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In this article, we’re talking about one of the most important components of your AR-15 – the barrel.
We’ll explain the differences in functionality between AR-15 barrels, and help you understand how to choose the best one for you.
We’ll then examine our top product picks on the market. Let’s get started!
At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Best AR-15 Barrels
- OUR TOP PICK: Faxon Firearms AR-15 Gunner Profile Threaded Barrels
- RUNNER-UP: Criterion Barrels AR-15 Hybrid Rifle Gas System
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Wilson Combat AR Barrel
Comparison of the Best AR-15 Barrels
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Are All AR-15 Barrels The Same?
Simply put, no, not all AR-15 barrels are the same. Many important differences make up their differing functionality. The AR-15 barrel makes a large impact on a gun’s accuracy and performance. In fact, this customization is a big reason AR-15s are so popular in the first place.
Below, we will examine these important differences and also look at the differences between the most popular barrels on the market.
What is Barrel Twist?
Barrel twist determines how fast the bullet will “twist” within the rifle. The inside of the barrel has spiral grooves that grip the bullet and cause it to “twist”, exiting the gun in a spiral motion. This spiral motion allows the bullet to cut through the air better and travel in a straight direction better.
What is Barrel Twist Rate Chart?
A barrel twist rate chart lets you know how fast a bullet will twist. It is typically given in ratios, so you can determine the differences between AR-15 barrels. For example, a 1:9 twist ratio will spin faster than a 1:12 ratio. Check out this chart to help you understand this process better.
What Makes a Great AR-15 Barrel?
In this section, we’ll outline some features to look out for in an AR-15 barrel. Examine these features to decide on the best barrel for you:
Length
Length is one of the key differentiating factors of AR-15 barrels. Generally speaking, a longer barrel is better for accuracy. It increases pressure down the length of the barrel, which results in more ammo acceleration (more velocity), making the bullet come out faster and straighter for longer distances.
The average barrel length for an AR-15 is around 16 inches. They can be found in all sorts of lengths, generally ranging from about 8-24 inches, with outliers on either end. Note that there are laws in certain areas which prescribe minimum lengths.
Profile
Profile refers to the weight of a barrel. Usually, there are three categories of weight – light (or pencil), medium (or government), and heavyweight. Lighter barrels make the gun more portable for extended use, but they also offer less resistance to heat buildup that is caused by repeating firing of the gun. The reverse is true for heavier barrels.
Twist
As we covered above, twist refers to the twisting motion as the bullet exits the gun. The twist is caused by spiral grooves on the interior of the barrel, which causes the bullet to spiral, which generally allows for a straighter trajectory. The lower the spin ratio, the faster the twist.
Materials
The material from which the barrel is made causes a great impact on its performance.
Generally, a barrel will be cold-hammer-forged, stainless steel, or chrome-lined.
Cold-hammer forged barrels are very strong and durable. Chrome lining is great to reduce interior heat of the barrel, and will also protect the interior from corrosion.
Stainless steel is easy to work with and develop, but doesn’t quite provide the interior protection of chrome lining.
Review of the Best AR-15 Barrels
Let’s examine the best AR-15 barrels. We’ve separated them into sections so that you can make the best choice for your needs.
Best Overall:
Faxon Firearms AR-15 Gunner Profile Threaded Barrels
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Most buyers were quite satisfied with this barrel. They especially like the combination of lightweight and medium weight design. They report a gun that is great for all-day use. It is highly portable, but still highly durable and accurate.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We like this gun because it’s the best of both worlds. It combines medium-lightweight barrel design for a gun that is portable yet durable, and still highly accurate. It has a nice lengthy barrel with a fast twist rate, and the result is an accurate shot. It’s an extremely well-rounded barrel, which is why it gets our top pick.
The Bottom Line
This is an excellent all-around choice. Accurate, durable, portable. It’s hard to get that specific mix of functionality, but this barrel does it.
Runner-up:
Criterion Barrels AR-15 Hybrid Rifle Gas System
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers were very impressed with this product for many reasons. Mostly, they pointed to its overall accuracy and lightweight design. They reported that the barrel feels great to use, and hits targets with ease.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We like the design of this barrel, which is why it’s our runner-up pick. It’s got a great profile, and it just light enough to remain heavily portable, with the added weight for durability and heat protection. It is made of highly sturdy and reliable construction, and you can tell once you test it for accuracy. Another great “all-around” design, that has ample accuracy, durability, and portability.
The Bottom Line
This is another great all-around barrel design for an AR-15. If you’re looking for a barrel for all-day hunting, shooting, or target practice, then this one is likely right down your alley.
Best for the Money:
Wilson Combat AR Barrel
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers were very happy with this AR-15 barrel. Many customer reviews raved about the accuracy of this barrel. They saw tight groups in target practice. Accuracy was the clear focus of customer reviews, and it delivered.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We think this is the barrel is some of the best value you can get. A high-performing barrel for a very fair price. The design standards are noticeable and precise. It fires extremely accurate rounds, and it’s predictable and reliable. Overall, just a great value barrel, but you might be overwhelmed by all the options available!
The Bottom Line
Another very accurate gun barrel for a fair price. There isn’t much you can say about this barrel beside you get exactly what you pay for. Depending on the options and specs you choose, you’ll get varying degrees of performance to your exact requirements.
Lightest AR-15 Barrel:
Faxon Firearms AR-15 Pencil Profile Threaded Barrels
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Most buyers were quite happy with this barrel, especially for the price. While buyers didn’t find it to be the most accurate barrel, they found it to be highly accurate considering its lightweight nature, which is high praise for a lightweight barrel.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We like this AR-15 barrel. It’s a well-constructed lightweight barrel, and one of the best lightweight barrels on the market (in our opinion)! The consistent bore and groove dimensions are quite precise and result in more accuracy than you would expect from a shorter, lightweight barrel. It gives you a bit of the best of both worlds.
The Bottom Line
This is a well-priced barrel with a consistent, reliable design. As far as lightweight barrels go, it’s among the most accurate. A high-value choice that doesn’t sacrifice performance.
Longest AR-15 Barrel:
Criterion Barrels AR-15 Bull Rifle Gas System Barrel
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers who purchased this barrel did so for its accuracy. They were not disappointed. Buyers report extremely tight groups with consistency. They also report clean, consistent design every time. It’s a bit on the heavy side to achieve this accuracy, but it’s a trade-off that many found worth it.
Why it Stands Out to Us
If you’re looking for one of the most accurate barrels on the market, this is what you are looking for. It’s extra long, with a consistent and uniform bore, resulting in extremely accurate shots. The bull barrel absorbs vibration, allowing for consistent shots, and dampens heat for added comfort. It clearly emphasizes accuracy at the expense of portability, but it’s a tradeoff you’ll make if you want accuracy above all else.
The Bottom Line
A longer barrel should mean added accuracy, and this one does. In terms of pure accuracy, it’s among the best choices on our list. It’s a bit pricy, but we think it’s more than fair for such an extensive barrel design.
Most Accurate AR-15 Barrel:
Ballistic Advantage Modern Series 5.56 AR Rifle Barrel
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers were overall quite happy with this barrel. They spoke very highly of its accuracy, and report pinpoint precision up to at least 300 yards. The one downside is that some customers have received barrels that don’t meet the exact specifications that they ordered.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We like this barrel, and it provides excellent accuracy for its profile. It provides sub-MOA shooting, and it holds up to that claim upon testing. Aside from its impressive accuracy, it has a lot else going for it. It’s a midweight barrel, which means it won’t be as heavy as other highly accurate barrels.
The Bottom Line
This barrel has very impressive accuracy for its size. It’s not the most accurate barrel out there (that would go to longer barrels), but it gets our top accuracy rating because its accuracy is so impressive for its profile and length.
Best AR-15 Stainless Steel Barrel:
Aero Precision .223 Wylde Stainless Steel Barrel
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers were quite happy with this product. Most buyers were impressed at the level of performance of a stainless-steel barrel. These barrels are known to be a little underwhelming compared to cold hammer-forged barrels, but buyers had nothing but good things to say about this barrel’s quality and accuracy.
Why it Stands Out to Us
This is our pick for the best stainless steel barrel. Simply put, it’s well designed for consistent performance. You can tell each barrel was rigorously tested. The tight chamber tolerance results in great accuracy, and it’s even better than you’d expect a stainless steel barrel to be.
The Bottom Line
We chose this barrel for its rigorous quality control measures and consistent performance. It delivers on both fronts. It’s highly accurate and not too heavy.
Best 20-inch AR-15 Barrel:
Criterion Barrels AR-15 HBAR Rifle Gas System Barrel
Pros
Cons
What Recent Buyers Report
Buyers were very happy with this barrel. The feature they kept coming back to was accuracy. Some buyers reported shooting sub-0.5 MOA with consistency! Other buyers were shocked at how easy this barrel was to clean.
Why it Stands Out to Us
We think this is an excellent choice for a 20-inch barrel. It is the ideal length for additional accuracy. The barrel is a bit heavy, but that only provides superior heat absorption and vibration dampening. It’s a definite tradeoff between weight and accuracy, but we think it’s worth it. It’s simply one of the most accurate barrels on our list.
The Bottom Line
If you’re buying a 20-inch barrel, you’re likely doing so because accuracy is your top goal. This one delivers on that. It has consistent, reliable performance that is repeatable. We also need to point out the chrome lining, which is an excellent addition for added durability and extended barrel lifespan.
Comparison Overview
In this section, we’re going to run you through some common areas of confusion with AR-15 barrels. By clarifying the differences between these tricky concepts, you’ll have a better understanding of how these barrels perform, and which one is right for you.
Rifle Barrel Twist Rate vs Bullet Weight
As we explained above, the twist rate is what applies the appropriate “spiral motion” to a bullet in order to allow it to cut through the air with efficiency. This results in more accuracy over longer distances. It is often used in relation to bullet weight, but the more relevant factor is bullet length (although weight does tend to go up with bullet length).
Basically, the longer the bullet, the more twist is needed to stabilize it properly. A longer bullet tends to be heavier and less aerodynamic, so it needs more twist-action to have the same level of accuracy.
AR-15 Stainless Steel Barrel vs Chrome Lined
Typically speaking, chrome-lined barrels are more efficient at protecting the interior of the barrel, and also better at heat absorption. Both are quite durable, but chrome-lined is a bit more durable. Stainless steel is easy to work with and forge, which typically results in a lower price tag.
10.5 vs 11.5 AR Barrel
Both of these barrel sizes are quite short and generally geared toward increased portability and maneuverability of the gun itself. They result in quite a lightweight gun and tend to not have the pinpoint accuracy of longer barrel designs.
18 vs 20 Inch AR Barrel
These are two longer barrel designs. Both are designed for pinpoint accuracy, but still, maintain a lighter weight design than 24-inch options. They are geared toward accuracy, with the 20-inch geared slightly more toward accuracy, and the 18-inch geared slightly more toward lightweight design.
AR-15 14.5 vs 16 Inch Barrel
The length difference between these two options is minimal. The 16 inch has slightly better velocity, but the 14.5 inch tends to be slightly lighter in weight (depending on the materials). Performance differences between the two probably won’t be noticeable except by very advanced shooters.
AR-15 Heavy Barrel vs Light Barrel
Heavy barrels and light barrels are designed for different functionality. Heavy barrels typically absorb heat better, as they are thicker. They are also more durable overall. They may also provide better vibration absorption for more consistent accuracy.
Light barrels sacrifice these qualities for portability and maneuverability. They also tend to be a bit shorter, which results in less velocity and accuracy.
1 In 7 Twist vs 1 In 9 Twist Barrel
1:7 twist is a faster twist than 1:9. 1:7 means it will spin the bullet one full revolution in 7 inches, while 1:9 means it’s a full revolution in 9 inches. Faster twist is more ideal for longer bullets, as they require a tighter twist for better stabilization.
AR-15 Barrel Length Laws
As you can probably imagine, gun laws are complicated and differ based on your municipality. We cannot say the exact gun laws in your area.
In most areas of the USA, 16” is the minimum barrel length of an AR-15 rifle, as it is classified as a “normal rifle”. However, a 14.5” barrel with a muzzle attached can sometimes meet these descriptions.
Additionally, a shorter barreled AR-15 may also qualify as a “short-barreled rifle” in certain jurisdictions and will require a special ATF tax stamp.
The laws are confusing, and you need to check with your municipality to know for sure.
AR-15 Barrel Removal and AR-15 Barrel Install
Removing and attaching an AR-15 barrel is not always an overly complicated process, but one you will need to know how to do correctly. As with anything of this nature, it is best to check the instructions of your specific barrel and your specific AR-15 components. Proper removal and installation must be done in accordance with the parts you have, but here is a general look at how it’s done. For more accurate details consult the video below:
- Use a barrel nut wrench to loosen the barrel nut.
- Put new barrel into receiver and position index. Install new barrel nut, tightening until it lines up with receiver gas tube port.
- Check alignment of gas tube port and receiver gas tube port.
- Slide the front sight block assembly into the barrel.
- Install gas tube cross pin.
- Loosen vise and use a quality level to level the receiver.
- Rotate gas block to match level read on the receiver.
Please note that these are general instructions, and you’ll have to tailor them to your specific make and model.
Cleaning an AR-15 Barrel
Cleaning an AR-15 barrel can be a precise task, and many people will tell you different ways to do so.
We recommend buying a pre-made gun cleaning kit. You can technically buy the parts separately and use different materials, but a quality gun cleaning kit will simplify the whole process and give you the tools needed.
A gun cleaning kit will have the tools to clean all parts of your gun, but for now, we are focused on the barrel. Cleaning the barrel can be a difficult task because it requires getting inside the gun itself.
One thing to focus on is to clean from the rear of the chamber. Don’t insert a brush or rod from the front. We recommend some Bore Cleaner and any sort of brush or rod that was designed for use with an AR-15 barrel. Go from rear to front, until it comes out clean.
Be sure to use materials specifically designed for this task, as you wouldn’t want to damage the finish on the interior of the barrel. Overall, just be very careful, and find the method that works best for your gun. It will be different for different barrel lengths, widths, and designs, and you need to tailor your approach.
AR-15 Barrel Length Velocity Chart
Wondering what velocity you can expect from different AR-15 barrel lengths? It will differ a bit based on the specific construction of the barrel, but the chart below will show you what to expect:
Conclusion
Thanks for reading our guide to AR-15 barrels. A barrel determines so many things about accuracy, velocity, consistency, look and feel, and much more. In this article, we explained the functional differences between different barrels, and the top products on the market. But the best AR-15 barrel is just the one that works best for you!
People Also Ask
Before we wrap up this article, let’s look at some commonly asked questions about AR-15 barrels. We want to make sure this is a completely comprehensive guide.
How to Measure AR-15 Barrel Length
The easiest way to measure a gun barrel length is to insert a rod down the barrel as far as it can go (after unloading the gun of course). Then, mark where it’s as deep as it can go, and measure from here to the end of the rod, this is your barrel length.
What is the Shortest Barrel Allowed on an AR-15?
It depends on local municipalities and jurisdictions, but under normal gun laws the barrel likely won’t be allowed to go under 16”. Sometimes, a barrel of 14.5” with a muzzle attached will still qualify. Certain jurisdictions allow you to buy a special tax stamp for a “short-barreled rifle” which would permit a shorter barrel.
What is the Best Barrel Twist For AR-15?
It depends on the length of the bullet you are using. Most AR-15 barrels have between 1:7 and 1:9 twist.
What is the Legal Barrel Length For an AR-15?
As stated above, the shortest legal barrel length for an AR-15 is typically 16”, but there are special laws in certain jurisdictions that allow some exceptions.
What Size Threads on AR-15 Barrel?
AR-15s most often use threads which are 1/2x28 thread pitch. There are some exceptions that you will have to note as you survey product offerings, but this is the most common.
How to Tell Who Made My AR Barrel
Generally, it should be marked somewhere on the barrel. The stamping will often tell you some specifications and the manufacturer.
If you are having trouble, look for a product identification number somewhere on the barrel, and try a quick online search to verify the make and model of your barrel.
Faxon Firearms AR-15 Gunner Profile Threaded Barrels
How to Break in a New AR-15 Barrel
Breaking in a new barrel is about removing small imperfections on the interior of the barrel to maximize performance and accuracy. Generally, you should shoot a bullet, and then clean the barrel (check out our cleaning process above). Repeat this a few times, and then shoot a few more bullets before each clean. Do so until the accuracy is ideal!
How to Determine Barrel Twist
Generally, barrel twist will be marked somewhere on the barrel. If not, look for a manufacturer’s make and model, and do a quick online search where you can learn about product specifications. The twist will be given as a ratio, and most AR-15 barrels are between 1:7 and 1:9 in a twist.
Do Stainless Steel Barrels Last Longer?
It depends on a multitude of factors. Generally speaking, yes, stainless steel barrels last longer than other barrel types. Stainless steel is better at protecting against the heat that causes the barrel to degrade. It also depends on the quality of construction, thickness of the metal, heaviness of the barrel, and other factors that influence a rifle’s durability.