Anybody use 16" bull barrels in 3gun?

[texas chase]

I'm getting a 16" AR for 3gun and was wondering if anybody uses a 16" bull barrel like the DPMS Sweet 16 or LoPro. Seems like they would be more accurate especially if you had to go longer distance on some stages, but from my limited experience, I haven't seen any in IPSC, IDPA, 3gun, etc. Just looking for some opinions. Thanks.

 

[Riss]

I shoot a 16 heavy barrel in 3 gun, but not heavy enough that I would call it a bull barrel. Most go for a heavy barrel at 20" and sometimes longer to help with the long shots. Best brake I have used is the Michulek brake from Brownells. It is $30 instead of $90 for the same thing. It's punishing for the RO when shooting inside or under a roof but it works like a charm.

 

[Zak Smith]

A bull barrel has no advantage for 3gun other than its temperature will rise slower given the same heat input, and that's not really a problem anyway. Here are some comments on the evolution of the modern practical 3-Gun rifle


article | Evolution of the 3-Gun Practical Rifle

 

[RH45]

I'm running "heavy" (.75 dia.) barrels.

If you're really strong, a bull (.920 dia) wouldn't slow you down much.

 

[Riss]

True that unless shooting at distance it will not really make a difference. It helps slightly on the 200 yard steel on the local range. But barrel is hot anyway because it takes me several shots to hit each steel.

 

[safenate]

I shoot a 16" pencil and it will hold 4" at 200 yds with a 2 moa Aimpoint, with bulk PMC ammo. It seriously outshot MANY heavier, longer, scoped rifles last year. Like Zak said, it does get hot quickly. After a 3 rifle stage match a fellow shooter borrowed mine b/c his AR quit. It was very hot with rifle-length YHM FFHG on it after 3-4 mags of rapid fire. I would consider getting a heavier barrel in the future, after another 25K or so when it is shotout. I'd like to see the Evolution one on someone's upper.

 

[texas chase]

Great comments. Zak, thanks for the link to the article. I'll chew on it tonight.

New but related Question: Who makes 18" barrel AR's w/ full length gas systems?

 

[Zak Smith]

You can get barrels like that from a lot of them. It's popular in part because it's the "SPR" setup. I prefer my barrels moderately lightweight, but made from a very high quality blank. My 3Gun uppers are about 0.70 under the handguards and about 0.75 in front-- which isn't far from the gas port to 17 or 18.

Also, when I say heat isn't really a problem, I say this from the perspective of getting barrels hot enough to see mirage through my ACOG in a 3Gun stage. The experience at the ITRC (300-400 rounds in 15-20 minutes) is well beyond the typical 3Gun stage, but even then, regular AR's worked provided their gas blocks didn't move.

-z

 

[ants]

I changed from a bull barrel to a 16" M4 profile (Wilson), surprisingly long range accuracy didn't suffer at all (we generally have one stage out to 330 yards, followed by two field courses and a short course speed stage). A well made barrel on a good receiver will shoot well enough for 3-Gun.

And the light carbine is so much easier to maneuver in short speed stages. Overall, it was a vast improvement. I see many competitors at our local matches (maybe most?) use 18" barrels, but certainly not 0.940" diameter.