AR10 precision barrel

Zcustom

Member
Decided to pull my DPMS AR10 308 out of the safe, haven't really fired it in quite a few years. Back when I bought it I just wanted to have one and never really focused on how accurate it was. Needless to say after shooting bolt guns and some of my built AR15's it doesn't really do what I want it to.

I have done a little research on barrels but nothing really jumped out as the solution. So the question is will a new, precision specific barrel make the difference and which one.
 
Do you reload? If you do not and are limited to buy factory loaded ammunition then imo you will be juggling a lot of barrels till you find one that you find acceptable accuracy for one particular load. I reload and can always find a bullet and powder combo that will shoot tight groups in every rifle I own as long as the barrel is floated, the action is bedded, and the trigger is light enough. I own a POF P415 with a 14.5” barrel and tried over 60 plus different loads in it when I first bought it. All loads ACCEPT for one shot MOA to 1.4”. One load...25 grains of benchmark and a 60 grain Vmax shot .4” consistently. I felt the factory POF 4.5 pound trigger was to heavy for my liking. I replaced it with a timney single stage 3 pound trigger that actually brakes at 2.6 pounds. I tried the same load that shot .4” and I shot little cloverleaves all in the same hole at 100 yards and .3” groups at 200 yards. All it took was lightening the trigger. I bought a BCA 243 upper and the first time out load testing I shot 6 loads that were all sub MOA and two of the best loads both shot .3” at 100 yards. This was with about 26 load tests with two different powders and one bullet choice. A Nosler 55 grain BT. I’m sure a heavier, longer bullet will group better.

So I would tell you if you reload to try several different weight bullets and powder combos before you give up.

I tried 40,50, 55, and 60 grain Hornady vmax and NBTs in about five or six different powder combos till I found only one load that shot ridiculously accurate. I was about ready to sell that gun durring my first range session till about hour number three of sitting at the bench load testing with unacceptable results imo freezing in negative twelve degrees with fifteen mile winds...and then I struck gold with the one magic load/ powder combo.
 
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I appreciate the replies, this is specifically for a 308 barrel. I know there is a variety of choices out there was just hoping someone had a manufacture they could recommend. I am not looking to get too crazy with full uppers, just a barrel.
 
If you don’t reload I wouldn’t be too picky with your group sizes then. Not trying to be a smart Alec but trying to save you some cash.

You might be better off spending the money on a lighter pull trigger and optic...or a reloading set up. Chasing barrels for a tighter group imo is the last step I would take. I never had to replace a barrel to chase accuracy in 40 years and two 64 gun safes full of rifles that all shoot sub MOA with factory barrels. Every rifle I own will shoot under half MOA with the properly matched hand loads along with a light trigger, quality optic, free floated barrel, and has been bedded.

What trigger and optic do you current have in and in your gun? I have shrunk my groups on every AR I own just by adding a single stage trigger that brakes at or under 3 pounds along with a quality optic.


 
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Um yeah, I am/was specifically recommending a Criterion barrel and was using my Creedmoor as an example. Look at the videos on you tube, using Criterion. The Creedmoor and 308 use the same receivers. You have received some good responses.
 
Which model of DPMS LR308 do you have? Most of them other than the Entry level models usually shoot pretty good. The factory trigger's are not the greatest,I'd change out the trigger for a good aftermarket trigger before I'd buy a new barrel.

I have a DPMS LR260-H that shoots my handloads extremely well with groups off a front/rear rest falling in the 1/2 - 3/4 moa at 100 yards. All I've done is swapped out the trigger and changed the A2 buttstock for an ACE skeleton stock.
 
Thanks again for all the suggestions. I guess maybe I am spoiled with bolt guns, I have several AR15's and I have gotten them to shoot as good or nearly as my bolt guns.
I run adjustable 2 stage triggers in almost all my rifles and I reload as well. This particular rifle has a 16" barrel and I just felt like a little more length may help things out a bit. All my hunting AR's have 18" or longer barrels, the chrono numbers and accuracy data backs up that a bit more barrel length does help.
 
Yes, generally speaking, shooting nice bolt guns can spoil your expectations when looking for performance out of an auto-loader.

That's not to say a nice AR build won't perform, many do, I have multiple AR's that shoot well.

Not to be meant as a personal attack on anyone, but true performance potential is not measured by a selected or cherry-picked 3-shot group, what determines true performance is the ability to shoot consistent groups on demand, every time.

Anyone who has an AR that they claim shoots 1/2 MOA needs to head on over to ARFCOM and participate in the MOA ALL DAY LONG CHALLENGE. There are a lot of great entries in that thread and it might give you ideas on a barrel manufacture to consider.
 
I would wait for a an xcaliber sale.
5 shot minimum groups with several different bullets with a powder that is know to work well in that caliber. If it won't shoot them all well or at least favor one heavily and they all shoot beyond an inch I would say the barrel is probably not going to shoot. I have a 16" bca that is not liking anything right now.
I have identical one that shoots an inch with 55 vmax ultra max reman that I stocked up on years ago. Given I will never shoot it no need to dig deeper. Just gonna give em to the kids in a few more years.
I've learned to not fight a barrel too long if it doesn't want to respond fairly quick.
Like wise I have a 20 inch Bear Creek 243 Barrel that is probably 2in with the 70 Dogtown ammo. I happen to have another new barrel identical to it that I slapped on and it's right at an inch and sometimes better with the same ammo. I also have another identical upper that shoots well with the same ammo. That barrel will probably sit in the basement for years. I don't want to pawn my junk off on somebody else and I don't want to spend a bunch more money when I could just buy another barrel. I could send the barrel back and complain that it doesn't hold MOA but then again maybe it would shoot one hole with a different load but U will probably never know. Cheap barrels are gamble.
 
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I agree with bowhunter6pt as most can’t shoot MOA all day no matter what kind of gun it is mainly because of human error alone and has nothing to do with the quality of the barrel. We all want to shoot little cloverleaves every time but on reality 99.9% of the shooters on the planet aren’t capable of it. We all have our bad days at the range. I can recall only shooting more than three shots a handful of times while hunting game in my entire life so I’ll stick with my three shot groups in most instances. It at least tells you right off the bat if you or your load isn’t working imo. I do occasionally shoot six shot groups on my 6 shooters. I do shoot five to six shot groups in my rimfires and air rifles to check POA. My AR 5.56’s and 223 rifles for some reason find myself shooting five shot groups...or more myself on occasion. Varminter223 I just received an email my replacement BCA 20” 243 upper is processing for shipment. Hopefully it’s in better shape than the last.
 
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