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For pistol builds: What if you have a pistol brace that attaches to a standard buffer tube (that came with it like the sba3). Honestly just curious does it have to be a pistol buffer tube to be considered a pistol?
@@FireEyeEian no, the buffer tube is completely irrelevant when it comes to pistol vs rifle. As long as you have a pistol brace, and follow the other stupid arbitrary bs laws (which I personally don't recommend doing myself), then it's legally a pistol. That's the entire reason SB Tactical created those style braces in the first place.
@@FireEyeEian the difference between a pistol and a rifle, when it comes to length, is classification according to the government. If it's an Short Barrel Rifle or SBR it's got a tax stamp. Pistol does not. As far as I understand it. Let me know if I’m wrong.
@@MrEsPlace no, that's why if you put a stock on a gun with a shorter than 16" barrel, without getting a tax stamp, it's called creating an "illegal" SBR. The tax stamp is nothing more than proof that you've paid the government's extortion fee to legally own the SBR.
I started watching this thinking "this is going to be a basic video for new shooters", but you really went into depth into the manufacturing and I learned a lot. Great vid.
For all these reasons, all the stupid rules that you have pointed out so eloquently, the AFT should be abolished. These things do nothing to solve crime or make anyone safer. Thanks for all the good info.
40:05 button rifling does not cut the grooves, they are pressed into the inside surface of the barrel because the hole is smaller than the button. This is done in a single pass so it is much quicker than cold hammer forging. In CHF the metal is being compressed instead of stretched and there are benefits to this.
Indeed. Cut rifling is actually cut either 1 groove at a time or all at once but button “cut” rifling isn’t actually cut. Glad someone pointed this out.
Button rifling is a cold form or roll form process. They have got the process down good these days. Stress relief after forming is key and they got that down to.
I just want to clarify how mp testing works. The metal is coated with a dye that has particles in it that will react to a magnetic field. The metal is then put under a magnetic field and any cracks will attract those particles. These particles are usually florescent and show up under black light. This makes any cracks stand out no matter how small.
@@BitStClair Magna flux is a corporation. Magnetic Participle Inspection (MPI) Is the process of Non Destructive Testing (NDT) use in detecting and interpretation of Non Conforming Material. Via. Cracks, Bursts, Inclusions, etc.
@@jimrittenberg2316 Magna Flux is not just any Corporation, Magna Flux is actually the company that invented the process! That is why it is referred to as Magna Fluxing! This process has been used by engine builders for years now, Technically you both are correct! But I can tell you that when an engine has gone through that process before assembly the bill given to the customer will say engine has been Magna fluxed-$xxxxx
As a Mechanical Quality Inspector I can tell you that you want 100% inspection of all dimensions on all barrels. Trust me bad parts get through when they only do a 1 out 25 or anything other than 100%. Most things go through a series of processes. Requiring alot of inspection.
Even with 100% inspection there’s no guarantee. I say that because you still have the variable of how qualified, knowledgeable, and attentive to detail is the inspector themselves. I had a buddy who worked for a company that was manufacturing airplane parts, his job was to inspect the welding, grinding and polishing. He’s never once welded in his life, he’s never even used a grinder, in fact he doesn’t even know how to change his own oil in his car. He has some great qualities, but he is dumb as a box of rocks super impatient and had zero training or knowledge on welds or metalwork of any kind. He was an inspector for a year!
I agree. I ran a Citizen lathe for a number of years. Aircraft fuel parts. Every piece off the machine was fully inspected with plug gages, OD micrometers, both standard, and blade micrometers as necessary. First part of each order (50 pieces) were also checked with a Swede gage, and optical comparator with the line leader.
on twist rate, I see a real world difference between 1 in 12, and 1 in 7. even at 30 yards. I shot some 75 grain rounds from the 1 in 12 gun that landed the projectile dead sideways at 30 yards. so IMHO, twist rate is definitely worth worrying about. now, that being said, I want to tell you that you provide so much valuable information on your channel that you deserve an award of some type. I have been around guns my whole life, and I still learn a lot from watching you. THANK YOU for such great content!
I have been building various firearms on the AR platform for a few years now, but I'm always learning more each day. This is a really well done and informative video.
11:50 You are not going to have increased bore pressure. It's the same. What you will have is increased pressure in the gas system, since the projectile passes the gas port closer to the chamber throat ~ higher pressure the closer to the chamber, lower the further from the throat
As a high power rifle competitor shooting in Service Rifle Division what’s paramount to me is accuracy and knowledge for how many rounds I can expect from the barrel before I cannot buy an X-Ring hit at 600 yards. After 18 years in the game, earning the US Distinguished Rifleman Badge along the way, I have learned the best accuracy out to 1000 yards has come from Douglas 1/7 twist button rifled stainless steel barrels, 1 inch dia. under handguards, smithed and chambered by Compass Lake Engineering. Of course these are 20 inch barrels, which are required for Service Rifle Division shooting. Typically, from match grade hand loaded ammunition I can produce half MOA 10 round groupings at 100 yards in prone sling supported position from as issued iron sights. After 10 rounds my eyes are too tired to maintain the precision sight picture needed to shoot sub MOA. At any rate, barrel life for MOA hits at 600 yards is about 1800 rounds. I also have experience with cut rifled barrels which deliver sub MOA at 100 yards from prone sling supported position and I find that these barrels will hold under 2 MOA to 600 yards for about 3000 rounds. Finally, I have a little experience with cold hammer forged barrels from FN as sold by FN in FN-15A4 upper form. I can get almost MOA at 100 yards with this barrel, meaning that the addition of a free float tube could take an aspiring shooter from novice to Master Class shooting with a little bit of shooting practice. These barrels are about half the cost of a custom match grade barrel and I don’t know if you could wash out the barrel throat without just abusing the barrel from continuous fire.
I’m a quality manager for a large manufacturing company and it’s good to see someone touching on QC practices and how they can effect pricing and your overall products. Something to note is that companies like BCM who preform 100% inspections (as supposed to AQL testing) have to work harder to improve their processes and technologies. This will give them more efficiencies and higher yields. Point being that companies like BCM are constantly striving to make better products and to create more of them more efficiently. Most companies don’t actually take this approach in house.
I heard they've had problems lately but can't find anything but offhand podcast comments I have no comparison to my "gunfighter" lower and 16" middy standard profile upper (All BCM but important to me to have "other" on the 4473, so purchased separately). I know it's way more fun than 9mm handguns or .22cal rimfire.... but I think any AR-15 would meet those criteria lol It's fun though, like no recoil and wrecks stuff downrange; like magic, you can like reach out and touch the target. Other guns feel much more like chucking lead, which is what's happening either way but idk, I can't describe it. It's awesome, everyone needs that expirence.
Absolutely excellent video. When shooting varmint rounds like the the real light weight, thin jacketed, 45 grain ballistic tip rounds the high twist rates (1:7, 1:8) can cause accuracy issues. It's spinning the bullet so fast it can even cause the bullet to start to come apart. Those rounds do much better in 1:12 and 1:14.
Ok tempering at 1200 degrees at 1 hour per inch thickness. So just getting to a temperature is not a factor. For nitride. It would be more a cleaning problem. Oil will prevent it for sticking and can flack off over time. Hope this helps
For the "shtf" guys out there. One lower, two uppers. For me, 5.56 NATO upper 10.3 inch, light, suppressed, night vision compatible. Second upper, 6mm ARC. Good glass, long barrel, capable of hitting targets effectively up to 1200 yards.
My Spike’s Tactical 11.5 pistol came with a carbine length gas system , as well as a T-2 buffer (their H-2). This slows down the dwell time, and prevents the gun from beating itself apart. The result is almost no perceived recoil.
True, you cannot fix an under gassed barrel with an adjustable gas block. So if a barrel is under gassed, it is more likely the gas port is not big enough to support the required pressure. The way to fix it is to enlarge the gas port by drilling it out with the smallest increments until there is enough gas to cycle the AR.
You do not need a buffer tube that wont accept a stock for the gun to be considered a pistol. You can get a standard 5 or 6 position buffer tube and an sba 3 or 4 brace.
Thank you so very much for making these videos. I sincerely appreciate your work in scripting, filming, editing, etc., and all the time and resources. I also appreciate your humble demeanor. Thank you.
In CT any barrel shorter than 11.5 inches requires you to pin and weld a muzzle device. Anything longer than 11.5 inches does not require a pin and weld. So if you have a 12 inch barrel you can just torque a muzzle device on.
We don’t actually build, we assemble AR rifles. Reliance on “mil spec” consistency is chancy making “tolerance stacking “ a primary source of build concerns along with an initial inadequate understanding of how the various systems operate and interact with one another. Thankfully content such as you and others provide will enable anyone to avoid most of the pitfalls that exist. Invest time in knowledge before you invest in components. Thanks for this segment, it is outstanding, especially for someone just starting out. I’ve built many rifles but just finished watching this for the fifth time. Thanks again!
I totally agree. They call AR’s, Lego’s for adults and that is just what they are. We can screw up so many different ways or get it right but We aren’t really building anything.
CHF ing also helps with heat dissipation, the molecular orientation becomes more linear which allows heat(energy; excited electrons) to pass through the metal better but the metal becomes more brittle.
My dude missed this sort of content on your channel. I’ve assembled and built a rifle mostly leaning on your BCG and your builds.Appreciate the videos.
Just noticed this TH-cam video and observed this statement: "Longer barrels are gonna' have lower bore pressures inside and they’re gonna' be a little bit softer shooting." This statement is wrong. Highest pressures for long and short barrels are identical. Look at any pressure curve chart for any round of ammunition. Maximum pressure happens between the instant of ignition and the moment the projectile begins moving. Pressures remarkably drop after this and then continue to slowly drop until the bullet exits the muzzle. Cyclic rate is primarily controlled by the distance between gas block and the muzzle (duration of pressure pulse), gas port diameter, overall bolt/carrier mass, buffer weight and recoil spring strength. Longer barrels are softer shooting because they make the gun heavier, reducing the sharpness of the recoil. Cyclic rate for any AR can be adjusted by changing these components.
Wow! A ton of outstanding and very needed info! I am a long-time pistol shooter looking for my first AR-15, and your video was extremely helpful! I truly appreciate all the time and effort you spent putting it together!
While not exactly wrong, when discussing the fluting of a barrel it does reduce weight while maintaining rigidity, perhaps just as important, it increases the surface area of the barrel which in turn increases the rate of heat dissipation allowing them to cool faster.
Great video I have had great luck with Criterion barrels for years now. Good quality, price is decent, and they have barrels available for nearly any type of setup.
Completely agree! The bcg and barrel are as important if not more than anything on your ar rifle. Mated upper and lowers, triggers, and gas system being tuned properly would follow those 2 items as a priority on my builds. I’m no expert either, just an enthusiast who loves this hobby. More great info, I appreciate this series.
The thing is, even if you buy a cheap as hell PSA, you'll at the very least be getting mil-spec, which is 4150v chrome moly vanadium steel. My cheapo, $800 AR-9 came with a nitride coated 4150v CMV steel barrel, and for that price, that's a material that you really can't complain about. It's what Colt originally designed as the official military gun steel for their barrels in the M16 and M4. Sure, it's only nitride coated, but that's perfectly fine at this price point.
@@Osprey1994 thats not what mil spec means. Mil spec means it was made to the same dimensions with the same type of materials that the military uses. The only difference is the quality control and testing, which depends on if the company has a military contract. If they have a current military contract then theyre required to have much stricter quality control.
@@nathancrock3030 psa doesnt make guns for the military so they dont go through the same testing and quality control. You can use the same specs and materials as 'mil spec' and still have parts fail because of an inadequate manufacturing process or bad batch of materials. (Which is why military contracts require more testing and quality control) it ensures that the parts are being manufactured correctly.
@Tactical Toolbox , Jonathan I live in Northern MN and if you would like to do some cold testing, let me know. Last week it was just over 90° warmer in my fridge than it was outside (With the wind chill). LOL Great video, thank you.
Good video. I always start with purpose when building my AR’s. For me it comes down to 3 categories: home defense, medium range, long range. After dinking around for a few years and learning my lessons, I now buy all my uppers complete from BCM. Excellent timing for me too. I’ve always bought my uppers complete but I’m in the market for a .308 AR and nobody really makes exactly what I’m want.
It’s hilarious cause I have built three different AR-15s so far and each one fills one of the three main roles you described. My first one was a general purpose AR-15 and that has a Faxon pencil barrel with integral flash hider. The next was a 10.5” AR pistol, the third and most recent is a precision rifle with an 18” match barrel.
@@firstname5134 I recommend the Strike Industries modular weight buffer. It costs only $10 more than a regular H buffer and you can use it to tune your system very easily.
On fluting there is an additional benefit you missed. Fluting does three things. Reduce weight, improve rigidity, and increase surface area. Compared to a bull barrel there "should" be equal to or less barrel whip. Thus what you mentioned, less weight and same accuracy. The greater surface area will allow it to cool faster(like a computer heatsink). While it may heat up faster as there is less metal than a bull. Once hot, it will return to ambient temperature faster. than a bull. So for intermittent rapid fire, it will do better.
This was a great, comprehensive video. I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into it and all your videos and the cherry on top is the obvious production quality. Great job man! This also shows "non gun people" why someone would have multiple guns, they serve different roles with different attributes leading to different specializations.
When asked why do I have so many different guns....my reply is why does a golfer carry so many clubs and let them think about. I'm amazed at how many just stand there with a stupid deer in the headlight look... it's great.
Someone help me here. So he's saying something originally designated as an AR pistol can be modified into a rifle setup and back to pistol setup with no taxstamp or paperwork but something originally designated as a rifle CANNOT be modified into a pistol setup even if it meets all the AFT's arbitrary/unconstitutional rules about pistol vs. rifle?
I watched an Iraqvet8888 vid where they tried to melt down a POF ar. They dumped like 2000 rounds full auto. It wouldn’t go full auto near the 2000 mark but it was semi firing. Some of the benefits of the POF is the barrel nut,it has 51” of surface area and operates as a heat sink. Just thought you’d like to see it. I love your channel and the information is of great value. Thanks.
Some pointers: Velocities are lower with shorter barrels, but due to barrel harmonics, they're typically more accurate. Shorter/thicker means your barrel vibrates less, and those vibrations can throw off your point of impact by a relatively small amount. Your 30 caliber projectiles (300 AAC, 7.62X39) are much less effected by barrel length (roughly 50 FPS per inch on a 5.56, and 20-25 FPS per inch on 7.62x39 and 300 AAC, on average.) The .300 Blackout is also designed for shorter barrels, so you'll see even less of a difference than 7.62x39) There's a ton of adjustment that can be done between an adjustable gas block and changing your buffer weight, too. I have a 20" 5.56 AR that has the recoil impulse of a .22 LR. (H2 Buffer, gas system tuned to cycle XM193 reliably, opened half a turn past that) 6mm ARC and 6.5 Grendel usually work best as your DMR type guns in an AR15 platform, .308 in AR10 is my choice, 6.5 Creedmoor or .260 are also great choices. DMRs are designed to impact live targets at longer ranges (500-700 typically) vs your 300 meter range with your 5.56 guns.
17:17 I thought that since ATF specified in writing "90-degree vertical foregrip", they (perhaps inadvertently) thereby allowed any grip that was anything other than an orthogonal angle, right angle. So 89 degrees, 85, 80, etc was legal.
New regulations taking effect later this year add points for ANY fore-grip, even a hand-stop. Not sure if points depend on type of grip, but close to impossible to pass. Most pistols I’ve seen score at least 10-12 points on at least one section, well beyond 4 point limit to qualify as pistol. Of course most of the scoring is subjective so expect examiners to score far higher than you or I would.
I've built 5 ARs in different calibers. My 1st build was also my most expensive and gave me invaluable insight. I built a 6.5 Grendel with a 20" Odin Works barrel, a Faxon billeted upper and bolt carrier group and a 17design billeted lower. Both Odin Works and Faxon are known for building quality parts but for the life of me I could not get a Go-No Go gauge to pass when I tried to mate the the two. Both companies were very helpful and as it turned out while they both meet federal standards, they have different spec.s. I wound up returning the Faxon BCG for credit and Odin gave me one of theirs which solved the problem. If your going to build an AR, rent a set of Go-NoGo gauges and make sure the bolt closes on the go gauge and doesn't on the NoGo. The build will be ALOT safer!
I really like this style of content your doing, you can definitely see where you have a grown so much as a content creator and how far you’ve come. But I also gotta say I love your pistol reviews/concealed carry content. I would really like to see an update on your top concealed carry pistols. Also I would really love your ideas on a top 5 or 10 pistol caliber carbines?
My Personal Choice Is Having A Pistol Lower, Rifle Lower And An AR-10 Lower.....Then You Can Buy And Build Your Uppers And Figure Out What You Like, I Like Having All The Calibers In All The Popular Lengths.....AR Is The ADULT LEGO Set. God Bless My 2A Brothers And Sisters
Gotta say I wish this was out back when I got started into the AR platform, but even though at this point its all review for me, that just means it'll be a really good overview for others.
Man, thank you for this! I can only imagine how much time you spent researching all of this information. And putting it all together in one place too. What a treat! Much appreciated. I learned a lot and I’m not new to all this. I would love to see the same attention to detail on each AR15 component.
Another difference between 16 and 20 is the 20 inch will sail projectiles straight through level 3+ but 16 will struggle with it and 14 inch probably won’t make it through at all.
Good info. For those of us who love guns and have an AR15 as primary home defense weapon, I would recommend the M4 size AR15. Really, whatever you can afford. I remember clearing buildings in the 1990s with the M16A2 variant, it can be done. Optics do matter as well. Just because something is expensive doesnt mean that it works better. Practice makes perfect.
2:30 in and lets face it, i'm automatically reminded of the term mil-spec. the single most widely used and most widely _misused_ term. for ARs? there's _colt_ spec, and that's mostly armalite spec. the .mil complex has some minor additions, and some metal specs, but mostly mil-spec just refers to 'it's good enough to not kill you, mostly'. not exactly a good bar to treat as a holy grail.
Couple of things to asterisk for Devil's Advocate; barrel length isn't necessarily going to grant more effective range automatically just because it's longer. Rather, the load of the projectile being matched for a barrel and the inherent twist rate have more beneficial qualities to accuracy and effective range than outright barrel length. It's entirely possible to have too long of a barrel length for too small of a powder charge (and associated burn rate) where the bullet sees increased friction and too long of a powder burn duration versus travel distance where it is possible for it to leave the muzzle at a slower speed than ideal for a given projectile size/weight. For instance, an el cheapo range round of 5.56 may fire better through a 16-18" barrel versus a 24" barrel, where the neutered charge of bulk ammo may finish combustion at the 16" mark, whereas a match round with a slower burn rate will continue accelerating the length of the full barrel if designed to do so. Another consideration that generally makes a rifle more accurate between a large group of shooters is the distance between the sights. A longer sight distance between front and rear (mostly seen in iron sights) tends to be easier for a shooter to make an accurate shot placement. A heavier barrel does tend to be more durable over the long end of repeat shooting, but more difficult to keep on target if held in hand versus a rest due primarily to weight and shooter fatigue of a heavier weapon. My first AR was a purchased Rock River with decently light carbine barrel length, and I could drill rounds with it all day. I then built an AR some years later and used a heavy barrel. Still very accurate and will last a very long time, but the barrel weight is quite a bit more noticeable after an extended range session. The trade-off of the weight is that it is more resistant to heat soak and/or droop with extended firing time versus something like a pencil barrel for instance.
Thank you, Jonathan, very informative. I trained on the M16 but I have little practical knowledge of firearms. Your channel and the many other worthwhile channels are like classroom lectures. ⭐️
The "government profile" barrel was thinned at the front half so that it could mount the M203 grenade launcher. That's also why it has that thin step out past the gas block.
That's a "m4" profile, it has specific sections that are thinner at the front to Bobby the m203. Looks terrible and there's no need for it on a civilian rifle.
Outstanding video sir , don't know if this qualified as a walk through as the detail is so pronounced no way anyone couldn't have a working knowledge after seeing this , great for beginners and the well read in this field.
I'm sure others have already said this but the carbon content is not 40% or 50%. It's .40% and .50% which is less than 1%. Once you reach 1% things get really brittle when heat treated.
Although it was a long video, it was very informative and well thought out and presented. There's a lot of good information in this video. Even the more experienced shooter can still learn things, and it doesn't hurt to stay refreshed knowledge.
I greatly appreciate your detail as a new AR builder. I went stripped lower to start as a pistol and build others, and now intend on building an SBR with a second lower. Your content is allowing me to plan out how I build my uppers to work with lowers and navigate the plethora of options available. Your BCG video lead me to Sharps BCGs and now have they're adjustable on the way. This video has provided many options to look at for a multi-use barrel along with my specialized builds to come (Beowulf, Grendel, Valkyrie). It's unfortunate YT has hindered your platform, but I am happy I have discovered everything you have to offer.
Twist rates for the US Military are based on testing in Subzero artic conditions with Tracer and Ball. For the M193 tracer companion the twist needed to be 1/12 with M855 ball and companion tracer it is 1/7. What counts is the length of the projectile and sufficient velocity for the full benefits of rifling to be realized.
I swear by 1:9 twist rate. From a technical perspective, it is the absolute best twist rate if you primarily shoot military bullet weights. It is also able to accurately shoot down to 50 grain and up to 68 grain before it starts to lose performance, so the heaviest varmint loads and decent hunting loads are also in your range. It is therefore a pity that far too few manufacturers offer this as an option. Also, for the love of all things gun-related, if you have a 20" AR do NOT get a 1:7" barrel; you won't be able to shoot anything well except the heaviest (and most expensive) hunting bullets. Because it's not RPM in proportion to velocity that determines whether a twist rate is too slow or too fast, but rather simply RPM by itself, optimal twist rate goes DOWN as barrel length (and velocity) goes up. 20" should always be a 1:9 or 1:10 twist rate, although if you're only shooting military bullet weights a 1:12 is superb.
I have to agree. After owning many 1:9 tack drivers, all of my 1:7's have been good at best. All of my tack driver 1:9's have been inexpensive Wilson barrels, from Sherluk's in Ohio.
I started watching you before I joined YPG and went to rojava (northeast syria). I dont remember exactly when, but it was on an old account, back in 2016. I genuinely love your channel. Do you have more sponsorships than other channels I watch? Absolutely. But you're transparent about those sponsorships, and you update us if you discover a problem a year later. And you do all of that without getting into politics. I dont hate the politics if the gun community, but sometimes I dont want to hear a political diatribe. I KNOW I'm just getting gun stuff here. No politics. Nothibg NEAR politics. No "come and take it". Its just guns. And parts reviews. Nothing else, for better or for worse. And sometimes, we all need that. Thank you for your channel.
For the average person wanting some of the best barrels I recommend - Criterion, Daniel Defense, Larue, FN, Triarc and Centurion. Honorable mention BCM but I’ve seen issues with QC and Black river tactical they offer hammer forged chrome lined barrels but they’re relatively new and I’ve not personally used them.. If buy once cry once is not possible Ballistic Advantage is a great company to look to, they make great barrels for the price.. this list purposely left out companies like Barlein, Krieger, Lilja and Proof as they’re some of the best bench barrels but I personally wouldn’t consider them for a duty/HD/shtf build but they’ll definitely do the job too
You forgot Double Star, got an HBAR 16" for low recoil, high rate of fire build with brake, titanium BCG with reduced diameter port gas tube trying out
Need to check everything, got a 16" mid length Wylde chambered barrel, before I put it in anything I took the bolt i planned to use and it would chamber a .223 but would not a 5.56. Definitely need to check before you build.
The best chrome lined barrels are Daniel Defense and Criterion. I had to return a BFH to BCM because the chamber and bore were horrible. They did replace it pronto, but it did miss their QC..Salt bath nitride can leave deformities which the salt gas method leaves a perfect chamber and bore..
Nitride can be good if done right and the barrel is not going to see extreme heat. Monty from Centurion arms (who also makes excellent barrels) stated nitride does not go deep enough into the metal and it will flake off when extreme heat is involved. I have government test that backed up Monty's statement..Nitride has been around for a very long time and is also why the military still uses chrome lining in their barrels, even though it is 3 times more expensive..Function, throat and correct head space gauges are worth the cost when selecting a barrel..
Just bought my first AR which I'm building out. The struggle is real when deciding what to choose. Avid Hunter and might do 3 gun so went with 16in HBAR SS fluted. I think it's gonna be a great all-arounder. Cool video man👍
The decision is not hard at all. I shoot as well as hunt. My solution was to buy different uppers. I just change out the uppers which have dedicated optics already mounted and I'm ready to go. I put in a nice drop in trigger in the lower so my trigger stays consistent. I have a 350 legend, 6.5 grendel, 223 Wylde 20" and a .22LR upper that I swap out depending on what I need. No buffer or spring changes needed. Pop 2 pins and swap out to whichever I am needing.
Ive had trouble with multiple carbon barrels. They shoot great for 3 to 5 shots then it opens up as it heats up. For the money I don't get it. Tried 3 different barrels. They all opened up fast as it heated up.(3-5 shots).
Wow, concise, easy to follow, superb teaching style. You leave room for differing views while still delivering the information confidently. This is rare to find a tutorial where the data works together with the delivery to successfully teach the listener. Well done.
My Sam7sf, Giessllie 5.56 Superduty, LWRCI-DI & Gen4 Noveske all have CHF barrels but my top tier barrel came with my Gen4 Noveske. It actually came with a $600.oo CS 13.7 CHF land & grooved double chromed lined M249 machine gun spec mid length bull barrel. That was alot of stuff too say about a barrel but I know it will last me for ever and I can mag dump in some of the coldest weather and still be on point...👊🇺🇸🇺🇸👍
@@dbelex That's what a spec M249 barrel is designed to do. I knew my Noveske barrel wasn't SS. and my paperwork was telling me that it was a CHF. barrel but I didn't know how special it was until I contacted one of their gunsmiths. They only produce the M249 spec in their 13.7 platforms. It's designed for extreme heat and abuse under fire. It's not your typical range barrel...👊🇺🇸🇺🇸💪
I bought a 16” 223 wylde barrel so I don’t have to worry about ammo availability. If I can’t source 223 for some reason, I buy 556 and vice versa. For me and the couple people I plink with, 223 wylde is the go to barrel for people who aren’t ammo snobs. We shoot what’s available because no matter what we pick they’re just going to be reliable rounds. I like 223 better because it’s easy for me to source and I’ve noticed slightly better accuracy in my gun in particular. A friend of mine says he has the exact opposite result on accuracy but still prefers the 223 because it’s easier to find in his area. I like sourcing my ammo online and he likes sourcing his locally so he can support local businesses. I go for most bang for my buck while he likes the feeling of knowing he supports local businesses. In the end it doesn’t matter what you shoot or what ammo source you use. Just have fun and be safe.
A Wylde lead is between 5.56 and .223. So you might still get higher than normal chamber pressures like firing 5.56 in a .223 would. That's why I stick to a mil-spec 5.56 chamber.
Believe it or not - BCA makes good barrels. I have a little experience with them after buying my first from them for an AR9 build. I wanted an 8.5" heavy profile and BCA was the obvious choice at that time for several reasons (it is a 4150). I think I paid around $100 for it and because of that I was a little skeptical but 3 years later I can say that the barrel has been excellent in every regard, especially accuracy. I usually go with Rosco for a 5.56 build but did grab a few BCA's over the last few years and they've also been impressive. Maybe I just got lucky? I just know what I know. I'm a self employed contractor - not a TH-camr who has tons of operating capital to buy "the best" (aka most expensive) components so I've had to find those high value parts over the years. The BCA's I have may end up wearing out several thousands of rounds earlier than my FN or Rosco's do but in that highly unlikely case - I'd just buy another.
I've always ran 16" barrels and wanted to see the difference in a 20" so I grabbed a bca so if I didn't like it I'm not out much, and if I did I could upgrade. Plus I'm an ak guy so the side charge was nice. I tore it down cleaned, inspected, and torqued everything to spec before running it, and I've been happy enough w it that I never upgraded. It's It's coyote/playing in the mountains gun so I'm not heart broken when I beat it up either.
I’ve got 2 BCA side chargers. Like both of them only problem I’ve had is recently had the extractor sheer off the bolt carrier on my 6.5 Grendel side charger. Not huge but I think it was just poor quality control
You did a great video. I've been making custom ARs for people for about 20 years and your strategies are solid. One note....on AR pistols I always install a flash can on the muzzle to minimize on the back blast. It basically blows everything including the noise forward.
38:11 The technical term for the stress relieving process is called annealing. I'm pretty sure that the salt bath at that temperature is just to speed up the process, and I don't think that annealing a barrel that has had a salt bath at 750 will necessarily change anything. Again, I'm not sure, but that's my initial assumption based off of the mechanical engineering and material classes that I have had.
@@bryanduchane2371 doesn't look over gassed, it's barely picking up the next rounds. Lots of things can cause bolt bounce; could be using a lightened bcg and/or buffer along with an action spring that isn't spec'd right for the gas setting.
@@muddyhotdog4103 Regardless of what is causing the problem, it's something that the slow motion camera picked up and can be addressed now that it's been identified. My question is, what would this bolt bounce do to the accuracy on reliability of the rifle? I would assume that the dwell time will not be adequate for an accurate, reliable rifle??? Please share your opinion about accuracy and reliability. I've never had a AR that had issues with bolt bounce. My DD 300BO has been flawless and is capable of 2 MOA accuracy with virtually any ammo I run thru her. Not bad accuracy for a 10.5" AR..... Have a 6.5 Grendel AR that is a half minute gun with the right pill. Only wish the Grendel build was significantly shorter than the 18" barrel it's currently rocking....
@@muddyhotdog4103 Do you know anything about the 6.5 Grendel round? I'm new to guns and can't find anyone who really knows that much about the Grendel round. Curious how long the barrel needs to be for the Grendel round to be effective out to 300yrds.... If you have experience with the 6.5 Grendel round, please let me know your thoughts. If not, do you know anyone who does? Thanks so much for your help. Hard to find people who will give accurate info about AR's!!!!!
@@bryanduchane2371 It depends on the severity of bolt bounce (really carrier bounce off the trunion) but although it's not desirable, some bounce really usually isnt an issue in a semi-auto ar15 in terms of reliability unless it's extremely bad and you're lightening spring weights/buffers ect. In terms of accuracy there's virtually no impact as the bullet already left the barrel. It's *mostly* an issue in full auto that can cause hang ups and light primer strikes due to the hammer dropping the same time as the carrier bounces back not fully in battery. I'm no expert in 6.5 Grendel, (i wouldnt say im an expert in ar15s period but I've been in the hobby a long time) i only own one chambered in it right now.. From all I've gathered - In terms of both mobility and accuracy a 18-20in which will easily do what you want it to. Even a 12in 6.5g will get you out to 300yds, but it kinda negates it's usefulness in terms of its ballistic coefficient going past that. Id just pick anything between 16-24in, just depends on if you want to get its full potential or if you want it more manageable for say hunting.
I have a m&p 15 and have found that 55 grain is what it likes, any heavier it is not as consistent. I assume the 9:1 twist is the cause. Let me know if you can tell me if that's correct or not.
I'm not sure if that is completely correct, I think an expert is someone who knows enough to know they don't know. Or, They know when to ask someone else, lol
Totally agree with your barrel list, buy them myself. Love BA never had an issue, I also scope them prior to shooting and do a full cleaning and reinspect then shoot and repeat. Don't use a bore snake to clean, they just shine dirt, clean nothing.
They aren't hammer forged so you will get alot more throat erosion especially if your mag dumping but if your hunting with it your probably good I went with Daniel defense for my barrel its cold hammer forged and chrome lined. Its an sbr so I built it more as a legacy rifle that I can pass down
That was such a great video! Some of the information I knew, but the expanded background gave me a better understanding. The stuff I didn't know that was provided, gave me an even better understanding of this platform. Awesome work!
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What Mistakes did I make in the video?
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For pistol builds: What if you have a pistol brace that attaches to a standard buffer tube (that came with it like the sba3). Honestly just curious does it have to be a pistol buffer tube to be considered a pistol?
@@FireEyeEian no, the buffer tube is completely irrelevant when it comes to pistol vs rifle. As long as you have a pistol brace, and follow the other stupid arbitrary bs laws (which I personally don't recommend doing myself), then it's legally a pistol. That's the entire reason SB Tactical created those style braces in the first place.
@@FireEyeEian the difference between a pistol and a rifle, when it comes to length, is classification according to the government. If it's an Short Barrel Rifle or SBR it's got a tax stamp. Pistol does not.
As far as I understand it. Let me know if I’m wrong.
@@O5IR15 yeah, that's what I thought. And yeah I totally agree with you.
@@MrEsPlace no, that's why if you put a stock on a gun with a shorter than 16" barrel, without getting a tax stamp, it's called creating an "illegal" SBR. The tax stamp is nothing more than proof that you've paid the government's extortion fee to legally own the SBR.
I started watching this thinking "this is going to be a basic video for new shooters", but you really went into depth into the manufacturing and I learned a lot. Great vid.
Has a lot of good videos
For all these reasons, all the stupid rules that you have pointed out so eloquently, the AFT should be abolished. These things do nothing to solve crime or make anyone safer.
Thanks for all the good info.
40:05 button rifling does not cut the grooves, they are pressed into the inside surface of the barrel because the hole is smaller than the button. This is done in a single pass so it is much quicker than cold hammer forging. In CHF the metal is being compressed instead of stretched and there are benefits to this.
Indeed. Cut rifling is actually cut either 1 groove at a time or all at once but button “cut” rifling isn’t actually cut. Glad someone pointed this out.
Thank ya for the clarification brother 👍
Button rifling is a cold form or roll form process. They have got the process down good these days. Stress relief after forming is key and they got that down to.
Button rifling is generally considerably much more shallow than cut rifling.
I just want to clarify how mp testing works. The metal is coated with a dye that has particles in it that will react to a magnetic field. The metal is then put under a magnetic field and any cracks will attract those particles. These particles are usually florescent and show up under black light. This makes any cracks stand out no matter how small.
So its like magna flux? Like they use on the old iron car blocks?
@@BitStClair Magna flux is a corporation. Magnetic Participle Inspection (MPI) Is the process of Non Destructive Testing (NDT) use in detecting and interpretation of Non Conforming Material. Via. Cracks, Bursts, Inclusions, etc.
Yes we do this process here for all of military barrels
@@jimrittenberg2316 Magna Flux is not just any Corporation, Magna Flux is actually the company that invented the process! That is why it is referred to as Magna Fluxing! This process has been used by engine builders for years now, Technically you both are correct! But I can tell you that when an engine has gone through that process before assembly the bill given to the customer will say engine has been Magna fluxed-$xxxxx
@@BitStClair
Yes.
Similarly: "Facial Tissue" is like "Kleenex"
As a Mechanical Quality Inspector I can tell you that you want 100% inspection of all dimensions on all barrels. Trust me bad parts get through when they only do a 1 out 25 or anything other than 100%. Most things go through a series of processes. Requiring alot of inspection.
Even with 100% inspection there’s no guarantee. I say that because you still have the variable of how qualified, knowledgeable, and attentive to detail is the inspector themselves. I had a buddy who worked for a company that was manufacturing airplane parts, his job was to inspect the welding, grinding and polishing. He’s never once welded in his life, he’s never even used a grinder, in fact he doesn’t even know how to change his own oil in his car. He has some great qualities, but he is dumb as a box of rocks super impatient and had zero training or knowledge on welds or metalwork of any kind. He was an inspector for a year!
I agree. I ran a Citizen lathe for a number of years. Aircraft fuel parts. Every piece off the machine was fully inspected with plug gages, OD micrometers, both standard, and blade micrometers as necessary. First part of each order (50 pieces) were also checked with a Swede gage, and optical comparator with the line leader.
on twist rate, I see a real world difference between 1 in 12, and 1 in 7. even at 30 yards. I shot some 75 grain rounds from the 1 in 12 gun that landed the projectile dead sideways at 30 yards. so IMHO, twist rate is definitely worth worrying about. now, that being said, I want to tell you that you provide so much valuable information on your channel that you deserve an award of some type. I have been around guns my whole life, and I still learn a lot from watching you. THANK YOU for such great content!
How to put 3 hours of information in 58 minutes. Other TH-camrs need 30 minutes to tell about a 5 minutes topic. Thank you for this quality content :)
I have been building various firearms on the AR platform for a few years now, but I'm always learning more each day. This is a really well done and informative video.
Idk man this is really all just basic info
11:50 You are not going to have increased bore pressure. It's the same. What you will have is increased pressure in the gas system, since the projectile passes the gas port closer to the chamber throat ~ higher pressure the closer to the chamber, lower the further from the throat
👍🏼👍🏼 thanks for saving my fingers typing that up.
Came to the comments to make this exact comment… thanks
Was going to add the same.
lol, not necessarily. gas port size also effects gas pressure
As a high power rifle competitor shooting in Service Rifle Division what’s paramount to me is accuracy and knowledge for how many rounds I can expect from the barrel before I cannot buy an X-Ring hit at 600 yards. After 18 years in the game, earning the US Distinguished Rifleman Badge along the way, I have learned the best accuracy out to 1000 yards has come from Douglas 1/7 twist button rifled stainless steel barrels, 1 inch dia. under handguards, smithed and chambered by Compass Lake Engineering. Of course these are 20 inch barrels, which are required for Service Rifle Division shooting. Typically, from match grade hand loaded ammunition I can produce half MOA 10 round groupings at 100 yards in prone sling supported position from as issued iron sights. After 10 rounds my eyes are too tired to maintain the precision sight picture needed to shoot sub MOA. At any rate, barrel life for MOA hits at 600 yards is about 1800 rounds. I also have experience with cut rifled barrels which deliver sub MOA at 100 yards from prone sling supported position and I find that these barrels will hold under 2 MOA to 600 yards for about 3000 rounds. Finally, I have a little experience with cold hammer forged barrels from FN as sold by FN in FN-15A4 upper form. I can get almost MOA at 100 yards with this barrel, meaning that the addition of a free float tube could take an aspiring shooter from novice to Master Class shooting with a little bit of shooting practice. These barrels are about half the cost of a custom match grade barrel and I don’t know if you could wash out the barrel throat without just abusing the barrel from continuous fire.
25:05 the real amounts are 0.40% and 0.50% carbon. If it was made of 50% carbon you could burn it in your fireplace.
I’m a quality manager for a large manufacturing company and it’s good to see someone touching on QC practices and how they can effect pricing and your overall products. Something to note is that companies like BCM who preform 100% inspections (as supposed to AQL testing) have to work harder to improve their processes and technologies. This will give them more efficiencies and higher yields. Point being that companies like BCM are constantly striving to make better products and to create more of them more efficiently. Most companies don’t actually take this approach in house.
That, and other reasons, are why I stick with BCM when buying a rifle. They're just too good for my purposes to buy anything else.
🤔
@@Done293
That smelly smell.
Can't go wrong with BCM!
I heard they've had problems lately but can't find anything but offhand podcast comments
I have no comparison to my "gunfighter" lower and 16" middy standard profile upper (All BCM but important to me to have "other" on the 4473, so purchased separately). I know it's way more fun than 9mm handguns or .22cal rimfire.... but I think any AR-15 would meet those criteria lol
It's fun though, like no recoil and wrecks stuff downrange; like magic, you can like reach out and touch the target. Other guns feel much more like chucking lead, which is what's happening either way but idk, I can't describe it. It's awesome, everyone needs that expirence.
Absolutely excellent video. When shooting varmint rounds like the the real light weight, thin jacketed, 45 grain ballistic tip rounds the high twist rates (1:7, 1:8) can cause accuracy issues. It's spinning the bullet so fast it can even cause the bullet to start to come apart. Those rounds do much better in 1:12 and 1:14.
Not many of them slow twist available at the moment
22-250 much?
@@Sageofthe16 absolutely. Love those old twist rates.
Ok tempering at 1200 degrees at 1 hour per inch thickness. So just getting to a temperature is not a factor. For nitride. It would be more a cleaning problem. Oil will prevent it for sticking and can flack off over time. Hope this helps
For the "shtf" guys out there. One lower, two uppers. For me, 5.56 NATO upper 10.3 inch, light, suppressed, night vision compatible. Second upper, 6mm ARC. Good glass, long barrel, capable of hitting targets effectively up to 1200 yards.
This answers my question. I hadn’t thought of that. I’m new to this.
My Spike’s Tactical 11.5 pistol came with a carbine length gas system , as well as a T-2 buffer (their H-2). This slows down the dwell time, and prevents the gun from beating itself apart. The result is almost no perceived recoil.
True, you cannot fix an under gassed barrel with an adjustable gas block. So if a barrel is under gassed, it is more likely the gas port is not big enough to support the required pressure. The way to fix it is to enlarge the gas port by drilling it out with the smallest increments until there is enough gas to cycle the AR.
You do not need a buffer tube that wont accept a stock for the gun to be considered a pistol. You can get a standard 5 or 6 position buffer tube and an sba 3 or 4 brace.
Braces will now be considered sbr by the atf which sucks
@@StaxxxCmd until it goes through supreme court and a law is actually put in place ATF can't classify anything
@@KJTUSKJTUS hopefully they stop trying to enforce stupid rules that make no sense
Thank you so very much for making these videos. I sincerely appreciate your work in scripting, filming, editing, etc., and all the time and resources. I also appreciate your humble demeanor. Thank you.
In CT any barrel shorter than 11.5 inches requires you to pin and weld a muzzle device. Anything longer than 11.5 inches does not require a pin and weld. So if you have a 12 inch barrel you can just torque a muzzle device on.
Only a minute and a half in and gotta say, love the editing and the style of this video, hope to see more of this on the future! Quality over Quantity
We don’t actually build, we assemble AR rifles. Reliance on “mil spec” consistency is chancy making “tolerance stacking “ a primary source of build concerns along with an initial inadequate understanding of how the various systems operate and interact with one another. Thankfully content such as you and others provide will enable anyone to avoid most of the pitfalls that exist. Invest time in knowledge before you invest in components. Thanks for this segment, it is outstanding, especially for someone just starting out. I’ve built many rifles but just finished watching this for the fifth time. Thanks again!
I totally agree. They call AR’s, Lego’s for adults and that is just what they are. We can screw up so many different ways or get it right but We aren’t really building anything.
CHF ing also helps with heat dissipation, the molecular orientation becomes more linear which allows heat(energy; excited electrons) to pass through the metal better but the metal becomes more brittle.
I love how humble and honest you are. Just like you, I learn something with every one of your videos. Thank you!!
My dude missed this sort of content on your channel. I’ve assembled and built a rifle mostly leaning on your BCG and your builds.Appreciate the videos.
Just noticed this TH-cam video and observed this statement: "Longer barrels are gonna' have lower bore pressures inside and they’re gonna' be a little bit softer shooting." This statement is wrong. Highest pressures for long and short barrels are identical. Look at any pressure curve chart for any round of ammunition. Maximum pressure happens between the instant of ignition and the moment the projectile begins moving. Pressures remarkably drop after this and then continue to slowly drop until the bullet exits the muzzle. Cyclic rate is primarily controlled by the distance between gas block and the muzzle (duration of pressure pulse), gas port diameter, overall bolt/carrier mass, buffer weight and recoil spring strength. Longer barrels are softer shooting because they make the gun heavier, reducing the sharpness of the recoil. Cyclic rate for any AR can be adjusted by changing these components.
Wow! A ton of outstanding and very needed info! I am a long-time pistol shooter looking for my first AR-15, and your video was extremely helpful! I truly appreciate all the time and effort you spent putting it together!
While not exactly wrong, when discussing the fluting of a barrel it does reduce weight while maintaining rigidity, perhaps just as important, it increases the surface area of the barrel which in turn increases the rate of heat dissipation allowing them to cool faster.
Great video
I have had great luck with Criterion barrels for years now. Good quality, price is decent, and they have barrels available for nearly any type of setup.
Good vid but bore pressure does not go up with a shorter barrel , only the pressure measured as the bullet leaves the end of the barrel is higher.
Completely agree! The bcg and barrel are as important if not more than anything on your ar rifle. Mated upper and lowers, triggers, and gas system being tuned properly would follow those 2 items as a priority on my builds. I’m no expert either, just an enthusiast who loves this hobby. More great info, I appreciate this series.
Got me a stainless steal 223 Wylde Hanson profile barrel and I love it.
The thing is, even if you buy a cheap as hell PSA, you'll at the very least be getting mil-spec, which is 4150v chrome moly vanadium steel. My cheapo, $800 AR-9 came with a nitride coated 4150v CMV steel barrel, and for that price, that's a material that you really can't complain about. It's what Colt originally designed as the official military gun steel for their barrels in the M16 and M4. Sure, it's only nitride coated, but that's perfectly fine at this price point.
You do understand that mil spec means the bare minimum to be accepted? It's not that great...
@@Osprey1994 thats not what mil spec means. Mil spec means it was made to the same dimensions with the same type of materials that the military uses. The only difference is the quality control and testing, which depends on if the company has a military contract. If they have a current military contract then theyre required to have much stricter quality control.
But, do milspec guns get sent back to manufacturer as often as PSA’s? 👀
@@nathancrock3030 psa doesnt make guns for the military so they dont go through the same testing and quality control. You can use the same specs and materials as 'mil spec' and still have parts fail because of an inadequate manufacturing process or bad batch of materials. (Which is why military contracts require more testing and quality control) it ensures that the parts are being manufactured correctly.
@@MightDGuy I understand. I was replying to OP. He claimed that PSA is milspec.
@Tactical Toolbox , Jonathan I live in Northern MN and if you would like to do some cold testing, let me know. Last week it was just over 90° warmer in my fridge than it was outside (With the wind chill). LOL Great video, thank you.
Good video. I always start with purpose when building my AR’s. For me it comes down to 3 categories: home defense, medium range, long range. After dinking around for a few years and learning my lessons, I now buy all my uppers complete from BCM.
Excellent timing for me too. I’ve always bought my uppers complete but I’m in the market for a .308 AR and nobody really makes exactly what I’m want.
Pistol, rifle, other. Blank lower... I always have them file it under "other"
It’s hilarious cause I have built three different AR-15s so far and each one fills one of the three main roles you described. My first one was a general purpose AR-15 and that has a Faxon pencil barrel with integral flash hider. The next was a 10.5” AR pistol, the third and most recent is a precision rifle with an 18” match barrel.
Do you use regular spring with heavy buffer? I just built a 10.5
@@firstname5134 It’s going to depend greatly on the manufacturer. Usually an H buffer works best.
@@firstname5134 I recommend the Strike Industries modular weight buffer. It costs only $10 more than a regular H buffer and you can use it to tune your system very easily.
On fluting there is an additional benefit you missed.
Fluting does three things. Reduce weight, improve rigidity, and increase surface area.
Compared to a bull barrel there "should" be equal to or less barrel whip. Thus what you mentioned, less weight and same accuracy.
The greater surface area will allow it to cool faster(like a computer heatsink). While it may heat up faster as there is less metal than a bull. Once hot, it will return to ambient temperature faster. than a bull.
So for intermittent rapid fire, it will do better.
This was a great, comprehensive video. I really appreciate all the time and effort you put into it and all your videos and the cherry on top is the obvious production quality. Great job man! This also shows "non gun people" why someone would have multiple guns, they serve different roles with different attributes leading to different specializations.
When asked why do I have so many different guns....my reply is why does a golfer carry so many clubs and let them think about. I'm amazed at how many just stand there with a stupid deer in the headlight look... it's great.
I moved from there 3 years ago and no matter how hard I try, THAT is exactly how I still pronounce MinneSOduh.
Extremely good video BTW.
Someone help me here. So he's saying something originally designated as an AR pistol can be modified into a rifle setup and back to pistol setup with no taxstamp or paperwork but something originally designated as a rifle CANNOT be modified into a pistol setup even if it meets all the AFT's arbitrary/unconstitutional rules about pistol vs. rifle?
Yes, unless you get the SBR stamp.
So freaking informative, the simplicity of your explanation, and take without bias keeps me coming back... thanks never stop...
I watched an Iraqvet8888 vid where they tried to melt down a POF ar. They dumped like 2000 rounds full auto. It wouldn’t go full auto near the 2000 mark but it was semi firing. Some of the benefits of the POF is the barrel nut,it has 51” of surface area and operates as a heat sink. Just thought you’d like to see it. I love your channel and the information is of great value. Thanks.
That's why I got a POF p415 edge, PA X5 on top, canted PA x1 microprism. Very sweet handling.
Some pointers:
Velocities are lower with shorter barrels, but due to barrel harmonics, they're typically more accurate. Shorter/thicker means your barrel vibrates less, and those vibrations can throw off your point of impact by a relatively small amount.
Your 30 caliber projectiles (300 AAC, 7.62X39) are much less effected by barrel length (roughly 50 FPS per inch on a 5.56, and 20-25 FPS per inch on 7.62x39 and 300 AAC, on average.) The .300 Blackout is also designed for shorter barrels, so you'll see even less of a difference than 7.62x39)
There's a ton of adjustment that can be done between an adjustable gas block and changing your buffer weight, too. I have a 20" 5.56 AR that has the recoil impulse of a .22 LR. (H2 Buffer, gas system tuned to cycle XM193 reliably, opened half a turn past that)
6mm ARC and 6.5 Grendel usually work best as your DMR type guns in an AR15 platform, .308 in AR10 is my choice, 6.5 Creedmoor or .260 are also great choices.
DMRs are designed to impact live targets at longer ranges (500-700 typically) vs your 300 meter range with your 5.56 guns.
Tell me you're getting a Daniel defense without telling me your getting a Daniel defense when you say 2k overgassed rifle.
Accuracy It is all about the BBB for any firearm : Bolt , Barrel & Bullet !
17:17 I thought that since ATF specified in writing "90-degree vertical foregrip", they (perhaps inadvertently) thereby allowed any grip that was anything other than an orthogonal angle, right angle. So 89 degrees, 85, 80, etc was legal.
New regulations taking effect later this year add points for ANY fore-grip, even a hand-stop. Not sure if points depend on type of grip, but close to impossible to pass. Most pistols I’ve seen score at least 10-12 points on at least one section, well beyond 4 point limit to qualify as pistol. Of course most of the scoring is subjective so expect examiners to score far higher than you or I would.
89.995 deg grip
I've built 5 ARs in different calibers. My 1st build was also my most expensive and gave me invaluable insight. I built a 6.5 Grendel with a 20" Odin Works barrel, a Faxon billeted upper and bolt carrier group and a 17design billeted lower. Both Odin Works and Faxon are known for building quality parts but for the life of me I could not get a Go-No Go gauge to pass when I tried to mate the the two. Both companies were very helpful and as it turned out while they both meet federal standards, they have different spec.s. I wound up returning the Faxon BCG for credit and Odin gave me one of theirs which solved the problem. If your going to build an AR, rent a set of Go-NoGo gauges and make sure the bolt closes on the go gauge and doesn't on the NoGo. The build will be ALOT safer!
I really like this style of content your doing, you can definitely see where you have a grown so much as a content creator and how far you’ve come. But I also gotta say I love your pistol reviews/concealed carry content. I would really like to see an update on your top concealed carry pistols. Also I would really love your ideas on a top 5 or 10 pistol caliber carbines?
My Personal Choice Is Having A Pistol Lower, Rifle Lower And An AR-10 Lower.....Then You Can Buy And Build Your Uppers And Figure Out What You Like, I Like Having All The Calibers In All The Popular Lengths.....AR Is The ADULT LEGO Set. God Bless My 2A Brothers And Sisters
Gotta say I wish this was out back when I got started into the AR platform, but even though at this point its all review for me, that just means it'll be a really good overview for others.
The best experts are students of their craft. Great videos!
Man, thank you for this! I can only imagine how much time you spent researching all of this information. And putting it all together in one place too. What a treat! Much appreciated. I learned a lot and I’m not new to all this. I would love to see the same attention to detail on each AR15 component.
Beyond normal human comprehension.
Genius level man here.
Another difference between 16 and 20 is the 20 inch will sail projectiles straight through level 3+ but 16 will struggle with it and 14 inch probably won’t make it through at all.
Good info. For those of us who love guns and have an AR15 as primary home defense weapon, I would recommend the M4 size AR15. Really, whatever you can afford. I remember clearing buildings in the 1990s with the M16A2 variant, it can be done. Optics do matter as well. Just because something is expensive doesnt mean that it works better. Practice makes perfect.
2:30 in and lets face it, i'm automatically reminded of the term mil-spec.
the single most widely used and most widely _misused_ term.
for ARs? there's _colt_ spec, and that's mostly armalite spec. the .mil complex has some minor additions, and some metal specs, but mostly mil-spec just refers to 'it's good enough to not kill you, mostly'.
not exactly a good bar to treat as a holy grail.
Mil-spec = the best functioning parts for the cheapest amount of $.
Couple of things to asterisk for Devil's Advocate; barrel length isn't necessarily going to grant more effective range automatically just because it's longer. Rather, the load of the projectile being matched for a barrel and the inherent twist rate have more beneficial qualities to accuracy and effective range than outright barrel length. It's entirely possible to have too long of a barrel length for too small of a powder charge (and associated burn rate) where the bullet sees increased friction and too long of a powder burn duration versus travel distance where it is possible for it to leave the muzzle at a slower speed than ideal for a given projectile size/weight. For instance, an el cheapo range round of 5.56 may fire better through a 16-18" barrel versus a 24" barrel, where the neutered charge of bulk ammo may finish combustion at the 16" mark, whereas a match round with a slower burn rate will continue accelerating the length of the full barrel if designed to do so.
Another consideration that generally makes a rifle more accurate between a large group of shooters is the distance between the sights. A longer sight distance between front and rear (mostly seen in iron sights) tends to be easier for a shooter to make an accurate shot placement. A heavier barrel does tend to be more durable over the long end of repeat shooting, but more difficult to keep on target if held in hand versus a rest due primarily to weight and shooter fatigue of a heavier weapon. My first AR was a purchased Rock River with decently light carbine barrel length, and I could drill rounds with it all day. I then built an AR some years later and used a heavy barrel. Still very accurate and will last a very long time, but the barrel weight is quite a bit more noticeable after an extended range session. The trade-off of the weight is that it is more resistant to heat soak and/or droop with extended firing time versus something like a pencil barrel for instance.
Thank you, Jonathan, very informative. I trained on the M16 but I have little practical knowledge of firearms. Your channel and the many other worthwhile channels are like classroom lectures. ⭐️
Wow! For a man that says he don't know everything, you know a lot and explained it very well. Quite impressed.
The "government profile" barrel was thinned at the front half so that it could mount the M203 grenade launcher. That's also why it has that thin step out past the gas block.
That's a "m4" profile, it has specific sections that are thinner at the front to Bobby the m203. Looks terrible and there's no need for it on a civilian rifle.
@@DevDog67 Right.. Same difference.
Outstanding video sir , don't know if this qualified as a walk through as the detail is so pronounced no way anyone couldn't have a working knowledge after seeing this , great for beginners and the well read in this field.
I think a 1:2 twist rate on a 17.34 inch barrel made out of copper and chambered in .32 acp is hands down the best.
I'm sure others have already said this but the carbon content is not 40% or 50%. It's .40% and .50% which is less than 1%. Once you reach 1% things get really brittle when heat treated.
Although it was a long video, it was very informative and well thought out and presented. There's a lot of good information in this video. Even the more experienced shooter can still learn things, and it doesn't hurt to stay refreshed knowledge.
I greatly appreciate your detail as a new AR builder. I went stripped lower to start as a pistol and build others, and now intend on building an SBR with a second lower. Your content is allowing me to plan out how I build my uppers to work with lowers and navigate the plethora of options available. Your BCG video lead me to Sharps BCGs and now have they're adjustable on the way. This video has provided many options to look at for a multi-use barrel along with my specialized builds to come (Beowulf, Grendel, Valkyrie). It's unfortunate YT has hindered your platform, but I am happy I have discovered everything you have to offer.
If you’re negligent with a loaded gun, you’re gonna have a bad time.
Twist rates for the US Military are based on testing in Subzero artic conditions with Tracer and Ball. For the M193 tracer companion the twist needed to be 1/12 with M855 ball and companion tracer it is 1/7. What counts is the length of the projectile and sufficient velocity for the full benefits of rifling to be realized.
I swear by 1:9 twist rate. From a technical perspective, it is the absolute best twist rate if you primarily shoot military bullet weights. It is also able to accurately shoot down to 50 grain and up to 68 grain before it starts to lose performance, so the heaviest varmint loads and decent hunting loads are also in your range. It is therefore a pity that far too few manufacturers offer this as an option. Also, for the love of all things gun-related, if you have a 20" AR do NOT get a 1:7" barrel; you won't be able to shoot anything well except the heaviest (and most expensive) hunting bullets. Because it's not RPM in proportion to velocity that determines whether a twist rate is too slow or too fast, but rather simply RPM by itself, optimal twist rate goes DOWN as barrel length (and velocity) goes up. 20" should always be a 1:9 or 1:10 twist rate, although if you're only shooting military bullet weights a 1:12 is superb.
I have to agree. After owning many 1:9 tack drivers, all of my 1:7's have been good at best. All of my tack driver 1:9's have been inexpensive Wilson barrels, from Sherluk's in Ohio.
good to know
What about 1:8
@@airsoftluke17 1:8 is not as good, despite being more common. It's better than 1:7, but 55-grain is still outside the optimal range for 1:8.
What’s the best twist rate for 40 grain varmint rounds?
I started watching you before I joined YPG and went to rojava (northeast syria). I dont remember exactly when, but it was on an old account, back in 2016.
I genuinely love your channel. Do you have more sponsorships than other channels I watch? Absolutely. But you're transparent about those sponsorships, and you update us if you discover a problem a year later.
And you do all of that without getting into politics. I dont hate the politics if the gun community, but sometimes I dont want to hear a political diatribe. I KNOW I'm just getting gun stuff here. No politics. Nothibg NEAR politics. No "come and take it".
Its just guns. And parts reviews. Nothing else, for better or for worse. And sometimes, we all need that.
Thank you for your channel.
For the average person wanting some of the best barrels I recommend - Criterion, Daniel Defense, Larue, FN, Triarc and Centurion. Honorable mention BCM but I’ve seen issues with QC and Black river tactical they offer hammer forged chrome lined barrels but they’re relatively new and I’ve not personally used them.. If buy once cry once is not possible Ballistic Advantage is a great company to look to, they make great barrels for the price.. this list purposely left out companies like Barlein, Krieger, Lilja and Proof as they’re some of the best bench barrels but I personally wouldn’t consider them for a duty/HD/shtf build but they’ll definitely do the job too
You forgot Double Star, got an HBAR 16" for low recoil, high rate of fire build with brake, titanium BCG with reduced diameter port gas tube trying out
Criterion too. Good to go.
Wilson Combat barrels are nice
Need to check everything, got a 16" mid length Wylde chambered barrel, before I put it in anything I took the bolt i planned to use and it would chamber a .223 but would not a 5.56. Definitely need to check before you build.
Great video, appreciate the time you put into it.
For a over gassed gun, could you add a heavier buffer to slow it down a bit?
By the way, this was an awesome video. Of course I already know all this, but you've covered an incredibly comprehensive amount of information.
"Of course".
The best chrome lined barrels are Daniel Defense and Criterion. I had to return a BFH to BCM because the chamber and bore were horrible. They did replace it pronto, but it did miss their QC..Salt bath nitride can leave deformities which the salt gas method leaves a perfect chamber and bore..
Nitride can be good if done right and the barrel is not going to see extreme heat. Monty from Centurion arms (who also makes excellent barrels) stated nitride does not go deep enough into the metal and it will flake off when extreme heat is involved. I have government test that backed up Monty's statement..Nitride has been around for a very long time and is also why the military still uses chrome lining in their barrels, even though it is 3 times more expensive..Function, throat and correct head space gauges are worth the cost when selecting a barrel..
15:47
Not how welders work my man
Lol
"Getting This Wrong DESTROYS Your AR-15..." head spacing.
Just bought my first AR which I'm building out. The struggle is real when deciding what to choose. Avid Hunter and might do 3 gun so went with 16in HBAR SS fluted. I think it's gonna be a great all-arounder. Cool video man👍
The decision is not hard at all. I shoot as well as hunt. My solution was to buy different uppers. I just change out the uppers which have dedicated optics already mounted and I'm ready to go.
I put in a nice drop in trigger in the lower so my trigger stays consistent. I have a 350 legend, 6.5 grendel, 223 Wylde 20" and a .22LR upper that I swap out depending on what I need. No buffer or spring changes needed. Pop 2 pins and swap out to whichever I am needing.
Ive had trouble with multiple carbon barrels. They shoot great for 3 to 5 shots then it opens up as it heats up. For the money I don't get it. Tried 3 different barrels. They all opened up fast as it heated up.(3-5 shots).
You're scratching my nerd itch, thank you.
Wow, concise, easy to follow, superb teaching style. You leave room for differing views while still delivering the information confidently. This is rare to find a tutorial where the data works together with the delivery to successfully teach the listener. Well done.
One of your best content ever. Great job! Loved all the info...👊🇺🇸🇺🇸👍
This is one of the best videos on barrels ever. Thank you.
My Sam7sf, Giessllie 5.56 Superduty, LWRCI-DI & Gen4 Noveske all have CHF barrels but my top tier barrel came with my Gen4 Noveske. It actually came with a $600.oo CS 13.7 CHF land & grooved double chromed lined M249 machine gun spec mid length bull barrel. That was alot of stuff too say about a barrel but I know it will last me for ever and I can mag dump in some of the coldest weather and still be on point...👊🇺🇸🇺🇸👍
Really?????????
@@dbelex That's what a spec M249 barrel is designed to do. I knew my Noveske barrel wasn't SS. and my paperwork was telling me that it was a CHF. barrel but I didn't know how special it was until I contacted one of their gunsmiths. They only produce the M249 spec in their 13.7 platforms. It's designed for extreme heat and abuse under fire. It's not your typical range barrel...👊🇺🇸🇺🇸💪
@@dbelex Go to the Noveske website my friend, and tap on to the barrel layout. It will explain everything about the 13.7 M249 spec barrel...👊🇺🇸🇺🇸💪
I bought a 16” 223 wylde barrel so I don’t have to worry about ammo availability. If I can’t source 223 for some reason, I buy 556 and vice versa. For me and the couple people I plink with, 223 wylde is the go to barrel for people who aren’t ammo snobs. We shoot what’s available because no matter what we pick they’re just going to be reliable rounds. I like 223 better because it’s easy for me to source and I’ve noticed slightly better accuracy in my gun in particular. A friend of mine says he has the exact opposite result on accuracy but still prefers the 223 because it’s easier to find in his area. I like sourcing my ammo online and he likes sourcing his locally so he can support local businesses. I go for most bang for my buck while he likes the feeling of knowing he supports local businesses. In the end it doesn’t matter what you shoot or what ammo source you use. Just have fun and be safe.
I chose 223 wylde for the same reason and also found better accuracy, but I haven't shot at a longer range distance such as 300 yards and beyond
A Wylde lead is between 5.56 and .223. So you might still get higher than normal chamber pressures like firing 5.56 in a .223 would. That's why I stick to a mil-spec 5.56 chamber.
Believe it or not - BCA makes good barrels. I have a little experience with them after buying my first from them for an AR9 build. I wanted an 8.5" heavy profile and BCA was the obvious choice at that time for several reasons (it is a 4150). I think I paid around $100 for it and because of that I was a little skeptical but 3 years later I can say that the barrel has been excellent in every regard, especially accuracy. I usually go with Rosco for a 5.56 build but did grab a few BCA's over the last few years and they've also been impressive. Maybe I just got lucky? I just know what I know. I'm a self employed contractor - not a TH-camr who has tons of operating capital to buy "the best" (aka most expensive) components so I've had to find those high value parts over the years. The BCA's I have may end up wearing out several thousands of rounds earlier than my FN or Rosco's do but in that highly unlikely case - I'd just buy another.
I've always ran 16" barrels and wanted to see the difference in a 20" so I grabbed a bca so if I didn't like it I'm not out much, and if I did I could upgrade. Plus I'm an ak guy so the side charge was nice. I tore it down cleaned, inspected, and torqued everything to spec before running it, and I've been happy enough w it that I never upgraded. It's It's coyote/playing in the mountains gun so I'm not heart broken when I beat it up either.
I too have had great luck with BCA. I have a few now and no complaints whatsoever.
That's good to hear, I just bought a 16 inch side charger from them.
I’ve got 2 BCA side chargers. Like both of them only problem I’ve had is recently had the extractor sheer off the bolt carrier on my 6.5 Grendel side charger. Not huge but I think it was just poor quality control
@@DesteVadi I've been wanting to try out a BCA side charger.
You did a great video. I've been making custom ARs for people for about 20 years and your strategies are solid. One note....on AR pistols I always install a flash can on the muzzle to minimize on the back blast. It basically blows everything including the noise forward.
i learned so much today, thank you for clear and detailed information
38:11 The technical term for the stress relieving process is called annealing. I'm pretty sure that the salt bath at that temperature is just to speed up the process, and I don't think that annealing a barrel that has had a salt bath at 750 will necessarily change anything. Again, I'm not sure, but that's my initial assumption based off of the mechanical engineering and material classes that I have had.
I am not that far in the video, but I would say barrel length has very little to do with accuracy.
Noticed your had block shooting flames at 5:09. May want to check the placement of your had block on that rifle....
8:05-8:10 ...Holy bolt bounce Batman !!
Ascend receiver set... NICE !!!
Wish they would make more and bring back the AR10 sets !!!
Noticed that also. Rifle is over gassed big time!! Such a great receiver that's getting beat to death by the the bolt!!
@@bryanduchane2371 doesn't look over gassed, it's barely picking up the next rounds. Lots of things can cause bolt bounce; could be using a lightened bcg and/or buffer along with an action spring that isn't spec'd right for the gas setting.
@@muddyhotdog4103 Regardless of what is causing the problem, it's something that the slow motion camera picked up and can be addressed now that it's been identified. My question is, what would this bolt bounce do to the accuracy on reliability of the rifle?
I would assume that the dwell time will not be adequate for an accurate, reliable rifle???
Please share your opinion about accuracy and reliability. I've never had a AR that had issues with bolt bounce. My DD 300BO has been flawless and is capable of 2 MOA accuracy with virtually any ammo I run thru her.
Not bad accuracy for a 10.5" AR..... Have a 6.5 Grendel AR that is a half minute gun with the right pill. Only wish the Grendel build was significantly shorter than the 18" barrel it's currently rocking....
@@muddyhotdog4103 Do you know anything about the 6.5 Grendel round? I'm new to guns and can't find anyone who really knows that much about the Grendel round. Curious how long the barrel needs to be for the Grendel round to be effective out to 300yrds....
If you have experience with the 6.5 Grendel round, please let me know your thoughts. If not, do you know anyone who does?
Thanks so much for your help. Hard to find people who will give accurate info about AR's!!!!!
@@bryanduchane2371 It depends on the severity of bolt bounce (really carrier bounce off the trunion) but although it's not desirable, some bounce really usually isnt an issue in a semi-auto ar15 in terms of reliability unless it's extremely bad and you're lightening spring weights/buffers ect. In terms of accuracy there's virtually no impact as the bullet already left the barrel. It's *mostly* an issue in full auto that can cause hang ups and light primer strikes due to the hammer dropping the same time as the carrier bounces back not fully in battery.
I'm no expert in 6.5 Grendel, (i wouldnt say im an expert in ar15s period but I've been in the hobby a long time) i only own one chambered in it right now.. From all I've gathered - In terms of both mobility and accuracy a 18-20in which will easily do what you want it to. Even a 12in 6.5g will get you out to 300yds, but it kinda negates it's usefulness in terms of its ballistic coefficient going past that. Id just pick anything between 16-24in, just depends on if you want to get its full potential or if you want it more manageable for say hunting.
Actually Criterion calls the tapered profile the 'Core' profile. Criterion's Hybrid profile is more like gov't.
I have a m&p 15 and have found that 55 grain is what it likes, any heavier it is not as consistent. I assume the 9:1 twist is the cause. Let me know if you can tell me if that's correct or not.
Your presentation on the complexities of rifle barrels is the best that I have seen. I will recomend this video to all my shooting friens.
An expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less; until he gets to the point where he knows EVERYTHING about NOTHING.
Sounds about right
I'm not sure if that is completely correct, I think an expert is someone who knows enough to know they don't know. Or, They know when to ask someone else, lol
It's a joke. It touches reality, though.
This is true, Expert think they reached the end of knowledge.
Totally agree with your barrel list, buy them myself. Love BA never had an issue, I also scope them prior to shooting and do a full cleaning and reinspect then shoot and repeat. Don't use a bore snake to clean, they just shine dirt, clean nothing.
i use a brush and then bore snake to wipe it clean.
What are your thoughts on Ballistic Advantage?
Had the best of luck with my 16inch Hanson with the .750 gas block from them. Just ordered my 10.3 Hanson
They aren't hammer forged so you will get alot more throat erosion especially if your mag dumping but if your hunting with it your probably good
I went with Daniel defense for my barrel its cold hammer forged and chrome lined. Its an sbr so I built it more as a legacy rifle that I can pass down
That was such a great video! Some of the information I knew, but the expanded background gave me a better understanding. The stuff I didn't know that was provided, gave me an even better understanding of this platform. Awesome work!