NFA Musings

Sabrina is a clone of an XM177E2.  I paid my $200 and got my tax stamp to have the authentic 11.5" barrel.

I am thinking of dropping the money on Kaylee to put a 14.5" lightweight barrel on her.

The Izzy clone she's become would have a 14.5" pencil barrel or a 13" barrel made from cutting down a 20" M16A1 barrel.  I think I prefer the longer choice here.

Bravo Company sells a bare barrel with the right profile, chrome lined and made from mil-spec CMV steel.  I'd need to get a front sight base and drill for the taper pins.  I've done it before, so no biggie.  A snag with this barrel is that it's 1:7.  While I stock heavier ammo, it's a tad more expensive.  The bare barrel is $229.  Plus $29.95 for the front sight base, plus $4.25 for the taper pins, plus $3.00 for a round handguard cap, plus $2.99 for a front sight post, $1.99 for the front sight detent, and $1.99 for the front sight spring: or $273.17 not to mention shipping.

Midway sells essentially the same barrel from Daniel Defense for $256; making the total $300.17.

ADCO sells the Daniel Defense bare barrel for $265, but offers it with the FSB already installed for $286.

J&T Distributing (aka Double-Star) has a 4140 chrome lined 1:9 barrel assembly for $249.99.  I have lots of ARs with 4140 barrels so I am not too concerned about the material.

And that's it.  This is a niche product.

Bushmaster sells a 4150 1:9 chrome lined barrel assembly that's the right profile, but it's 16".  This is the barrel I ordered for Sabrina.  It would be $235 for the barrel then another $100 to get it cut down to 14.5".  For $335 I can have the better material and rifling...  Oh, and Bushmaster collects state sales taxes without actually paying the state.  They can bite me.

Del Ton used to sell the correct profile 16" 1:9 barrel in 4140 (the wife has one on Cheyenne).  They currently claim to be CMV and 1:7 for $238 chrome lined.  Plus the $100 for cutting it down...  $338 from a vendor I like with the material and twist I like.  Still...

And that's about it.

I guess I could get lucky and stumble across a real live Colt R635 barrel.  That would be 1:12 rifling in the CMV material; and it would be surplus.  Not that I mind since Charlotte's surplus barrel shoots sweet.

The path of least resistance is the J&T.