Building the "budget barrel" test bed

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  • ROLEXrifleman

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    b4 i can shoot it, and log the results I gotta assemble it.
    To give the barrel a fighting chance I decided to make it the weakest link in the upper.
    Here's the parts break down:

    Vltor VIS3 upper
    Vltor .750 gas block
    DSG Carbine gas tube
    Colt BCG
    and the Bear Creek Barrel

    all the other add on will be listed as I complete the rifle build.





    prior to loading the barrel I ran a patch through it:



    I greased the barrel extension:



    Generally this is the spot where I would post pics of the rest of the barrel install... not the case with this assembly!
    Even well lubed when I went to install the barrel it only went in a quarter inch. At first I thought, ****, this barrel extension is out of spec! so i took two different mics and measured up the extension, 1.000 on both. If we play it be the numbers milspec is .9980 so we are talking .002" of an inch over. I've installed many barrels over the years and usually the receiver gobbles them up with very little resistance. I tried to again, nope, quarter inch in at best.
    Called VLTOR and asked about it, guy on the phone said, " Ya, things can get tight with our receivers. Load the barrel into the receiver as deep as you can, then tap it in by dropping the end of the receiver on a padded bench top."
    After about 5 minutes, nothing. I pulled out a brand new 1" lapping bar and measured it, 1.000. tried running it through the receiver and it acted just like the barrel. After what seemed like 1 hour ( 13 minutes) i had finally lapped the receiver. Almost nothing was taken off. Reinserted the barrel and for the next 10 minutes did as VLTOR directed till finally the barrel seated. I sure hope to god this barrel isnt a lemon cause the way it fits into this upper is a dream!

    Torques the barrel nut to 40 foot lbs:



    centered and tightened the gas block:





    And here you go!





     

    ROLEXrifleman

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    The irony in all this is the fact that the gas block was $58.05 to my door:



    And an entire barrel was $92.64:






    The gas block cost 63% of what my barrel cost. lol, thats not right!!!!
     

    ROLEXrifleman

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    And to me this is the money shot.
    We talked about the extension being a little rough at the ramps..... Well, by the time we got the barrel seated I don't think those will be an issue anymore.



     

    KG1

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    A tight barrel extension to receiver is preferable until such time that you need to possibly take it apart. Those m4 extension cuts don't look to be an issue. Looks good to me so far.
     

    ROLEXrifleman

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    Do you plan on building a lower too or just swap it and go?

    I have an Armalite T model lower with very low miles laying around. I'm gonna add some different furniture to it though. Was there something in particular you were looking for pics of?

    A tight barrel extension to receiver is preferable until such time that you need to possibly take it apart. Those m4 extension cuts don't look to be an issue. Looks good to me so far.

    Without a doubt that's what we want, but how many builds actually have uppers and barrels that don't just load right in with minimal effort. If and when this barrel needs to come out it'll have to be driven out with a 1" dowel rod.
    But if its a shooter it'll be on for some time!
     

    KG1

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    It's an interesting build. Curious to see how the barrel performs. I've eyeballed those budget barrels a time or two but never took a chance on one.
     

    1775usmarine

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    I have an Armalite T model lower with very low miles laying around. I'm gonna add some different furniture to it though. Was there something in particular you were looking for pics of?



    Without a doubt that's what we want, but how many builds actually have uppers and barrels that don't just load right in with minimal effort. If and when this barrel needs to come out it'll have to be driven out with a 1" dowel rod.
    But if its a shooter it'll be on for some time!

    I was just wanting to see how the barrel did. Didn't know if you were planning on building a lower or using one you had laying around as you said. I figure if all goes good and your happy with the results then I may put it on my christmas list.
     

    ROLEXrifleman

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    Wrapped up the brunt of the build. A few odds and ends might get added but otherwise the next few pics will take us home.

    The bell of the NightForce wasnt going to clear with the Badger rings I had so in came the ARMS #5 riser. And then because it would be right if I didn't, the lap bar comes in





    Mount it up and torque it down






    after the work is done




    On the wall with the rest of the crew and the JP mocked up
    ( This aint my 1st rodeo with an AR)

     

    seedubs1

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    I assume this is only a test bed for this particular barrel and it'll be replaced after you have your fun with it? Otherwise, looks like a lot of money into a rifle with a super cheap barrel.

    So why did you lap that VLTOR receiver? Did you try freezing the barrel and heating the upper first? I wouldn't have touched that upper with a lapping bar to make it fit a cheap barrel. But that's just me.
     

    1775usmarine

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    Wrapped up the brunt of the build. A few odds and ends might get added but otherwise the next few pics will take us home.

    The bell of the NightForce wasnt going to clear with the Badger rings I had so in came the ARMS #5 riser. And then because it would be right if I didn't, the lap bar comes in





    Mount it up and torque it down






    after the work is done




    On the wall with the rest of the crew and the JP mocked up
    ( This aint my 1st rodeo with an AR)


    I may have to hit you up as I'm fairly certain the gas tube in of my AR's is cocked ever so slightly causing a sticking bolt. I figure you have all the tools and should be a quick job.
     

    ROLEXrifleman

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    I won't accept anything less than an moa shooter out of this barrel. It's going to get 200 rounds through it during testing, if it can't hold moa for 175 of those it's out. If it can I'll use it till it opens up. This rifle will only be used out to 100 yards so I'm already handicapping it. I've wanted to do something like this for a long time.
    I've never subscribed to the heat /cold method, it's simply based on my belief that condensation occurs between those two parts when they are brought together with those varying temps. Far be it from me to trap moisture between metals. But this is based on my belief and has no real world testing by me. As far as lapping, the bat and the extension measured out exactly at 1.000, the bar didn't take much if anything out of the Vltor. If I end up removing the barrel and the next one falls in to loosely I'll just get an oversized extension and turn it down. I only talk like this because I have access to machines and the ability to get the work quickly and cheap.
     

    seedubs1

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    Sounds like fun. I'm not expecting MOA results with 10 shot groups out of that, though. But it'll be fun to see regardless.

    I won't accept anything less than an moa shooter out of this barrel. It's going to get 200 rounds through it during testing, if it can't hold moa for 175 of those it's out. If it can I'll use it till it opens up. This rifle will only be used out to 100 yards so I'm already handicapping it. I've wanted to do something like this for a long time.
    I've never subscribed to the heat /cold method, it's simply based on my belief that condensation occurs between those two parts when they are brought together with those varying temps. Far be it from me to trap moisture between metals. But this is based on my belief and has no real world testing by me. As far as lapping, the bat and the extension measured out exactly at 1.000, the bar didn't take much if anything out of the Vltor. If I end up removing the barrel and the next one falls in to loosely I'll just get an oversized extension and turn it down. I only talk like this because I have access to machines and the ability to get the work quickly and cheap.
     
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