Replacement barrel question

[pakieser]

I have a well-used DPMS rifle (police trade-in) that is consistently keyholing. I have been shooting Brown Bear in it, and I thought it was an ammo problem, but my friends are shooting the same ammo without any problems. I believe that the barrel is simply worn out.

I am looking for a replacement barrel, and would like some recommendations. I would prefer to have a balance between weight and performance. The barrel needs to be 16" and have a carbine gas system to fit under my TRX. My price range is $200-$300.

I'd really like a fluted stainless barrel, but performance is more important than looks.

The barrel currently on the rifle is a DPMS 16" heavy barrel with a 1:9 twist. Here is a pic of the rifle as it looks right now:

http://www.pakieser.com/firearms/ar15/ar15-troy-600-2.JPG

I tried searching this topic, but I kept getting errors. If there is a thread already on this, please refer me to it.

[wlptpd3]

pakieser,

Check Brownells and/or Midway they did have some new Daniel Defense barrels for around $ 170.00, these are the non hammer forged barrels but one of these barrels should serve your needs.

[5pins]

Price wise the best deal is the Daniel Defense barrel for $170 at Brownells.

[Iraqgunz]

Got to Bravo Company and buy a CHF barrel or one of their other offerings. You can't go wrong.

[Blankwaffe]

I assume you have gauged the barrel to see if it is worn or damaged.Area I'd look at would be the muzzle to see if it has been washed out from poor cleaning technique/rod use or possibly deformed from impact.
One thing I would do before anything else is to make sure the bore is clean and not heavily fouled.
I recently fooled with a friends an AR that was turning terrible groups.I found the bore was heavily fouled with lead and copper jacket material from using a .22 conversion.The leade came out in little flakes and strips after soaking the bore for three days in Hoppe's No.9.
The rifle shoots nice groups now.
For a new barrel...me likes the Daniel Defense and BCM barrels very much.

[Surf]

If you decide that your barrel needs replacing, as mentioned the DD non hammer forged barrel currently in stock at Brownells is an excellent barrel at a very good price. I run a couple and have mounted a few others as new builds and as replacements. They have very good accuracy and I cannot distinguish any accuracy difference in their CHF vs non-CHF barrels. You may get a longer life out of the CHF, but most average shooters will not get that far. I also like BCM product. If you have the money to spend then go CHF. While I do have a CHF barrel, I personally haven't bought into the price vs benefit difference. At least not yet. I need to see it for myself to believe it. I will see when the round counts get high enough. :)

[Robb Jensen]

I have a well-used DPMS rifle (police trade-in) that is consistently keyholing. I have been shooting Brown Bear in it, and I thought it was an ammo problem, but my friends are shooting the same ammo without any problems. I believe that the barrel is simply worn out.

I am looking for a replacement barrel, and would like some recommendations. I would prefer to have a balance between weight and performance. The barrel needs to be 16" and have a carbine gas system to fit under my TRX. My price range is $200-$300.

I'd really like a fluted stainless barrel, but performance is more important than looks.

The barrel currently on the rifle is a DPMS 16" heavy barrel with a 1:9 twist. Here is a pic of the rifle as it looks right now:

http://www.pakieser.com/firearms/ar15/ar15-troy-600-2.JPG

I tried searching this topic, but I kept getting errors. If there is a thread already on this, please refer me to it.

Here's something I've seen a few dozen times. Pull the flash hider off and clean the crown of the barrel and shoot it without a flash hider and see if the accuracy returns. Also do a really good cleaning of the barrel with Shooters Choice followed by a really good scrubbing with non-embedding JB Bore Paste followed by a really good copper cleaning of the barrel using Wipeout (http://www.eabco.com/WipePatchout.htm) or Sweets 762 . If the accuracy returns clean the hell out of the flash hider or buy a new one and replace it. Russian made ammo and PMC is VERY dirty stuff and carbons this are up very badly.

Many times there is so much carbon on the crown or in the flash hider that the bullet is highly effected by it or impacts it as the bullets passes through that area and it'll cause keyholing at 20yds or so.
Usually barrels that are shot out (which have serious throat erosion) display 5"-12"+ groups at 50-100yds long before keyholing.

[pakieser]

I re-tested the rifle yesterday with better quality ammo. Lake City 5.56 and Federal HiShok 5.56 worked fine, but the Russian stuff kept keyholing consistently. So, I'm inclined to think it's an ammo problem.

I am still thinking of getting a new barrel just for GP.

[ForTehNguyen]

just an option, since you are changing the barrel you could change to a midlength with a middy gas tube, and it will still be flush under the handguards. Superior to the carbine system. Up to you.

Going with a govt profile or lightweight barrel will dramatically drop the weight since you have a HBAR now. You wont have any performance issues going to a lighter barrel. Cant go wrong with Daniel Defense or Bravo Company hammer forged barrels

[pakieser]

just an option, since you are changing the barrel you could change to a midlength with a middy gas tube, and it will still be flush under the handguards. Superior to the carbine system. Up to you.

Going with a govt profile or lightweight barrel will dramatically drop the weight since you have a HBAR now. You wont have any performance issues going to a lighter barrel. Cant go wrong with Daniel Defense or Bravo Company hammer forged barrels

I was thinking of just that. I really haven't put much thought into the gas system, but if I am changing the barrel anyway, why not?

[pakieser]

Okay, back from the dead...

I replaced the barrel with a DD cut-rifled barrel from Brownell's. Everything is working great now that ADCO has tuned the gas system (see my related thread).

The old barrel looked like it had a messed up crown, so I had a local gunsmith rethread and recrown it. I installed this on a gun I built from leftover parts (that was fun). Unfortunately, it's still keyholing with the Brown Bear ammo. Shoots Tula, Federal, and Lake City ammo just fine. I am pretty sure this is a 1/9 twist (based on what a DPMS tech told me; I bought the gun secondhand as a police trade-in).

At this point, I think I'm just going to junk the barrel, but I figured I'd see if anyone had any further advice. I do intend to take the barrel to a 'smith and have the chamber/throat checked.

[markm]

Okay, back from the dead...

I replaced the barrel with a DD cut-rifled barrel from Brownell's.

DD is making cut rifled barrels???:eek:

[Inkslinger]

Why scrap a barrel because it has a problem shooting one particular ammo? A poor quality ammo at that.

[pakieser]

DD is making cut rifled barrels???:eek:

http://www.brownells.com/.aspx/pid=29320/Product/M4-STRIPPED-BARREL

I think these were discontinued. I picked mine up from Brownells about two years ago.


Why scrap a barrel because it has a problem shooting one particular ammo? A poor quality ammo at that.

I pretty much agree, which is why I am trying to find a solution. The gun this barrel is going on is intended to be a "beater" that I can loan/rent to students who are taking my carbine class.

Ideally, I'd like it to be able to handle the cheap ammo to keep costs down for the students. Price of ammo is a major barrier to training for a lot of people.

[markm]

Interesting. I wonder why they'd do cut rifling for a chrome lined barrel.

[Suwannee Tim]

I'd give it the kind of thorough cleaning described by a couple of folks above. A thorough cleaning is step 1 for any accuracy problem, any gun.

[An Undocumented Worker]

Interesting. I wonder why they'd do cut rifling for a chrome lined barrel.

Those barrels were made before they got their cold hammer forge up and running full time.

[Generalpie]

Even our tactical team guys have a hard time shooting out a barrel so I would try a bunch of the suggestions before scrapping it out completely.

I shoot a fair amount (ok a lot) on my own, plus the regular qualifications for road patrol and now all the Tac team shooting and I haven't ever come close to killing a barrel.

Now screwing it up by improper maintenance I could see happening with alarming regularity.

[markm]

Those barrels were made before they got their cold hammer forge up and running full time.

I'm not an expert on the subject, but I'd think they'd have gone button.

Cut is the hardest and most expensive way, I think. :confused:

[An Undocumented Worker]

I'm not an expert on the subject, but I'd think they'd have gone button.

Cut is the hardest and most expensive way, I think. :confused:

I think it is more of a case of working with what equipment was available to them at the time.