Best AR 20” HBAR Barrel for the money? Update post 22

[The Tiger]

[smoothy8500]

The White Oak "service rifle" barrels are the one you want, normally around $200. That one listed above is their "NRA Match", which is more varmint version. Unfortunately, both pre and post ban barrels are on back order.

https://www.whiteoakarmament.com/5srb-woa.html

Another option is Rock River Arms. Their NM uppers have a good reputation with XTC shooters, and I had their upper when first getting into NM. Around $250 or so.

https://www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_ID=272

[FeuerFrei]

White Oak

There's a pattern forming OP. Are we there yet?

[The Tiger]

White Oak

There's a pattern forming OP. Are we there yet?

16 weeks to get one. Kinda want to go shoot it before then

[xrMike]

My WOA Service Rifle upper is the most accurate one I own, routinely sub-MOA with my handloads. And that's just their standard barrel (which I read somewhere are cut from Wilson blanks).

Yeah, that 16 weeks sucks though.

[Ki6vsm]

I'll throw this out there. Though I know it's technically "rack grade" by most people's definition. Might not be quite as thick behind the FSB as an HBAR, but it's still beefy:

https://www.ballisticadvantage.com/20-223-wylde-dmr-stainless-steel-rifle-length-ar-15-barrel-premium-series.html

Reasonable price and it's in stock. I have it in 6.5G and it shoots very well with my handloads. (Sample of just one, of course.)

[Ki6vsm]

(which I read somewhere are cut from Wilson blanks).

Whenever "Wilson" barrals/blanks are mentioned, I always wonder, Wilson Arms, or Wilson Combat? I think most people mean Wilson Combat, but it always gets me curious. I wouldn't know if one is necessarily better than the other.

[smoothy8500]

16 weeks to get one. Kinda want to go shoot it before then

I hear you. I usually have a spare barrel on hand at any time. Most button rifled barrels will have a service life of 2,500 rounds before showing increased dispersion and Highpower shooters replace them regularly.

Options if I needed another barrel at this point, and all are relatively good choices, are service rifle barrels from Rock River, Satern/Liberty, and Green Mountain.

You might do "ok" with suggestions from BA, Faxon, etc, but probably should stick with choices that cater to the Highpower shooting community and have a proven track record.

[Ki6vsm]

Options if I needed another barrel at this point, and all are relatively good choices, are service rifle barrels from Rock River, Satern/Liberty, and Green Mountain.

You might do "ok" with suggestions from BA, Faxon, etc, but probably should stick with choices that cater to the Highpower shooting community and have a proven track record.

Yeah that makes sense. The BA barrel might shoot fine; depends on that one sample, and what expectations are. Could get a person's foot in the door of competition anyway, until UPS finally drops off that box from WOA. But ordering two barrels at once instead of one really blows the budget.

I have two Green Mountain (GMR) barrels. Well, three if you count my SixFive Arms 4150 16" Grendel barrel, which was made under contract by GMR. My two .223W barrels from GMR shoot very well. 18" and 20" medium profiles. I wasn't aware that they make an HBAR though. Is that a special order?

[Jimi Jah]

I use a $99 ARD Hbar for my 7.62x39 AR-47 barrel. Nitride, cryo treated, good for 25K rounds or more and 1 moa.

[The Tiger]

OK, so I ordered the White Oak and will wait the 16 weeks. I figure I can shoot what I have in the meantime. I was reconfiguring an upper for competition since I did one match and liked it. I have a new optic for that purpose that I haven't mounted yet (I was waiting for the barrel). I'm just getting started in this so I'm sure it will be fine with the barrel I've been shooting but I will mount the optic.

I decided on the unthreaded barrel in 1:8 and will shoot 77SMKs that I'm just about to start handloading.

[smoothy8500]

Personally, I've always used the 1:7 WOA barrels. They handle the 77's perfectly and you have the option of going with 80's (or heavier) at 600yds. The 77gr are fine, but the heavier projectile's ability in the wind can keep a wide 10 from straying into the 9 ring.

[The Tiger]

Personally, I've always used the 1:7 WOA barrels. They handle the 77's perfectly and you have the option of going with 80's (or heavier) at 600yds. The 77gr are fine, but the heavier projectile's ability in the wind can keep a wide 10 from straying into the 9 ring.

I hear you. I'm a new competitor and a newer handloader so I'm thinking about keeping it simple. I know all the serious guys use 1:7 but I don't think I'm there yet.

My thinking anyways

[Brush Guard]

In before White Oak is posted.

[xrMike]

I decided on the unthreaded barrel in 1:8 and will shoot 77SMKs that I'm just about to start handloading.

If you haven't seen it already, this sticky thread in the Reloading forum has a TON of great info on loading the 77s:

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=54716

Might save you some time in your own load development.

Here's another more general reloading thread by Randall, good for starter info:

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=158086

Congrats on the barrel choice. My WOA is a laser beam (when I don't screw up!).