WK180C Shorter barrel options?

So following up on this project, which has been going on for months now. Sadly, I’ve only had the rifle in service myself for a week since I started this project in Dec. I got it to the range in Feb and was pretty shocked with the results. I was shooting 4-6 inch groups off a lead sled at 50 yards. I tried 3 different types of 55gr ammo and the American Eagle was the worst. Accuracy was just brutal.

I contacted MRA (Maple Ridge Armory) and sent them photos of my targets. They basically scoffed at the suggestion of putting one of “their” barrels on a WK. I asked them if they would test it out and make sure there was nothing wrong with the barrel. They said, ok, but made it clear they will charge me $250 if it turns out to shoot straight.

I sent the gun about a month ago. They finally got around to testing the barrel last Friday. Apparently, they didn’t even try it on my gun, they took it off and put it onto one of their bolt action Renegade guns. It shot 1” MOA at 50 yards with 75gr ammo.

I’m a bit confused how this could be. Can the receiver really influence accuracy that much? Can a 12.5” barrel really be only 10-12MOA accurate when the factory 18” barrel is 2MOA? Can a 75gr bullet make much difference vs 55gr? This is bizarre.

Any thoughts?
 
I think it is possible, but as a manufacturer I would be embarrassed to allow an end user with a factory rifle tarnish my name with a 12MOA barrel. As long as the barrel is installed properly, I can’t imagine it being that bad. I’ve actually never heard of a rifle shooting so poorly in my life, and I’ve known people with mini14s
 
FrankieT said:
I think it is possible, but as a manufacturer I would be embarrassed to allow an end user with a factory rifle tarnish my name with a 12MOA barrel. As long as the barrel is installed properly, I can’t imagine it being that bad. I’ve actually never heard of a rifle shooting so poorly in my life, and I’ve known people with mini14s
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Thanks. I was a bit surprised MRA are not more interested in helping me get this shooting straight. But given their apparent contempt for the WK platform, I guess it’s not really that surprising.

I talked to Owen at Kodiak, and he’s equally baffled as I am.

He says they only have a few customers with short barrels, but never heard of issues like this. He is interested in helping me figure this out. I will first try some heavier ammo and see how that works, and then if it’s still having problems, it may go back to Kodiak for Owen and his team to look at... maybe another short barrel from another manufacturer is one option if it comes to that.
 
^
If Kodiak doesn't have a short barrel, ATRS recently started stocking barrels with gas ports tuned for the WK and MCR. They would likely be happy to make a custom shorty for you. IBI would be another option.

You may want to contact RWA to pick their brains. Before their industry hiatus, they had plans for short variants of their RWA-180b for the American market, but Brownells BRN-180 AR-15 compatible upper stole their thunder.

Good luck!
 
Try the rifle without the barrel shroud, if you haven't already. If the shroud is hitting the handguard when you shoot it can easily cause fliers. Also, check for baffle strikes if it's a brake or linear comp type. Poor machining happens.
 
Unholysavage said:
Try the rifle without the barrel shroud, if you haven't already. If the shroud is hitting the handguard when you shoot it can easily cause fliers. Also, check for baffle strikes if it's a brake or linear comp type. Poor machining happens.
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This is good advice, definitely test for accuracy without the muzzle device.
 
Virtual.Chris said:
I contacted MRA (Maple Ridge Armory) and sent them photos of my targets. They basically scoffed at the suggestion of putting one of “their” barrels on a WK. I asked them if they would test it out and make sure there was nothing wrong with the barrel. They said, ok, but made it clear they will charge me $250 if it turns out to shoot straight.
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LOL @ MRA saying one of "their" barrels like it's some sort of elite barrel that's beyond reproach.

Anyway, I hope you sort it out sooner than later and before the shipping costs get too out of hand.
 
Ustauk said:
^
If Kodiak doesn't have a short barrel, ATRS recently started stocking barrels with gas ports tuned for the WK and MCR. They would likely be happy to make a custom shorty for you. IBI would be another option.

You may want to contact RWA to pick their brains. Before their industry hiatus, they had plans for short variants of their RWA-180b for the American market, but Brownells BRN-180 AR-15 compatible upper stole their thunder.

Good luck!
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Thanks... if I can't get this MRA barrel to shoot straight, I may reach out to them. Although Owen said they have some 14" barrels on hand that may be worth trying first.

Unholysavage said:
Try the rifle without the barrel shroud, if you haven't already. If the shroud is hitting the handguard when you shoot it can easily cause fliers. Also, check for baffle strikes if it's a brake or linear comp type. Poor machining happens.
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Thanks, will do. I used the stock flash suppressor for my range testing though, but I'll try it without anything.

MosinNagantM44 said:
A bit off topic here but what riser you are using for the eotech ?
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It's a Leapers MT-RSX5L but a more readily available and cheaper Wheeler 0.5" riser is what I had previously.

mclmm said:
LOL @ MRA saying one of "their" barrels like it's some sort of elite barrel that's beyond reproach.

Anyway, I hope you sort it out sooner than later and before the shipping costs get too out of hand.
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I know. I'm not impressed with MRA at all. I will avoid them in the future.
 
AR platform is much different from the WC platform. Remember, the WC was designed around using an AR
rifle length barrel with carbine gas port...not really something used on any AR rifle. You have a big sloppy piston and with the shorter barrel have changed the gas dwell time.
If you bought a Savage rifle and put a Remington barrel on it and it didn't shoot well, who would you send that to?
What handguard are you using? Is the barrel tightened to spec? What tools did you use to put it on? You know the barrel can shoot, now you need to figure out why it won't on that platform.
 
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Gotta say that's some pretty damn good customer service from Kodiak. A customer alters their product and adds aftermarket parts to it and they're just like "Cool idea we could try some of our stuff".
 
Hitzy said:
AR platform is much different from the WC platform. Remember, the WC was designed around using an AR
rifle length barrel with carbine gas port...not really something used on any AR rifle. You have a big sloppy piston and with the shorter barrel have changed the gas dwell time.
If you bought a Savage rifle and put a Remington barrel on it and it didn't shoot well, who would you send that to?
What handguard are you using? Is the barrel tightened to spec? What tools did you use to put it on? You know the barrel can shoot, now you need to figure out why it won't on that platform.
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The barrel was put on the gun by Kodiak. I specifically asked them to do it so that it would be done properly. I very much doubt the assembly is the issue - but you never know. The handguard is stock. There are also at least a few of these WKs with shorter barrels that shoot fine. Mine seems to be the exception so I'm not ready to conclude it can't be done. I think it was a logical next-step given the accuracy issues to have the barrel checked. I'll be trying different ammo and then sending it back to Kodiak for another turn at analyzing it.

Bratwurst said:
Gotta say that's some pretty damn good customer service from Kodiak. A customer alters their product and adds aftermarket parts to it and they're just like "Cool idea we could try some of our stuff".
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Yeah, that's for sure. Kodiak are genuinely interested in seeing what can be done with their platform and have been extremely helpful.

At the end of the day, I may end up going back to the factory barrel. But since the firearm is now registered as restricted, it's worth trying to find a solution for a shorter barrel until we exhaust those options.
 
Hitzy said:
AR platform is much different from the WC platform. Remember, the WC was designed around using an AR
rifle length barrel with carbine gas port...not really something used on any AR rifle. You have a big sloppy piston and with the shorter barrel have changed the gas dwell time.
If you bought a Savage rifle and put a Remington barrel on it and it didn't shoot well, who would you send that to?
What handguard are you using? Is the barrel tightened to spec? What tools did you use to put it on? You know the barrel can shoot, now you need to figure out why it won't on that platform.
Click to expand...
the original 18&180 has "S" models with short barrels and brownells has a shorty BRN180 upper, it is 100% doable. The gas system length has less to do with accuracy than it does reliability, this could be tested by manually loading each round. I would ditch the hand guard during testing also as there are reports of not enough clearance.
 
Sorry to hear you're having issues with this, friend. FWIW, I'm running the same barrel, I believe and Owen Kodiak did the same for me after your recommendation. I'm running the stock birdcage for now and am not seeing these issues. i think the only difference is that the barrel I got was not fluted. Stock handguard as well
 
noodlenottacop said:
Sorry to hear you're having issues with this, friend. FWIW, I'm running the same barrel, I believe and Owen Kodiak did the same for me after your recommendation. I'm running the stock birdcage for now and am not seeing these issues. i think the only difference is that the barrel I got was not fluted. Stock handguard as well
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Interesting... well I'm glad yours is working fine. I do have the fluted version of the barrel but I doubt that has anything to do with it. What types of ammo are you running?
 
Ex3dy said:
the original 18&180 has "S" models with short barrels and brownells has a shorty BRN180 upper, it is 100% doable. The gas system length has less to do with accuracy than it does reliability, this could be tested by manually loading each round. I would ditch the hand guard during testing also as there are reports of not enough clearance.
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Yeah, will try that when I get it back.

Bratwurst said:
No, it's time to buy another NR WK and also fix the short barrel so you have both!
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Funny you should say that, I've been thinking of doing just that... getting another NR WK and setting it up in a DMR config with longer hand guard and bipod, and keeping this one as my CQB variant... assuming I can get it to shoot straight :D
 
Virtual.Chris said:
Yeah, will try that when I get it back.



Funny you should say that, I've been thinking of doing just that... getting another NR WK and setting it up in a DMR config with longer hand guard and bipod, and keeping this one as my CQB variant... assuming I can get it to shoot straight :D
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Definitely recommend. My WS-MCR is a dedicated DMR setup now with LPVO, bipod and all the fixings and the SBR WK is set up for CQB and as light as possible. I didn't like the MCR as a CQB toy at all and don't like the SBR as a DMR obviously haha.
 
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