Josh and CJ head to the range to test a series of barrels ranging from a $40 budget pick made from an inexpensive 4140 CMV all the way up to a $370 Cold Hammer Forged barrel from Geissele. Throughout the testing, we’ll take short breaks to discuss our results, and to talk about the material components of the barrels themselves.
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0:00 Introducing Our Tests
4:19 The Budget Barrel Testing
14:07 The Mid-Tier Barrel Testing
18:56 The High-End Barrel Testing
27:05 The Specialty Barrel Testing
35:14 Overall Test Results and Opinions
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We strive to provide the growing AR-15 shooting community with helpful, fact-driven information about the AR-15 & AR-15 style firearms and accessories to do our part in bolstering a more well-informed community and safer when handling, building, or shooting their personal firearm. Let’s face it, we all have to start somewhere when it comes to becoming a firearms expert. Our goal is to help you get there one small step at a time. The purpose and content of this video is to provide general information regarding the products and their applications on any/all related firearms that strictly comply with all federal, Minnesota state, and local laws. The viewer expressly agrees that AT3 Tactical LLC; its officers, directors, employees, and agents shall not be liable for any damages or losses related to the products and information provided in this video and hereby agrees to hold the foregoing harmless from any such losses or damages. AT3 Tactical LLC is a Federal Firearms Licensee.
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How did this guy miss the White bullseye using the high end barrel, gun rest, and table? This proves that without Breath/ Body alignment; A barrel is still a barrel.
Seems like with the RAD-15 he pulled to the Left, the AT3 he pulled to the right, Geissele he pulled way down, and the BA premium he also pulled down but it was slightly better than the Geissele.
“The Autism is strong in this one” – Yoda
Couldn't you adjust the scope/optic with the cheaper barrel?
PSA have been using 4150 BCA also use 4150
You guys did a wonderful test, overall. For guys like me that are plinkers a high dollar barrel isn't really worth it from what I see. I typically buy mid-range barrels for my builds.
Sound off all you sub-moa armchair shooters.
That’s were all of the Stngr hawk xl Handgaurds went. No wonder they are out of stock
Tiny statistics terminology correction, the standard deviation is measured from the statistical mean (common language average, all the values summed together and divided by the number of samples) not median (middle samples’ value).
Thanks for putting all this together AT3 guys. ALL day looking through a red dot is very taxing to the eyes. 👍🏼
“We used standard 55gr ammunition because that’s what you’ll most likely have on the range”
Long range shooters/reloaders – “Am I a joke to you?” 😂
Most aftermarket barrels are all made by balistic advantage/Aero with others roll marks on them.
Jeez 40 dollar barrel? Is that even safe??
Here I was thinking I was going cheap getting a PSA barrel for 120
Because of your video I bought a Geissele 11.5". Was waiting forever for a criterion, but dug a little deeper after your mention, and found that unlike Criterion, G$ actually had some barrels in stock on the interwebs. I have you to thank for that, so thank 😀
Test the KAK 11.5 5.56 1/5 twist
Just my two cents. I would have liked to see ammunition that was best performed in each barrel, A lead sled, or some other means of taking the shooter out of it, a more accurate point on the target, and an optic that has a crosshair. I feel like those things would really help in performing an accuracy test between a different barrels.
Whats your guys definition of "shot out"?
I work at a barrel manufacturer. We typically do button rifling, but we'll sometimes do CHF. They come in as blanks, that get turned down at our shop.
you guys do the brillance of the basics very well.. you break things down Barny style.. and even this retired fud of a Marine understands and enjoys the videos. ..I am truly wishing you guys would do a test and or review of the PAMAX Tactical X Slick BCg ?? please!! they even now have an advanced Magentic silent buffer system …one of a kind ! ( maybe ..lol )
Now do a video with a FRT lower with each
I look forward to when suppressors are priced in the same range as barrels. ($50-$400) There is NO WAY a suppressor can justify being more expensive than a barrel…at least not in terms of materials and production costs.
As the number of suppressor manufacturers increase and supply exceeds demand, the price WILL come down. Prices are already coming down. I think what will happen is something similar to what we saw with personal computers in the 90s, early 2000s.
Ballistic advantage is great for all around barrels. If you want something hard-core get an FN chrome line barrel or a carbon fiber Proof precision barrel
Awesome video, good data
1-8 twist is what I prefer. Thats my answer and im sticking to it 😊
the content of this particular test doesn't matter much or tell us much of anything, but if you guys really do keep a log of everything shot through these barrels over an extended length of time and high round count, it would be a really awesome series in totality. Honestly, having bulk quality ammo isn't going to tell you much about the capabilities of the rifle, it really only is going to detect if there is some critical flaw in one of them. all of them appear to be functioning fine. 1:7/1:8 twist is too fast for 55gr for "precision", there is a reason the old school "varmint" barrels were heavy/bull barrels with 1:12 twist. the 200 fps Extreme spread tells you that you cannot expect consistency from these barrels in this test, because the ammo wasn't up to the task.
I think in the end the value in the barrel depends on what you're asking from the barrel. the G$ will hold up better to sustained rapid fire strings with the hammer forged crystal structure and chromium lining, which the 416 BA SPR barrel will rapidly erode under the same use conditions. However, i would fully expect the easier machineability of the stainless steel barrel to have the potential of better consistency of bore/rifling geometry and therefore better accuracy potential from appropriate match ammo with highly consistent powder charges and heavier 69/70/73/74/77 grain match bullets tuned for that barrel. The truly high-grade barrels are often single-point cut stainless steel.
the sub $150 barrel options are really blaster-grade. you can have niceties like chrome or nitride for corrosion and erosion protection, and slightly better grades of steel that will last for higher round counts, but none of those options are designed for or expected to be highly precise shooters. besides, "accuracy" and "precision" mean different things to different people in different contexts. Shooting golf ball on a first round shot at 800 yards is a different standard that scoring consistent A-zone hits on a target at 25/50/100 yards. Both are valid.
What a great video thank you team.
Great video! I'd love to see this re-done with 3 different high end ammo brands & weights
I would like to see this test using FRT or FA.
So they are using barrels that are 1-7 twist and testing with 55 gr. ammo. In my experience, barrels with that twist rate really do not like 55 gr. ammo at all. Any twist rate chart will indicate this as well. I have found that 62, 69 and 77 gr. bullets shoot MUCH better groups with 1-7 twist rate barrels. They are incorporating group size into this test using junk ammo with a twist rate not even suitable for 55 gr. bullets. I love this channel, but IMO this should have been better thought out for this test.
Hyped 150🎉 I really like seeing this kind of content! More barrel and bolt data please
just a suggestion, with your non-shooting hand hold onto the hand guard and pull it straight back with enough pressure that the butt feels solid. The rest helps support the rifle but does nothing to insure that when the rifle recoils it does not shift left or right ever so slightly. All my ARs with variable manufacturing standards and lengths shoot 1.5 inch groups or better at 100 yards when shooting from a rest that way. My favorite for accuracy is built with a 20" RRA 1/9 twist in 223 Wylde Chamber and Heavy Barrel. 55gr Federals or Winchester M193 using a 4×12 scope are making 30 Round groups the size of a quarter at 300 Yards. That rifle was Heavy weighing just shy of 13 pounds.
What brand/grain was being shot?
Looks like this video was a little bit of a pain in the ass to make. Appreciate the effort, it's excellent content.