.223 Wylde

Did a search, found a few threads but not really answering what I'm pondering so I'll start a new one.
I currently have a 16" middy with a aimpoint that serves as my sole, do it all, home defense, SHTF, 3 Gun/competition rifle. Love it, works great. I'm now building a suppressed SBR and enjoying the waiting game. Once my new toy is done, it feels like my 16" is sitting in a limbo area when it's racked next to the SBR so I'm thinking of putting an 18" rifled gas system on so it can reach out a weeee bit farther for tacrifle and 3 gun style shooting along with a scope (Tac30/MTAC or something similar).
So with the background info out of the way, I'm looking into .223 Wylde 18" rifled gas system to slap on the current gun once the other is built up. While the barrel will shoot better than me, I do like buying into equipment that I can grow and train in to vs train out of.
Couple of questions-
Are these barrels temperamental at all? Do I need to keep them perfectly clean? A PDF I read on Rainer Arms website about their match Wylde barrels kinda threw me. I'm not a big fan of babying guns. Reliability (for SHTF purposes) is more important than hyper-accuracy (I may just get a BCM 18" barrel in 556 and be happy).
I'm not into reloading (yet) so will I see value in performance if I'm just shooting standard 55gr or does the performance really peak when you get into doing your own loads? (That will be a few years down the road)

I've got a few months before the other rifle is able to be built. I'm just thinking of what parts I want to buy with the SBR and how I would like to convert my current gun.

Danke

Are you referring to issues from the gas system, the specific barrel manufacturer and/or config, or the fact that it's chambered .223 Wylde?

Sent via my Mobile Work Avoidance Device

Before you spend money on another bbl read this , courtesy of BP
https://www.ar-15.co/threads/119599-...length-subject

before you go the TAC30 / MTAC if that's what you want, LMK. I have a TAC30 [LRS] somewhere in my pile of goodies.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by crays

Are you referring to issues from the gas system, the specific barrel manufacturer and/or config, or the fact that it's chambered .223 Wylde?

Sent via my Mobile Work Avoidance Device

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this: https://www.rainierarms.com/?page=sh...roduct_id=3075
see PDF

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jim

Before you spend money on another bbl read this , courtesy of BP
https://www.ar-15.co/threads/119599-...length-subject

before you go the TAC30 / MTAC if that's what you want, LMK. I have a TAC30 [LRS] somewhere in my pile of goodies.

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Thanks, opening it up now. Sitting in preop room waiting for my turn with a cutter to fix my toe.
Don't hold the TAC30 for me but I'll hit you up in a few months if you still have it. Form1 just went in a few weeks ago.

The barrel you linked to is the one I put on my 3-gun AR. (Hera Commercial Billet Upper, standard carbine buffer and spring, Chrome original M16 no forward assist ratchet BCG)
FWIW, mine shoots reliably, accurate, and cleans easily. I don't treat it any different than my other ARs, aside from the original break-in process as described in the PDF.
I usually shoot 55 grain anything for competition, and it has run flawlessly.


ETA:
My mistake, the barrel I have is the "same one", only in a 16" Mid.

"Are these barrels temperamental at all? Do I need to keep them perfectly clean? A PDF I read on Rainer Arms website about their match Wylde barrels kinda threw me. I'm not a big fan of babying guns"

Referencing the maintenance PDF, I don't think you have anything to be overly concerned about. They kind of give you the go-ahead to develop your own regimen in the final paragraphs. If it's a Shilen barrel, as mentioned in the PDF, you shouldn't have issues. I don't recall hearing too many negative reports on those.

Go get a White Oak Armament 18" mid length SPR barrel. Brownells carries them. I've used many of these, and they consistently shoot into 1/4" or less if fed Sierra SMK 77g over 24g of Varget. I like magnum primers in that load, but it's not essential.

The barrels are not fussy at all regarding maintenance. I clean them when the gun gets so dirty it won't run. They have Wylde chambers and are 1-7 twist. They are a bit on the heavy side compared to some other contours, but not horrible in my opinion.

I have a Palmetto 16 in stainless wylde chambered upper middy gas system. 1/8 twist. Optic is a primary arms 4x16 scope. Shooting with a bipod or on bags, my groups are about 1/2in at 100yds. Tightn up when I quit being a spaz. Have had 3 holes touching on a good day. That is with American eagle ammo 55gr. The barrel was already "leaded" or lapped when they shipped it. The thing is a kick in the pants. Have never run a brush through the bore. Just patches with m pro7 followed by a patch of clp then dry patches. Probably 500 rounds down range with it and not one problem. Accurate !

I've got one I built with an eye toward 3G and tac matches ect with the Raineir Ultra Match 18" 1:8 Wylde chambered Intermediate gas barrel topped off with an SJC Titan brake. It shoots close to 1/2 MOA @ 300 yds w/berger 73gr BTHP's (I'd say .6-.7 ish repeatably when I do my part) which to me was fricken amazing considering there was no "blueprinting" or advanced work done to the upper at all when I built it. Just slapped it together in the garage and checked headspace (which was just fine) and ran it. I had a full auto bolt carrier in it with standard carbine buffer and spring and when it was BRAND new it wouldn't lock back on the last round from time to time. So I swapped it out for a Semi-Auto carrier I had as a spare and it ran like a dream. No hard impulse and very smooth. So I kept it in. This gun although fairly lightweight will sit still on the bags and you can literally run it sitting on the bags unsupported with your thumb and fore finger. Exceptionally low recoil, but LOUD as hell with the titan brake on it. Running 55 gr FMJ's it's still sub 1 MOA and better with stuff like 60 gr SP's and V-max's.

I've had ZERO issues with it running 100% reliably with the S/A carrier in it. The barrel break in was pretty much my standard fare for an AR, I ran about 5 through it, and yanked a CLEAN and DRY bore snake through it, ran another 5, bore snake it again, then I run it till it pukes. From time to time I run a clean and dry bore snake through it and clean and lube the BCG (probably every 3-500 rounds) but that's it. Still shoots great and I wouldn't hesitate to build another with that barrel.

The WOA is also a great barrel as well and I'd use that in a heartbeat as well, just depends on which is available at the time I'm building one up.

all my 223 guns are wylde chambers...they eat everything, and I mean everything if that's what you're asking.

My brain hurts...

First, the only reason to go to a 18" barrel over a 16" barrel is for the rifle length gas system for the softer recoil impulse. Mid-length gas on an 18" gets you nothing except a 2" longer rifle. Next, there are a LOT of different ways to do Wylde chambers. I lost my appetite for them on my JP rifle since it would only run about 300 rounds before it started have failure to go into battery. The way the reamers are cut does influence accuracy, blowing of primers, and reliability.

So, after I learned what actually worked through a lot of trial and error, I went looking to find an 18" in .223 Wylde with a looser chamber good balance and a correctly sized gas port. Sadly, that configuration did not exist. So I went to Nordic and showed them the math, the whys and the wheres and convinced them to order several hundred barrels. That barrel is now one of these hottest selling barrels in 3Gun. BTW, no less than 4 other companies have copied the exact configuration I designed, because it works! The first batch sold out at a very inopportune time, just after Sandy Hook. But, we finally have them back in the pipeline: http://www.carbonarms.us/AR-15-Upper...AR-barrel.html

If you want to rebarrel an upper, let me know and I can get a barrel to Bert or you can stop by the shop and I'll do it for you. I typically have almost everything in stock to build complete uppers. CHs and BCGs may be vanilla. If you stop by the shop, we pay the CO sales tax too.

Approved to post sale items.

That Nordic barrel looks good mark got the gears turning on my next build . I have a 20" rifle length shilen with a Wylde in 1/8 that is way more accurate than I am especially 55gr vmax over tac. It does not like 68gr Hornady hpbt in any combo I try though.

Of the "accuracy" bullets I have tried, the Hornady 68 BTHPs have the worst track record across several barrels.

Thanks all. I've been doped out on Percocet post foot surgery but lots a good info here. This barrel change will be long down the road as I'm pretty happy w 16" and there are plenty of other priorities.
Mark, I'll be in touch a year or so for that barrel! Lol

No worries! BTW, offer of re-barreling, or building a complete upper for you, or with supervision is open to anyone from COAR15.