AR-15 Barrel Swapping:
$1300 Later, We’d Pass On All Three - Gun Tests
After a great deal of time and effort, we’d likely not buy Olympic Arms’ Ultra Match, Merchant’s Service Rifle Match Barrel Model 2, or Evolution’s Match Barrel, all for different reasons.
Ray Ordorica didn’t much like the results from any of the changed barrels. Here he tries the Oly Ultra Match. We thought the expense and trouble of fitting upgraded barrels to be largely not worth the slight benefit. Note the absence of a flash hider.
We tested the fine Olympic Arms K3B (AR-15) in the December 2005 issue, and liked it a whole lot. It was one of the better AR-15s we’ve seen. It had an excellent trigger and lots of good stuff like a flash hider, 30-round mag, and a collapsible stock. Though it probably had enough accuracy for almost anything, on the order of 3 inches at 100 yards, we wanted more. To that end we decided to test three “drop-in” barrels obtained from Brownells to see if we could get tighter groups for our money. When we told the fine folk at Brownells what we intended to do, they asked us if we had the required tools. We planned to use the services of a gunsmith on our staff who had zero experience with AR-15s, so we had no tools at all. Therefore we acquired not only three 16-inch barrels, but also all the tools needed to do a barrel swap on the K3B Oly.
The barrels were Olympic Arms’ own stainless-steel Ultra Match (Brownells No. 795-020-016), $318; Merchant’s Service Rifle Match Barrel Model 2 with 1:8 twist (565-015-802). $397; and Evolution’s Match Barrel (298-015-015), $415. We stuck with 16-inch tubes because we didn’t want to sacrifice handiness for accuracy if we could help it. When everything arrived, it seemed like a daunting array of tools. There was a high-impact polymer (Rynite) block (Peace River Upper Receiver Action Block, Brownells #702-003-015, $44) that fitted around the action to hold it in the vise, with an insert to keep the action from collapsing under stress. Next was a serrated barrel wrench (Smith Enterprises Armorer’s Wrench, Brownells’ #851-115-001, $37); a strap wrench for “free-floated” forends (Glenair AR Strap Wrench, 382-100-015, $24); and a set of snap-ring pliers (531-460-000, $12). There was also a tool that made removing the two-piece forend extremely easy (Darrel’s Custom E-Z OFF Hand Guard Tool, 100-000-438, $25). These tools came to about $142, and though you might not need them all, you’d surely need the block and wrench, which will set you back $81 plus shipping. Any tool expenditure probably won’t make a lot of sense for only one job, especially if your local gunsmith can do it for you. But the use of a gunsmith makes these less than drop-in barrels -- unless you define the job as dropping in to your gunsmith and dropping money into his pocket.
No instructions came with the barrels, so we were temporarily stymied. But a search of the Internet found a detailed and well-illustrated set of steps to follow, so we jumped in. We suggest you start by looking at www.ar15.com, and follow your nose. Here’s what we discovered about each barrel.
Olympic Arms Ultra Match, $318
We thought it made the most sense to start with Oly’s own upgraded stainless barrel, which came with front sight attached, and a matte-blued finish. The first step in changing it was to unload the gun and remove the bolt. Then remove the two-piece hand guard, which the two-pronged “delta-ring” tool made easy. The lower receiver must be attached to use this tool, because one leg of it goes into the magazine port. Press down on the handles to remove tension from the sprung retainer (delta ring), and off come the forend panels. Next, drift out the roll pin, retaining the gas tube with a small pin punch, and pull the tube out of the gun. The trick is not to lose the small roll pin. With the tube out, pull the two main action cross pins to take the gun down to the barrel assembly, and fit it into the molded block. Be sure to insert the rear support, and close the port cover before you clamp it all up in a suitable vise. Fit the serrated wrench around the serrated barrel nut and, with everything solidly mounted, unscrew the nut. Loosen the block in the vise (it clamps hard enough to keep the barrel in place) and withdraw the barrel. Simple, eh? We thought so, though it would be nearly impossible without the special block and wrench. A minute with the snap-ring pliers got the delta ring swapped to the replacement barrel, which had its own nut.
The Olympic Arms K3B here has the upgraded Oly Arms Ultra Match barrel fitted. We found this barrel gave slightly better accuracy than the original unit, tested in December 2005. The cost of the needed tools combined with the steep price of the barrel made the job mighty questionable, we thought. We didn’t need to touch the sight adjustment with the new barrel.
To fit the Oly barrel, we followed the on-line advice of first cleaning everything including the new barrel, and then greasing the threads prior to assembly. The trick, per the Internet, was to tighten and loosen the barrel nut three times. The final time we gave it a good lick and found that one of the notches was perfectly lined up for the gas tube. We assembled the rest of the rifle, and repaired to the range with some of the same ammo we had tried with the original K3B.
With Black Hills 62-grain ammo we got groups of 3.6 inches at 100 yards, compared to 3.7 inches in the original setup. With Wolf ball, we now got 2.4 inches at 100 versus 3.2 inches with the original barrel. With our heavy-bullet handload we got 2.6 inches now, versus 3.0 inches before. The overall net gain was very slight, but definite. We tested the new barrel in very poor weather, and were surprised at how well the K3B rewarded us. So it might be lots better than we could prove. The rifle required exactly no sight adjustments to get on paper, so we figure the Oly Arms folks clearly know what they’re doing. Con't...
$1300 Later, We’d Pass On All Three - Gun Tests
After a great deal of time and effort, we’d likely not buy Olympic Arms’ Ultra Match, Merchant’s Service Rifle Match Barrel Model 2, or Evolution’s Match Barrel, all for different reasons.
Ray Ordorica didn’t much like the results from any of the changed barrels. Here he tries the Oly Ultra Match. We thought the expense and trouble of fitting upgraded barrels to be largely not worth the slight benefit. Note the absence of a flash hider.
We tested the fine Olympic Arms K3B (AR-15) in the December 2005 issue, and liked it a whole lot. It was one of the better AR-15s we’ve seen. It had an excellent trigger and lots of good stuff like a flash hider, 30-round mag, and a collapsible stock. Though it probably had enough accuracy for almost anything, on the order of 3 inches at 100 yards, we wanted more. To that end we decided to test three “drop-in” barrels obtained from Brownells to see if we could get tighter groups for our money. When we told the fine folk at Brownells what we intended to do, they asked us if we had the required tools. We planned to use the services of a gunsmith on our staff who had zero experience with AR-15s, so we had no tools at all. Therefore we acquired not only three 16-inch barrels, but also all the tools needed to do a barrel swap on the K3B Oly.
The barrels were Olympic Arms’ own stainless-steel Ultra Match (Brownells No. 795-020-016), $318; Merchant’s Service Rifle Match Barrel Model 2 with 1:8 twist (565-015-802). $397; and Evolution’s Match Barrel (298-015-015), $415. We stuck with 16-inch tubes because we didn’t want to sacrifice handiness for accuracy if we could help it. When everything arrived, it seemed like a daunting array of tools. There was a high-impact polymer (Rynite) block (Peace River Upper Receiver Action Block, Brownells #702-003-015, $44) that fitted around the action to hold it in the vise, with an insert to keep the action from collapsing under stress. Next was a serrated barrel wrench (Smith Enterprises Armorer’s Wrench, Brownells’ #851-115-001, $37); a strap wrench for “free-floated” forends (Glenair AR Strap Wrench, 382-100-015, $24); and a set of snap-ring pliers (531-460-000, $12). There was also a tool that made removing the two-piece forend extremely easy (Darrel’s Custom E-Z OFF Hand Guard Tool, 100-000-438, $25). These tools came to about $142, and though you might not need them all, you’d surely need the block and wrench, which will set you back $81 plus shipping. Any tool expenditure probably won’t make a lot of sense for only one job, especially if your local gunsmith can do it for you. But the use of a gunsmith makes these less than drop-in barrels -- unless you define the job as dropping in to your gunsmith and dropping money into his pocket.
No instructions came with the barrels, so we were temporarily stymied. But a search of the Internet found a detailed and well-illustrated set of steps to follow, so we jumped in. We suggest you start by looking at www.ar15.com, and follow your nose. Here’s what we discovered about each barrel.
Olympic Arms Ultra Match, $318
We thought it made the most sense to start with Oly’s own upgraded stainless barrel, which came with front sight attached, and a matte-blued finish. The first step in changing it was to unload the gun and remove the bolt. Then remove the two-piece hand guard, which the two-pronged “delta-ring” tool made easy. The lower receiver must be attached to use this tool, because one leg of it goes into the magazine port. Press down on the handles to remove tension from the sprung retainer (delta ring), and off come the forend panels. Next, drift out the roll pin, retaining the gas tube with a small pin punch, and pull the tube out of the gun. The trick is not to lose the small roll pin. With the tube out, pull the two main action cross pins to take the gun down to the barrel assembly, and fit it into the molded block. Be sure to insert the rear support, and close the port cover before you clamp it all up in a suitable vise. Fit the serrated wrench around the serrated barrel nut and, with everything solidly mounted, unscrew the nut. Loosen the block in the vise (it clamps hard enough to keep the barrel in place) and withdraw the barrel. Simple, eh? We thought so, though it would be nearly impossible without the special block and wrench. A minute with the snap-ring pliers got the delta ring swapped to the replacement barrel, which had its own nut.
The Olympic Arms K3B here has the upgraded Oly Arms Ultra Match barrel fitted. We found this barrel gave slightly better accuracy than the original unit, tested in December 2005. The cost of the needed tools combined with the steep price of the barrel made the job mighty questionable, we thought. We didn’t need to touch the sight adjustment with the new barrel.
To fit the Oly barrel, we followed the on-line advice of first cleaning everything including the new barrel, and then greasing the threads prior to assembly. The trick, per the Internet, was to tighten and loosen the barrel nut three times. The final time we gave it a good lick and found that one of the notches was perfectly lined up for the gas tube. We assembled the rest of the rifle, and repaired to the range with some of the same ammo we had tried with the original K3B.
With Black Hills 62-grain ammo we got groups of 3.6 inches at 100 yards, compared to 3.7 inches in the original setup. With Wolf ball, we now got 2.4 inches at 100 versus 3.2 inches with the original barrel. With our heavy-bullet handload we got 2.6 inches now, versus 3.0 inches before. The overall net gain was very slight, but definite. We tested the new barrel in very poor weather, and were surprised at how well the K3B rewarded us. So it might be lots better than we could prove. The rifle required exactly no sight adjustments to get on paper, so we figure the Oly Arms folks clearly know what they’re doing. Con't...
