Good video on what you could be getting if you try and cut corners and save a few bucks by going with a less expensive barrel option
Why you shouldnt cheap out on Barrel.
- Thread starter Edwardteach72
- Start date
1:52 he says a reaction rod can shear off the alignment pin when removing a barrel nut. I thought that was the purpose of a reaction rod, to not allow that to happen? The reaction rod connects to the chamber splines preventing forces on the pin and receiver - no? Did he misspeak?
spat
.950 JDJ
The barrel is the only piece of the gun that actually touches the bullet when it's being fired.
So, yea, kinda important for accuracy LOL.
So, yea, kinda important for accuracy LOL.
Vapor
.308 Win
I never cheap out on barrels. They hold whiskey and rum...oh wait...
libertysnake
.338 Win Mag
I don't fuck around when it comes to headspace and other shit. Every so often when I'm at the shop I get my firearms from, I'll have them do a quick headspace check -- even if I have to throw them a few bucks. I'll normally let them know what I'm bringing that day, and I aven't had an issue over the years.
I'd rather know thing are in tip top shape than have a problem and not know it. I want someone with the tools and experience making that call.
I'd rather know thing are in tip top shape than have a problem and not know it. I want someone with the tools and experience making that call.
Catskillkid
.450/400 Nitro Ex
Only problem I ever had with one of my builds was the result of a faulty barrel. It came from some custom shop out West where one of my cousins was friend's with the owner. I tore that build apart a million times and couldn't figure it out. Finally the owner agreed to take take a look at the whole gun and I shipped it out to him. He basically said I was putting it together wrong but when I got it back I saw clearly that he had done extra work on the barrel to fix his fuckups. He didn't charge me for it so I couldn't get too angry but yea, sorry bro. Just own up and say that you made a crappy piece.
dwa12479
.338 Win Mag
The reaction rod will hold the barrel stationary. They're rock solid, I have one from Botach that I use all the time and I love it. If someone didn't use Anti-Seize on the upper receiver threads when it was assembled, you'll get galvanic corrosion between the receiver and barrel nut from dissimilar metals, steel and aluminum. If the barrel nut is locked to the upper receiver, the only thing keeping the upper from rotating is the alignment pin, so you're putting a ton of pressure on it when you try to remove the barrel nut.
Oh okay I get it now.... thanks. That makes sense.
Not only can you get galvanic corrosion but with threads that are not greased properly during the installation process, you end up with false torque ratings which can lead to over torquing of the barrel nut and clocking the barrel extension.
impregnablecrunch
22lr
Not to dump on PSA, but this often is the tradeoff of going for a company that was shooting for like ~$500 ARs. They are going to have to cut corners at some places to make that price point. You can look at their early AKs if you really want to see this earnest. This is probably fine for a lot of the customers who take a few instagram photos with a $50 optics before it goes into a closet. It is kind of lunacy though to see how much some of their rifles are going for right now.
If you think PSA prices are bad you should check out Bear Creek.. its actually disgusting
kev74
20×102mm Vulcan
You guys have no sense of adventure! 
impregnablecrunch
22lr
I don't think PSA is really the worst by any means of the imagination. I actually think they are generally good for getting affordable ARs into peoples hands, but they have hiked some prices during the pandemic so I will call that out for what it is. I mean you can do a hell of a lot worse for value, or with companies who try to use shitty laws to bludgeon competition.
No what I'm saying is Bear Creek, one of the worst companies to buy, who used to sell complete builds for under $400 is now selling basic M4 clones with no rear sight for $900
With excellent quality barrels for around $200 or even less from the likes of Faxon and Ballistic Advantage I don't see any reason to cheap out.
If you can afford to build an AR I'm thinking you should be able to swing $200 for a decent barrel.
Rosco is another manufacturer with a reasonable priced product that I see a lot of good things about:
If you can afford to build an AR I'm thinking you should be able to swing $200 for a decent barrel.
Rosco is another manufacturer with a reasonable priced product that I see a lot of good things about:
That’s the barrel that Rosco used to pretty much torture test the crap out of. Thousands upon thousands upon thousands of rounds of full auto were also shot through it during its service life. If you follow Rosco at all, you’ll know of the sponge painted camo pattern AR with the Geissele Mk8 rail that they post pictures of every once in a while. That’s one of their first rifles they built and that’s the barrel from that rifle. My rattlecaned Geissele Mk8 AR also has a Rosco 10.5” barrel in it. It’s been great and no issues with it at all. For a 10.5” barrel, it definitely has performed well.
spat
.950 JDJ
That's what the market will bear now.
Like it or not that is the correct price for a budget AR now (it's probably actually a bit low).
If you're looking for a cheap AR you can pick from $900 or out of stock.
The companies that are out of stock are not helping you at all.
When demand exceeds supply there *will* be rationing. The only thing I trust to ration things is a free market.
$900 is not a correct price for a bear creek rifle.
You’re crazy to spend $900 for a PSA rifle when there are better rifles out there. Especially when SOLGW has some rifles in that same price range. If you’re gonna spend $900, you could easily save a tiny bit more money and be able to get a nicer rifle with more accoutrements or even build/have one built that would absolutely outperform anything by PSA.
No that $900 rifle I was talking about is a fucking Bear Creek Arsenals..
Probably 5 or 10 tiers lower than a PSA
This is literally a $300 rifle built to fail...
Oh also @Podmonkey thanks for posting that other SOTAR video on the Rosco barrel.. I was actually going to post that the other day but the thread didn't get any traffic at that point so I moved on
spat
.950 JDJ
It is right now.
No it isn't, like Pod said you can't get an actual quality DUTY grade gun for that price, bear creek is one of the furthest from duty grade out there..
Just because they got raided by ICE and their whole assembly force was sent back to Mexico because they were here illegal and now they have to pay actual wages to Americans to build the guns doesn't make them $600 better..
spat
.950 JDJ
People will pay it. That makes it a fair price.
And yet you can wait for something to come in stock that will actually work and work for more than 500 rounds
How does that make it a fair price.
A year ago CTD was charging $2 a round for bull shit 5.56 and im sure someone paid that price that doesn't make it a fair price but again nice try with your backwards logic
spat
.950 JDJ
Because that's how a market works.
How do you think a fair price is determined ?
There is the cost someone has to sell it for to break even, and the price someone is willing to pay for it. Anything in between is a fair price.
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That is the most ass-backwards thing I have read in a while
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spat
.950 JDJ
Then how do *you* decide what is a fair price ?