Lightweight Barrels

cjclemens

New member
So, as far as I can tell, the heavier AR barrel profiles get a lot more attention when it comes to varmint rifles. I was just wondering if anyone is using a lightweight setup for coyotes. I know thin barrels heat up faster and start to lose accuracy before their heavier counterparts. What I've been wondering is: How many shots does it take for that to actually happen? Realistically speaking, how many shots do we normally get to take when coyotes start coming in to the call?

Basically, I was just thinking of building a lightweight carbine that's easy to carry. There are times I like to hunt a few spots that aren't easily accessible by truck, so I can see where shaving a few pounds off might be nice.
 
My hunting rifle has a light contour (M4 Carbine) barrel....When I'm hunting, the probability that I will fire more than two rounds is very remote....



My competition AR, that also doubles as a back up Prairie Dog rifle, has a bull barrel for high volume, rapid fire use...



When I first put the hunting rifle together, I ran a rapid fire function test and after 20 rounds saw very little heat distortion with it..17 rounds in the center and three initial sight in shots on the right...

 
yes take a look at black hole barrels, they have standard and 2 light weight options, the slim is the same barrel that just tapers after the gas block instead of the full .750 ish to the muzzle. unless your shooting colony varmints I don't know why anyone would shoot more than a black hole standard weight contour.
 
Originally Posted By: cjclemensBasically, I was just thinking of building a lightweight carbine that's easy to carry.

Maybe an ARP Scout profile would work for you? ( .700/.750/.700)

http://ar15performance.com/5_56_223_wylde

Originally Posted By: OldTurtleMy hunting rifle has a light contour (M4 Carbine) barrel....When I'm hunting, the probability that I will fire more than two rounds is very remote....


Old Turtle.... I figured you would be hunting hogs in south FL by now? If you bust up a 15 hog sounder in a field you would heat up those barrels.
 
Last edited:
I have a couple of Daniel Defense 16 inch Pencil Barrels for hunting and both are 1/2 to 5/8 inch shooters and easy for this old buzzard to carry.
 
Last edited:
That AR Performance barrel looks pretty nice. The price ain't too bad either. I've been looking for an excuse to start my next project. I'm thinking lightweight is definitely the way to go.
 
This rifle has a BHW 18" 223 Wilde, light contour midlength gas system. Used a 1-4 Illuminated SWFA SS scope. Liked the scope so much I bought another today.

Kind of hard to tell, but it worked great for a calling rifle.

 
I split the difference and went hbar profile. Not a pencil and not a log either. Just enough weight out front to make it ride good on the sticks.
 
I run a AR Performance 16" scout profile 223 Wylde on my hunting rig. It's great to carry and will shoot even cheap fmj about 1moa. I have had 53gr Vmax down to a .297 group, but at that time they were so hard to get ahold of I went with a 55gr Vmax load at about .5". I need to revisit that load.... Anyway I like the barrel so much, I have a 16" scout profile ARP barrel chambered in 6.8SPCII mounted on a mega billet ambi matched receiver set.... Nearly finished.
 
Originally Posted By: goose_boyAnyway I like the barrel so much, I have a 16" scout profile ARP barrel chambered in 6.8SPCII mounted on a mega billet ambi matched receiver set.... Nearly finished.

I did a 6.8 SPC upper build with an AR Performance 16 inch Socom profile and it's been a great hog hunting rifle. Shoots accurate and the melonite barrel cleans easily. I also used a Mega upper receiver but forged instead of billet. It's been running on a RRA lower but I am going to build a Mega forged lower for it.

I also have almost all the parts in now for a complete rifle build with a 18 inch ARP 6.5 Grendel barrel. This one will be built with the Mega ambi billet set and a full length Mega Wedge Lock (M lock) hand guard.
 
Originally Posted By: Rich in VAI have a Faxon 16" pencil barrel that is a real shooter.

I second that. My Faxon pencil barrel is one of the lightest barrels available. It shoots MOA or better.
 
My vote is also for the Black Hole Weaponry. I've seen 2 of these shoot extremely well and both were the lightest profile you can get with the honeycomb fluting . Extremely light weight and accurate. The only down fall was the price. I think they were close to $550 each.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top