BCM Heavy vs Pencil Barrel

[kusoiyaro]

I just received a 16" CFH BCM upper with the heavy barrel and Centurion C4 12" Rail. However, they just got the lightweight version in stock. Do I want to exchange the heavy barrel for the pencil barrel?

I will never be shooting FA, so heat should not be an issue. Will the removal of ~4 ounces from the front make that big of a difference to warrant the exchange?

[John Browning]

Get both, shoot them, keep the one you like and sell the other. Probably the same as you'll pay in shipping to exchange.

[kusoiyaro]

I'd rather not deal with selling the second upper and possibly taking a loss.

[tuna quesadilla]

Are you talking about a HEAVY profile barrel or are you talking about a GOVERNMENT profile barrel? To my knowledge BCM does not make a BFH barrel in a Heavy profile.

Government profile is perfectly fine. I'll give you one guess as to the primary user of Government profile barrels... In my opinion Gov't profile is the best compromise between weight, controllability, and heat dissipation.

[peppermintman]

Are you talking about a HEAVY profile barrel or are you talking about a GOVERNMENT profile barrel? To my knowledge BCM does not make a BFH barrel in a Heavy profile.

Government profile is perfectly fine. I'll give you one guess as to the primary user of Government profile barrels... In my opinion Gov't profile is the best compromise between weight, controllability, and heat dissipation.

Maybe he talking about the "Standard" bardel

[stevie]

Do not think BCM makes a heavy BBL. You are probably comparing the Gov't Profile Vs. the LW profile. Keep the Gov't, its a great BBL.

[glock7]

i just got a BFH mid in govt profile and yes it is slightly heavier than a regular or lw barrel. i can say that because i've had a regular barrel and there is some noticible difference. but i put my rifles through heavy and constant use so it's a no brainer. if you don't put alot of rounds down range then get the lw. i paired it with moe handguards and a b5 sopmod stock and an h2 buffer and the thing is one of the softest shooters ever, just need to put on a comp to get it to shoot a little flatter and i'm done. but honestly the added weight is a non issue, even for a 50+ y.o. guy like myself.

[damon1272]

I have both. I prefer the light profile but the difference is not great. More balance than anything.

[goodlookin1]

Lightweight FTW.

My DD 14.5" CL barrel shoots 0.75 MOA at 100 yards. Doesnt heat up too fast, swings around faster (less forward weight), balances the rifle MUCH better.....I think lightweights are all around a much better choice.

Govt profile barrels are actually pencil barrels underneath the handguard. They heat up just as fast under the handguard which is where you need support if your barrel heats up too much. They increase the barrel diameter to 0.75" at the gas block and forward for one reason: (taken from AR15.com)

Lt Col Dave Lutz (who goes by the handle "coldblue" here and on other boards) was intimately involved in the A2 upgrades in the 80s.
He has stated they used straightness gauges on a number of M16A1 barrels during the preliminary tests, and found they got hung up near the gas port.
So they first assumed barrels were being bent too easily in the field, and suggested (among other things) thickening up the barrel from the gas block forward.

Lo and behold, they took a closer look and discovered that most M16A1's has a small, almost imperceptible burr from the drilling of the gas port, that interfered with the straightness gauge. So the A2 profile barrel really wasn't necessary

And now the M203 is made for the 0.75" diameter, so they're not going to change it.

I would like to see anyone with a comprehensive test prove that a LW warms up faster than a govt profile to the point of detriment. I dare say you will find no one who can prove as much.....they will both warm up at basically the same rates, especially under the handguard, and will decrease in accuracy with the same amount of rounds down the pipe. Now if the govt profile had the 0.75 diameter under the handguard, I would be singing a different tune....

[kusoiyaro]

I meant the govt profile. Sorry.

I went ahead and ordered the pencil version from BCM. Thanks!

[goodlookin1]

I meant the govt profile. Sorry.

I went ahead and ordered the pencil version from BCM. Thanks!

Good call!

[serjm1a1]

You should have just built a 2nd AR-15 lol, iv been bit with the bug again...

[kusoiyaro]

You should have just built a 2nd AR-15 lol, iv been bit with the bug again...

I do have an extra lower, but I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it yet. Maybe a budget build for friends to shoot with or a longer barrel ar15. We shall see.

[serjm1a1]

I do have an extra lower, but I haven't decided what I'm going to do with it yet. Maybe a budget build for friends to shoot with or a longer barrel ar15. We shall see.

Good deal.

[thegamettt]

I have the LW one. It gets hot pretty quick. but it also cools down pretty quick.