Barrel discussion

[xFREDx]

I am normally a DD barrel guy since I found what works and don’t like to stray. However, since they haven’t been in stock for sometime and who knows when they will be I am running out of patience. I can get one of the three below for a new upper build. It will house a Red Dot so not looking for pin point precision. However with that said DD has spoiled me with how accurate they are for my drills and just plinking and checking zero. My areas I am looking at for information on are as follows. I shoot mainly 556 nato stuff, very rarely shoot 223.

POI with heat - I don’t have a FA lower but doing drills I can get the gun pretty hot
Accuracy - 2MOA is all I need
Durability/longevity- I have yet to shoot out a barrel but I do have a DD barrel with documented 13k rounds and going strong.
Rifle balance- it will only have. Fixed sight and light. The can is still in jail but will eventually be going between my guns

Barrels are below I am considering

Criterion Ultralight 14.5 $290
BCM BFH ELW 14.5 $320
Triarc 14.5 $200

[Stickman]

https://centurionarms.com/barrels/

[Clint]

Our OPTIMIUM HFCL are worth a look.

https://blackrivertactical.com/WP/BR...rel-p234204113

[xFREDx]

Forgot about criterion. The lightweight barrel from them is another suggestion
Black river tactical barrels look good and I like the specs for sure

[MistWolf]

Our OPTIMIUM HFCL are worth a look.

https://blackrivertactical.com/WP/BR...rel-p234204113

I don't have any middies. But if I were to get one, that's what I'd get.

[ScottsBad]

I am normally a DD barrel guy since I found what works and don’t like to stray. However, since they haven’t been in stock for sometime and who knows when they will be I am running out of patience. I can get one of the three below for a new upper build. It will house a Red Dot so not looking for pin point precision. However with that said DD has spoiled me with how accurate they are for my drills and just plinking and checking zero. My areas I am looking at for information on are as follows. I shoot mainly 556 nato stuff, very rarely shoot 223.

POI with heat - I don’t have a FA lower but doing drills I can get the gun pretty hot
Accuracy - 2MOA is all I need
Durability/longevity- I have yet to shoot out a barrel but I do have a DD barrel with documented 13k rounds and going strong.
Rifle balance- it will only have. Fixed sight and light. The can is still in jail but will eventually be going between my guns

Barrels are below I am considering

Criterion Ultralight 14.5 $290
BCM BFH ELW 14.5 $320
Triarc 14.5 $200

i've had really good luck with BCM BFH and the stainless in the past. My most accurate barrel, out of all my barrels currently in use is a old BCM BFH 14.5 LW middy. It shoots, I swear, 1/4" with 77 grain clone Mk262 out of the box. Crazy.

I've got some Noveske CHF 16"s and a DD LW 16", a couple crap Faxons I bought to test, a mid-grade Rainier Arms, a Geissle rifle, an FN, IDK I've lost track. I have a couple barrels sitting in boxes for back-up. As we all know, the problem recently is that good CHF barrels have been hard to come by.

I've also noticed that barrels are somewhat of a crap shoot in the mid-priced category and a full on Roulette game in the low priced barrels.

Anyway, the only brand in your list that I've had experience with is BCM and I've been happy. But my sample of two of those has been small and they were bought in around ten years ago.

The Noveske's have been pretty consistent considering the thickness of the chrome on these. They will meet your criteria easily, but they are expensive.

I was very interested in buying a BRT HF CL 12.5" for a new project, but they were always out of stock, so I think these might be good. And I know that Centurion has a very good rep. Again, never in stock for my timing.

So, I only had to wait a couple months to get a Noveske HF CL with pinned GB and head spaced bolt, so I just got one of those for my project. They are expensive but come with pinned GB, gas tube, thick chrome, and bolt. To me, Noveske is a known quantity. YMMV

Unfortunately, the only place I've been able to get a reliable supply of Noveske is Optics Planet. You can try Rainier Arms, I'd call them if you want Noveske. They have a close relationship with RA.

I'm not as big a fan of DD barrels, and I don't like their barrel profiles. Overall the quality of their rifles is very good. And their BCGs are very good but, I got average 2 MOA accuracy, in the few rounds I put through it (16" LW profile). I still need to do a real test for myself, however. JMHO

I've heard people complain about BCM accuracy lately, and I tend to think that most new comers don't know how to shoot, but that doesn't preclude the possibility of an actual reduction in the quality of their barrels. Me, I'm a BCM fan, but not a FanBoi. It is what it is, but I would not shy away from a BCM based on my experience. YMMV

Depending on how deep your pockets are look at Centurion, BRT, BCM, and Noveske. Those are probably good choices. There may be others too.

[1168]

Our OPTIMIUM HFCL are worth a look.

https://blackrivertactical.com/WP/BR...rel-p234204113

I really like the profile on this barrel. I hope to actually shoot mine soon.

If you’re looking at Criterion, the Core barrels have a nice balance.

[C-grunt]

I have a BCM BFH ELW 16 inch on my main go to rifle. I really like the barrel but it's not as accurate as the DD barrels Ive shot. Mine averages in the 2 - 2.5 MOA range with decent 55 grain ammo. Ive shot very little match ammo through it and I dont remember it shooting spectacularly with it.

Id have no qualms buying the barrel again and it still hits silhouette steel out to 600 yards regularly, but I wouldn't be expecting DD barrel accuracy.

[Stickman]

Our OPTIMIUM HFCL are worth a look.

https://blackrivertactical.com/WP/BR...rel-p234204113

That is a GOOD looking barrel!!