Hi Folks,

I am sure a lot of people will consider this is a no-brainer, but I thought I might ask the question anyway. I am soon to complete a lightweight 20" build, and my criteria (no pun intended) for the barrel are that it is 20", is of a lightweight profile, has a twist rate that can stabilize bullets up to about 65gr (the Sierra Gameking softpoints in that weight are the heaviest bullet I intend to shoot) and is chrome-lined. There are currently 2 barrels I have been able to find that meet these requirements. The first is the relatively high-end Criterion 20" pencil-contour barrel with a 1:8" twist and .223 Wylde Chamber. The other is Del Ton's lightweight 20" A1 profile barrel, with a 1:9" twist, 5.56 NATO chamber, and A2 FSB already installed. I intend to use an A2 front sight setup with a 12" ultralight free float Midwest Industries handguard, so that is a bonus for the Del Ton.

As money is not an issue and I am hoping to squeeze as much accuracy as possible while staying within my parameters of a chrome-lined, lightweight barrel, I am leaning towards the Criterion option. However, the Del-Ton looks nice as well, and I would appreciate not having to send the barrel off to have the FSB installed. I see Del Ton disparaged quite a bit, and with reference to them in general, the word that most comes up is "hobby grade." I know this place is the most unforgiving of less high-end stuff, and I am sure that will apply to Del Ton as well, but I am hoping someone can articulate what exactly makes the Del Ton barrel inferior (I am fine with the 1:9" twist, so that is not a concern for me). My only experience with Del Ton is from a set of A2 handguards of theirs, which although they may not make them themselves, were top-notch. Their barrels may be 4140 instead of 4150 like the Criterion (the dealer from whom I will be buying is a friend and he can guarantee to get me one of the 4150 Criterions), but a well-made 4140 is excellent; my 2009-made ArmaLite AR-10 has a 4140, chrome-lined barrel, and even after 30,000 rounds, sometimes up to 2,500 between cleanings, it still shoots well sub-MOA with standard M80 ball ammo, and a cloverleaf at 100 yards with match stuff.

If anybody has experience with the Del Ton barrel in particular, I'd love to hear it, that is if you will admit here to having anything below top-tier ARs