NWcityguy2
Member
As has been discussed in numerous other threads, AR barrels generally get shot at much higher round counts than other rifles, and as such, barrel life is, and should be, a concern. As of 2016, the most common barrel options are chrome lined, nitride/melonite treated, stainless steel and unlined carbon steel. Each of these barrels types can be bought as part of completed rifles, upper assemblies, or as an individual part. Also, they can vary in price between less than $100 and up to $400 or more. Of my three ARs, one uses a Green Mountain 41V50 20" chrome lined barrel, one uses a 16" button rifled FN chrome lined barrel, and the final has a 16" PSA Freedom SS barrel.
Luckily, I have kept some record or accuracy on all three barrels. For the Green Mountain and FN barrel, I even made posts here, which I will reference. I will review all three with accuracy tests, approximate round counts, and if possible, pictures of previous accuracy tests. For my first post, I'll be reviewing the PSA Freedom SS barrel.
This barrel was bought as part of a complete upper back when the PSA Freedom line was fairly new. At that this, at least to my knowledge, they only offered stainless steel and unlined carbon steel. Nitride treated barrels would come later. It is a 16" mid-length gas barrel with a medium profile and taper pinned FSB. The upper came with single heat shield hand guards. I bought it on 02/07/15 and as can be seen, I paid $189.99 for the upper.
I typically shoot this rifle with a Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot attached. I shoot it at local multi-gun competitions, specifically when the longest shot will be less than 100 yards. For practice I shoot it until to gets quite hot, but never so hot that I need a glove on my support hand. When I test it for accuracy, I'll mate it with my lower that has a 2-stage trigger and use either a Nikon Monarch or Weaver Super Slam scope on a riser. Both scopes have a maximum magnification of 10x and are very usable at maximum magnification.
When the barrel had approximately 1000 rounds through it, I did some accuracy testing with both handloads and factory ammunition. I was pleasantly surprised by the results I got. Even with PMC Bronze, I was shooting under 2" at 100 yards, and with my Hornady 75gr BTHP reloads, I was shooting 0.75" inches. These are screen shots from a video I made while I was briefly flirting with the idea of running a Youtube channel. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures separately. (as a note, I mistakenly labeled the 75gr bullets as 77gr bullets in the video)
Currently, I have approximately 4000-5000 rounds through the rifle. Since I was discussing the differences between wear characteristics in a different thread, I decided I'd do another accuracy test to see how the barrel was shooting. The general rule is an unlined barrel can last several thousand rounds, give or take a few thousand, and still give respectable accuracy. For ammunition, I choose just to use the Hornady 75gr BTHP bullets, reloaded in mixed brass and 23.7 grains of IMR 4064, which is the accuracy load for my rifle. Since I was only using one load, I chose to shoot four 5-shot groups back to back. Below are the new results, which were shot today.
Now, before an accuracy purist says something, let me address that yes, I do realize that each group's center on impact is in a slightly different place. This is not a free floated barrel, and each group represents me standing up, reloading the magazine, sitting back down and slightly re-adjusting the rest. A handful of little things are going to shift around the group. Also, on group #4 I had a dud round, which meant I had to reload the magazine and re-adjust the rifle slightly. Coincidentally, that was also the largest group. Other than that, this picture represents 20 straight rounds fired out of the rifle, with three breaks in between.
So, between 1000 rounds and 4000-5000 rounds, the groups for my accuracy load opened up from 0.75" to approximately 1.81", which is the average of the first three groups. Or 1.94" if all four groups are included. For me, as a reloader, this represents approximately $720-900 worth of ammunition, at 18 cents a round. For someone shooting factory ammo at $340 a thousand, it represents $1360-1700 of ammunition. For perspective's sake, the cost of a similar barrel from PSA is around $90. I would also conclude that the general rule of an unlined and untreated AR barrel being good for several thousand rounds is a good rule.
Next up is my Green Mountain 41V50 20" barrel, which has approximately 10,000 rounds down the tube.
Luckily, I have kept some record or accuracy on all three barrels. For the Green Mountain and FN barrel, I even made posts here, which I will reference. I will review all three with accuracy tests, approximate round counts, and if possible, pictures of previous accuracy tests. For my first post, I'll be reviewing the PSA Freedom SS barrel.
This barrel was bought as part of a complete upper back when the PSA Freedom line was fairly new. At that this, at least to my knowledge, they only offered stainless steel and unlined carbon steel. Nitride treated barrels would come later. It is a 16" mid-length gas barrel with a medium profile and taper pinned FSB. The upper came with single heat shield hand guards. I bought it on 02/07/15 and as can be seen, I paid $189.99 for the upper.
I typically shoot this rifle with a Bushnell TRS-25 Red Dot attached. I shoot it at local multi-gun competitions, specifically when the longest shot will be less than 100 yards. For practice I shoot it until to gets quite hot, but never so hot that I need a glove on my support hand. When I test it for accuracy, I'll mate it with my lower that has a 2-stage trigger and use either a Nikon Monarch or Weaver Super Slam scope on a riser. Both scopes have a maximum magnification of 10x and are very usable at maximum magnification.
When the barrel had approximately 1000 rounds through it, I did some accuracy testing with both handloads and factory ammunition. I was pleasantly surprised by the results I got. Even with PMC Bronze, I was shooting under 2" at 100 yards, and with my Hornady 75gr BTHP reloads, I was shooting 0.75" inches. These are screen shots from a video I made while I was briefly flirting with the idea of running a Youtube channel. Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures separately. (as a note, I mistakenly labeled the 75gr bullets as 77gr bullets in the video)
Currently, I have approximately 4000-5000 rounds through the rifle. Since I was discussing the differences between wear characteristics in a different thread, I decided I'd do another accuracy test to see how the barrel was shooting. The general rule is an unlined barrel can last several thousand rounds, give or take a few thousand, and still give respectable accuracy. For ammunition, I choose just to use the Hornady 75gr BTHP bullets, reloaded in mixed brass and 23.7 grains of IMR 4064, which is the accuracy load for my rifle. Since I was only using one load, I chose to shoot four 5-shot groups back to back. Below are the new results, which were shot today.
Now, before an accuracy purist says something, let me address that yes, I do realize that each group's center on impact is in a slightly different place. This is not a free floated barrel, and each group represents me standing up, reloading the magazine, sitting back down and slightly re-adjusting the rest. A handful of little things are going to shift around the group. Also, on group #4 I had a dud round, which meant I had to reload the magazine and re-adjust the rifle slightly. Coincidentally, that was also the largest group. Other than that, this picture represents 20 straight rounds fired out of the rifle, with three breaks in between.
So, between 1000 rounds and 4000-5000 rounds, the groups for my accuracy load opened up from 0.75" to approximately 1.81", which is the average of the first three groups. Or 1.94" if all four groups are included. For me, as a reloader, this represents approximately $720-900 worth of ammunition, at 18 cents a round. For someone shooting factory ammo at $340 a thousand, it represents $1360-1700 of ammunition. For perspective's sake, the cost of a similar barrel from PSA is around $90. I would also conclude that the general rule of an unlined and untreated AR barrel being good for several thousand rounds is a good rule.
Next up is my Green Mountain 41V50 20" barrel, which has approximately 10,000 rounds down the tube.
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