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Thread: Barrel Profile For Defense and Combat

  1. #11
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    IMO, most people are better served by a lighter contour barrel for most practical situations. Unless you need high levels of accuracy over long strings of fire or plan on using your rifle like it's a light machine gun, a light to medium barrel will perform just fine. It will be easier to carry and handle as well.

  2. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by GH41 View Post
    "Of course, there's a difference between "defense" and "combat".

    For "defense" I think of just the needed rounds to end the once in a lifetime threat. Anything will do providing you can hit the target.

    For "combat" I think of possible long, drawn out, or repeated firefights, where you are going through mag after mag, against multiple threats, on a daily basis. I would want the heavier barrel for serious "combat"


    ^^This^^ I am not against accurate rifles I just wouldn't go out of my way to build one for home defence/SHTF use. POI shift and MOA accuracy mean nothing in your bedroom or backyard. Combat... If it's you against the world what you are shooting isn't going to matter much either. I would still choose lightweight over accuracy.
    That's exactly where my thought process started above. I'm on board with lower weight, OK with combat accuracy, just want to make sure the barrel won't let me down otherwise. I think this is a case where the barrel steel is important. For most use it doesn't make much difference, but here I'm going to stick with a Mil-B-11595E barrel regardless of profile.

    Quote Originally Posted by bb223 View Post
    ... I don't what you define as "combat" ...
    Frequent occurrences of other people trying to shoot holes in you and you trying to shoot holes in them first. Can include situations where you need to go through several magazines. Unknown if it will be days, months, or longer. Ammunition requirements to support this activity are understood and a different conversation.

  3. #13
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    BCM ELW
    "I pity thou, fools who dost not choose BCM" - King Arthur 517 A.D.

    .OlllllllO.

  4. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by 3M-TA3 View Post
    That's exactly where my thought process started above. I'm on board with lower weight, OK with combat accuracy, just want to make sure the barrel won't let me down otherwise. I think this is a case where the barrel steel is important. For most use it doesn't make much difference, but here I'm going to stick with a Mil-B-11595E barrel regardless of profile.



    Frequent occurrences of other people trying to shoot holes in you and you trying to shoot holes in them first. Can include situations where you need to go through several magazines. Unknown if it will be days, months, or longer. Ammunition requirements to support this activity are understood and a different conversation.
    Barrel factor would matter when you are running through several magazines in a minute.

    When i said "doo-doo" i meant that if you have to worry about the relatively tiny difference in performance in between various profiles, it wouldn't matter if you have an HBAR with a F/A lower, or a 1919 on a tripod

    Any quality barrel from a reputable vendor would suit you fine, if you are worried about heat killing your barrel, avoid stainless steel.

  5. #15
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    I bought my first AR in 1984. It was a 20" lightweight. Later that year I added a Colt CAR15 with a 16" lightweight. Later when the "HBAR" was the latest flavor I "upgraded" to the heavy profile. Over time I migrated back to the then new "government" profile. Now, I've come full circle to the lightest profile I can buy.

    I don't have a giggle switch, and even if I did I'd use controlled bursts (I use to own Class 3 firearms...). As such, I'll take the ability to carry more ammo over increased bench accuracy (decrease barrel weight and increase ammo load). I say bench accuracy, because from my limited experience heavier barrels actually HAMPER "field" accuracy (shooting off hand, moving, etc). Perhaps I'm a girly man, but the lighter the better. Shooter fatigue is a real issue for me.

    Regarding groups opening with heated barrels:

    1) The question related to defense and SHTF...so I ask...how much ammo can you actually carry with you? Is it enough to allow sufficient sustained fire and "barrel whip"? I doubt it. Seems like most people online no longer carry the traditional seven 30rd infantry standard. Personally, I want as much ammo as possible, but it still not enough to cause issues if fire discipline is exercised.

    2) What sort of groups do you really need? Shooting 1 MOA off a bench is great and all, but it doesn't seem all that realistic for self defense. At what distance can you justify shooting someone? I think in court a 200 yard shooting would be hard to defend. SHTF...avoid conflict...

  6. #16
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    As others have said...BCM ELW. The 16" mid length hammer forged ELW is my go to now. Light, accurate, durable.

    Manufacturers have to continually develop new products because we've reached a point where the durability of top tier ARs (BCM, Colt, KAC, etc) is so high most users will not wear them out. As a result, we've seen: the quad rail, then the smooth handguard, then keymod and now MLOK. In barrels it was light, then heavy, then in between, and now back to light.

    If I want to carry a heavier rifle it is going to be a 7.62x51mm SCAR. For 5.56 I want it to be as light and handy as possible.

  7. #17
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    Here is the barrel from the NSW Recce Rifles: http://riflebarrels.com/shop/drop-in...4-copy-fluted/

    I wish they made it mid-length. I'm sure they would make it special, but I don't have that kind of money.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by 26 Inf View Post
    Here is the barrel from the NSW Recce Rifles: http://riflebarrels.com/shop/drop-in...4-copy-fluted/

    I wish they made it mid-length. I'm sure they would make it special, but I don't have that kind of money.
    Damn that's sexy
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  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Arch View Post
    I bought my first AR in 1984. It was a 20" lightweight. Later that year I added a Colt CAR15 with a 16" lightweight. Later when the "HBAR" was the latest flavor I "upgraded" to the heavy profile. Over time I migrated back to the then new "government" profile. Now, I've come full circle to the lightest profile I can buy.

    I don't have a giggle switch, and even if I did I'd use controlled bursts (I use to own Class 3 firearms...). As such, I'll take the ability to carry more ammo over increased bench accuracy (decrease barrel weight and increase ammo load). I say bench accuracy, because from my limited experience heavier barrels actually HAMPER "field" accuracy (shooting off hand, moving, etc). Perhaps I'm a girly man, but the lighter the better. Shooter fatigue is a real issue for me.

    Regarding groups opening with heated barrels:

    1) The question related to defense and SHTF...so I ask...how much ammo can you actually carry with you? Is it enough to allow sufficient sustained fire and "barrel whip"? I doubt it. Seems like most people online no longer carry the traditional seven 30rd infantry standard. Personally, I want as much ammo as possible, but it still not enough to cause issues if fire discipline is exercised.

    2) What sort of groups do you really need? Shooting 1 MOA off a bench is great and all, but it doesn't seem all that realistic for self defense. At what distance can you justify shooting someone? I think in court a 200 yard shooting would be hard to defend. SHTF...avoid conflict...
    Quote Originally Posted by Arch View Post
    As others have said...BCM ELW. The 16" mid length hammer forged ELW is my go to now. Light, accurate, durable.

    Manufacturers have to continually develop new products because we've reached a point where the durability of top tier ARs (BCM, Colt, KAC, etc) is so high most users will not wear them out. As a result, we've seen: the quad rail, then the smooth handguard, then keymod and now MLOK. In barrels it was light, then heavy, then in between, and now back to light.

    If I want to carry a heavier rifle it is going to be a 7.62x51mm SCAR. For 5.56 I want it to be as light and handy as possible.
    Thanks - excellent posts, reasoning, and related experience. I definitely like that BCM barrel - right manufacturing specs, the quality is known, and the price is reasonable for what you are getting.

    I appreciate everybody's input on this as well.

  10. #20
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    If you think you're going to be in multi mag dumping situations, solo, and surviving them, multiple times, or enough to melt a barrel, I think you should start playing the lottery.

    If you're on your own, your looking to SERE training, not 80's action movie machine gun magic. If you absolutely must mag dump, it would be to gtfo, not continuous turret like fire.

    I love medium contour/weight 16" barrels. I love the handling of them, their ability to help with recoil/muzzle flip and their ability to soak up lots of fire. To me, 27-31 oz is the sweet spot.

    Lightweight barrels are too squirrely for me, and jump more noticably when shot. Nothing debilitating, just annoying. They are FANTASTIC to ruck for forever.

    Heavy barrels were cool, and I got one too (a 40 oz 16" mid length barrel, still have it), but the 27-31 oz medium contour barrels do everything they can do while weighing less.
    Last edited by ColtSeavers; 10-16-16 at 20:47. Reason: Autocorrect ftl...

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