Criterion 223 Wylde Reliability

[AR-Tenner]

Hi folks,

I am working on a build now, and have my eye on one of Criterion's chrome-lined barrels with a Wylde chamber. I take it as a given that the barrel will be insanely accurate and long-lived, and I am friends with a dealer who can guarantee to get me one that is 4150 instead of 4140. However, I want to hear from people who have one of these barrels how reliable they, with their Wylde chambers, are.

I know the conventional wisdom is that 5.56 NATO chambers are the most reliable, but not only have I read that a well-made Wylde is at least as, if not more reliable than the NATO spec (I have discussed this topic with Bill Wylde himself), if one looks at the actual chamber dimensions (my friend at Criterion provided me with the measurements and drawings for their chambers), all measurements but the throats diameter are actually looser than the 5.56.

The only real-life reliability issue of which I have ever heard with the Wylde chamber that had actually happened and is not just theory, is the issue of difficulty extracting and ejecting a live round. I gather that this problem only really occurs with cheaper barrels like the RRA, but I'm wondering whether it has happened to anyone with the Criterion barrels,

Basically, I am hoping people with first hand experience with Criterion's chrome-lined barrels with Wylde chambers can share their experiences with reliability.

Thanks!

[bfoosh006]

Deleted

[gaijin]

I have Criterions SS, Nitride, Wylde chambered barrels on two builds.
Selling point to me was hand lapped prior to Nitride.
Can't comment on their CL barrels.
Never any issues pertaining to the Wylde chamber.
They have been pleasingly accurate.

[msnyder0609]

I have a 14.5 middy from American Defense (made by Criterion). It's a nitrided barrel. So far, no issues to report. It's gassed slightly on the heavier side. I'm able to run an A5H3 buffer and reliably feed Wolf steel. I have about 1500 rounds through it so far without any hiccups, 1/3 of that being steel case.

[SlimMan]

Earlier this year, I finished my first AR and decided to use a chrome-lined/Wylde-chambered barrel from Criterion (mine is a 20" barrel). The barrel and handguard came from Midwest Industries. I've only put 300 rounds through the rifle, but, to this point, I've had no function issues and I find the accuracy quite good. I realize 300 rounds is just getting "warmed up" but so far, so good.

[VIP3R 237]

I have a 16" cl criterion 1-8 .223 Wylde barrel and I have had zero issues as far as reliability, it is also very accurate.

[BadgerPeak]

Never had (or seen) a problem with that chamber.

[JG007]

aren't they all 4150 now?

[Run N Shoot]

I purchased a complete upper from Midwest Ind that replicates the one on the Sentinel Concepts rifle. It has the Criterion barrel with the Wylde chamber and it has been very accurate and reliable so far. This has been on limited use but so far so good.

[tylerw02]

Something to consider:

Chambers are just that. The rest of the gun makes it reliable. The differences in chambers are typically the throat length to determine how the bullet engages rifling and how much pressure and when the pressure spikes. Without having a print from the manufacturer, there is no way to really compare. Not all 5.56 chambers are the same. Not all Wylde chambers are the same. Not all .223 chambers are the same. I have seen .223 chambers that are much more forgiving of pressure than 5.56 chambers.


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