Expo Arms 5.56 NATO Chrome Lined AR-15 Barrel - SOCOM Profile - Carbine Length - 10.3"

I bought this for my MK18 build clone. Perfect barrel for the price. It came ready to install and already dimpled for a .750” seat gas block. Thanks PrimaryArms—- Semperfi

Bought this barrel to replace a 7 1/2" barrel on my DB15 pistol. It is of excellent quality and machining with a chrome lined bore. It fit perfectly on my upper and after my keymo suppressor flash hider was attached I used a bore rod to find it was perfectly concentric. On sale for less than $100 you can't go wrong with this barrel.

A good quality barrel that's obviously designed for special applications. This one will last a very long time, very robust and not for a lightweight build.

I received the product, unpacked it, wiped it off and installed it. Let the Loctite on my gas block set for a few days and took it out and shot it suppressed. I runs really nicely and fit and finish is fantastic. I am really happy with this purchase, so much so, that if they ever introduce this barrel in a 12.5'' with the same contour I'll buy one right away, provided they get the gassing right like they did on this 10.3. The phosphate finish was done very nicely and even, and fit and finish is also really nice. I honestly can't ask for much more from a barrel.

I bought this barrel to build a cheap URGI-ish upper build. This barrel is by far the cheapest costing barrel I have ever bought, I own guns with barrels from Noveske, Criterion, LMT, Larue, Ballistic Advantage, Rosco, Lothar Walther, Shilen, Proof Research, and Bartlein. I have always felt the Barrel and BCG are the two most important aspects of a build, however when I saw these barrels, I could not find must information about them (there are rumors about who the OEM is but not verified) and I figured why not try one out. This is a 10.3 chrome lined, the coating is excellent, the bore is excellent, bore scope showed very smooth and consistent rifling, gas port was .070 like advertised, barrel was concentric with bore alignment rod, feed ramps where well machined and not rough spots, and finally chrome lining was excellent.

I built this rifle also using Expo Arms 10.5 rail (which is another outstanding product) the upper was put on my SBR lower with a Vltor A5H2 buffer system and ran flawlessly both suppressed and un-suppressed, muzzle device was the new Cobalt Kinetics RCB-KM and suppressor used was Dead Air Sandman S (great muzzle device however, on a 10.3 barrel unsuppressed it was concussive). BCG was a complete Bravo Company BCG and functioned great, Upper was a BCM upper and barrel was thermo-fit. All round chambered and extracted flawlessly this included 55 gain FMJ, 62 Grain green tip, 75 grain Hornady 556 match, Hornady 62 grain Tap Barrier, 62 Grain Speer Gold Dot, and my 77 Grain Berger OTM hand loads.

Now to accuracy because aside from reliability accuracy is the most important, does no good to have an accurate but unreliable gun just the same does no good to have a reliable but inaccurate gun. With all ammo the gun shot either 1 MOA or under (zeroed at 50 yards with a Sig Sauer Romeo 5 2-moa dot) so this means at 50 yards all groups were half inch or under, with 223 Gold Dot and 62 Grain Tap Barrier it shot under Half-moa approximately .2-.37 MOA and with my 77-grain hand loads this barrel shot a one-hole group at 50 yards with a 2-moa red dot. Some might say 50 yards is not enough to determine accuracy however this is my standard zeroing distance, I then take the gun out to 200 yards on a 7-inch circular steel gong I have. This barrel was able to keep all rounds easily on the 7-inch steel at 200 yards. This shows the consistence accuracy ability of the barrel.

Conclusion, my barrel is only a sample size of one, however the barrel I received has been beyond my expectation and I was honestly surprised at how it performed given its price point and lack of information available about the barrel. I will be buying the 11.5 barrel in the future for testing as well. Overall impression on this barrel is outstanding and would not hesitate to recommend.
RB.

Looks great, went together perfectly, love the chrome lining, muzzle brake went on with no issues.... what more can be said.

Best value for the money