TLDR: How are Faxon barrels? Found a discounted option, might want to try it for a build.


I have most of a rifle sitting on my bench right now. OD green anodized Aero parts thanks to another post on the forum and my lack of impulse control. Set up with a 15" atlas rail, CMC trigger pack, one of the Wilson Combat hard chrome bcgs from last year, chrome silicon buffer spring and I have regular, h1 and h2 buffers depending on what I buy for a barrel. Figured I'd go 16", but bought a blem BCM upper over the holidays so I don't really have a plan now.

Saw a clearance priced Faxon 18" Wylde chamber nitrided 5r 416 1in8 heavy profile barrel that looks interesting. Rifle gas. Admittedly, a lot of that is the $150 price but it could lead to a more spr oriented build I guess. Anybody have an opinion of their barrels? Could I do better for a similar price point?

quote:

Could I do better for a similar price point?

Doubtful, no direct experience but it should be pretty good.
No bad rep for Faxon.

Appreciate the response. I've never been around one either. It's the first time I've done more than drop an assembled upper on a lower and click the pins. I'm probably a little out of my depth.

I had a 16" mid gas Faxon barrel.
It was way over gassed.
Not a one off apparently as they stated that they over gas them.

With an A5 action I was locking back on an A5H4 (8oz) buffer.
I toned it down with a BRT Gas drive that was $60 plus shipping.

I had a 20" heavy fluted "match" barrel from them chambered in .223 Wylde, and it was a good shooter. My brother has that rifle now, and loves it.

I also had a "gunner" profile 16" in 6.5 Grendel on another gun, that replaced a cheap BCA barrel that was absolute garbage. The Faxon barrel took a rifle that was shooting 3-4" groups at 100 with the BCA barrel down to just over an inch.

They're not the greatest barrel you can buy, but they're pretty good for the money.

I consider Faxon an OK barrel. Middle of the road -- respectable results, but definitely not a precision barrel.

It comes down to your goals with the rifle. An SPR rifle build implies accuracy is a primary function. If so, I see no reason to comprise the most important part of a rifle's accuracy potential.

You have Wilson Combat components. Consider a Wilson barrel -- figure $200 to $225, depending on fluting or unfluted. Wilson barrels shoot sub-MOA out to hundreds of yards. Day in, day out.

Gun websites commonly have threads where the gun owner plans to build a high-accuracy rifle. The owner then buys a lesser barrel, and becomes disappointed with the accuracy. The owner ultimately rationalizes the barrel/rifle results -- Oh yeah, I don't really need a high-accuracy rifle, so this one works OK.

Less that I planned on any kind of build, more that I stumbled onto a heavy profile barrel and thought that would dictate a more SPR-esque build.
Honestly, I think I will continue to look for a good deal on a better barrel. I was originally thinking more along the lines of a 16" gun anyway. Pretty much everything on this gun was bought on sale/discounted anyway. Might as well try to stick to the theme.

The one component I never skimp on is the barrel.

Tony.

It's an AR10, but I love my 13.9" Faxon Big Gunner barrel.

Accuracy is acceptable and I lost half a pound off the front when switching out a 16" Aero Precision barrel.

I don't know that I'd disagree on a barrel being the most important part of a rifle. The two I have so far are a BCM CHF 16 and and 20" PSA that is supposedly wearing a CHF barrel from FN.

I just like trying to catch a good sale on my parts whenever I can. I'm cheap, what can I say.

I don't think you could do much better for a buck fifty.

I have two Faxon barrels. One is a 16" Gunner, the other is a 10" pencil. Both 5.56X45mm.

Both will outshoot my FN CHF 16" double chrome lined pencil barrel. Which was 3+ times more expensive.

Do get me wrong, the FN CHF barrel is a good shooter, acceptable for its purpose.

That said, the Faxon 16" Gunner shoots way batter. Groups are half the size, and zero wonders less after it gets hot, no mind you the Gunner is a heavier barrel, but not by much, it's a hybrid pencil/government profile.

The 10" Faxon pencil shows the same accuracy.

I got 1.5" Group with Lake City M193 a couple of times, but average was 2.5" at 100 yards. With Hornady american gunner 55gr, I got 1" to 1.5" groups.

I'm getting ready to buy a 18" Gunner barrel for a WWSD/RetroMod build. I'm looking for someone that can pin a front sight base, as this is going to be a A1 upper, fixed sight rifle.


ARman