Barrel Selection

This article is not meant to convey everything there is to know about barrels. It is a very boiled down punchline of our Barrel Deep Dive series with our recommendations for barrel specifications.

We strongly recommend that you check out the Deep Dive if you want to understand the thought and science behind barrel design and selection.

Our Recommendations

Small Frame Recommendations

Large Frame Recommendations

High Level Overview

Barrel Material

The material that a barrel is made from can have a profound impact on performance and longevity.

Our recommendation for a combat carbine barrel: CrMoV (a.k.a. CMV, 4150 CMV, 41V50).

Our Recommendation for a dedicated precision rifle: 416R (NOT 416SS).

Note that we do not recommend carbon fiber, fiberglass, titanium, or aluminum barrels for a combat-capable weapon. They either fail the durability test, the value test, or both.

You can find a detailed analysis of barrel materials in our Barrel Deep Dive.

Barrel Exterior Finish

The exterior finish of the barrel primarily affects the resistance of the surface to corrosion.

Note that nitride on the exterior means nitride in the bore.

You can find a detailed analysis of barrel finishes in our Barrel Deep Dive.

Bore Finish

Bore finish impacts the durability and longevity of the bore. It can also have an impact on accuracy/precision.

You can find a detailed analysis of bore finishes in our Barrel Deep Dive.

Barrel Length

The most important number to remember is 16.

Anything under 16″ is either a pistol or a short barrel rifle.

Anything 16″ and up is a rifle.

If you don’t already know this, please stop here and go read NFA and Prison.

Beyond legality, the appropriate barrel length is based on what you intend to do with the gun.

Barrel Contour/Profile

The contour of the barrel has an impact on weight, rigidity, and thermal stability.

Note that we do not recommend fluting or other surface modification of AR barrels. The benefits are overstated/misstated and the drawbacks outweigh the benefits in the context of an AR.

You can find a detailed analysis of barrel contours in our Barrel Deep Dive.

Gas System Length

Gas system length has profound impact on the operation of the weapon system. Do not take this parameter lightly.

Refer to our Gas System Deep Dive and Barrel Deep Dive for an in depth review.

Chamber

The pairing of cartridge and chamber is important.

Refer to our Sister Cartridges Deep Dive for an in depth review of the considerations.

Twist Rate

Selecting a twist rate is not as simple as most make it out to be. The rifling twist imparts stability on the bullet. The appropriate twist rate is dependent on the bullet and muzzle velocity.

Refer to our Barrel Deep Dive for structured guidance.