02-23-2020, 08:43 PM
grayfox Wrote:The one - if you want to call it - drawback with the mid-grade barrels like Faxon is some are good, and some are ok, especially with factory ammo.
I would suggest you look at a couple of other barrels: a criterion (Mark at PF has them but you could be looking at a wait) and Brownell's sells some too. Or Ballistic Advantage (the fluted ones), like at Arm0rAlly where they have a decent discount.
For 300 yds and under honestly an 18" should be plenty of length. Some guys will even do a 16er. Get a freebie ballistics program and do some playing around. I like to stay above a min of 1000 ft-lbs.
For factory ammo there are like A5 says 90+ loads out there.
In my BA barrels the 123 Sst Custom Hornadys shoot under 1-1.25" and the ballistics makes them a good load under 300 yds. There's also a new one from Barnes, in 115 gr Tac-tx with an opening min of around 1500-1600 (I like to stay about 200 higher than any publish mins to make sure it will open wide enough to do its work, as far as distance planning goes), or those 129 Ablrs or even 129 sst's. Fed fusions, with their more blunt noses, I'd stay under maybe 200 yds with. The 123 is definitely the leader in deer kills, fyi. AA has I think 120 Nosler BT's too.
Get the Grendel handbooks, Vol 1 and 2, in the vendor section under AR15 build box threads.
If you're not in snow or you have back problems (like I do) be sneaky and pull your rifle along in a cart, let the wheels carry the load!!
I'd get laughed out of deer camp if I brought a cart to drag my rifle into the woods, you know how that goes. Like I said, I have a 20" fluted Criterion upper from Mark and like I said, it's beautiful and heavy(upper weighs a shade under 7lbs with scope), IDK if having him flute an 18" barrel for me would make that much of a difference.(Maybe getting rid of the muzzle brake and just going with a target crown) I'm not averse to spending the money, but since it's going to strictly be for hunting, I'm not expecting to put more than a few dozen rounds a year through it once I find a load it likes. Is there someone out there producing lightweight barrels above rack grade? I'm already using a light HG, so there's not much I can lose there. Any other suggestions?