Beretta ARX-100 current production

[Aries144]

They actually all have play in the barrel fore and aft and rotationally (at least my three do), but I wouldn't doubt they all have some amount of lateral wobble as well. I think it's just normal to some degree with the way the quick change barrel interfaces with the polymer receiver, and it loosens up and becomes more noticeable with use of course.

I just handled a new one at the local store. It's got a roll mark on the barrel indicating it was made in the new Tennessee plant. The barrel required a lot of force to remove, it has no rotational movement at all that I can detect, no side-to-side movement, and just a little movement up-and-down. I also noticed that the shrinkage I saw on mine doesn't exist on the new upper and lower receivers. If this is any indication, compared to my original example, it looks like the new guns are a lot tighter and better made.

[556Cliff]

I just handled a new one at the local store. It's got a roll mark on the barrel indicating it was made in the new Tennessee plant. The barrel required a lot of force to remove, it has no rotational movement at all that I can detect, no side-to-side movement, and just a little movement up-and-down. I also noticed that the shrinkage I saw on mine doesn't exist on the new upper and lower receivers. If this is any indication, compared to my original example, it looks like the new guns are a lot tighter and better made.

Hmmm, I know the barrels on my second and third ARXs are pretty tight in the receivers and are still somewhat difficult to remove compared to my first ARX (you wouldn't have noticed any play in either of the 2 newer ones when new). I got the first one in 2014, and I got the second one at the start of 2019 and the third one at the end of 2019. However they were still using up a lot of old stock polymer parts from 2013 on both of my last 2 ARXs... These new ones coming out now I have no idea about when any of their parts were made, so I guess it's a possibility that they may have changed something to tighten them up.

I'm kinda wanting to buy a 4th one from this newer batch just to compare, but I'm really trying to resist the urge... I've already spent way more on my ARs than I thought I was going to this year, and the new ACOG I just got put me way past my limits.

[Slater]

Although it would defeat one of the selling points, doing away with the quick-change barrel feature might positively affect accuracy.

[556Cliff]

Although it would defeat one of the selling points, doing away with the quick-change barrel feature might positively affect accuracy.

I believe so, but it would still need to be removable in some way for cleaning as all the carbon accumulates around the piston and barrel under the handguards. So maybe removable in the same way that the ARX-200's barrel is removable would do.

[Aries144]

Something else that could be tried: we now know how the barrel extension is attached, since a couple of buyers had guns show up with the barrel nuts loose. It wouldn't be impossible to have someone turn down a .223 barrel blank and make a custom barrel. Nothing fancy, just get a 4150 button rifled blank and have it turned down to shape, nitrided, and repopulated with the original gas block and barrel extension. (FYI, you have to hold the barrel and NOT the barrel extension when loosening the barrel nut. There are little metal bridges that maintain the barrel extension alignment and they can snap if you try and untorque the nut by holding onto the extension.)

I wonder if the wobble up front, between the gas block "ring" and the aluminum sleeve it fits in, is intentional or accepted as a sacrifice to manufacturing environment? You could cannibalize an automotive feeler gauge and make spacers to take out the wobble up front for a test and see what changes.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

I shot a 1.5 inch 5 shot group with PMC 77 grain this weekend. Unfortunately that was my only group because I got bored. LOL. I was using a 5x primary arms optic. I will try and shoot three more 5 shot groups this weekend. While this is a decent group I have to admit I have never removed the barrel.

[Aries144]

I shot a 1.5 inch 5 shot group with PMC 77 grain this weekend. Unfortunately that was my only group because I got bored. LOL. I was using a 5x primary arms optic. I will try and shoot three more 5 shot groups this weekend. While this is a decent group I have to admit I have never removed the barrel.

With one finger pressed into the place where the gas block ring contacts the metal cylinder in the receiver, can you move the barrel with your free hand and feel movement with the finger touching the gas block ring? Fore/aft, side to side, or up and down?

[OhThatGuy]

I just woke up to the ARX100 after years of collecting everything else. For it to be very light feeling / handy and super reliable for $1,100 - $1,200 unfired (if you look hard enough), this thing is a good deal. I’m currently selling off three other firearms to add four ARX’s (and still have some $ left over).

[556Cliff]

I just woke up to the ARX100 after years of collecting everything else. For it to be very light feeling / handy and super reliable for $1,100 - $1,200 unfired (if you look hard enough), this thing is a good deal. I’m currently selling off three other firearms to add four ARX’s (and still have some $ left over).

Have you had any issue with the front Magpul PRO sight folding when firing? I had a set on my first ARX and that's exactly what it would do... No issues with the same set of sights on the AR.

I've been undecided on what set of BUIS to use on the ARX ever since. I'd go with Troy Micros but they don't actually offer a front and rear set that I like together.

[Bret]

556Cliff, yours didn't come with Beretta backup sights from the factory? Both of mine did.