailed the guys from BA and told them which barrel I have and a bit about my shooting habits (I am not a super hardcore 1000 rounds a day shooter) and asked them point blank about it. "What kind of barrel life can I expect" and that was their response to me.

Basically for light to medium duty that is what I am expecting.

http://ballisticadvantage.com/10-5-i...rn-barrel.html

Now that makes way more sense :-)

[alamo5000]

Rxer311 Depends what you are shooting and how you are shooting it, along with what "lifespan" means to you.

Exactly. When I asked I was very pointed in my question. For me having a sub MOA barrel from a gun that will be shoulder fired with no rest (to speak of) with a red dot with the intention being a minute of man blaster...I see no point in trying to tune a load to utter perfection for that kind of thing.

... merely pointing out that they're not best in class... Nothing wrong with a budget barrel, just stating its a case of getting what you pay for, and thus I would not consider a Ballistic Advantage barrel for something I'd call a "high quality build". Either way, no desired purpose was stated for the rifle, so that makes selecting a barrel quite difficult.

Purpose matters. I have 100% top shelf stuff on my SBR with exception of the barrel but for the purpose and my civilian use of it, I can get two, almost 3 other barrels (and if you're talking Noveske I can maybe get 4 of them) for the same price.

For me as I stated above fawning all over 'accuracy' for a running around gun that won't ever touch a bipod or a sandbag is pretty much pointless. Basically a lot of effort for nothing. If there ever was an accuracy freak out there it's me. But getting it just 'within reason' is sufficient and my BA barrel has more than accomplished that goal easily.

For me I won't shoot more than 2-3 mags at a time for a number of reasons. Mainly because I am shooting suppressed almost 100% of the time and I don't want to mess up my can. The extreme heat build up for the can after that many rounds of rapid fire is a lot. Anything beyond that can damage the can.

It's unlikely that I will get into a firefight anytime soon so if I have to take a few minutes break so be it. All that stuff translates back to what you expect from the gun and the barrel. My shooting habits are mine only. I have the luxury of shooting in the backyard so if I go shoot a mag or two a couple of times a week and focus on skills and technique... then I can expect a better barrel life.

[UWone77]

I wouldn't worry about lifespan of the barrel too much. How many of us have shot out a barrel?

[Axlnut]

I wouldn't worry about lifespan of the barrel too much. How many of us have shot out a barrel?

Wise man say, "Those that can afford to, in less than decades, need not quibble over barrel cost."

[alamo5000]

I wouldn't worry about lifespan of the barrel too much. How many of us have shot out a barrel?

The only reason you haven't is because you have like 200 guns to shoot

I had this conversation with someone a while back. I forgot who... but I think barrel makers are taking into account their target audience. CHF Chrome lined barrels that can take sustained machine gun fire...on paper it sounds bad ass but considering that your average civilian doesn't shoot full auto and can't afford that much ammo....

So why not make a barrel (or series of barrels) that are more medium use oriented? They are easier to make and a lot cheaper while at the same time they meet the needs of 98% of AR owners?

Stainless is stainless. The barrels meant for true accuracy is one thing "Match Grade" or whatnot is one thing... but for general consumer barrels that aren't used in that manner why not make something that is A) easier to manufacture and B) has a pretty good life and C) has a really good price tag on it....

[alamo5000]

Wise man say, "Those that can afford to, in less than decades, need not quibble over barrel cost."

HAAA!!!! That's a classic line right there! You win the internet today.