The .223 Remington and 5.56 NATO cartridges are based on the .222 Remington, an old varmint hunting round designed to be fired from a bolt-action rifle. That rifle was the Remington Model 721, to be exact, which had a 24″ barrel. In other words, the 5.56 and .223 cartridges we all chamber in our AR-15s…
This guide covers all the important aspects of the AR-15 barrel: Rifling, forging, and barrel steel, treatments and coatings, and the best barrel lengths and twist rates for the most popular cartridges. What is a “Twist Rate,” Exactly? A barrel’s twist rate describes how tightly a gun barrel’s rifling twists. The rifling rotates the bullet…
Whether you build or buy a rifle, picking out a barrel is arguably the most important thing you’ll do. After all, the barrel determines how your rifle performs; everything else comes second. In addition to choosing between carbon and stainless steel, and your barrel’s type of rifling, you’ve got to pick what finish — if…
Every shooter wants the most accurate and reliable barrel. If you’re building a new AR-15 or just buying a rifle off the shelf, you’re probably deciding between different types of rifling: Cold-hammer forged (CHF), cut rifling, and button rifling. Which one’s the best? Is one the best? Each type of rifling offers advantages (and suffers…
Stainless barrels have gained popularity rapidly. In the past few years, they’ve taken the AR-15 market by storm. Nowadays, you’ll find plenty of accuracy-focused upper receivers and prebuilt rifles configured with 416R stainless barrels. But 4150 barrels — commonly called “carbon steel” barrels — remain arguably the most popular. So, which is better: 416R stainless,…
The AR-15’s capable of incredible accuracy, and it’s one of the most reliable firearms ever designed. But its mass production, myriad manufacturers, those makers’ tendencies to focus on affordability, and the classic effect of “tolerance stacking” (small imperfections in components adding up to noticeable issues) mean that your fresh AR build — or that rifle…
Gun barrels are made from just two types of steel: Stainless, and carbon. When it comes to putting rounds on a target, both types of steel provide different benefits and drawbacks. So, which barrel steel’s better? Is one even truly “better,” overall? Let’s cover it — but first, we need to learn what both steels…
Why is the M4/Government barrel so popular? What are all the available barrel profiles, and which one should you pick? Is one truly the best, overall? Let’s discuss. What is A Barrel Profile? Why Does it Matter? The profile of an AR-15 barrel refers to the barrel’s thickness and shape. A barrel’s profile determines its…
Finished building your custom AR-15? Bought a new barreled upper or an all-new rifle? Trying to maximize your accuracy and land some sub-MOA groupings at the range? Then you’ve got to follow the steps below. Why You Should Break in Your Barrel Sure, you’ve bought plenty of things that came with some sort of “break-in”…
If you were looking up how to build an AR-15 upper, or how to install a new gas block, you might’ve come across this topic: Does your AR-15 barrel need dimples for the gas block’s set screws? What is dimpling, anyway? Let’s cover it. What Are AR-15 Barrel Dimples? Barrel dimples are small indentations made…
