Last week , Sea Cowboy posted a link in the shout box to a business called Classic Arms. His link went to a page advertising these for sale for $39.99, AR-15 16" Heavy Barrel, 5.56 NATO, 1:9, Parkerized. Well, I ordered two of them last Friday and were at my front door when I got home from my main client this evening. I was a bit skeptical about them, but hey, take a chance every now and then, this is what these barrels are all about, They have a nice even parkerizing, Are chambered for 5.56 with a 1 in 9 inch twist that should be reasonably accurate with all bullet weights from the 45gr. To 62gr. And even heavier projectiles. These even have a dimpling on the reverse underside to mount a basic gas block. To have a fixed front sight installed would require additional gunsmith, but I want these to make two piston uppers with the Adams Arms piston kits. I will order a headspace gauge set to make sure these are well within industry safety standards. Now to the Mods, I do not work for this company and am only posting a review of these barrels that I have bought and they also have some other great deals on other types of AR barrels in different chamberings and steels. If this is in violation of the COC regarding advertising, then please delete the post and smack my avatar a few times.
Good one, will look forward to the results of the build and how they shoot. I have thought a lot about the gas pistons kits, love my Mini 14's even with all of their warts. Have built up a couple super cheap Ar15 rifle kits and the few hundred rounds I have fired thru them have been a pleasure and as an old fart, I would rather have 3 cheap Ar's than 1 Colt with all the trimmings. I long ago got a set of go-no go gauges and while everything has been in spec, they do fill that wondering little doubt that a $319 plus shipping Ar rifle kit must be too good to be true. If the SHTF does happen, with my eyesight and age, if I can't arm and retrain my extended family, I will not survive, That is a whole different post, but for me I have long ago decided that SKS's, Mosin Nagant's, Yugo AK's, etc, they have varied over the years, but all were cheap and dirty hand out weapons, that were effective in the hands of the peasant army's that originally used them and that I would be stuck with also. Hi tech peasants to be sure, but just as unqualified and untrained as the ones that Uncle Joe was stuck with to defeat the Germans. One of the better moments in life is the ability to change so much in the Ar platform. I love the concept of having uppers in 223, 300 blackout, 9 mm with mag insert, 22 long rifle conversion, and all use the same lower. In many cases, if you have the barrel, you can rebuild the whole rifle around it in an hour or less.16 in, 20 in, heavy barrel, pencil barrel, what ever, just a quick barrel change away. Agree with the moderator, love to read reviews of what out there works and what doesn't, even better with pictures and a stack of fired brass and a few targets full of holes, bragging rights or other. Another thing I have learned with age, it is much more pleasant to learn from watching other people's successes or mistakes, than from making them yourself. I sometimes think that Murphy lives in my attic.
The problem with Classic Arms isn't in the quality of their products, it is in the daily specials that they always run that I find so damned tempting. Yesterday it was 1903A3 rifles for $900.00 in very good condition, the day before was K98 Mausers with all the correct markings, then there was the .22LR 1911s last week, the Savage 6.5 Creedmoor with 3-9 Nikon for 350.00....and in .308 too...I got to get off their mailing list or I'll never be able to retire.
We each have our problem child, with me it is Palemetto, I don't really need another AR but the rifle kit sale this week is $299 plus shipping, even if I don't build it and it requires you add the stripped lower, it is worth it to restock my parts stock. Lower build parts, barrel, hand guard, stock parts, upper, bolt, etc. It is bad when you wonder how many you could assemble out of your "spare" parts stock, minus stripped receivers. UPS will probably be delivering back ordered gun stuff 6 weeks after I am buried and that would really tick off my wife. As a hobby, my wife has decided it is relatively inexpensive, keeps me occupied, and keeps me home and lets me play with it. My younger brother was a yuppie from before they were called that and always poked fun at my "hobby" as he spent $3,000 a year on booze and cigarettes and a couple more on golfing. At the end of the year he had nothing to show for it and it aided him in dying at 66. I kept my mouth shut, but always in the back of my mind was this picture of him sitting down and eating a 50 cal Barrett as he went on about wasting money on guns as that was about what he had spent on his "hobbies" since the last time I heard the lecture.
