CLE barrel options for SPR build

Can you guys educate me please? My searches haven't turned up an answer and I don't expect to hear back from Compass Lake until Monday.

Checking CLE's options for 18" SPR barrels, they show rifle gas available on Douglas, but Criterion, Krieger and Bartlein are offered in mid-length or intermediate. Can anyone tell me why they'd offer rifle gas with one barrel and not the others in similar profile. Is the market moving towards intermediate gas systems for these type barrels or is there a mechanical reason?


Thanks for any help.

Douglas is the original contractor for the Mk12 SPR program. Rifle gas is what Crane spec'd. Midlengths would be slightly over gassed for an 18" barrel. I suspect having a suppressor as part of the system had something to do with it.

IIRC CLE found that for 18" rifle gas, Douglas blanks resist port erosion better than other brands for some reason.

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They will make it to your specs of you ask. Give them a call to see what the reasoning is then go with what you are comfortable with

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Originally Posted by everready73

They will make it to your specs of you ask. Give them a call to see what the reasoning is then go with what you are comfortable with

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Frank will not do an 18” rifle gas barrel using Kreiger or Bartlein blanks. He told me he had to take some barrels in that configuration back due to problems with the gas port. He told me that Douglas and Criterion blanks did not develop the same problems due to differences in the steels used.

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Originally Posted by Jsp10477

Frank will not do an 18” rifle gas barrel using Kreiger or Bartlein blanks. He told me he had to take some barrels in that configuration back due to problems with the gas port. He told me that Douglas and Criterion blanks did not develop the same problems due to differences in the steels used.

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I was able to reach CLE today and Teresa told me the same thing. She mentioned "burrs" that can develop near the (rifle length) gas port on Krieger and Bartleins that are detrimental to accuracy and they're not seeing this on Douglas blanks with rifle gas.

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Originally Posted by Hersh

I was able to reach CLE today and Teresa told me the same thing. She mentioned "burrs" that can develop near the (rifle length) gas port on Krieger and Bartleins that are detrimental to accuracy and they're not seeing this on Douglas blanks with rifle gas.

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That’s what He told me as well.

The guys I shoot with and myself have good luck with 18” rifle gas melonited 4150cmv barrels. After talking to Frank, we had one with a couple thousand rounds through it bore scoped. His barrel has always been treated well and there was a little erosion (barely noticeable) but there was no burr at the port.

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Originally Posted by Jsp10477

That’s what He told me as well.

The guys I shoot with and myself have good luck with 18” rifle gas melonited 4150cmv barrels. After talking to Frank, we had one with a couple thousand rounds through it bore scoped. His barrel has always been treated well and there was a little erosion (barely noticeable) but there was no burr at the port.

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That makes me wonder if I should reconsider my barrel selection for this build.

Don’t over think it. A quality blank turned by a reputable shop should net positive results.

My CLE/Douglas SPR is one of the best AR barrels I’ve owned or used. No issues at all