300 blk barrel, which one?

[FaxonNathan]

A pleasure to be mentioned. Let us know if we can help!

[el_chupo_]

Nathan thanks! Quick question - you only list 4 .300 barrels on your site, but Rainier has some that you dont. Do you make special barrels for anyone else? Specifically looking at the Chrome Lined 4150 5R Barrel in 8.5" rainier carries, any similar barrels elsewhere?

To all:

I am on the 8.5-9.5 wagon, 9" being preferred.

Again, mainly subs, plan on always being supressed, adjustable gas block and several buffers to tune if needed.

Want stability with subs, and ability to shoot supers for kicks, and I do not mind adjusting buffer or gas block for supers if I have to.

Would love a 1-2 MOA gun, this isnt a precision upper, but I want it to hit where I am pointing, barring failures on my end.

Im right now looking at the ~$200 price range.

Faxon at Rainier: https://www.rainierarms.com/faxon-fi...4150-5r-barrel
KAK Mr. Blond 5r: https://www.kakindustry.com/ar-15-pa...ess-barrel-5r7
BA Hanson profile as an odd ball because of length: http://graniteridgeoutfitters.com/300-Blackout_c75.htm

Was thinking about AAC, BCM, or Noveske as well, but I dont know that I like .300 enough to spend $250-400 on a barrel. If I really start to love it, then I can always use this as a spare upper or sell it complete to recoup the cost of a more expensive one. Just need to know it wont shoot like crap.

Or, just find a 9-10" cheap barrel like the Faxon lightweight, SOLGW, or DSG 8.5? If they will be acceptable and I am over thinking it, I can deal with that too.

[FaxonNathan]

We do, but those barrels are under a black-label arrangement. I am bound to not disclose who all our OEM customers are.

The Rainier configuration (5R, Chrome-Lined) is unique to them.

[themonk]

Of the barrels you listed the only one I would buy is the Noveske. If you are looking at a 9" I personally would just buy a BCM upper.

The problem right now, and I saw this all over shot this year, is a lot of barrel manufacturers think 300 blk is 556. Their gas ports are too small as is their rifling. I have a good friend who is a gunsmith and he sees 300 barrels come in all the time that dont run in one of the 4 configurations. Unless it is a specific use gun, IMO it should run all 4 ways - suppressed supers, suppressed subsonic, unsuppressed supers, unsuppressed subsonic. If you are not looking for it to run all 4 ways you should know that going in and keep it as a requirement. 300 blk was designed so you could pick up the sbr in any configuration and put any ammo in it and it will run.

Personally I dont see a reason to build a 300 over 9". I just received a barrel from x-caliber barrels that is a 7" with a 1:6 twist. If you are going to do a lot of reloading and shooting subs I would only do 1:7 or below. In my brief conversation with Kevin Brittingham at shot, they are using 1:5 on the honey badger. 1:8 is the Saami spec but AAC openly states they think they should have done 1:7. If you are shooting heavy subs I would look hard at the twist. We saw so many barrels at shot that were 1:8 and you could see the gas port was too small. I would much rather get a gun that runs all 4 ways and put an adjustable gas block on it so I can dial to the spec of the gun vs a gun that will only run suppressed.

[tom12.7]

There is a lot of compromising components available in the market, unfortunate, but that's what it is.
Chrome lined bores can work well, but it does take time (rounds) to burnish in the bores well enough to suit a precision requirement for some. Even with that characteristic, those bores can have a very long lifespan. Similar to 7.62-5.56 offerings of the same.
As far as modes of operation, not all cans and ammunition varieties operate the action system in the same manner. For a dedicated system, I tend to prefer a desirable operating range similar to the carbine H2/A5H2 in range.
For a system that is required to operate in all four methods of operation, I prefer to tend towards a specific porting size that suits operation without going to the 3.0 ounce carbine buffer, or more than the A5H4 buffer 6.83 ounce buffer that suits each individual need better than a single action system mass for all of the associated unknowns. This could leave you with a carbine H1-H3 or A5H1-A5H4 to fit the use for a range of function.
Our unfortunate reality is that many of the barrel options you run into are not really in that range to do so. Some shift it lower to deal with the issues with the way some cans with supers cycle the action. Some shift it higher to deal with certain subs without a can.
In my opinion, for those wanting all 4 modes should focus on combinations that select a porting that can be a little weak with the H2 with subs with no can on and on a realistic rate with supers with a can for most. That range can allow you to tailor better with different action masses. Even without that tailoring though with specific masses, you can rule out many cans, ammunition, barrels, etc that stack up outside of what others can accomplish.

[el_chupo_]

The vendor that I got my old upper from worked with me a bit on price, so I am picking up a complete BCM upper on Friday. I eyeballed a couple of AAC completes on Gunbroker, but at those prices were getting ridiculous.

There are enough reports around with both the Saker and Omega and the BCM 9" using H or H2 buffers, and lots of people reporting full function in all 4 modes. Though my desires lean strongly to the subs/suppressed mode as the far and away most common.

Thank you all for the information, and Tom, thanks for going into depth on things. Monk, appreciate the push toward the BCM complete. I wish there was a bit more information (or I could find it) on some of the various options to really dig in, but I also didnt want to push the dealer too long researching when they were offering a discount, and they happened to have the BCM in stock.

Thank you!