Rainier Select MEDCON barrels. (I have a couple questions)

[Obscenejesster]

Sorry if this has been discussed before in other threads but I've searched Google and can't really find all the information I'm looking for. I also so two threads in this forum that talk about them but nobody really gave their impressions and/or experience with them.

@IraqGuns.....I saw in another thread that you had picked up a couple of these barrels and couldn't wait to run them through their paces. I searched through the rest of the thread and didn't see you post your thoughts on them. Did you ever get around to running them and if so, what were your impressions?

As some of you know, I've been mulling over a barrel choice for a month now for a current build I'm working on. I knew I wanted to do a RECCE or an SPR but I figured the RECCE would work better with a Vortex 1x4 I already own.

Anyway I was just offered a good price on a brand new Rainier Select 16" Black Oxide with a new Rainier XTC Comp for $250. The questions I have regarding these barrels are below.

- Does anyone know where Rainier gets these barrels?
- Can I expect better accuracy than my Chrome Lined BCM ' s, DD' s, Colt and Spikes?
- If you own one, has anyone put a high round count through one and if so, is it still as accurate as day 1?
- Paired with a light rail such as BCM ' s new KMR, do you think the combination would still be light enough for rapid target acquisition and carry?

Thank you in advance for your replies. Sorry if this stuff has been covered but I really tried my Google skills to no avail.

Sent with a Gen 2 Nexus 7

[^Rb]

- Does anyone know where Rainier gets these barrels?
- Can I expect better accuracy than my Chrome Lined BCM ' s, DD' s, Colt and Spikes?
- If you own one, has anyone put a high round count through one and if so, is it still as accurate as day 1?
- Paired with a light rail such as BCM ' s new KMR, do you think the combination would still be light enough for rapid target acquisition and carry?


1) Black Hole Weaponry.
2) Assuming decent ammo, yes.
3) Don't have high enough round count to give you definitive answer, but I don't foresee this being an issue. (there are several threads re: accuracy & high round counts w/ unlined stainless barrels)
4) Yes.

[richdkim77]

Here's some accuracy testing I did with a Select Barrel before they went to the medcon profile:

http://www.weaponevolution.com/forum/showthread.php?2723-Rainier-Arms-Select-5.56MM-Barrel

I don't claim to be a great shooter, and I wasn't using a benchrest optic, so I have no doubt you could get better results than I could. I ran 1600+ rounds through it.

[Iraqgunz]

If you go to Rainier's website I am pretty sure that most of their barrels are from Lothar Walther and from BHW. I built a couple of uppers with them (for people) and the feedback I got was they were very good. I would not get that XTC comp. It is very loud and I would be looking at something else.

[richdkim77]

I agree with Gunz, don't get an XTC, there are better muzzle devices out there, including the soon to be released XTC 2.0.

The Select Line is still made by Black Hole Weaponry. They are going to some recent changes with manufacturers, so the Match and Ultra Match Line maybe sourced elsewhere, which is why you haven't seen Match barrels in stock in quite some time.

[Obscenejesster]

Very good to know about the XTC...I have a Battle Comp and a Surefire that are pretty loud. Is the XTC considerably louder than them? BCM's compensator is probably the quietest comp I've tried but it doesn't compensate as well as the Battle or Surefire.

[Brahmzy]

Very good to know about the XTC...I have a Battle Comp and a Surefire that are pretty loud. Is the XTC considerably louder than them? BCM's compensator is probably the quietest comp I've tried but it doesn't compensate as well as the Battle or Surefire.

The Surefire brake and the XTC are comparable in thud and crack. Back when the XTC came out I tested it against an FSC556 and found the XTC to have a lower thud sound vs a higher pitched crack sound of the FSC556. The FSC556 is by no means quiet - it's just as bad as a fully open brake. Anyway, I found the XTC to be a great brake, but I think the SF brakes just slightly edge it out in performance, with no FH capability, obviously.

[Obscenejesster]

Damn....Just when I thought I had my mind made up, BCM just goes and sends me an email that their SS410 16" Ion Bond is back in stock. You guy's think their around the same weight?

Decisions...Decisions...

[RGraff]

I just recently received and mounted my select barrel (16"). While I don't have enough time with it to answer your questions I would like to add that the break in period has been a pleasantly surprising event. I typically shoot/clean, shoot/clean for the first ten rounds. Then shoot, shoot/clean to twenty or until I no longer see green/blue. With this barrel I went through round six and wasn't able to remove any copper. Thinking it was a fluke I shot round seven and proceeded to clean fouling, then copper. No green. Continued firing single rounds then cleaned through to round ten just because I wasn't believing what I was seeing. No copper.

Needless to say I have high hopes once I start load development, based on what I'm seeing so far.

Just one shooters observations. Your mileage may vary. :)