Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 19

Thread: Barrel profile preferences

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Midlands, SC
    Posts
    89
    Feedback Score
    0

    Barrel profile preferences

    New to the forum, been lurking for years. Never made an account, because I could usually find answers to my questions through searching, until now.

    Bringing up the long debated barrel profile choice, particularly the gov't vs. lightweight. Never handled an AR with a pencil barrel, but have read everywhere that 5+ oz. off the front of the gun gives it better balance, control, etc, and I'm sure it is more comfortable to carry around for any extended amount of time. But here are the questions:

    Does anyone experience any noticeable difference in muzzle climb? Does the lightweight have much more?

    Anyone on here actually bend/damage a pencil barrel? heard of rare occurrences where an extremely heated barrel has bent being dropped or hit somehow.

    Any other advantages/disadvantages are welcome.

    I'm not much of a talker, would just rather read and learn, so thanks for the help.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    NB,TX
    Posts
    101
    Feedback Score
    1 (100%)
    I actually prefer LW profile over govt. profile as I just don't see the point of having a barrel at .75" thickness after the FSB and .625 before it.

    However, I think the best profile is from noveske, offered on their CL barrels. It has a slow taper starting at the base running the length of barrel excluding the FSB. I'm not sure why more companies don't follow that lead. I pretty sure it runs from .72 to .70 behind the fsb and .68 in front. There is a picture in post #2 of this thread: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=61263

    using A2 flash hiders, I haven't noticed any difference in muzzle climb based on the weight/thickness of a barrel.
    Last edited by brit; 02-15-12 at 23:35.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Florida
    Posts
    1,432
    Feedback Score
    0
    The government profile barrel removed weight off the wrong end of the barrel. They remove mass from the middle of the barrel but leave the ends thicker. This successfully reduces weight, but that's it. The barrel is more likely to flex, will whip more, and is more stressed than barrels of uniform diameter or with taped profiles.

    From an engineering standpoint, there's nothing intelligent about the government barrel profile. From a practical use standpoint... there's nothing intelligent about the government barrel profile.


    -B
    RIP, Jeff Dorr: 1964 - July 17, 2009


    "When young men seek to be like you, when lazy men resent you, when powerful men look over their shoulder at you, when cowardly men plot behind your back, when corrupt men wish you were gone and evil men want you dead . . . Only then will you have done your share." - Phil Messina

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    962
    Feedback Score
    21 (100%)
    I like the midlength government profile. It doesn't make sense from an engineering standpoint but the fact is I just don't like the look of lightweight barrels. I also believe there is merit behind a 0.750" diameter under the fsb. For the most part, the taper pin holes are arbitrarily located. My BCM middy has a full 360 degrees of hole through the barrel where it was drilled for taper pins. I've been told that the pins are not to pass into the barrel more than half of their diameter. Having put almost 1500 rounds through that upper, I'm pretty sure its just fine. The point is that when going to 0.625 diameter, there is a lot less wiggle room for where the holes are drilled.
    B.A.S. Mechanical Engineering Technology

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    6,611
    Feedback Score
    11 (100%)
    Noveske's N4 barrel profile is the best one in my opinion. Same as USGI weight, but the rigidity is where you want it: closer to you, closer to where the barrel would likely be flexing, etc.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    TN
    Posts
    1,384
    Feedback Score
    0
    I prefer the lightweight profile barrel. This is due to the weight savings and more importantly, I believe that the LW profile balances much better than a M4 or Govt profile carbine.

    To answer your other question on muzzle climb, I have noticed no difference between my LW profile carbine vs my M4 profile carbine.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    6,611
    Feedback Score
    11 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Eric D. View Post
    I like the midlength government profile. It doesn't make sense from an engineering standpoint but the fact is I just don't like the look of lightweight barrels. I also believe there is merit behind a 0.750" diameter under the fsb. For the most part, the taper pin holes are arbitrarily located. My BCM middy has a full 360 degrees of hole through the barrel where it was drilled for taper pins. I've been told that the pins are not to pass into the barrel more than half of their diameter. Having put almost 1500 rounds through that upper, I'm pretty sure its just fine. The point is that when going to 0.625 diameter, there is a lot less wiggle room for where the holes are drilled.
    I had a Sabre Defense A2.
    When I passed a bore-brush through the bore, over where the taper pins were, I could feel it slow down/drag. Same with a tight patch. I looked down the bore and the gas-port was not burred or anything, nor were the patches torn/snagged.

    My only conclusion was that the taper pins had deformed the bore slightly. I have read that this is not uncommon.

    My Noveske does not suffer this.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Utah
    Posts
    8,420
    Feedback Score
    3 (100%)
    Quote Originally Posted by Eric D. View Post
    I like the midlength government profile. It doesn't make sense from an engineering standpoint but the fact is I just don't like the look of lightweight barrels. I also believe there is merit behind a 0.750" diameter under the fsb. For the most part, the taper pin holes are arbitrarily located. My BCM middy has a full 360 degrees of hole through the barrel where it was drilled for taper pins. I've been told that the pins are not to pass into the barrel more than half of their diameter. Having put almost 1500 rounds through that upper, I'm pretty sure its just fine. The point is that when going to 0.625 diameter, there is a lot less wiggle room for where the holes are drilled.
    .75 at the FSB makes sense. It doesn't make sense ahead of the FSB when the barrel aft is a smaller diameter. I could go for a light weight barrel that's .75 at the FSB
    INSIDE PLAN OF BOX
    1. ROAD-RUNNER LIFTS GLASS OF WATER- PULLING UP MATCH
    2. MATCH SCRATCHES ON MATCH-BOX
    3. MATCH LIGHTS FUSE TO TNT
    4. BOOM!
    5. HA-HA!!

    -WILE E. COYOTE, AUTHOR OF "EVERYTHING I NEEDED TO KNOW IN LIFE, I LEARNED FROM GOLDBERG & MURPHY"

    http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n289/SgtSongDog/AR%20Carbine/DSC_0114.jpg
    I am American

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2011
    Location
    1000m
    Posts
    402
    Feedback Score
    0
    I like standard barrels that are medium profile back to front. I also like LW barrels, especially Centurion Arms' LW profile.

    I like my government profile just fine, the weight is all up front making a good "barrel weight" ideal but... it is what it is in the end.

    I think if we consider that the Gov't profile wasn't particularly for free-float it makes sense the barrel was shaved under the hand guard, and there are other points "supporting" the barrel in some way.

    It's a worthy presumption to suppose that perhaps it was thought to improve upon heat reduction around where the operator's hand would be.
    Last edited by Casull; 02-16-12 at 04:01.
    Muzzle punch optional.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    147
    Feedback Score
    0
    From what I understand, the Gov't profile exists simply for the M203 to fit without a significant weight penalty.

    Someone correct me if I'm wrong please.

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •