Aero Precision Barrel Accuracy?

[smith629]

I currently am running a 16" BCM upper w/ Magpul handguard and A2 front sight with the standard bird cage. It is a good, reliable setup, however, I'm considering upgrading it with an 18" barrel and free floated handguard (eg. Aero quantum) along with a surefire muzzle brake I have laying around so I can push the accuracy limit. I'm also planning on putting scope on it without having the A2 sight in the way.

I am considering this Aero Precision 18" barrel. Since I have never had any experience with Aero Precision barrels I thought I'd ask and see how you guys are doing with them. How's the accuracy? I had a BCM 18" stainless barrel in the past but wasn't impressed with either Lake City 556 or Black hills 77gr ammo (I have no idea who BCM had make it). I'd hate to go through all the work of swapping barrels only to find it's a 2-3MOA shooter...in which case it would probably just be smarter to keep the current barrel and free float it.

[Junkie]

I get around 1.5-2" 10rd groups out of my 16" midlength Aero Precision barrel firing Wolf Gold, with an optic, off a bench. Haven't tried better ammo, it isn't set up as a target gun - that just makes it easier to zero.

[jeremyro]

My 10.5 aero does about 2.5 MOA with my 3x acog.

[Rusty_Shackleferd]

I average a little less than 1" at 100 yards with my pinned and welded 1-7 twist 14.5" Aero Precision barrel shooting 70gr Barnes TSX loaded with 23gr of Hodgdons 4895
I average 0.5" at 100 yards with a heavy profile 1-9 twist 20" Yankee Hill barrel shooting 55gr Hornady V-Max loaded with 25gr of Varget

I'm still experimenting with loads, but I consistently get better groups with my hand-loads than I do with Lake City M193 or Wolf Gold.

[Linburger]

Aero Precision barrels are manufactured by their subsidiary Ballistic Advantage.

Here is the BA branded version of the barrel you posted: http://ballisticadvantage.com/18-inc...rel-ops12.html

From BA's site:

All Ballistic Advantage barrels are guaranteed to give sub Minute of Angle (MOA) accuracy with match grade ammunition.1

1 We define sub MOA as a group size of 1 inch or under at 100 yards with a 3 shot magazine fed group, or 5 shot single loaded group.

[Exospeed]

I have the exact same barrel on my SPR.



Here are 20 rds while sighting it in using federal 55g. @ 100yds.

[FMJBT]

Running that Aero/Ballistic Advantage barrel on this MK12-ish build:



Accuracy has been decent with my 75 and 77 grain reloads, around 1.5 to 2 moa. I've had much better results with their stainless steel barrels. The crown on those is machined better which seems to make a world of difference. My 16" Ballistic Advantage barrel (stainless) consistently gets into 3/4 moa or less using the same 75 to 77 grain reloads.

[Joezamboni]

I recently bought their 18" stainless barrel so I'm pretty happy to hear this.

[essjay]

Running that Aero/Ballistic Advantage barrel on this MK12-ish build:



Accuracy has been decent with my 75 and 77 grain reloads, around 1.5 to 2 moa. I've had much better results with their stainless steel barrels. The crown on those is machined better which seems to make a world of difference. My 16" Ballistic Advantage barrel (stainless) consistently gets into 3/4 moa or less using the same 75 to 77 grain reloads.

Every time I see a new photo of this rifle, I think: That is a sweet rifle.

And then I wonder: What is that sling?

[FMJBT]

Every time I see a new photo of this rifle, I think: That is a sweet rifle.

And then I wonder: What is that sling?

The sling is scratch built, I got kind of crazy about making slings awhile back, lol. More of that madness can be found here:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=800103

I got away from the convertible 2point/single point slings I was making in that thread and have just been making 2 point slings for my rifles now because I enjoy having testicles.

[smith629]

Running that Aero/Ballistic Advantage barrel on this MK12-ish build:



Accuracy has been decent with my 75 and 77 grain reloads, around 1.5 to 2 moa. I've had much better results with their stainless steel barrels. The crown on those is machined better which seems to make a world of difference. My 16" Ballistic Advantage barrel (stainless) consistently gets into 3/4 moa or less using the same 75 to 77 grain reloads.

5.56 chambering or wylde?

[smith629]

I think after the feedback from you guys I am going to go with their 18" stainless wylde chambering. I know I won't get the barrel life of a chromo barrel but I have yet to shoot out a stainless barrel.

By the way I did speak with a rep from Aero Precision this morning and they have a 1MOA accuracy guarantee with their Ballistic Advantage barrels shooting factory match ammo. He said that it includes their stainless and CMV barrels. Based on your guys feedback I'm not willing to risk that guarantee on one of their CMV barrels.

[FMJBT]

5.56 chambering or wylde?

Their CMV nitride barrels are all 5.56 chamber 1:7 twist as far as I know. Stainless versions get the 223 Wylde chamber and 1:8 twist. I don't think you'll be disappointed with the stainless version from Aero/BA, the 16" SS barrel I have from them is one of the most accurate AR barrels I've ever shot. It seems to do pretty well with junk 55 grain ammo like Perfecta too, which is a bonus.

Another option worth looking at is the SPR barrel from Green Mountain Barrels. It seems to check all the boxes: 416 Stainless with nitride finish, 223 Wylde Chamber and a slower 1:8 twist that seems to work well with nearly any bullet weight that can be loaded to mag length. One of the guys in the MK12 thread on ARFCOM recently got one of these for testing and was able to get a 10 shot group that was only about 1/2 moa. I'll likely be getting one of these for a MK12 build I have in progress as well.

http://www.gmriflebarrel.com/gm-m49-223wylde-barrel/

[essjay]

The sling is scratch built, I got kind of crazy about making slings awhile back, lol. More of that madness can be found here:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=800103

I got away from the convertible 2point/single point slings I was making in that thread and have just been making 2 point slings for my rifles now because I enjoy having testicles.

Very nice!

No joke there about the conversion. I tried out the single-point/two-point convertible deal, and absolutely hated it, at least with a carbine.