Thoughts on 11.5" barrel options, or, should I re-build this?

[ASH556]

I'd appreciate some feedback on a potential re-construct of my rifle as pictured below. I've used a 10.3" based around a Colt barrel as my primary AR for several years now. Generally speaking I like it a lot and do not have reliability issues, even when running suppressed. What I'm wondering about is moving to an 11.5" barrel. An inch isn't that much (that's what she said), but the numbers say it's quite a bit when it comes to velocity. I use 62gr Speer Gold Dot, which is less reliant on velocity for terminal performance, but it's still only about a 150yd gun. My idea of a mini-recce is really a do-all gun. There's not enough distance in my local terrain to warrant a true long range gun, but the 200yd out to maybe a 400yd max envelope is realistic.

If I could just go buy an 11.5" Colt HRT barrel for anything like $300, I'd probably just do it and be done. Unfortunately the ones I can find are $500-$700. I do have a new-in-box factory Colt 10.3 as a backup/replacement to my current barrel along with a bolt. If I were to go 11.5, ultimately I would want two.

Finally, from an optics perspective, I have always had an Aimpoint on my 10.3 and when I had a magnified gun (LPVO or ACOG) it was on an upper built around a 14.5" SOCOM barrel. One thing I really liked about those barrels was their accuracy. Here's a 10-shot 100yd group out of one of those 14.5 SOCOM barrels using a 3.5X TA11 ACOG:



By contrast, this 10.3 Colt (gov profile) with same ammo is almost 2MOA:



So my hope is that with an 11.5" HRT barrel, which is heavy profile, I could get more velocity = better terminal performance, plus the added accuracy benefit.
Short of forking out $500-$700 for a barrel, anyone have any other thoughts to get the performance, or just stick with the 10.3 for what it is (reliable, short, reasonably accurate)?

Current setup:


@TGS @HCM

[TGS]

That seems like an awful lot of money to swap out a barrel for extremely incremental improvements, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

Was that group shot suppressed or unsuppressed? NSWC Crane noted in their testing of the Mk18 that suppression tended to increase precision.

[rjohnson4405]

I bet this thing is a shooter:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1023449810

ETA: Well, that being said, I have heard Noveske isn't what they used to be....

[Biggy]

Here is the 11.5" barrel I have. It has been totally reliable with and without a can on it. http://blackrivertactical.com/WP/BRT...rel-p207705041 (Gas port tuned for proper function with and without suppressor)

I also like the Criterion Core series barrels. https://criterionbarrels.com/product...v=7516fd43adaa (Gas port tuned for proper function with and without suppressor)

[Mike C]

@ASH556, I've had several guns with FBI HRT barrels when they were reasonably priced. They all shot very well but they were/are pigs additionally, I haven't seen good pricing on them as of late. If I was going to drop a lot of money on just a barrel now with current costs of things and knowing I would hang a suppressor off the end of a short barrel I'd spend a little more and get a carbon wrapped barrel. It would save you over half a pound and help balance out the suppressor, if you went with something like a proof you'll get the accuracy you're looking for likely in spades outside of the weight savings. I believe the 11.5/12.5 to be worth the added length. There is good reason why everyone is moving to 11.5, or 11.5+.

I'll add if your heart is set on an HRT barrel go for it. You won't likely be disappointed with the accuracy from my experiences but keep in mind weight tends to add up unless that doesn't bother you. I personally hate a heavy ass gun, (unless they're belt fed) I hate even more inaccurate ones. That Noveske barrel is tempting though and the price is half what you'd spend on a proof or something like I would lean towards. Good stuff costs get what makes you happy that will work with in your accuracy/engagement range parameters and budget.

[HCM]

I'd appreciate some feedback on a potential re-construct of my rifle as pictured below. I've used a 10.3" based around a Colt barrel as my primary AR for several years now. Generally speaking I like it a lot and do not have reliability issues, even when running suppressed. What I'm wondering about is moving to an 11.5" barrel. An inch isn't that much (that's what she said), but the numbers say it's quite a bit when it comes to velocity. I use 62gr Speer Gold Dot, which is less reliant on velocity for terminal performance, but it's still only about a 150yd gun. My idea of a mini-recce is really a do-all gun. There's not enough distance in my local terrain to warrant a true long range gun, but the 200yd out to maybe a 400yd max envelope is realistic.

If I could just go buy an 11.5" Colt HRT barrel for anything like $300, I'd probably just do it and be done. Unfortunately the ones I can find are $500-$700. I do have a new-in-box factory Colt 10.3 as a backup/replacement to my current barrel along with a bolt. If I were to go 11.5, ultimately I would want two.

Finally, from an optics perspective, I have always had an Aimpoint on my 10.3 and when I had a magnified gun (LPVO or ACOG) it was on an upper built around a 14.5" SOCOM barrel. One thing I really liked about those barrels was their accuracy. Here's a 10-shot 100yd group out of one of those 14.5 SOCOM barrels using a 3.5X TA11 ACOG:



By contrast, this 10.3 Colt (gov profile) with same ammo is almost 2MOA:



So my hope is that with an 11.5" HRT barrel, which is heavy profile, I could get more velocity = better terminal performance, plus the added accuracy benefit.
Short of forking out $500-$700 for a barrel, anyone have any other thoughts to get the performance, or just stick with the 10.3 for what it is (reliable, short, reasonably accurate)?

Current setup:


@TGS @HCM

11.5” is great for a GP carbine but if you really want a “mini recce” I would look hard at 12.5” barrel.

The question is mid length or carbine length. In terms of dwell time a 12.5” mid gas is proportionally similar to a 11.5” carbine gas. A carbine gas 12.5” is proportionately similar to a 14.5” mid length.

If you can wait a little bit I would try and snag a 12.5” Hodge barrel. While the Hodge rails and receivers are hard to find the BCG and barrels tend to be last at least a few days when they drop,

Other good 12.5” options would be DD, Centurion, BRT and TriArc.

[theJanitor]

12.5" middy Triarc barrels shoot very smoothly, and feel like they're much longer than they are. If you're hung up on colt barrels, cause you can shave down a FSB, you might want to consider a Triarc or Crit CORE 11.5 barrel and have a shop pin a gas block on for you. The core barrels aren't super light, but they balance well, to me

[rd62]

I recently ordered a 12.5 midlength Noveske barrel to swap out on my 10.5 LMT. The main goal was to accommodate my ape arms but also for the velocity gains. I'm also hoping to press this into a more general purpose role.

The 12.5 barrel was about $360 with gas block and tube.

[Clusterfrack]

...NSWC Crane noted in their testing of the Mk18 that suppression tended to increase precision.

No shit? Super interesting. That's what I've strongly suspected with my LMT Mk18.

[ASH556]

That seems like an awful lot of money to swap out a barrel for extremely incremental improvements, but the heart wants what the heart wants.

Was that group shot suppressed or unsuppressed? NSWC Crane noted in their testing of the Mk18 that suppression tended to increase precision.

Both groups were shot with that AAC M4-2000 pictured. I probably need to shoot another group with the setup as is. It was a cold, rainy day and the big dot in the center of the NX8 reticle covers a lot of that little white box. The gun was hot too so mirage from the suppressor. Lot's of "modifiers" as Defoor calls them or "bitch factors" as they probably really are excepting maybe the target and the mirage.

A lot of it is the mental "FWI" factor just because. Accuracy is one thing, terminal ballistics is another. Neither are probably as relevant as my OCD brain tries to pretend they are.

I do appreciate the conversation though.