You can't always trust barrel markings

[psalms144.1]

I've got two friends who build their own ARs, and both have had nothing but problems, accuracy-wise from 18" 223 Wylde marked fluted SS barrels from Ballistic Advantage. Small sample size and all that, but, of the two BA 18" Wylde barrels I know of personally in the wild, they both shot patterns, not groups.

[HCM]

I would have thought that before I spent six months and many, many hours screwing with Faxon with nothing to show for it. The Criterion I bought instead was only ~$50 more. Still seems like a deal to me.

Maybe you are misunderstanding me. I consider Faxon a budget barrel.

A criterion for $50 more is a deal.

[OlongJohnson]

Maybe you are misunderstanding me. I consider Faxon a budget barrel.

A criterion for $50 more is a deal.

I would consider Faxon a "cheap" barrel. It turned out to be stupidly expensive in the end, counting my time wasted and schedule put on hold for month after month. And I didn't even waste any time or ammo going to the range and finding out it wasn't accurate.

Maybe I haven't been making my point very well. In the overall picture of a build I do, where it's typically Mega/JSE receivers and components from BCM, Magpul, Geissele, Colt, etc., the difference in price between a "budget" barrel and a higher-priced one isn't that much, and it may prove to be a much better value in the end.

[theJanitor]

I've got a couple of criterion barrels, and they've been great. Accurate, balanced, and decently gassed

[Joe in PNG]

I would consider Faxon a "cheap" barrel. It turned out to be stupidly expensive in the end, counting my time wasted and schedule put on hold for month after month. And I didn't even waste any time or ammo going to the range and finding out it wasn't accurate.

Maybe I haven't been making my point very well. In the overall picture of a build I do, where it's typically Mega/JSE receivers and components from BCM, Magpul, Geissele, Colt, etc., the difference in price between a "budget" barrel and a higher-priced one isn't that much, and it may prove to be a much better value in the end.

There's few things more expensive than building with cheap parts.