1. Home
  2. AR-10 and 308 AR RIFLE BARREL SELECTION GUIDE

RIFLE BARRELS SELECTION GUIDE AR-10, 308 AR/AR 308

CHOOSE THE BEST BARREL FOR YOUR RIFLE

For the purposes of this page, we are concerned with two types of barrels. Those barrels are for the Armalite AR-10 and DPMS LR 308 pattern rifles.

BSF Barrels .308 Winchester Carbon Fiber Barrel 16 Inch

ARMALITE AR-10 and DPMS 308 TYPE BARRELS SHOULD NOT BE USED INTERCHANGEABLY!

  1. ARMALITE AR-10 AND DPMS LR 308 BARRELS USE DIFFERENT BARREL EXTENSIONS!
  2. ARMALITE AR-10 AND DPMS LR 308 BOLT CARRIERS USE DIFFERENT BOLTS!
  3. ARMALITE BOLTS WILL NOT WORK IN DPMS LR 308 BARRELS!
  4. DPMS LR 308 BOLTS WILL NOT WORK IN ARMALITE AR-10 BARRELS!

DO NOT USE AN OLD BOLT IN A NEW BARREL

Bolts and barrel extensions wear with use, and they become mating pieces and should not be used separately on other hardware. Mixed parts can result in injury to the user, damage to a rifle, and poor accuracy.

DO NOT USE AN OLD BOLT CARRIER GROUP IN A NEW UPPER RECEIVER & BARREL

The previous information from the above paragraph applies with the additions of the bolt carrier and upper receiver wear. After some use, the upper and bolt carrier become mating parts and should not be interchanged between other uppers or rifles.

CHECK THE HEADSPACE!

We are firm believers in verifying the proper headspace of the bolt and barrel. Yes, it’s a pain to perform but we feel that personal safety is worth the effort. If you do not want to buy the go-no-go gages go to a gunsmith or if your barrel vendor offers headspacing with a new barrel send them your bolt. Some aftermarket barrel manufacturers and suppliers either include proper headspaced bolts with new barrels or offer them at an additional cost.

 

BSF 308 Barrel Carbon Fiber Barrel 16 Inch Black

BSF 308 Barrel Carbon Fiber Barrel 16 Inch Black

I have wanted a carbon fiber wrapped .308 barrel for quite some time, but three things have stopped me up until this point, necessity, price, and accuracy. For this build, the necessity comes from the desire to reduce weight, and the 16″ carbon fiber-wrapped, fluted barrel weighs nearly 25% percent less than my similar Criterion Hybrid .308 barrel. The price, well it is what it is. Regarding accuracy, some carbon fire barrels have a reputation for stringing when they get hot, BSF does not. The .308 Winchester chambered 16 inch BSF Carbon Fiber Barrel appears to be the obvious choice for my new “CT Other Lightweight 308 AR build“.

read more
BSF BARRELS 6.5 CREEDMOOR RIFLE+2 GAS 1-8 TWIST 22 INCH FLUTED

BSF BARRELS 6.5 CREEDMOOR RIFLE+2 GAS 1-8 TWIST 22 INCH FLUTED

After turning down the barrel, BSF Barrels jacket a 416R Stainless steel match barrel in a roll-wrapped carbon fiber sleeve and load it under tension. BSF Barrels use this jacketing method rather than wrapping the barrel in carbon fiber because this method of wrapping has been proven to trap heat and cause delamination. The carbon fiber used is specially designed to move at the same expansion rate as 416R stainless steel. BSF Barrels drill holes into the carbon fiber allowing air to move around the barrel and vent heat quicker without any delamination issues. Using the Carbon Fiber this way keeps the rifling straighter the warmer the barrel gets because it’s under tension. This allows us to maintain superior stiffness and strength while keeping the barrel extremely lightweight.

read more
Lilja 6.5 Creedmoor Drop In AR308 Barrels

Lilja 6.5 Creedmoor Drop In AR308 Barrels

When it comes to rifle barrels they can often be separated into different classes of performance. The top level performers are what I refer to as “No Excuses Barrels”. Lilja is one of the small handful of custom barrel manufactures producing these no excuses barrels for winning competitive shooters world wide. More importantly Lilja Rifle Barrels was named exclusive supplier for .30 caliber Mk13, Mod 7, and .50 caliber Mk15 barrels for the Navy SEALS. Lilja is now offering benchrest level performance 6.5 Creedmoor drop in barrels for 308 AR/AR308 shooters. They are available in 20″, 24″ fluted and unfluted. Barrels are also available in .260 and .308 Winchester.

read more
FAXON FIREARMS BIG GUNNER PROFILE 308 AR DROP-IN BARREL

FAXON FIREARMS BIG GUNNER PROFILE 308 AR DROP-IN BARREL

The FAXON FIREARMS BIG GUNNER PROFILE 308 AR BARREL is a marriage of Faxon’s Government and Pencil profiles that gives balance of manageable weight and high accuracy potential. It has the Government taper from the barrel extension to the gas block, then transitions to a Pencil profile from the block to the muzzle. Keeping weight at the rear maximizes rigidity and resistance to heat distortion, while removing it up front moves the center of gravity to the rear, keeping your “308 AR” nicely maneuverable.

read more
PROOF RESEARCH 308 AR PR-10 BARREL 6.5 CREEDMOOR CAMGAS GAS SYSTEM SS

PROOF RESEARCH 308 AR PR-10 BARREL 6.5 CREEDMOOR CAMGAS GAS SYSTEM SS

With the release of its new patent-pending Caliber Matched Gas System (CAMGAS) barrels, PROOF Research has eliminated the issues traditionally associated with building 6.5mm and .260 rifles on 308 AR AR-10 platforms. Until now, AR-variant shooters looking for ballistic advantages from either of these calibers were faced with excessive bore pressures that necessitated makeshift solutions such as clipping buffer springs, adjusting buffer weights, and/or relying on adjustable gas blocks, to keep their rifles functioning properly.

PROOF’s R&D team has solved the overpressure issue with gas systems tuned specifically to the cartridge/barrel-length combination. “By moving the gas port, the pressure in the bore is given time to reduce to that comparable of a .308 Winchester with a rifle-length gas system, which is what the 308 AR AR-10 system was designed around,” said Greg Hamilton, PROOF’s research-and-development weapons specialist who’s also a 3-Gun and PRS competitive shooter. “The recoil impulse is noticeably smoother, which helps keep you on target while taking advantage of a more efficient projectile. Case extraction is also easier, with less case-head smearing, so the brass is in much better condition for reloading.”

read more
CRADDOCK PRECISION AR-10 308 AR BARRELS

CRADDOCK PRECISION AR-10 308 AR BARRELS

Craddock Precision’s .308 barrels are available for both Armalite AR-10 and DPMS style rifles. Using Craddock Precision’s custom .308 match chamber the AR-10, AR 308 style barrels will reliably and accurately shoot 7.62 NATO or .308Win ammo. Rifle barrel muzzles are threaded 5/8 x 24. The current lead time is approximately 3-5 weeks. Calibers for AR10/LR308: .243WIN, .260REM, 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5Creedmoor, 7mm-08, and .308WIN Match

read more
Criterion Barrels Inc CBI 308 AR Barrels

Criterion Barrels Inc CBI 308 AR Barrels

Standard equipment on Fulton Armory Titan 308 and American Defense Manufacturing 308 Rifles, respected for quality and sub moa accuracy, CBI 308 AR Barrels are some of the finest available at any price. Criterion Barrels Inc 308 barrels are proof premium 308 barrels need not be expensive.

read more
Christensen Arms Carbon Fiber Barrel

Christensen Arms Carbon Fiber Barrel

Christensen Arms seems to be one of the few 308AR barrel manufacturers who seems to be able to consistently deliver a CARBON FIBER BARREL for the 308AR platform. The Christensen Arms Carbon Fiber Barrel is equipped with a DPMS LR-308 compatible barrel extension. If you want to use this an an Armalite AR-10 be sure to use an AR-10 bolt not a DPMS. This 18″ barrel weighs in at 2.3 pounds which is over one pound less than a DPMS 308 SASS Fluted Barrel.

read more