Home Forums Hunting & Shooting AR and Tactical Rifles Krieger Mid-Weight Barrel

Anybody have one? Thoughts? Pictures? I'm curious about the contour.

Keep in mind, the Krieger is probably a true .223 chamber, an d not a 5.56.

You can order from them, if they are in stock it still takes about 6 weeks for them to chamber it.

You also can get Wylde, 223, or 5.56 chamberings.

I have an 18" one on a KAC, proprietary contour, 5.56 match chamber, probably slightly on the heavy side of mid-weight.

Great shooter, never seems to foul.......but I did treat it with Dyna Bore coat when it was new.

I don't know of any "bad Kriegers".

MM

I've got a 20" VARMATCH in .223 Wylde. Before I ordered it I called Krieger and they suggested a VARMATCH contour . I told them it would be used for paper punching , non competitively , and coyote / fox hunting . They're thoughts were that I wouldn't be happy with another contour . It is fluted , stainless and the muzzle is I think .812 .
Not light but not really heavy .Nothing like the m16 I had in 68 . But not much different then my friends bolt guns with varmint or target , tactical barrels . It is a tack driver . I don't know how much difference there is between an H Bar and this , perhaps someone can share that information with us .
Hope this helps you .
Semper Fi
Soup

Thanks guys. This will be a 223 Wylde, and I know Krieger can do that. I'm just afraid that the mid-weight is going to be heavier than I want.

If I remember right, that's pretty close to the 17" RECCE profile I had. Except mine may have been .800 under the hand guards instead of .850, .750 gas block and .700 out to the threads. Fairly comparable to an HBAR profile just thinner under the hand guard.

Mine was very accurate but I had to segregate cases for it. Tight chamber. I would prefer an intermediate or rifle gas but if they have the port size figured out, it shouldn't be an issue. Mine was a little over gassed but I leaned on it pretty hard.

Their prices ($320?) seem to be very reasonable now unless I'm missing something.

If they're overgassed already, that sucks. I'm planning on running it with a can, so even more gas.

Thinking more about this, mine was either done by Compass Lake or as a run for them. I would call them or maybe plan on an adjustable gas block.

I just wonder about the mid-length gas on an 18" barrel.

They actually make a 16.5", which it's really a moot point as I'll be cutting the barrel to sub-16" and having a brake permanently attached.

Maybe I'm going at this wrong, so feel free to comment. I'm looking for something in the 14.5" to 16" range that is going to have superb accuracy, but not too heavy. I say 14.5" to 16" because I can go 14.5" and run TBAC's flash hider, or I can go sub-16" and run their brake. I have one of their Ultra cans I plan on using.

The Krieger that I have currently is 18" w/ rifle gas with a .108 port size, non-adjustable gas block, & it runs perfectly with a carbine weight buffer & a stock spring with 55 - 77 grain bullets, with mild to fairly stiff (IMI) loads. (I do plan to try a slightly heavier buffer as that gun is intended to mainly shoot heavy bullets.)

But I just completed a new gun with an 18" WOA barrel & both WOA & Compass Lake suggested that they prefer an 18" barrel with mid-gas, so that's what I did, but with an adjustable gas block; have not shot it yet as I just put the barrel on this past Monday, so we'll see when it warms up enough to be comfortable shooting for any period of time for testing.

Compass Lake sells Krieger(& Bartlien) barrels fully contoured to SPR configurations in 18" as a cataloged item, but they specify mid-gas for both.

They would probably do rifle gas as a special order.

IMO, the SPR contour would likely fit the OP's needs perfectly, w/o being too heavy & if he wants it lighter, they'll flute it as well...............after all, it's only money, & if you're buying a Krieger or a Bartlien, what a few bucks more?

I decided on the WOA barrel instead of another Krieger mainly because it was quite a lot less money & I don't think that the (possible) extra performance from the Krieger would be enough to really matter for me.......time will tell & Compass Lake is beyond good for chambering & finishing the barrel & likely will deliver it as fast, if not faster, than Krieger will.

Compass Lake SPR Barrels

MM

If looking to go light and planning on being cut to 14.5-16 then the Rainier mountain series is hard to beat as is their SDM and SPR profiles.

Lots of options on their website and I have never heard of their barrels being anything but stellar for accuracy. They are 15 minutes from my house so very popular with local shooters and all that I know are very happy with them.

Where did I get you wanted an 18" barrel? Oh well if going with a 14.5" you will have less dwell time so that should equal out pressure when you install the can. I'd tell them you are going to run suppressed and see what they say.

My Noveske had the intermediate gas at 18" (SPR) and it ran great. Most now have gone to rifle gas when 18" or above. At least that was the trend a year ago.

I'd stick with the Krieger barrel and a 14.5" mid length gas should be pretty smooth. I think the mid-weight at .850 under the hand guard, .750 gas block and .700 in front of it would make for a pleasant carrying carbine with little zero shift when hanging the can on it. Sounds like a good project.

Noveske does build 14.5" SS match barrels that are gassed for suppressed use as well. Might take a look at least for ideas...

Well, from the original post I just (badly) assumed he wanted a longer barrel as well.........I didn't catch his later post about a 14.5" with a can.

Kinda don't think I'd spend the money for a Krieger on a 14.5" gun.......lots of other barrels that will provide plenty of accuracy at the range a 14.5" would mostly be used at for a lot less money.

JMHO, YMMV.

MM

for what OP is after I'd get a smith to do exactly what I want off a blank personally...

as to 14.5 vs accuracy, I never buy into that line... I want the best I can get and a 14.5 is still workable a long way out there.... 500 or 600 for sure IMHO for most things.

I'd just go with a 16" mid length personally. They handle about the same and you won't be stuck with a certain brake, barrel nut, and gas block in the event you decide to change something. Run it with a H or H2 buffer and it will be silky smooth.

On the other hand, get a brake to QD your suppressor and you're pretty much stuck with it anyway. Pin it to a 14.5 and reap the benefit of an even smoother shooting gun. It's not impossible to UN-pin a barrel, weld over the brake and no one will ever know. I un-pinned a few Armalite brakes after the ban sunset and it wasn't a big deal.

As for a match 14.5" barrel, it'll work just fine. Money is made everyday so if you can, why not go with a top barrel?

I've never seen where more accuracy hurts, other than possible up close combat pistol engagement where you might run the theory of wanting to damaage as many other organs as you can shot to shot... I'd still take accuracy in that situation too... and be able to shoot even faster due to the accurayc.

Suggestions on AR smiths?



I'd been looking at Noveske as a possible option. I've only had one Noveske, and it was in 300 Blackout. It was a tack driver.

If you could convince Nez Rongero to do it, you would have the best.

Compass Lake will do whatever you want them to do.

Adco is reputed to be pretty good too........they've done work for others that I know, never for me.

Adco

MM

Nez is top line, but not taking work that i"m aware of?

I'd be talking to WOP, and if they refuse, you can never go wrong with CLE either.

If you want the best in AR's I'd call Mark Chanlynn in Longmont. I'd also use his barrel. He makes single point rifle cut barrels. Really good stuff.

Never heard of him. Will have to google.

Check out Wes Grant at MSTN as well. He not only built high precision guns, he was in a place to learn about hard use guns and managed to combine both. But he ain't cheap...

Not knocking any High Power smith but one with experience with building suppressed guns is invaluable.

http://mstn.biz/

Interesting link, thanks. Guy sure seems to know what he is doing there. Pricing is not all that bad for what you are getting.

Most good stuff or good work isn't cheap.

But he's making about $5-600 or so for screwing an upper together based on the rough price of the parts........I just did one very close with the same or comparable components, so that seems a bit high for 45 minutes worth of work.

MM

its always going to be high when you try to use some of the best stuff, and have a platform to sell.

Its why I pick and choose the best stuff and have barrels done as needed generally, and assemble myself.

Thats the only way I get what I want, without having someone else sell me their ideas at a higher rate.

All in all though, for going price of customs its not anywhere out of range if you can't or won't put the parts together yourself.

Yes he's making money but he's also put in some time with John Noveske back when he was alive and worked out some issues with gas port sizes, suppressors, intermediate gas system and a 3 groove barrel that Noveske doesn't produce for anyone but him. And he probably does a thing or two that most of us don't. Like fitting the bolt at 1.4646" +0.001"/- 0.000".

Just another option.

And a good option too..........there's no doubt from his website that he is top shelf.

As for his dimensioning on the bolt HS, for anything but a precision type gun, being only .001' over min, isn't where I'd want a tactical or highly used, all conditions rifle that's going to get dirty, to be. I think I'd rather another .001".

If the gun is kept reasonably clean & only shoots new ammo or new brass which is normally about .003-.004" below min, or carefully sized reloads, it will be fine though.

MM

yep,the call on that headsizing TOTALLY depends on what ammo you are shooting....

Really always has and always will in a way.