Would this Anderson Barrel likely be a tack driver?

[777funk]

20” 5.56/.223 HBAR Barrel .936 Diameter

20” HBAR Barrel, (heavy barrel) 4150 chrome moly steel with M4 barrel extension. Chambered in 5.56/ .223, with gas hole drilled and parkerized, Rifle length gas system, .936 gas block diameter, 11 degree target crown, 1-9 twist

http://www.andersonrifles.com/product/20-hbar-barrel-936-diameter/

Opinions? Anything there that would say it wouldn't shoot well?

I'm looking for a BENCH Only rifle (single loading most of the time) that will shoot mostly 55 grain Hornady (FMJ and SP).

 

[otrman]

So, let's see if I have this right. You want to build a tack driver capable of 1/2 MOA using the cheapest barrel you can find and the least accurate bullet design(FMJ)? Sure it is possible, but I would bet months pay the results you get will not be near what you are seeking. To get that level of consistent accuracy with every group, not just one lucky group in a 100, you will need a very good barrel, think Kreiger, Hart, Shilen, Lilja(sure there are others i am missing), shooting a match bullet that it likes. If the cost is an issue, then wait and save to get the barrel that has a better chance of getting you what you want.

 

[777funk]

The Hornady 55gr Soft Point has a good track record of being an inexpensive accurate bullet.

I've tried match grade heavy bullets out of my current 223's and found them to be no more accurate than the Hornady Soft Point. Of course that could change in a real barrel.

Anderson says that this barrel has good accuracy. Of course that doesn't mean as much from them as it would from someone else without bias.

And I agree, Shilen, Krieger, Lilja, etc would all be nice. Not sure I can justify it though. Sometimes you do get more than you pay for these days. Tooling/Machining has come a long ways. Just look at cars for example. You'd never expect a USA made gasoline powered vehicle made in the 70's to last more than 100k. Now you'd be disappointed if a vehicle didn't last 200k. That's because of competition (Japan, Germany, etc) and because both machines and process control have gotten better. I wouldn't be shocked if there's a sub $200 barrel that will shoot half MOA. I would be surprised if I find it on the first try though. I'd expect it to be somewhat of a search.

 

[Jackal]

With sub $300 (ish) barrels, a reliable 1 moa is a more realistic target goal with non premium ammo.

 

[browningguy]

Firstly, if you are going to be doing benchrest type shooting and expecting benchrest type results, then you can certainly justify a high quality barrel.

Sometimes you do get more than you pay for these days. Tooling/Machining has come a long ways.

It's possible, sometimes, but often what you find is the cheaper manufacturer isn't changing out the tooling as often, which of course is one of the major variable costs in machining. Or they use unqualified labor because it's cheaper, or they run the machine a little faster than they should. That's not to say you won't get an accurate one, just that they aren't as reliably accurate.

I'd be willing to bet it won't be sub-MOA gun, with the bullets selected. And I love the Hornady 55 SP by the way, I've used it a lot on pigs and doe's quite well. My most accurate AR right now is one I didn't expect to be. 18" stainless, cyro treated Wilson barrel, 8 twist, Wylde chamber from RRA in one of their LTH uppers. It's an MOA rifle with the Hornady 68 and 75 gr. Hornady HPBT match bullets as well as the 52 gr. and 69 gr. SMK, but not quite as good with the SP's.

Honestly in actual dollars it isn't that much more to go for a high quality barrel, percentage wise I know it looks like a big number, but it's not in absolute terms.

 

[Jackal]

I'd look into a DPMS bull barrel if your looking for a cheap fatty. They shoot quite well for the money.

 

[777funk]

good points browninguy and Jackal you're not the first to have mentioned good results from the DPMS bull barrel.

I do wonder though if a decent 20" bull barrel with a target crown in general would give good results compared to the usual 16" run of the mil military type barrel.

 

[777funk]

Sounds like it'd be a luck of the draw thing if any of their barrels end up 1/2 MOA regularly?

 

[Lloyd Smale]

buddys got an complete Anderson rifle and its a tack driver.

 

[ford8nr]

You have to also consider what the rest of he rifle will be.

 

[777funk]

Good trigger and free float tube.

 

[Nature Boy]

Otrman, that is some awesome shooting!

Whenever I hear "tack driver" mentioned on shooting forums I think "2 MOA"

Whenever I hear "sub MOA all day long" I think "that one time last year"