PSA 20" A2 profile vs heavy SS

[timmay]

I built an M16A4 clone using a 20" BCM upper and like an idiot sold it thinking I needed the money. I now want to build another one but am going to use the FN CHF barrel from PSA. I cant decide on the A2 profile or the stainless steel heavy barrel. Ill be using it for all around shooting. I hear the FN AR15 chf barrels are accurate, but is the stainless that much more accurate?
The difference in price is only like 30 bucks. Ive never played around with a 20" heavy barreled AR so I dont know if they feel like a tank or not. The A2/government profile was pretty agile for 20"

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

I built an M16A4 clone using a 20" BCM upper and like an idiot sold it thinking I needed the money. I now want to build another one but am going to use the FN CHF barrel from PSA. I cant decide on the A2 profile or the stainless steel heavy barrel. Ill be using it for all around shooting. I hear the FN AR15 chf barrels are accurate, but is the stainless that much more accurate?
The difference in price is only like 30 bucks. Ive never played around with a 20" heavy barreled AR so I dont know if they feel like a tank or not. The A2/government profile was pretty agile for 20"

I had one for a while. If I were building a rifle I wanted to shoot real small holes with I would use the SS barrel you mentioned, but have it fluted under the hand-guard to bring the balance point back to the center a bit.

If its just a plinker, I would just go with A2 profile. I have a BCM A2 weapon I break out no and then when I'm feeling nostalgic. Its more than accurate enough for what its intended design was.

If im not mistaken all of PSAs barrels are made by Daniel Defense so I would not worry either way but generally the SS barrels are more accurate than their chrome lined hammer forged brothers.

 

[timmay]

I had one for a while. If I were building a rifle I wanted to shoot real small holes with I would use the SS barrel you mentioned, but have it fluted under the hand-guard to bring the balance point back to the center a bit.

If its just a plinker, I would just go with A2 profile. I have a BCM A2 weapon I break out no and then when I'm feeling nostalgic. Its more than accurate enough for what its intended design was.

If im not mistaken all of PSAs barrels are made by Daniel Defense so I would not worry either way but generally the SS barrels are more accurate than their chrome lined hammer forged brothers.

Ive actually decided on back to my original plan of building an 18" spr-ish rifle. The contour on the barrels arent as thick the 20" heavy barrels (almost no contour). Ill either be buying an 18" spr barrel from BCM or Raineer/white oak.
The dmr 20" barrel that is fluted, is almost $500...too much for me. Plus, not losing any noticeable velocity loss going down to 18"...at least not enough loss to make a big difference

 

[ICANHITHIMMAN]

Yes that sounds like a much better choice, you mentioned an A2 upper so I went with that. Dont have any 18" barrels my self maybe some day, prefer the 16" heavy barrel now.

 

[65 GRENDEL]

I dont have a 5.56 SS Barrel but I have a 20" SS in 6.5 Grendel which is also an AR 15 platform. Its got ballistics in line with the .308. In fact at 1000 yards its still supersonic where as the .308 goes subsonic by 1000 yards.

 

[rdsii64]

My rock river arms Predator Pursuit has a 20 inch stainless heavy barrel. Its the same one they use on their national match rifle. its heavy(er) than a basic government profile barrel but it is by no means a heavy rifle. If it were my money to spend, after I got the lower squared away, I would buy both a heavy barreled stainless upper and a gov profiled chrome lined upper. As far as accuracy difference, there is one. How much it matters depends on how you use your rifle. If you hang a 12 inch plate a 600 yards (a 2 minute target) and can't hit it with a scoped AR15 with a chrome lined 20 inch barrel, you won't hit it with anything else either. Now if you are trying to print a 4 inch group on that 12 inch plate, then the heavy stainless barrel is the way to go.