AR barrel recommendation please

[Starslinger]

I have parts to build my first AR, all except the barrel and the gas tube, I think. I will have a gunsmith put it together for me because I don't know what I'm doing. Can someone recommend to me a manufacturer for the barrel? I generally buy good quality firearms from reliable manufacturers but not high end really expensive stuff. But I don't know much about AR parts. What I think I want is a 16 inch threaded barrel with a 1:7 twist rate in 5.56 or preferably 223 Wylde. Can I get something of medium or better quality for $200? What brands should I look for? This is not for long range shooting but I'd like to hit steel plates at 200 yards. Thanks for any help!

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[solv3nt]

PSA, Aero Precision/Ballistic Advantage, Colt, Wilson Combat or BCM on the sightly higher side.

 

[HNL2PDX]

Ballistic advantage are good and affordable but i prefer criterion core barrels. Cost alittle more but worth it to me.

 

[TTSX]

Ballistic advantage makes the barrels for a whole lot of OEMs. I run them in most of my builds and they work the way they should so far. Just wait for a sale and you can get em less than $100 in most flavors.

 

[Flopsweat]

You seriously should consider building it yourself. It's not that tough. There are some great build threads here and on ar15.com that anyone who can hold a screwdriver can follow. I've done a bunch of them.

 

[TTSX]

You seriously should consider building it yourself. It's not that tough. There are some great build threads here and on ar15.com that anyone who can hold a screwdriver can follow. I've done a bunch of them.

IDK man... You ever known someone who messed up an oil change?

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

it is like leggos man !!!!!!

 

[Starslinger]

Guys, how about this barrel?

Ballistic Advantage 16 5.56 Government Profile Midlength AR-15 Barrel, Modern Series

 

[BlindedByScience]

Own and used Ballistic Advantage....great barrels. One that sometimes gets overlooked are the barrels from Rainier Arms. Not cheap, and probably not the lightest, but I've got two RA Ultramatch barrels (223 Wylde, 308 (AR10))....and let me tell you, they shoot. My 223 Wylde is a 14.5" and is crazy accurate; one of the most accurate barrels in the safe.

 

[msgriff]

If you can wait until the Black Friday sales, you will probably be able to find some higher end barrels for under $200 that would sell for twice that today. Either way, get your lower built and/or transferred ASAP, if you haven't done so already.

 

[Starslinger]

If you can wait until the Black Friday sales, you will probably be able to find some higher end barrels for under $200 that would sell for twice that today. Either way, get your lower built and/or transferred ASAP, if you haven't done so already.

Good advice. I'm happy to say that the lower is complete and has been transferred to me. And I ended up buying that barrel that I linked to. Hopefully it will be good enough for my needs and last me awhile.

Thanks for the comments all!

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

IDK man... You ever known someone who messed up an oil change?

 

[solv3nt]

If you haven't already done so, buy mags, lots and lots of mags.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

What you plan to do with the rifle the majority of the time is what should drive your decisions as to barrel length, twist, etc.
If it was my project? I'd go with an 18" with 1/8 twist and the Wylde chamber. The 1/8 allows a wider range of projectile weights than 1/9 or 1/7. Kinda splits the difference.

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

+1 on building it yourself. For what you would pay to have it assembled you can buy a receiver block and wrench. Other than that you need a bench vise, but it doesn't have to be super high end. I have a basic one I picked up at The Restore that works just fine

 

[Starslinger]

If you haven't already done so, buu mags, lots and lots of mags.

I bought a dozen mags. Is that enough?

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

I bought a dozen mags. Is that enough?

 

[Yarome]

Heck... you don't even need a "vise", per say. Lay it down on a sturdy table or countertop.. lay a board/book/etc over it and use a couple cheap harbor freight c-clamps to lock it down horizontally.

If funds are limited, money better spent on a torque wrench than a vise, IMHO. (If you don't already own one or have a neighbor/family/friend you could borrow one from)

If you do end up taking it in somewhere it's not a bad idea to also make sure they are going to lap the receiver and use anti-seize on the barrel extension.

 

[TTSX]

Heck... you don't even need a "vise", per say. Lay it down on a sturdy table or countertop.. lay a board/book/etc over it and use a couple cheap harbor freight c-clamps to lock it down horizontally.

If funds are limited, money better spent on a torque wrench than a vise, IMHO. (If you don't already own one or have a neighbor/family/friend you could borrow one from)

If you do end up taking it in somewhere it's not a bad idea to also make sure they are going to lap the receiver and use anti-seize on the barrel extension.

I built my first one by gripping the gun between my legs real hard while torquing the barrel nut. Backyard gunsmithing 101.

 

[Flopsweat]

I built my first one by gripping the gun between my legs real hard while torquing the barrel nut. Backyard gunsmithing 101.

Kinky.