difference between custom and production barrels

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did we choose to nitro-carburize our barrels instead of chrome lining them?
Nitro-Carburizing, Melonite, QPQ is a heat treat process for barrels that harden the barrels to apx 70 Rockwell so they last longer, are more corrosion resistant inside and out and it also decreases friction in the barrel which can increase velocity. Chrome lined barrels can decrease accuracy as it is a built up layer inside the barrel. Nitro-carburizing changes the structure of the metal without building a layer in the bore increasing performance but,not decreasing accuracy.
Why did we choose an 11.25 twist?
In our four years of testing, we've found that 6.8 bullets don't need the 10 twist to stabilize. Having already requested competition LD bullets in the GS Customs 99gr SP and the Berger 130, both designed specifically for the 6.8. We believed an 11.25 twist would work best to stabilize these longer VLD bullets.
Where does the 5R rifling come into play?
Again our four years of testing has shown us that the land to groove ratio can cause significant variations in peak pressure created in the barrel as well as velocity obtained. As a result, we changed the land to groove ratio in the 12twist/3groove and 11/25 twist/5R buttons to reduce peak pressure, which allows us to use stiffer charges in our hand loads and obtain more velocity without increasing pressure.
Why is our chamber better?
The ARP designed chamber uses a bullet diameter leade which aligns the bullet in the bore better than the SPC II. The SPC II is larger and allows the cartridge to lay in the bottom of the chamber where our chamber does not
How does the ARP chamber combat the forcing cone angle in the SPCII?
Inside the chamber at the end of the case mouth, the angle slopes from the outside of the case neck to the leade. As the bullet enters the chamber, it scrapes over the top of that angle. The 45 degree angle in the ARP chamber is less likely to scrape copper off the bullet jacket and damage the projectile in the process. Some SPC II chambers have an 80 degree angle, which is more likely to scrape copper from the bullets
What makes our SuperBolt so super?
We have taken the current AR15 bolt to the next level by completely redesigning the lugs and cam pin area as well as using a stronger 9310 alloy to make this the most durable bolt on the market. The lugs and cam pin area are the most common breakage areas on standard AR bolts. To combat these breakage prone areas, we have re-engineered the cam pin area to be 17% thicker on each side with the actual hole slightly smaller to remove any play to reduce potential breaking in this area. The lug attachment to the web of the bolt has been increased by 40% with the addition of a larger radius at the root of the lug. In addition to increasing the physical size of the bolt, we machine them out of 9310 alloy steel which is significantly stronger than any commercial bolt material (8620 cold rolled) or mil spec bolt material (carpenter alloy 158). As a result, we feel we can honestly call our redesigned bolt a SuperBolt.
Can we use your products with other mil spec products
YES, we've designed all of our products to work with standard mil spec parts. The only disclaimer we have to this statement is that our bolts do not work with ADAM'S ARMS piston carriers as they have made the bore of the carrier smaller than in the standard mil spec carrier that we used in designing our bolts.
How does the 11-12 twist get more velocity?
Recently a writer said he tried a 11 twist barrel and saw minimal increase in velocity compared to a 10 twist. The velocity in most cases does not just magically appear. The 11 and 12 twist barrels with high performance rifling specs lower the peak pressure in the chamber and barrel, that allows handloaders to add more powder to get back up to max peak pressure levels and that increases velocity, sometimes as much as 200fps over factory ammo. If all barrels had better specs factories could load higher performance ammo but due to the 9.5 twist barrels floating around they would be liable if the stronger ammo destroyed one of those rifles.
How is the Titanium Nitride coating better than chrome or NP3
The Titanium Nitride is 86 Rockwell, NP3 is 48 to 51 Rockwell and chrome is 66 - 70 Rockwell...The TN goes on in a much thinner layer...The military stopped using chrome bolts during the Viet Nam war due to rust growth underneath the chrome finish...The Titanium Nitride keeps the lubricity for longer periods. The NP3 is very soft but teflon impregnated Nickel so is very slick as well.
Do your rifles shoot Remington or Hornady 6.8 SPC ammo? How is the performance?
Yes they will shoot any factory ammo and the design of the throat and barrels will allow the use of more powerful handloads than most standard 6.8 SPCs. The chamber size is the same and uses 6.8 reloading dies just like all other 6.8s. The possible performance is much greater than it was in 2005 and 2006.
"match" and "ultra match" barrels , what are they?
The term "match" and "ultra match" are used too loosely, most companies advertising "match" barrels for $200 are just using the term as a sales gimmick. True "match" barrels are lapped to start with so a quick inspection with a bore scope will tell you if it could be a match barrel or not. If it looks like rumble strips on the side of the highway then you know it's not a match grade barrel. Match barrels are held to tighter tolerances than production barrels and are lapped and air gauged. Match grade barrels will not make bad ammo shoot well, they allow good ammo to shoot to it's capability. Our production grade barrels are the same brand that Wilson Combat uses, our custom barrels are lapped and a better quality.
6.5 VS 6.8 in trajectory comparison
6.5 Grendel using Alexander's own max loads published on the Grendel forum in a 16" barrel- zeroed at 200yds drops at 300yds. due to energy being less than 1000ft lbs 300 yds is about max for taking deer or hogs. the same temp, pressure line of sight and program used to figure all drops in both calibers. 100 Nosler-2600fps--drop 9.4/801 ft lbs 107 SMK-2545fps-----drop9.5/878ft lbs 123 SMK-2472fps----drop 9.4/1083ft lbs 120TSX-2472fps----drop9.8/984ft lbs 6.8 SPC SSA factory ammo 16" barrel 100 Nosler-2700fps--drop9.0/809ft lbs 110 Nosler-2630fps--drop9.0/939ft lbs 6.8 handloads max 100 Nosler 2950fps---drop 7.4/993ftlbs 110 Nosler 2750fps--drop8.2/1040ftlbs As you can see not only does the 6.8 not loose anything to the Grendel out to 300 it performs better with some bullets. The higher velocity of the 6.8 will hold it's own out to 500yds against the Grendel.
What payments do you accept? when will you charge my card?
We accept VISA, Master Card or Postal Money orders. When placing orders through the site, your card will be authorized immediately and for those who call and place their order over the phone, cards will be charged the day we start the build, within 7 days of the order being shipped. When you give the wrong billing address, whether through the site or ordering by phone, the transaction will decline due to the address mismatch but the amount will be authorized through your bank account. This amount will show as a pending charge but we cannot "settle" the charge as we did not receive an approval code. The bank will release those funds within 72 hours. When we run the transaction with the correct billing address, the amount is authorized and we can settle the charge with the approval code. We do not accept American Express or personal checks.
Ammo is sticking in my chamber, what is wrong?
If the ammo is handloaded it could be that the case was not sized down enough, it should be .003-.004 below the chamber size in every dimension. If it is factory ammo measure the case with calipers or a mic. and compare the dimensions to SAAMI spec, if the ammo is larger than SAAMI spec that is the problem. On the 6.8 the base should be apx .418 the neck .306 or under.
can I order an option not shown on the options list?
We have carefully chosen each option available on our website due to quality, price and availability. For those of you who request items not listed as options or parts we generally carry, there will be a surcharge based on single item shipping and possible lack of dealer pricing.
will you build an upper using my parts?
We will build using customer parts with the understanding that there could be further assembly charges involved depending on the individual parts.
do you have reloading data? which bullets work?
Reloading data can be found at most powder manufacturers web sites. If you are an experienced reloader you can get much more velocity with careful loading. The Speer 90gr TNT and Sierra Pro-hunter seem to be accurate in every barrel I have shot or made. To get the best accuracy requires hand loading to an OAL of 2.295- 2.3" Pri mags allow that length.
What is the difference between a precision hand load and a reloaded cartridge?
to get sub MOA groups, the loads have to be tailored to match the rifle and you must be very meticulous with the loading. "Precision Shooting's" Reloading Guide is a must read for this type of loading. Link at the bottom of this section. If you want to test the accuracy of your barrel try 24gr of RE15 with a 69gr SMK set to an OAL of 2.285" that is more accurate than ANY factory load in every Wylde chambered barrel I have ever shot.
What do I recommend for a 3 gun rifle?
Obviously if you are a world class shooter you are not reading the FAQs here but if you are just getting in to it for recreational purposes then if the shots are 0- 300yds a lightweight 16-18" .223 with a midlength gas system and a light carrier and buffer tuned to work together. The twist would depend on the bullets you plan to use and any other uses you may have planned for the rifle. I like a EO Tech sight they seem to be a little faster to locate the targets and I usually have no problems connecting on targets out to 300yds. If you happen to shoot longer ranges you may want to consider a ACOG or a low power scope with a wide FOV. If you shoot smaller local shoots and they do not use flashers and the RO relies on sight and hearing the ding then a 6.8 could clarify those judgement calls when the steels are out at 200yds or more.
Can I use 5.56 mags in my XXX rifle?
No, the 7.62x39 requires 7.62x39 mags, the 5.45x39 use 5.45 mags, the 6.8 needs 6.8 mags. In general most cartridges require a special mag except the 6mmx45 or other cartridges based on the .223/5.56

Precision Shootings reloading guide