Help me decide

[jdcarnathan]

I didn’t post prices for two reasons. 1) I didn’t want it to impact folks decisions for the input. 2) If I decide to sell an entire upper it is nicer to have a clean slate on the marketplace if that makes sense. Been down that road with “friends” before, talk about how you got something for “x” price knowing it’s worth “y”. Then you sell it and ask somewhere between “x” and “y” and that get butt hurt. Not worth it to me. I shot the monster today and to be honest I love it. Haven’t shot the other yet as we are headed out for some 4th activities. I am thinking I may end up selling the sanders and get a Lilja, PFA, or Krieger cut and ready for me.

I’m going to change this again, Krieger, PFA, or Lilja. I know all are great, talk me into one at 20”. Maybe fluted but I don’t think the money is worth it to me.

[grayfox]

I got the lilja straight from them, their 20" and love it. model 740 I think.
I'm partial to 20" for some added range.
Then 16" for the monster as your second... easy to carry around.
Or I guess, like me (remember the 20's) I've got a second 20-er; this time a bolt action howa.

Both great ones.
I have another 20" barrel as my spare for AR frame in case something goes wrong with what I've got...

Now for the wisdom: in these days it's easier to buy it, and not need it, than to want it, and can't get it.
My 2 cts.

ps I have one fluted but to be honest it doesn't save much weight.

[Klem]

I agree with GF,

If you have a limited budget have a perfect gun with spare barrels, as opposed to multiple guns with average components.


Lilja lists the weight difference between fluted and non-fluted. You pay $100 for almost no weight saving. Up to you but I won't do it again.

Kreiger, Bartlein and Lilja are all Olympic-grade barrel makers. The likelihood a barrel from them will be a hummer is high, and a dud low. For other manufacturers you might get a hummer but the likelihood is less so it's all a gamble with predictable odds.

18-20 inches is a good compromise length for an AR in this calibre. Lilja's 319 is actually 18.8" so closer to 19".

[PNWTargets]

I have a 16 and 18 inch Grendel. Both similar set ups with Faxon BCG and Barrel. Both have an advantage over the other in different situations. Pick and chose your battles.

[jdcarnathan]

Thanks for the input fellas. Gonna spend some more cash. Y’all talked me into it.

[EastTNHunter]

I bought an 18” to begin with, but ended up with a 20” and no muzzle device. Same length, similar weight and balance, 2 more inches of barrel for a little more velocity. Also, the muzzle device tends to throw a good bit of sound upward, which ends up back in my ears when fired from a shooting house with a long roof overhang. 24” just seemed too long of a barrel on an AR for me. I don’t care for the shooting house for my purposes, but it’s easiest to setup the kids in for whom I built the rifle

[Dino11]

Grayfox,

Your like me always building stuff and changing it around. I am doing the opposite as you and changing one of mine from a Monster 20" to a Faxon 20" fluted Match Barrel, I purchased it from a guy over on the 6mmArc site. He claimed the barrel only had 8 rounds fired through it. I believe him after bore scoping, it had absolutely zero throat erosion and the gas port had almost zero flame burn, and just a couple small streaks of copper in it. The barrel was as smooth as my Odin barrel, like it had been hand lapped, I couldn't find any machine marks in it. Just hope it shoots as good as it looks.

I have another Faxon 20" it is not a match grade barrel, but it has a short chamber in it and it shoots well. That is why I picked up on this one, I am hoping that it has a short chamber. I have found that the short chamber rifles are shooting more accurate, at least in the 6mm range. Even though the chamber is short you still have a substantial jump, but it's not .120 to .140 loaded to mag length.

Aren't these hobbies fun!