LWRC IC-A5 16” or Barrett Rec7 Gen 2 16”?

[Finnish7]

LWRC IC-A5 16” or Barrett Rec7 Gen 2 16”?

Hello,

Can anyone please provide insight into which would be a longer lasting rifle, better quality/accuracy, the LWRC IC-A5 16” or Barrett Rec7 Gen 2 16”? The barrel on the Barrett is cold hammer forged with chrome lining while the LWRC is NiCorr treated cold hammer forged barrel. Both are priced almost the exact same and both have gas piston system so I’m at a coin flip point. Thanks

 

[mildot]

Well depending on your "firing schedule" most Colt CHF barrels last around 20,000rds? I have no experience with LWRC or Barrett? only Colt & HK. If you use the "Colt CHF" barrel as a comparison? maybe that can help you make a decision? I prefer the "short stroke" piston like the HK, but that's just me.

Oh ya, get ready for a bunch of SME's to tell you to buy something else, and or spend the difference on "training" & "ammo"

 

[Finnish7]

Well depending on your "firing schedule" most Colt CHF barrels last around 20,000rds? I have no experience with LWRC or Barrett? only Colt & HK. If you use the "Colt CHF" barrel as a comparison? maybe that can help you make a decision? I prefer the "short stroke" piston like the HK, but that's just me.

Oh ya, get ready for a bunch of SME's to tell you to buy something else, and or spend the difference on "training" & "ammo"

Thanks, same here that I only have experience with Colt and HK, which they both have excellent barrel quality. Barrett and LWRC have similar short stroke piston systems like the HK MR223.

 

[greentips]

Barrett is a FN CHF barrel. I don't know what LWRCI is but NiCorr is just their fancy name for surface heat treatment aka one of the garden varieties of nitriding. Steel quality ( aka composition and purity ) and heat treating quality matter a lot.

First of all, there aren't many Barrett Rec 7 around. They came to live probably for the Saudi project some years ago but LWRC got that score. So there aren't too many in the wild. LWRCI wise, they have been around for years. But like many smaller companies, their stuff seems to be hit and miss sometimes in QC, especially back in the older days . Their biggest score is the 6.8 PDW for the Saudis.

Honestly, I don't think anyone can say which one is better. One thing for sure, HK 416 is the best and the second best is probably SIG 516.

 

[greentips]

Barrett and LWRC have similar short stroke piston systems like the HK MR223.

HK is a self regulating forward venting pointed spigot. That is patented.

LWRC uses a reverse cup design, it vents side ways behind the gas block.

Barrett is a pretty traditional flat piston head in a one piece op rod design. The gas plug is to the front of the gas block, something they took from FN which FN took from SIG.

 

[cadgo]

Pretty sure they both use FN barrels. There are only a couple barrel forging machines in the USA.

Edit: they used to advertise them as CHF 41v45 "the same steel used in the M249" but I can't find any current mention of this, only in old literature. Maybe they are made in house now.

 

[xeelee]

Pretty sure they both use FN barrels. There are only a couple barrel forging machines in the USA.

Edit: they used to advertise them as CHF 41v45 "the same steel used in the M249" but I can't find any current mention of this, only in old literature. Maybe they are made in house now.

LWRC is definitely making their barrels in house now as of a few years.

 

[Finnish7]

HK is a self regulating forward venting pointed spigot. That is patented.

LWRC uses a reverse cup design, it vents side ways behind the gas block.

Barrett is a pretty traditional flat piston head in a one piece op rod design. The gas plug is to the front of the gas block, something they took from FN which FN took from SIG.

That's great information, I did not know those specifics. Thanks

It's evident that HK and SIG have the most used and proven gas systems around.

 

[yohann160]

LWRC has CHF machines and makes their own barrels.