3-MOA with factory ammo is normal for a low-quality barrel, even now. The other thought is that manufacturers cannot guarantee their barrels will all shoot the same. With 'cheap' barrels a few will shoot extremely well, but many will not. With top-tier manufacturers many will shoot really well, but occasionally one won't. It is a lottery, within ranges of quality.
Chatter marks on a cheap barrel might indeed be their signature of quality.
I am not being critical but again, it is what it is, a range blaster.
Kcb sorry to hear your issues, I own three of these in different sizes and they shoot better than what you say yours is putting out. I would think on the secondary market you should easily get $150 for that barrel, seem to recall these barrels alone start north of $200 possibly closer to $250.
Thanks guys. I'll be taking this guy to the range again this weekend to see what I can see. I've put the upper on my best lower with the Hi Speed NM trigger, Magpul PRS stock, etc., and I'll be shooting it from a proper bench type setup. If it shoots any better, I'll keep it. If not I'll probably opt for that Aero barrel I posted earlier. I'm not going to put a whole lot of effort into it otherwise.
kcb38 Wrote:If not I'll probably opt for that Aero barrel I posted earlier...
That Aero is a $250 chrome moly...another range blaster. Given the barrel IS the gun you do yourself no favors fitting average barrels to top-tier parts like PRS stocks and NM triggers. It is more cost effective to do the opposite; top tier barrels in average guns.
Buy a Lilja barrel. Sure, it's double the price but in real terms it's only $250 more, which is the cost of ammo and effort you spend trying to get average barrels to shoot.
Thanks Klem but the lower swap is for evaluation only. To remove as many variables as possible for one test. The lower it will go back onto is a PSA lower with a Rock River 2 stage trigger and an A1 stock. The scope will be coming off and I'll be putting my Colt carry handle back on. Nothing fancy and certainly not something I want to put a $500 barrel on. The MOA guarantee that BA offers - and lives up to - will suit me fine for this particular rifle. As far as the price, my Scottish blood won't let me pay full price for anything over 25 bucks, lol. I'll wait for Black Friday or holiday sales if I have to but I'll find a deal sooner or later.
mdram Wrote:for not much more than 250 you can get a criterion from criterion
Yeah I like what I hear about their barrels. That option would be a bit over 300 for me because I'd have to have a FSB installed. This rifle will be iron sights only.
kcb38 Wrote:Honestly the only thing I expected was for this one to shoot as well as the one I bought. I regret returning it. When I didn't see similar accuracy I started looking for the reasons why, which brought me to the bore with the funky chatter or tool marks in it. Not having much experience with that kind of thing I posted it up here because I've always gotten good advice from you guys. I don't expect sub MOA but I don't think 3+ with factory ammo cuts it these days either.
That being said, I'm finding out that my results are pretty typical when it comes to these barrels so I don't think mine is a special case even with the bore looking like it does. There weren't many reviews of these things before I bought one so I could only compare it to what I had. Now that I know a little more, I don't expect them to take it back a second time. I'll chalk it up to experience and replace it if I decide I can't live with it.
ETA: I don't know if I mentioned it but the first one went back because of a canted fsb and a couple other issues.
So you're saying it didn't shoot because of the chatter? It's nice they took back the barrel but they probably did it because it's easier than arguing with some guy with a bore scope.
centerfire Wrote:So you're saying it didn't shoot because of the chatter? It's nice they took back the barrel but they probably did it because it's easier than arguing with some guy with a bore scope.
That's not what I said at all. Read the last sentence in the post you quoted. Then go back and read my original post. I think you'll be up to speed at that point.
That's not what I said at all. Read the last sentence in the post you quoted. Then go back and read my original post. I think you'll be up to speed at that point.
I see where you're coming from. You roll the dice with budget barrels; sometimes you get an OK one but mostly you don't.
I took this rifle out again yesterday and it was throwing flyers out around 4". I just sent the pic to PSA and asked them what they thought. I didn't ask them for anything, just for their opinion on it. If they replace it, that would be cool. If not, I'll put it back in the safe until I find a deal on another barrel.
PSA decided they wanted that barrel back. The new one looks better and definitely shoots better. I'm looking forward to putting my carry handle back on it. Hopefully the FSB is straight. It shot 5 shot groups consistently under 1.5" with FGMM, with a number of them being closer to 1.25" . For what this rifle is, I'm happy with that.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]14937[/ATTACH]
