Anybody have IBI barrel reviews ?
- Thread starter Mike112288
- Start date
Initial ones weren't so hot. Issues with POI walking as the barrel heated up, indicating stress relief issues. Mediocre shooters at best.
New ones are supposedly better, but I haven't been able to corroborate that as everyone I trust was burnt the first time around with them and won't touch them again.
Seems to be a fair amount of people on CGN that are happy with them, whatever that is worth.
New ones are supposedly better, but I haven't been able to corroborate that as everyone I trust was burnt the first time around with them and won't touch them again.
Seems to be a fair amount of people on CGN that are happy with them, whatever that is worth.
I would keep the Benchmark over buying a IBI and I would buy a Bartlein, Krieger, Brux, Hawk Hill before Benchmark
For the small price difference, I don't see the value in compromising in one of the most important parts of your rifle. Think about how much you invested in a custom rifle is the small amount you save worth the compromise?
For the small price difference, I don't see the value in compromising in one of the most important parts of your rifle. Think about how much you invested in a custom rifle is the small amount you save worth the compromise?
It's probably still going to feel like a pig at 18".
As a top gunsmith down south says "putting anything but a top tier barrel on your precision rifle is like putting 7 cylinders in a V8".
Krieger is my go-to barrel. I think Bartlein, Rock Creek, Brux, Hawkhill and Benchmark all make pretty awesome barrels.
From my limited understanding they are past that stage.
How do they compare to say Krieger, Bartlein, etc? That I don't know. I myself like to have 100% confidence in my barrels, it's a quirk of mine. I want the best, and that generally leads me to Kriegers.
I have limited knowledge on the subject, as in I have only shot factory AR barrels and factory savage barrels,
And in customs I have only owned IBI.
All I can say, IBI shoots straighter than all my factory barrels.
AR15 19’’ Steacy profile
AR10 18.5’’ MRA fluted barrel (using IBI blank)
Savage small shank 26’’ M40 .308 barrel
Savage small shank 26’’ M40 6.5x47 Lapua
My small shank 308 was ultra easy to load dev for. Won matches with it and have a few sub moa 10 shot groups @ 300M downstairs.
My small shank 6.5 is giving me a hard time. In the sub 5/8 territory but was expecting better accuracy from a 6.5 that a 308, so was expecting sub 3/8.
Since the Chinese flu hit I was unable to go to the range for my final testing on this issue.
Edit : forgot to mention the main reason why I chose IBI,
Easy comms and quick turnaround for a build.
To me charting with Ryan and have my barrel to some exact spec and have it to my door under 2 months, made it worth the risk.
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Worth more than yours.
I have been running IBI's on my match gun (.243/6mm), back up gun (.264/6.5mm) and 22LR for the last two seasons of shooting. Both 6mm's was chambered in 6 Dasher/.274 neck/.104 freebore and I have shot bullets ranging from 90 gr FMJ's (fireforming) to 115 gr Nosler RDF's. First barrel was a 1:8" 4 groove and the second is a 1:7.5". The first barrel burned out around 2600 rounds (groups opened up and speed dropped) and the second just passed 1000 rounds last weekend. Both 6mm barrels have shot excellent for me, and others that have been running them.
The .264/6.5mm barrel I have is the first one I got and is chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor/SAAMI Spec Reamer, which has lived on my match gun, which then transitioned to my backup gun as I switched to 6mm. That original barrel has mostly seen 139 gr Lapua Scenars and 140 gr ELD-M's through it and is going on 2,100 rounds or so now. Very similar perfomance to the 6mm barrel, and others that have been running them will say the same. The 22LR barrel is a hammer too and resides on my CZ 455 build, which routinely shoots very well! 22's are finicky though (both with ammo and action compatibility) so be careful there.
At first, IBI sent out some barrels that were sub par and they had some kinks to work out with the .308's and .338's, but that has all been remedied now. All of their .22LR, .223/5.56mm, .246/6mm, .264/6.5mm and .308/7.62mm barrels I have personally seen or have talked to guys about have been shooters. They are slightly harder and tighter bore (typically) than others, meaning that they shoot a tad faster on average and wear very well. They are double heat treated and CNC honed, so the consistency barrel to barrel is excellent to! I would not hesitate in recommending an IBI, as well as supporting a Canadian company.
Yes, they are not Kreiger, Bartlien, Benchmark, HAwk Hill, etc. but they are well made, have great customer service and will do what they can to help you shoot to the best of your abilities.
The .264/6.5mm barrel I have is the first one I got and is chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor/SAAMI Spec Reamer, which has lived on my match gun, which then transitioned to my backup gun as I switched to 6mm. That original barrel has mostly seen 139 gr Lapua Scenars and 140 gr ELD-M's through it and is going on 2,100 rounds or so now. Very similar perfomance to the 6mm barrel, and others that have been running them will say the same. The 22LR barrel is a hammer too and resides on my CZ 455 build, which routinely shoots very well! 22's are finicky though (both with ammo and action compatibility) so be careful there.
At first, IBI sent out some barrels that were sub par and they had some kinks to work out with the .308's and .338's, but that has all been remedied now. All of their .22LR, .223/5.56mm, .246/6mm, .264/6.5mm and .308/7.62mm barrels I have personally seen or have talked to guys about have been shooters. They are slightly harder and tighter bore (typically) than others, meaning that they shoot a tad faster on average and wear very well. They are double heat treated and CNC honed, so the consistency barrel to barrel is excellent to! I would not hesitate in recommending an IBI, as well as supporting a Canadian company.
Yes, they are not Kreiger, Bartlien, Benchmark, HAwk Hill, etc. but they are well made, have great customer service and will do what they can to help you shoot to the best of your abilities.
