Opinions on stainless barrel

sdcromer · #1 08-25-08, 22:10

I've been thinking about getting new mid length upper with a Wilson stainless 1/8 barrel and putting some 1-4x glass on top. My first inclination is to get standard mid length handguards and a standard front sight base. This will be for bench shooting at the range and maybe coyotes out to 150 yards.

Am I wasting my money on the stainless barrel if I don't go with free float?

blkexp98 · #2 08-27-08, 17:05

One of the main things a freefloated barrel helps with is if you use a sling or anything else to put pressure on the barrel. If you just shoot off a sandbag with very little to no pressure up front i'd think you would be ok. With that said i would add a freefloated forend at some point. They arnt all really that expensive but do buy what you need quality wise.

BTW: My first 16" ar was a midlength RRA with the stainless 1:8 twist Wilson barrel. It shot great until i had it reprofiled. Now its opened up a little and less trigger time now doesnt help either. Lesson learned.

sdcromer · #3 08-27-08, 20:23

What kind of accuracy did you get out of the box with the RRA stainless?

blkexp98 · #4 08-27-08, 20:53

With Federal Gold Medal 69gr i think and some PMC silver box (dont think the make it anymore) I would get around .5 to .75" 5 shot groups. That was with a scope at 100yds off a sandbag. Closer to .75" was more of the norm. Im sure it could have done better than that with a better shooter though. On occasion i did luck out with groups lower than .5" but i call that luck with my skill level.

I think for most people the accuracy of the RRA stainless h-bar is probably good enough and a pretty good buy. There are allot of options out now for a stainless midlength that wernt when i bought mine. Overall i would say i would buy it again but wouldnt reprofile it. Cryotreating may help my situation but i dont know if its even worth it cost wise.

BTW: The profile i had it turned to was a spr under the handguards and a m4 in front of the front sight base. I sent it off right when the assault weapon ban was being lifted to have the barrel threaded and reprofiled. I think my screw up was up front. I wish i would have left that front part alone even though it does look good and make the upper look shorter. I sent in a full scale drawing of what i wanted so the screw up was completly my fault.